Down 2 early, Penguins rally to keep Mammoth reeling

Noel Acciari scored with just less than 12 minutes left in regulation for the Pittsburgh Penguins, who rallied from an early two-goal deficit to beat the Utah Mammoth 4-3 Saturday in Salt Lake City.

Anthony Mantha recorded a goal and an assist for the Penguins, and Bryan Rust and Tommy Novak also lit the lamp for Pittsburgh. Egor Chinakhov, Erik Karlsson and Parker Wotherspoon tallied a pair of assists each as Pittsburgh snapped a two-game skid.

Stuart Skinner made 26 saves for his first win since Jan. 31, ending a 0-1-4 stretch.

Dylan Guenther scored twice for the Mammoth and defenseman Ian Cole ended a 38-game dry spell. Alex Kerfoot and Kevin Stenlund finished with an assist apiece.

Karel Vejmelka stopped 19 shots for Utah.

Acciari set himself up for the game-winner, getting the puck off the forecheck behind the Mammoth net. He then stationed himself in front of the net and was in position to put back a rebound of a Wotherspoon shot from the point with 11:57 remaining.

Guenther gave the home team a 2-0 lead with 13:23 left in the first thanks to a pair of unassisted goals, including one on a power play, 91 seconds apart.

Pittsburgh cut into the Utah lead with 5:12 left in the second after Utah's Lawson Crouse and Alexander Kerfoot committed minor penalties 33 seconds apart. Mantha beat Vejmelka short side from the circle on a 5-on-3.

Novak got the equalizer less than three minutes later, beating Vejmelka after Wotherspoon's shot was deflected by Kailer Yamamoto.

Pittsburgh took advantage of Utah's fifth second-period minor just 84 seconds into the third when Rust's power-play goal gave the Penguins their first lead.

In losing its fourth straight (0-2-2), Utah gave Pittsburgh six power-play opportunities.

Cole, called for hooking Rust in the closing seconds of the second, atoned for his error with his third goal of the season at 15:43 to tie the game.

Utah had several chances for a late equalizer, none better than a Michael Carcone breakaway. However, his shot with 2:30 left hit off Skinner and the crossbar before going out of play.

--Field Level Media