RALEIGH, N.C. — The Penguins and Hurricanes played one of the most entertaining games of the season Wednesday, seesawing back and forth throughout.

After seven combined third-period goals, it was only fitting that it went to overtime — which has not been kind to Pittsburgh in Raleigh.

It wasn’t again Wednesday. The Penguins lost, 6-5, in overtime to the Hurricanes at the Lenovo Center.

It was Pittsburgh’s 10th consecutive defeat on the road to Carolina, and it came in Sidney Crosby’s return from an 11-game absence due to a lower-body injury suffered at the Olympics.

Sean Walker won it in overtime for the Hurricanes following a dramatic 3-on-3 period with excellent looks for both sides.

The Penguins had the better chances in the opening moments and earned the game’s first power play. It didn’t go well.

Jordan Staal won a faceoff against his former teammate. Staal got the puck back from Jaccob Slavin and fired a perfect bank pass to Jordan Martinook streaking down the ice. Martinook rifled a short-handed wrister past Stuart Skinner for the opening goal of the game.

Evgeni Malkin, playing his second game since returning from a five-game suspension, seemed to be the player responsible for Martinook. Malkin let the Hurricanes winger blow by him into open ice. The Penguins have surrendered 10 shorthanded goals this season, among the worst in the league.

From there, Carolina dominated the action. Pittsburgh was lucky to only trail by a goal at the first intermission.

The deficit threatened to grow early in the second period, but Skinner made a number of nice saves. And then Crosby announced his return.

Rickard Rakell hustled to retrieve the puck along the end boards and managed to leave it for Crosby in front of the net. The Penguins captain did the rest, scoring his 28th goal of the season on the backhand.

But a rare rough day for Pittsburgh’s special teams continued later in the period. About a minute after an inept Penguins power play — featuring another excellent short-handed chance for Seth Jarvis that Skinner denied — the Hurricanes got their first man advantage of the game.

Pittsburgh’s penalty kill technically fought it off. But four seconds after Parker Wotherspoon’s penalty expired, Jackson Blake skated around Ilya Solovyov, who made an ill-advised dive to play the passing lane, and the Hurricanes winger beat Skinner through the five-hole with a slick backhand to retake the lead entering the second intermission.

Andrei Svechnikov and Crosby got into it near the end of the period. Crosby got a minor for roughing. Svechnikov received two minors. And when Staal was called for tripping Malkin 29 seconds into the third, the Penguins had a 5-on-3.

Erik Karlsson paid it off with a rocket of a slap shot to tie the game. It was Karlsson’s 16th point in the past 11 games.

But in a recurring theme from the Penguins’ last few games, they surrendered a quick answer. Elmer Soderblom, in the midst of a solid game, had a bad giveaway in the offensive zone. The Hurricanes broke into a rush.

A couple of nice passes from Logan Stankoven and Blake gave Taylor Hall a clean look in front of the net. He put it in to put the Hurricanes back in front.

In another theme from the Penguins’ five-game road trip, they didn’t go away. Bryan Rust took the puck from Slavin at the blue line and raced past the Hurricanes defenseman for a breakaway. Rust’s 26th of the season tied the game again.

The seesaw continued. Stankoven scored on the power play to give the Hurricanes the lead with about seven minutes to play.

Karlsson kept dazzling. He made a nasty move to get around Sebastian Aho at the point. He then fired home his second goal of the game from just above the circle to tie it with just over five minutes remaining.

Ben Kindel put the Penguins in front for the first time less than 30 seconds later. Soloyvov took the puck away in Pittsburgh’s zone and got it to Anthony Mantha, who fed Kindel on a 2-on-1. The 18-year-old scored his 17th goal of the season on a snappy release.

The Hurricanes found a response. K’Andre Miller scored from the circle on a shot that took a weird bounce in front of Skinner.

It was over when …

Walker gave the Hurricanes their second straight win against the Penguins after regulation.

Stat of the game

— 0-4-6: The Penguins’ record in their past 10 games in Raleigh following another loss after regulation.

Around the boards

— Fourth-line center Blake Lizotte missed his second straight game. He won’t be back for a while. The Penguins announced Tuesday that he’s out with an upper-body injury and will be reevaluated in four weeks. That would put his return right at the end of the regular season at the earliest.

— Defenseman Jack St. Ivany has rejoined the team following a conditioning loan to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the American Hockey League. St. Ivany suffered a hand injury requiring surgery in late January and has not played an NHL game since. He was on the ice for the Penguins’ morning skate Wednesday.

Up next

The Penguins will go two days without a game for the only time in March. They return to action at 1 p.m. Saturday against the Winnipeg Jets at PPG Paints Arena.

©2026 PG Publishing Co. Visit at post-gazette.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.