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WILKES-BARRE TWP. — Jeff Zatkoff entered Wednesday’s game against the Hartford Wolf Pack with only three starts in March, and all of them were losses.
He knew things had to change.
Zatkoff stopped 37 of 40 shots, including several big saves on a Hartford two-man advantage, while Dominik Uher added two third-period goals to lead the Penguins to a 4-3 win.
The win gives the Penguins a three-point cushion over Worcester for fourth place in the Eastern Conference and it also served as a refreshing boost of confidence for Zatkoff, who had allowed 14 goals in his last three starts.
“I knew it was going to turn around,” Zatkoff said. “I was never doubting myself. The game goes in stretches – good and bad, and you have to keep working through it.”
Zatkoff experienced the “bad” right away after an Alex Boak turnover behind the net led to a goal from Oscar Lindberg and a 1-0 Hartford lead just four minutes into the first period.
The Penguins needed to rebound quickly, and Zatkoff made sure they did.
“You just erase it. It’s a turnover, pass and the backdoor guy taps it in. What are you going to do?” he said. “Start over at 0-0 and keep your team in the game.”
Despite being outshot 28-13 through the first two periods, the Penguins completed the rebound and got on the board.
Jayson Megna tied it up when he collected a Brian Dumoulin pass in the slot and beat Hartford goaltender MacKenzie Skapski to make it 1-1.
Minutes later the Penguins went on a 5-on-3 power play and made it pay when Scott Wilson sent a shot in from the high slot that was tipped by Tom Kostopoulos to make it 2-1.
At the other end, Zatkoff continued his strong play and came up big when Hartford went on a two-man advantage for 1:28 late in the period. Zatkoff’s biggest save came on a sweeping shot in front from Lindberg as the Penguins killed off the power play.
Head coach John Hynes said the two-man advantages – the Penguins scored on theirs and prevented Hartford from doing the same, were key.
“The way the game ended, that was a big difference,” he said, crediting Zatkoff for leading the penalty kill. “When you kill a 5-on-3 there’s usually one or two big stops. He made a couple for us and that was big.”
The Penguins added to their lead right away in the third period after Carter Rowney stole the puck along the blueline, dished it to Tom Kuhnhackl who sent a pass to Uher for a wrister in the slot.
Uher’s goal made it 3-1 and put the Penguins in control, and they weren’t done yet.
Midway through the period Dumoulin sent a shot in from the point that was tipped by Uher in front to make it 4-1.
It marked Uher’s second two-goal game of the season.
“He’s a third year pro and this is the time of year you want to see those guys come through and play big for you,” Hynes said. “There were times where we double-shifted him because he was playing so well.”
Still, Hartford made it interesting when they scored twice in the last five minutes, including a goal with the extra attacker, to make it 4-3.
Despite the late goals, Hynes said his team couldn’t have won without Zatkoff’s effort.
“It was a great win for him because we couldn’t have done it without him,” Hynes said. “He helped drive our team and that breeds confidence for a player.”
NOTES
– D Reid McNeill (injury), C Nick Drazenovic (injury), LW Anton Zlobin (injury), C Adam Payerl, D Barry Goers (injury) and LW Conor Sheary (injury) were scratched for the Penguins.