Penguins Erase 3-Goal Deficit to Beat Bruins in OT

Tommy Novak scores game-winner 17 seconds into overtime

Published on Mar. 9, 2026

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The Pittsburgh Penguins rallied from a 3-0 deficit to beat the Boston Bruins 5-4 in overtime on Sunday. Tommy Novak scored the game-winning goal just 17 seconds into the extra period after the Penguins scored five of the final six goals in the game. Anthony Mantha scored twice in the third period to help the Penguins erase the large early deficit.

Why it matters

The Penguins were playing without star players Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, making the comeback even more impressive. The win snaps a three-game skid for Pittsburgh and showcases their resilience and ability to rally back from a large deficit against a tough opponent like the Bruins.

The details

The Bruins jumped out to a 3-0 lead on goals from Pavel Zacha (2) and David Pastrnak. But the Penguins stormed back, with Egor Chinakhov, Connor Dewar, and two goals from Anthony Mantha tying the game in the third period. In overtime, Egor Chinakhov forced a turnover and Novak buried the game-winner just 17 seconds into the extra period.

  • The Penguins scored five of the final six goals after falling behind 3-0 early in the game.
  • Novak scored the game-winning goal 17 seconds into overtime.

The players

Tommy Novak

The Penguins forward scored the game-winning goal in overtime to complete the comeback.

Anthony Mantha

The Penguins forward scored two third-period goals to tie the game and force overtime.

Pavel Zacha

The Bruins forward scored a hat trick, including two power-play goals, to give Boston an early 3-0 lead.

David Pastrnak

The Bruins star forward scored a goal to extend Boston's lead to 3-0 in the second period.

Egor Chinakhov

The Penguins forward forced the turnover that led to the game-winning goal in overtime.

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What they’re saying

“We must have showed a lot of character to come back from 3-0 down, especially without some of our top guys. It was a big win for us.”

— Tommy Novak (statenews.net)

The takeaway

The Penguins' ability to rally from a large deficit and win in overtime, despite missing key players, demonstrates their resilience and the depth of their roster. This comeback victory could provide a much-needed boost as Pittsburgh looks to solidify their playoff positioning in the tight Eastern Conference race.