COLUMBUS — It was a lackluster day for the Pittsburgh Penguins (12-6-5). Friday morning, Coach Dan Muse stopped the morning skate to admonish his team for going through the motions, and after a few colorful words, instituted contact three-on-three drills to raise the energy.
It surely didn’t help the Penguins for most of the first 40 minutes. The Penguins were badly outplayed at the outset and were lucky to get the first goal of the game before the Columbus Blue Jackets (11-9-5) took advantage of lethargic Penguins’ mistakes with three unanswered goals.
However, Sidney Crosby and Bryan Rust scored third period goals to tie the game, and Kris Letang (2) scored quickly in overtime for a 4-3 Penguins win at Nationwide Arena.
It was the third time in four games that Columbus needed overtime. Columbus lost the previous two, as well.
The Penguins were at best chasing the game for the five minutes. It took 5:36 before the Penguins got their first shot of the game, after giving up a handful to Columbus.
Even the Penguins’ league-leading power play had the energy of a sloth at nap time. Columbus had the only real shot during the Penguins’ early man advantage when Sean Monahan streaked down the left wing with a good wrist shot.
Yet, it was the Penguins who tallied first.
After a scramble near the crease in which Crosby couldn’t find the loose puck to slip it past Columbus goalie Jet Greaves, he got another chance moments later when defenseman Kris Letang held the zone at the top of the circles. Crosby (14) neatly deflected Letang’s shot-pass into a yawning cage at 6:10 of the first period.
However, the Penguins’ good moments on Friday were buttressed by some jaw-dropping lapses.
A Penguins defensive breakdown later in the first period nullified their early good fortune. Tommy Novak failed to stay with Monahan, who was then uncovered for an easy rebound putback over a stretched-out Tristan Jarry at 13:40.
Early in the second period, the Penguins seemed to be taking control of the game until the referees awarded them their second power play. The flatfooted Penguins watched Ville Koivunen misplay a bouncing puck at the top of the zone, resulting in a Columbus two-on-one.
At the end of the rush, Miles Wood slipped a pass past Sidney Crosby, who had sprawled on the ice to block that very pass. Brendan Gaunce (1) slammed the puck into the net for a shorthanded goal and a 2-1 Columbus lead at 3:51 of the second.
While the teams did their best to let fans rest up from eventful holidays for most of the second period, the Penguins’ snoozer eventually put them to bed, as well.
In the final seconds of the second period, Letang’s backhand clearing attempt through the middle of the ice was intercepted by Charlie Coyle, who then fended off Letang and moments later Kevin Hayes to keep possession.
With both Hayes and Letang in the corner to battle Coyle, Zach Werenksi (9) was open at the top of the zone and slapped a shot past Jarry with only four seconds remaining in the second period for a 3-1 Columbus lead.
Rust left the ice twice Friday. In the first period, he tangled with Evgeni Malkin and appeared to suffer an upper-body injury, but was back quickly. Late in the second period, he cut toward the net and was felled by Werenski’s cross-check and the goal post.
He limped off the ice and down the tunnel.
The Penguins had just 14 shots after two periods.
Rust returned for the third period and promptly scored. Defenseman Erik Karlsson pinched on the right wall to keep the play alive, and Rust (7) had space in the slot to step forward and whip a high wrister past Greaves at just :13 of the third period.
Midway through the third period, Crosby raced into the Columbus zone to retrieve a soft dump-in by Tommy Novak. Crosby was behind the Columbus defense and caught up to the puck just feet from the net. Crosby (15) had time for one quick move and snapped it past Greaves at 8:28 of the third period to tie the game 3-3.
The resurrection allowed the Penguins to reclaim a wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference.
Jarry stopped 26 of 29 shots. Greaves netted 20 of 24.
Penguins Notes
Columbus was playing without several top players, including Boone Jenner and Kirill Marchenko, who were out with injuries.
Muse made significant line changes, putting Kevin Hayes on Crosby’s left wing, replacing Connor Dewar, and Tommy Novak on Evgeni Malkin’s left wing, replacing Hayes.
Danton Heinen skated on the third line LW with Ben Kindel and Ville Koivunen. Dewar rejoined the fourth line.
Karlsson’s third period assist on Rust’s goal tied him with Peter Forsberg for the eighth-most points among Swedes in NHL history (885). He also moved into 12th place on the NHL’s all-time assist list among defensemen (684).
Crosby is now on pace for a 53-goal season.
Tags: Columbus Blue Jackets Pittsburgh Penguins
Categorized: Penguins Postgame