Kris Letang sets NHL assists mark as Pens crush Isles 7-0

Jake Guentzel and Evgeni Malkin both scored twice while Kris Letang collected a record five assists during a six-goal second period for the visiting Pittsburgh Penguins, who routed the New York Islanders 7-0 on Wednesday night in Elmont, N.Y.

Richard Rakell and Radim Zohorna opened and closed the second-period barrage for the Penguins, who scored six goals in a period for the second time this calendar year. Pittsburgh also scored six times in the second period of a 7-3 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning on Feb. 26.

The six-goal period was the most prolific road period for the Penguins since they scored six against the Islanders in an 8-2 win at Nassau Coliseum on Mar. 21, 2000 — which, until Wednesday, was the last time New York gave up six goals in a period.

Letang's five assists are the most by one player in Penguins history in one period and the most by a defenseman in NHL history in one period.

Letang helped cap off the scoring in the third by feeding Valtteri Puustinen at the 9:48 mark. He is the first Penguins player with six points in a game since Sidney Crosby had two goals and four assists against the Islanders on Jan. 19, 2010, and tied the record for most assists by a defenseman in NHL history.

The shutout win was the most lopsided for the Penguins since a 7-0 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers in the opening game of an Eastern Conference quarterfinal series on April 11, 2018, and their most lopsided in a regular-season game since a 7-0 blanking of the Arizona Coyotes on Dec. 12, 2016.

Marcus Pettersson added four assists and Tristan Jarry made 22 saves for the Penguins, who earned their fifth win in the last seven games (5-1-1).

The shutout defeat was the most lopsided for the Islanders since an 8-0 loss to the Lightning in Game 5 of the Eastern Conference semifinals on June 21, 2021, and their most lopsided regular-season blanking since a 7-0 loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets on Feb. 25, 2017.

Ilya Sorokin recorded 19 saves before being pulled after the second for the Islanders, who fell in regulation for just the third time in the last 20 games (11-3-6). Semyon Varlamov stopped six of seven shots in the third.

The teams, each playing for the first time since Saturday, combined for just nine shots in the first before the Penguins busted out. Rakell scored 6:44 into the period and Guentzel scored at 10:15 and then again at 10:27 following an Islanders timeout. Guentzel's two-goal flurry was the fastest by a Pittsburgh player since Martin Straka scored twice in seven seconds against the Edmonton Oilers on Feb. 11, 2000.

Malkin scored consecutive goals with 7:12 left and with 3:54 remaining before Zohorna scored 1:07 later.

—Field Level Media