Penguins forward Michael Bunting finding power-play goals

Forward Michael Bunting became part of history Sunday when he scored a power-play goal during a 3-2 win against the New York Islanders at PPG Paints Arena.

The primary assist was recorded by forward Sidney Crosby, allowing him to become the Pittsburgh Penguins’ all-time leader in assists, surpassing Mario Lemieux’s figure of 1,033.

“I told him where to go and … No. No,” Bunting quipped after the game. “He’s done it so many times. He has eyes on the back of his head, and he knew I was there.”

It doesn’t require strong vision to see what Bunting has offered the Penguins’ power play in recent weeks.

He leads the team with seven power-play goals and has been particularly prolific on the man advantage since Nov. 30, having scored five such goals since then.

During a 6-2 home win against the Calgary Flames on the final day of November, Bunting scored the second goal of the contest at 2 minutes, 40 seconds of the second period.

Off a faceoff in the Flames’ left circle, Penguins defenseman Kris Letang accepted the puck at the left point and fed it to the far half-wall for defensive partner Matt Grzelcyk, who blasted a one-timer at the cage. Flames goaltender Dan Vladar made the initial save but permitted a rebound to the right of the crease that Bunting tidily swept into the cage with a forehand shot.

On Dec. 12, Bunting scored what proved to be the deciding goal in a 5-2 home win against the Toronto Maple Leafs at 5:34 of the third period.

Taking a pass in Toronto’s high slot, Penguins defenseman Erik Karlsson one-touched the puck to the lower left circle, where Penguins forward Bryan Rust tried to re-direct a forehand shot on net. Maple Leafs defenseman Conor Timmins read the sequence perfectly and flopped to his knees to block the shot but inadvertently deflected the puck to the opposite circle, where Bunting swept in a wrister through Maple Leafs defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson’s legs and by the left skate of outstretched goaltender Joseph Woll.

Bunting scored two goals in a 7-3 home win against the Philadelphia Flyers. His first goal of the contest came during a power-play sequence at 16:15 of the first period.

Accepting a pass in Philadelphia’s high slot, Crosby distributed a puck to the lower-right circle for Penguins forward Evgeni Malkin, who immediately slid a pass to the far side of the crease. Bunting gained position on Flyers defenseman Egor Zamula, fought through a stick check and shoveled in a forehand shot that struck off of goaltender Samuel Ersson’s right skate and deflected into the cage.

During a 6-3 road loss to the Islanders on Saturday, Bunting scored his team’s first goal at 16:03 of the opening period.

Under pressure from Islanders defenseman Alexander Romanov, Crosby lost possession of the puck in New York’s right circle. Penguins forward Rickard Rakell tried to provide support and claim the puck at the right dot but ended up kicking it forward, allowing Bunting to grip and rip a wrister from the lower rim of the circle to the far side, beating goaltender Ilya Sorokin’s blocker on the far side, where it rang off the post and deflected into the cage.

Bunting’s most recent power-play score came during Sunday’s win.

Settling a loose puck at the top of New York’s right circle, Penguins forward Philip Tomasino offloaded a pass to the right corner for Crosby. Slinking his way to the end boards, Crosby snapped a backhanded pass to the lower rim of the right circle, where Bunting darted and lasered a wrister under goaltender Marcus Hogberg’s right leg.

“I’m having fun,” Bunting said. “We’re winning, too. Everyone is playing well, and I find that when the team is having success, individuals are having success, as well.”