In recent weeks, the Penguins have often carried the play to their opponents, only to wind up on the short end of the score. Well, last night against the visiting Sabres, they assumed more of a counterpuncher’s stance, especially in the third period when they were outshot by a whopping 19-8 margin.
The result? A delicious, pre-turkey day win.
Razor-sharp upon his return from IR, Tristan Jarry played a huge role in the 4-2 triumph. The oft-maligned netminder made 29 saves, including several of the 10-bell variety. None larger than his left pad save at the post on old friend Jason Zucker with 71 seconds left and the Pens clinging to a one-goal lead. A performance that earned him third-star honors.
To my eye, Jarry was the best player on the ice and the difference maker.
Unlike recent outings when it was pretty much the Sid and Geno show or bust, the Pens received offense from unexpected sources. Playing in only his eighth game of the season, Matt Dumba pounced on a turnover in the neutral zone and banged the puck in off Bowen Byram’s stick blade to stake us to a 1-0 lead at 17:09 of the first period.
It was the only offense either team would muster through a fairly benign 40 minutes. However, the Sabres began to tilt the ice late in the second period and continued their onslaught in the third.
When Zucker knotted the score at 1-all on a deflection from the slot at 7:20, it looked as though we might let yet another game slip through our fingers. However, Bryan Rust struck back on the ensuing shift with a determined, second-chance effort to regain the lead for our Pens.
Kevin Hayes padded our advantage at 12:34, courtesy of a masterful, cross-seam pass from Erik Karlsson. However, the Sabres kept coming. Jack Quinn, who can really rip the biscuit, beat Jarry on a bang-bang shot from the slot off a slick feed from the end boards by Zucker to make it 3-2 with just over four minutes to play.
Fortunately, Jarry slammed the door, stopping four Sabres shots, including one by scoring machine Tage Thompson. Setting the stage for Connor Dewar’s empty-netter with 58 seconds to play.
Puckpourri
Needless to say, it was great for us get offense from unexpected sources. For Hayes and Dumba, it was the first goal of the season for each. Rust snapped a six-game goalless skein.
In addition to his tally, Dumba was at his physical best, rocking Sabres rookie Josh Doan with a stiff, open-ice body check high in the black-and-gold zone midway through the third period.
Tristan Broz made his NHL debut, centering the third line in place of fellow rookie Ben Kindel (healthy scratch). I thought he did just fine, unleashing two shots on goal and winning three of six faceoffs in 11:30 of ice time. I especially liked his opportunistic, straight-to-the-net style.
I’ve been critical of dressing veterans like Hayes and Danton Heinen over the kids. Both proved their worth last night. Hayes with his goal, and Heinen with his surprisingly fast, super-involved play. In particular, he made a really nice play at crunch time to skate the puck out of danger and feed Dewar for the empty-netter.
A random thought. I love Zucker, especially his exuberance. Wish we still had him.
The Pens returned Sergei Murashov to the Baby Pens to make way for Jarry. Speaking of the two-time All-Star, he’s rumored to be drawing interest from the Oilers. Tristan played junior hockey in Edmonton, where he backstopped the WHL Oil Kings to a Memorial Cup.
Whether he stays or goes, I give him a ton of credit for resurrecting his game.
With the victory, the Pens improve to 3-4-3 in November and 11-6-5 overall. We’re tied for fifth place in the Metro with 27 points and currently occupy the second Eastern Conference wild card spot by the thinnest of margins.
You know what they say about being in a playoff spot at Thanksgiving…
Up next, the Pens visit the CBJ on Friday night before returning home to face the Maple Leafs on Saturday.
Happy Thanksgiving, all!