Penguins’ Letang scores in 3rd game since stroke

SUNRISE, Fla. — Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Kris Letang scored in his third game back since having a stroke, and the Penguins beat the Florida Panthers 4-2 on Thursday night.

Letang had the stroke Nov. 28, returned to practice 10 days later and got back in the lineup Saturday against Buffalo. In the second period against Florida, Letang scored a short-handed goal off a breakaway pass from Bryan Rust to tie it at 1.

“He has worked hard to get back especially this quick,” Pittsburgh captain Sidney Crosby said. “That was a big goal in the game, a shorthanded goal is big but for him, what he has gone through, it is fun to see him back out there doing his thing. He really did not ease his way into it and that is the way he likes it.”

Jake Guentzel scored twice and Evgeni Malkin added a power-play goal for the Penguins. They won for the seventh consecutive time and are 12-1-1 in their past 14 games.

Malkin appeared to have injured his right knee on his goal as he was struck by a slap shot from Crosby.

The puck ended up in the net off the post, but Malkin hit the ice and had to be helped to the team’s medical room. Malkin has had surgery on his right knee in the past, but both Crosby and coach Mike Sullivan did not think it was too serious an injury.

“It’s a funny way to score, but a goal is a goal,” Sullivan said. “The preliminary prognosis is positive so that is a positive sign.”