Stanley Cup Finals: Crosby, Malkin held blank as Penguins lose Game 3 in Nashville

Sidney Crosby, second right, of the Pittsburgh Penguins looks on from the bench during the third period against the Nashville Predators in Game 3 of the 2017 NHL Stanley Cup Finals at the Bridgestone Arena on June 3, 2017 in Nashville, Tennessee. Patrick Smith / Getty Images

Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin did not register a shot on goal between them as the Pittsburgh Penguins were beaten 5-1 by the Nashville Predators in Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final on Saturday.

It was only the third time since the two hooked up in Pittsburgh more than a decade ago that both players dressed for a game and failed to record a shot, according to the NHL Network.

Russian Malkin scored a goal in each of the first two games but Canadian Crosby is seeking his first goal of the best-of-seven series, which Pittsburgh lead 2-1.

“They were the more desperate team tonight,” Crosby told reporters, while not directly addressing his own performance.

“We’ve got to find a way to raise that level of desperation and be better all over the ice, so hopefully a game like this is something that’s a hard lesson. Hopefully we’re a little hungrier” in Game 4 on Monday.

The Penguins have been particularly poor on power plays, going 0-for-3 on Saturday in Nashville and only 1-for-13 overall in the series.

Right wing Patric Hornqvist particularly lamented a power play that was frittered away late in the second period, before Nashville scored to take a 3-1 lead.

“They killed that penalty late in the second and then scored,” he said. “It’s tough to come back when those things happens. We have to be better on the power play.”

Coach Mike Sullivan agreed. “We have certainly got to figure that out as a group. I believe we will.”

* Reuters

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