Recap: Pens prevent Rangers’ desperate push, 4-2 win

Pre-game

Tristan Jarry back in the net, Evan Rodrigues jumps to a position in the top six to replace the injured Jared McCann. And the last 36 hours quite interesting for Colton Sceviour, who goes from the COVID list to waive the unclaimed out of the COVID list to on schedule.

First period

Excellent start for the Penguins who hit 12 of the first 15 shots on goal and usually control the game. They get a power game and don’t score, but take a look at the network.

Then the record goes to the Pens chain with Jack Johnson on the ice. It is certainly not a novelty in recent years. But wait. Johnson is at Rangers now. And it is the blow from afar that ends up scoring. 1-0 New York.

Before the end of the first period, the penalties recover it. The Rangers are unable to get out of their zone with a bit of bad luck when Ryan Lindgren’s club breaks. Jake Guentzel has the disc on his stick with Johnson defending him. You know what happens next. 1-1.

The shots ended at 16-7 Pens, which got a well-deserved draw after Keith Kinkaid did Keith Kinkaid’s things and found a way to frustrate Pittsburgh for a while.

Second period

Mike Matheson makes a temporary call at the beginning of the period, but it is Pittsburgh that lacks manpower. Great job holding Brandon Tanev and Teddy Blueger’s record, and without much resistance Blueger throws himself towards the net, hits the backhand and his kick somehow leaks under Kinkaid’s cushions and passes the line. 2-1 Pens.

A dominant change from the Evgeni Malkin line puts the disc on the network at the last minute of the period. Malkin serves Kasperi Kapanen, who walks around Adam Fox and whips Kinkaid with the puck. 3-1 Pens.

The shots in the second are 13-10 NYR, which stabilized a little more, but it was Pittsburgh who scored both goals in the period to get away.

Third period

Another bad start to the season for Pittsburgh, this time is Sidney Crosby who takes a penalty for holding. New York’s power play earns money when Ryan Strome puts the puck on the net and he dodges John Marino’s skate and goes straight through the goalkeeper. 3-2 now.

New York continues to press and comes to an end at 2:41 am. NYR almost scored after Letang turned the record. Then Crosby hits the post on what could have sealed the deal.

Jarry makes a 10-bell defense on Pavel Buchnevich on the doorstep, while Rangers pulls their goalkeeper and struggles to tie the game.

Bryan Rust hits the post on the empty net because nothing can be easy … Until Crosby gathers the puck in his zone, fights to win the red line and hits a long-range kick in the open cage. It is the first photo of the Pens period. Incredibly, it is the first, last and only objective of the period.

The shots from the third goal are 15-1 in favor of Rangers. But they couldn’t punch Jarry and lose.

Some thoughts

• Jack Johnson’s shot may have hit Marino, and Strome’s goal definitely did. Just a house of horrors for Marino defending in his own zone now and he’s including a bit of bad luck too.
• The growing chemistry between Kapanen and Malkin is really obvious and a lot of fun to see them work their magic in the offensive zone. It is a great development for the Penguins, who need more than one line to be a goal threat, and now that second line is bringing that.
• Blueger now has as many shorthanded goals this season (2) as goals of strength (2). It is always good when the PK can interfere with the attack.
• The Pens did not register a shot on goal in the first 19 minutes of the third period. It is not good to see them sit back and start to slow down again, especially after blowing up a big lead last week.
• It was a good match for the battle of the fourth row to show some signs of life. Anthony Angello was visible with 6 hits, ending all chances that he had to use his body. Mark Jankowski made two shots on goal, which is something to say the least.
• Tristan Jarry was incredible at the last flourish to protect the leadership. His companions seemed to be stuck in the mud, spinning their wheels. They needed their goalkeeper to obtain his regulatory victory, and the goalkeeper came at a great time.
• The penalties improve to 5-1 in the season against Rangers following this week’s mini-sweep on the set of two games. Four good points to put on the bench.

The Pens advance for two games on the road against the last placed Buffalo Sabers. But so far, the Sabers are giving Flyers a game now. After the last 20 minutes, the Penguins shouldn’t need the reminder that no win is an easy win in this league, but the lesson will certainly be taught over and over again.