Pens drop Flyers in OT, 3-2

In Pittsburgh, the visiting Philadelphia Flyers scored late to force their match with the Penguins into extra time.

The Pens were bailed out by Kris Letang, who scored with 1:54 gone in the extra session for a 3-2 win.

“The last four days, after I got all my screenings, I tried to stay on the ice as much as I could just to get the feel back,” Letang said. “Ten days without skating, it’s a long time, so I tried to get as much as I could in the last four days. But a little tired, as expected.”

Tristan Jarry made 36 saves for the Pens victory.

The Flyers’ Scott Laughton tied the game, 2-2 with just under three minutes left in regulation.

“I think it’s a good point anytime you can pick it up down a goal with a couple minutes left,” Laughton said. “You always want to get the extra one. I thought [Hart] played a pretty outstanding game and gave us a chance to win. He’s really dialed in right now.

“I think we can do a little bit of a better job making it harder on other teams’ goaltenders and throwing different things at them.”

Pittsburgh took the lead with 16 seconds gone in the first period off a goal from Brock McGinn.

Pittsburgh improved to 4-3-2.

With head coach Mike Sullivan on NHL COVID19 protocol, the Pens were coached by assistant coach Todd Reirden.

“There’s a number of things to take from a game like that,” Reirden said. “To me, going through the adversity we’ve gone through and being able to come out of it that way was something I pointed out with the team and was something I was really proud of how we handled it.”

Travis Konecny tied the game, 1-1, in the middle frame.

“I feel, at times, it was a little chaotic and maybe started playing more of their style,” Konecny said. “Trading opportunities. They feed into that. They have a lot of fast guys who like playing off the rush. But I feel like there were times where we played our game and I think, at those times, we dominated.”

Jake Guentzel gave the Pens a 2-1 lead just past the midway point of the second period.

“Just a different day,” Guentzel said. “Kind of just found out [Sullivan] was out coming to the rink, so (it’s) just kind of what we’ve done all year. Another guy steps up, and I think that’s just what we’re doing right now.”

The Flyers dropped to 5-2-2.

“Their goalie had some big saves he had to make,” Philadelphia head coach Alain Vigneault said. “That’s part of today’s game. You need great goaltending. We’re getting some, they got some.

” … Goaltenders are a big part of today’s game. You need it and Carter made some big saves, but so did their goalie today.”