PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Penguins started terribly, regrouped to look unbeatable, and then reverted to their earlier, very vulnerable play against the Columbus Blue Jackets.

But for the third time this season, the Penguins rallied to erase a third-period Columbus lead to force overtime, and for the second time this month, scored with an extra attacker. Penguins captain Sidney Crosby threw his hands in the air to celebrate his deflection–the tying goal–at 18:59 of the third.

However, the Penguins and goalie Arturs Silovs’s struggles continued in the shootout, and Charlie Coyle’s score in the fourth round of the SO delivered Columbus a 4-3 shootout win on Saturday at PPG Paints Arena.

Silovs fell to 1-6 in the shootout this season.

Egor Chinakhov was the only Penguins shooter to score, while Silovs stopped two of four attempts.

The Penguins had several chances to win in overtime.

Ben Kindel had a short breakaway at the beginning of overtime, and Evgeni Malkin had a pair of open wristshots within 15 feet just seconds later, but Merzlikins continued his sterling performance with somewhat unbelievable denials.

Regulation was an ever-changing environment.

In the midst of the Penguins’ alternating, Columbus rallied for two goals in the second period, got a few brilliant saves from Merzlikins in the final minutes, but couldn’t withstand the Penguins barage.

The Penguins were stunningly out-of-sync in the opening minutes. With the efficacy of running down the street after missing the bus, the Penguins were a step late and in the wrong spots.

Former Penguins grinder Zach Aston-Reese took advantage of his first game back in the lineup after some healthy scratches, scoring the game’s first goal when he was first to a loose puck in the slot. Aston-Reese (1) turned and whipped the shot past Penguins goalie Arturs Silovs at just 2:42.

Eventually, the Penguins settled down. They figured out the bus schedule and began to take Columbus to school, scoring the next two goals and not allowing a shot on goal for the final 12:07 of the period.

The Penguins scored two goals after yielding the first one. Connor Clifton was the lucky recipient of a puck that seemed destined for him as it glided past a couple of defenders and Penguins winger Egor Chinakhov. Clifton (1) stepped into the wrist shot from the right circle, beating Columbus netminder Elvis Merzlikins at 9:59 of the first period.

The Penguins’ top line scored the next goal, flashing the high-end skill that put two members on their respective Olympic teams (and should have landed the third a Team USA spot).

Crosby intercepted a rim-around in the left corner and immediately fired a pass into the slot. Rickard Rakell contorted himself to quickly redirect it over Merzlikins’s glove for a 2-1 lead at 17:52.

The Penguins outshot Columbus 11-4 in the first period (then changed to 12-4, then later changed to 10-4).

Each team had its turn to dominate play in the second period, but Columbus spent far more time dictating play in the Penguins’ zone than the diametric.

Columbus earned the important equalizer midway through the period when the Penguins got flat-footed, and Kirill Marchenko pounced on a loose puck in the neutral zone, racing ahead of Crosby and quickly by defenseman Brett Kulak to beat Silovs with a heavy wrister from the right circle at 7:32.

The former Penguins reunion continued late in the second period with a go-ahead goal when Danton Heinen flashed some physicality, outmuscling Connor Clifton to tip Erik Gudbranson’s point shot past Silovs for a 3-2 lead at 17:38.

The other assist went to Egor Zamula, who was briefly part of the Penguins organization last month but refused to report to the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, allowing the team to terminate his contract.

Penguins Notes

The Penguins won the previous two meetings with Columbus in overtime, including their dramatic comeback win on Jan. 4, in which they scored four unanswered goals to overcome a 4-1 deficit.

It was the third game for the new Columbus coach, Rick Bowness. Columbus won his previous two.

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