Penguins 3, Panthers 1

Some news and notes, numbers and quotes from the Penguins’ 3-1 victory against Florida Saturday night at Consol Energy Center:

*** Goalie Marc-Andre Fleury stopped 45 of 46 shots – easily the most the Penguins have allowed this season – to make this victory possible. “He’s just so consistent,” center Sidney Crosby said. “That’s so important. There are going to be nights when you’re going to give up more shots and you’re not going to be quite as sharp. When your goalie’s bringing that sense of calm, it allows guys to be patient, not force things.”

*** Defenseman Derrick Pouliot, making his NHL dedut, became 15th player in franchise history to score in his first game and the seventh do it on his first shot. Fellow named Mario Lemieux is on that list, too. “It’s very exciting,” Pouliot said. “Very happy.”

*** The Penguins are 22-6-4 and perched atop the Eastern Conference, despite a gruesome run of injuries and illness in recent weeks.

*** Crosby ended an eight-game goal-less streak by converting a Kris Letang feed in the third period. “I’d stopped counting,” Crosby said.

*** The Penguins have won four consecutive games against Panthers goalie Roberto Luongo and six of their past eight games against him.

*** Florida got its only goal from Upper St. Clair native Vincent Trocheck, who scored during a power play at 7:31 of the first period.

*** The Penguins got first-line left winger Chris Kunitz back after he sat out eight games because of a broken foot, but played without defensemen Paul Martin and Christian Ehrhoff, both of whom were placed on injured-reserve with unspecified injuries.

*** The Penguins had expected Florida to put the puck on goal whenever possible, but didn’t anticipate allowing 46 shots. “We gave up way too many shots, for what our game plan is,” center Marcel Goc said. “But we know [Fleury] is there for us.”

*** The game was surprisingly nasty, and the teams combined for 76 penalty minutes. “The way the first started, it was ugly out there,” said Crosby, who got a wicked slash to his right hand and a stick to the mouth. “Not two teams you’d expect that to develop [with]. That’s hockey. Sometimes it works out that way. There’s no real way to anticipate that.”

*** The Penguins have won five consecutive games at home, a season-high, and are 9-1-1 on Saturdays.

*** Pouliot logged 15 minutes, seven seconds of ice time and had one blocked shot, two shots and two giveaways.

*** The Penguins have called off the practice scheduled for Sunday.

*** After the Penguins take on Florida Monday, they will visit Tampa Tuesday in their final game before the NHL’s three-day Christmas break.

*** The Penguins are 21-8 in their past 29 games against Florida.