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A20 SPORTS
Friday 1 February 2019
Penguins hold off NHL-leading Lightning 4-2

PITTSBURGH (AP) — After a hand the Lighting just their
baffling loss to a last-place fourth regulation loss in their
team and with a visit from last 25 games.
the NHL's best club loom- Vasilevskiy allowed three
ing, the Pittsburgh Penguins goals on five shots before
called a players-only meet- settling down to finish with
ing on Tuesday in an effort 18 saves, but Tampa Bay
to clear the air. couldn't recover in its return
"We needed an answer," from a 10-day break. J.T.
defenseman Kris Letang Miller and Stamkos scored
said. late in the third period to
For a night, they found one. keep the Lighting from be-
Playing with an edge they ing shut out for the first time
lacked two nights earlier this season, but it wasn't
against struggling New Jer- nearly enough to prevent
sey, the Penguins turned Tampa Bay from falling to
away the Tampa Bay Light- 2-12-2 in its last 14 regular-
ning 4-2 on Wednesday to season visits to Pittsburgh.
send a message that when "We just kind of got be-
they are fully engaged, hind the eight-ball and
they remain as dangerous they capitalized on it their
as ever. couple chances they got,"
"We all know that Tampa Stamkos said. "It was just an
Bay right now is at the top uphill battle from there. So
of the league," Letang Pittsburgh Penguins' Sidney Crosby (87) puts the puck past Tampa Bay Lightning goaltender An- I thought we stuck with it,
drei Vasilevskiy (88) for a goal in the first period of an NHL hockey game in Pittsburgh, Wednesday,
said. "They're a really good Jan. 30, 2019. but just too sloppy to start
measuring stick for any Associated Press the game."
team. Tonight was impor- Sullivan expressed frustra-
tant, especially (after) the Letang's shot from the right I never thought I would 5-minute fighting major in tion at his team's scatter-
two points that slipped the circle 6:02 into the second have my name next to his," the third period after tus- shot play against the Dev-
night before. It was a good period beat Andrei Vasi- Letang said. sling with Tampa Bay star ils, when turnovers and dis-
effort, and I think it brought levskiy to give him 12 goals Riley Sheahan, Phil Kessel Steven Stamkos. interested play in front of
the best out of us." on the season and 108 and Sidney Crosby scored "That's (his) best game in Murray dropped Pittsburgh
Matt Murray finished with since his NHL debut in 2007. during a first-period out- a while," Penguins coach to 1-7-1 against last-place
33 saves to keep the NHL's Letang, a five-time All-Star, burst by Pittsburgh. Evgeni Mike Sullivan said of Malkin. teams. Two days later
highest scoring team in called the milestone "sur- Malkin picked up two as- "He was on the puck. You against an opponent with
check, and Letang tied real." He's still a long way sists to become the fifth notice him. He was a pres- the inside track to claim
Hall of Famer Paul Coffey's off from Coffey's 396 career Russian-born player in ence every shift." the Presidents' Trophy, the
franchise record for career goals over 21 NHL seasons. league history to reach 600 Murray withstood an early effort and the results were
goals by a defenseman. "Growing up watching him, career assists then drew a barrage by Tampa Bay to far different.q

Faceoff ace Antoine Vermette retires after 14 NHL seasons

By STEPHEN WHYNO wins are 14th-most all-time, right there."
AP Hockey Writer and he led the league in Vermette put up 228 goals
Center Antoine Vermette faceoff percentage in his fi- and 287 assists for 515 points
retires as one of the best fa- nal season in 2017-18. Long- in 1,046 regular-season
ceoff specialists of his gen- time agent Allan Walsh games. He had 28 points
eration. said Vermette constantly and a faceoff percent-
Vermette announced on worked on his faceoff tech- age of 57.9 during 97 play-
Thursday he was calling it a niques always looking for off games and helped the
career after 14 NHL seasons an edge and was proud of Blackhawks win the Cup in
with the Ottawa Senators, his expertise in that depart- 2015 after being picked up
Columbus Blue Jackets, ment. "He was a guy that at the trade deadline.
Arizona Coyotes, Chicago would always be relied "Obviously, he played a
Blackhawks and Anaheim upon to go out there in key different role based on
Ducks. The 36-year-old from moments of a game, espe- how strong the team was
Quebec won the Stanley cially faceoffs in the defen- and especially down the
Cup with the Blackhawks In this Jan. 14, 2017, file photo, Anaheim Ducks center Antoine sive zone or offensive zone middle," Walsh said. "He's a
Vermette pauses before a faceoff during the first period of an
in 2015 and most recently NHL hockey game against the Arizona Coyotes in Glendale, to go out there and win the guy that whether it was to
played for the Ducks, but Ariz. faceoff," Walsh said. "We be more of a two-way shut-
he didn't sign with a team Associated Press know how important pos- down guy or to be counted
after becoming a free session is nowadays. Being on to provide offense, he
agent last summer. NHL Players' Association. "It mette had far more victo- able to control the puck on had some years where he
"I am immensely grateful for was a privilege sharing my ries than defeats. He won the (power play or penalty scored a lot of goals and
all these incredible years daily life with teammates, 56.6 percent of his faceoffs, kill) or the last minute and put up a lot of points."
punctuated by memorable to forging friendships that the ninth-best mark since a half of the game with a Vermette also had a 482-
moments that I will cherish will endure well beyond the the league began tracking faceoff in the O-zone with game ironman streak that
forever," Vermette said in a victories and defeats." the statistic in 1997-98. the goalie on the bench is lasted from March 2009 un-
statement sent through the In the faceoff circle, Ver- Vermette's 8,948 faceoff sometimes half the battle til October 2015.q