Letang Sets NHL Record with 5 Assists in 2nd Period as Penguins Crush Islanders
Kris Letang became the first defenseman in NHL history to get five points in one period, and the Pittsburgh Penguins cruised to a 7-0 win against the New York Islanders at UBS Arena on Wednesday.
Letang Makes NHL History
Kris Letang made history by becoming the first defenseman in NHL history to record five points in a single period. During the second period of the game against the New York Islanders, Letang tallied five assists to help the Pittsburgh Penguins secure a 7-0 victory. Letang's exceptional performance also tied the NHL record for the most assists in a game by a defenseman.
"I only [found out] after the game," Letang said when asked about setting the record. "It's one of those nights where everybody seemed to score every time I gave it to them." Letang credited his teammates for capitalizing on his passes and making the most out of their opportunities.
Penguins Dominate Second Period
The Penguins dominated the second period, scoring six goals to take a commanding lead over the Islanders. Jake Guentzel led the offensive charge with two goals and an assist, while Evgeni Malkin netted two goals. Additionally, Marcus Pettersson had a productive game, recording four assists. With the win, the Penguins extended their point streak to four games, going 3-0-1 during that span.
Pittsburgh coach Mike Sullivan praised his team's performance, stating, "I thought in the second period we did a much better job of controlling territory and establishing some offensive zone time. I think a lot of it starts in the neutral zone, and we made good decisions with the puck. I thought our guys did a real good job, and that goes a long way to setting the game up the way we want to play it."
Islanders Struggle to Keep Up
The New York Islanders had a difficult time keeping pace with the Penguins during the game. Goaltender Ilya Sorokin allowed six goals on 25 shots through two periods, while Semyon Varlamov made six saves on seven shots in the third. The Islanders' offense also struggled to find the back of the net, despite having opportunities in the first period.
New York forward Mathew Barzal acknowledged the team's poor performance, saying, "We poured it on in the first period, could have had a couple then. ... So, as bad as the score is, the game could have been a lot different if we scored first in the first period." The Islanders have now lost four of their last six games.
Letang Sets Up First NHL Goal for Puustinen
In addition to his five assists, Letang also played a role in helping Valtteri Puustinen score his first NHL goal. Puustinen buried a one-timer from the left circle off a diagonal cross-ice pass from Letang, capping off the Penguins' dominant performance. Letang expressed his excitement about setting up Puustinen's milestone goal, saying, "It's always fun when you're the guy that sets up the first NHL goal. It was cool to do."
Letang's exceptional play in the game solidified his place in NHL history. He joined Dale Hawerchuk as the only player to record five assists in one period, and is the first defenseman in over 35 years to tally six assists in a game.
