For the second straight game, Evgeni Malkin was scratched because of a "lower body injury." Sidney Crosby and Brooks Orpik were out as well. But the Penguins would get production from several less-heralded players to a 4-2 victory over the Florida Panthers in their home opener Tuesday night. Rookie Joe Vitale was a star of the game, chipping in with two huge assists to put the Pens in a 2-0 lead.
Pascal Dupuis opened the scoring with his first goal of the season at 14:57 of the first period, and the Pens never looked back.
Matt Cooke was on the receiving end of Vitale’s second assist which Cooke buried for his third goal of the season, leading the team.
After the Panthers pulled within one behind a Marcel Goc goal, the Pens' Richard Park netted a shorthanded goal when the Panthers' Dmitry Kulikov fumbled a clear. In addition to the shorthanded goal, the Pens went 16-for-16 on the penalty kill. James Neal finished off the scoring for the Pens, extending the lead to 4-2 and a home opening win to improve their record to 3-0-1.