Malkin, Streit lift Penguins to 5-2 win vs. Lightning

minutes, 38 seconds and was credited with a couple of hits.

“Other than just getting my breath back, I felt pretty good,” Sheary said. “I felt strong. I think it was a pretty good first game.”

The Penguins, who had a total of one — count it, one — power play in the previous two games, were awarded three against Tampa Bay, and converted two of them.

Malkin got the first manadvantage goal, converting a Phil Kessel feed at 16:49 of the second period to give the Penguins a 2-1 lead, and Justin Schultz scored the second to make it 4-2 at 16:37 of the third.

Streit, who was used on both power-play units, said he was nervous before the game, but those jitters weren’t evident after the opening faceoff.

He was aggressive, offensively, throughout the evening, routinely making sound decisions and jumping into the play when the opportunity arose.

“The coach told me yesterday, ‘Be active and jump in if you see the moment,’” Streit said. “I tried to do that, and it worked out.”

Streit, 39, was paired with another veteran, Ron Hainsey, who had been acquired from Carolina eight days earlier. If the initial 60minute snapshot is any indication, it should be a productive partnership.

That certainly is true of Malkin and Kessel, who made the passes that led directly to both of Malkin’s goals.

“[Kessel] has great vision and is a great shooter,” Malkin said. “I know how he plays. I always try to get open.”

He has gotten open enough to score 323 goals since joining the Penguins. As symbiotic relationships go, this has been a pretty good one.

“I love playing here, and I love playing with this team,” Malkin said. “I’m a lucky guy.”

And the Penguins are fortunate to have him, especially on nights like this. They had been beaten in their previous two games, so a regulation loss to the Lightning would have matched their worst skid of the season.

“We don’t want it to slip away, especially at this time of year,” Sheary said. “This is when you want to play your best hockey.”

That message wasn’t lost on Malkin and Streit. And a lot of other guys.