In what will likely be their final game against a friendly foe, the Pittsburgh Penguins put together a solid defensive and goaltending effort.
The Penguins defeated Marc-Andre Fleury and the Minnesota Wild, 3-1, in Fleury’s presumed final start against the team that drafted him. The Penguins played a pretty tight defensive game, but their own guy in net – Tristan Jarry – was a major story in this one.
Jarry stopped 29 of 30 Wild shots, and 12 of those came on high-danger chances against. He held the fort down while the Penguins were getting pretty heavily outplayed, especially later in the game.
The Penguins’ penalty kill was also seven-for-eight in the game, and Jarry was a huge part of that, too.
“So thrilled for him,” head coach Mike Sullivan said. “You know, this has been a tough road for him. And I thought he was terrific all night long. He was big in the net, he looked confident, and that’s what he’s capable of. He’s a solid NHL goaltender when he plays up to his capabilities, and I was thrilled for him.”
Forward Bryan Rust went even further.
“I love that s—,” Rust said. “He was awesome tonight, and he’s been through a lot, obviously. He’s come right back up here – great attitude – came in and had a hell of a game. I think that shows how high-character he is, and I couldn’t be happier for him.”
Jarry and Fleury kept the game in a deadlock until the end of the second period, when Evgeni Malkin picked up the loose change in front of the net off his own deflection attempt to make it 1-0 for the Penguins on the power play.
New Penguins’ forward Tommy Novak left the game early in the third period with a lower-body injury and did not return. The Wild got a fair amount of chances, but the Penguins had theirs, too. And their captain delivered.
Sidney Crosby added his 20th goal of the season midway through the third period to put the Penguins ahead by two, and Ryan Hartman scored on a four-on-one power play for Minnesota with just over five minutes remaining in regulation to make it 2-1.
However, Crosby came in clutch at the end, too. With an empty net, he hustled to chase down a loose puck in the Minnesota zone. He won the footrace over Wild defenseman Brock Faber, and with one hand on his stick,…