Penguins sink Admirals on Tibbetts' tally

Billy Tibbetts scored his second goal of the third period with 47 seconds remaining in regulation to give the Penguins a 4-3 victory over the expansion Norfolk Admirals at Norfolk Scope.

Tibbetts has registered a point in 11 consecutive games. His game-winning goal was the third in the team's last three road games.

The victory also made Dennis Bonvie's return a success. The popular enforcer played his first game since being sent down Sunday by Pittsburgh. He made his presence felt immediately, fighting Norfolk tough guy Aaron Downey in the first period.

It was Tibbetts, though, who delivered the knockout punch to the Admirals in the third period.

The Penguins (10-3-1) entered the final 20 minutes trailing, 2-1. Rookie Toby Petersen tied the score at 5:28, deflecting a Chris Kelleher shot past Norfolk goalie Jeff Maund. It was Petersen's 11th goal of the season.

At 8:36, Tibbetts knocked in the rebound of a Sven Butenschon shot off a 2-on-1 break to give the Penguins their first lead, 3-2.

Norfolk (6-5-1) answered at the 12:49 mark. Off a scramble in front of Penguins net, Steve Poapst picked up a loose puck and shot it past goalie Rich Parent to tie the game at 3. It was Poapst's first goal of the season and first since the 1998-99 campaign with Portland.

Parent helped keep the score tied with a pair of clutch saves. At 16:29, he denied Ajay Baines off a 2-on-1 break. Then at 17:48, he made a pad stop on Matt Henderson.

Parent finished with 30 saves.

It appeared as if the game was headed to overtime, but Tibbetts had other ideas. With a burst of speed, he skated down left wing into the Norfolk zone and fired a shot past Maund for the game-winning goal at 19:13.

Norfolk opened the scoring with 45 seconds left in the first period. Baines intercepted a clearing attempt and passed to Kyle Calder, who beat Parent with a high shot for a 1-0 Admirals lead.

The Penguins used their potent power play to tie the score early in the second period, with Andrew Ference beating Maund at the 2:14 mark. It was the seventh straight game in which the Penguins have scored at least one power-play goal.

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