COLUMBUS, Ohio — The cannon blasted late at Nationwide Arena, calling Thursday’s game to an end. But no one blinked. The battle was already over.
Technically, it was lost Wednesday. But when identifying the start of their demise, you could point to a late December loss to Detroit. Or when the Penguins gagged up late leads to the New York twice Islanders twice in a span of four days. Or any of their inexplicable letdowns against inferior foes in recent weeks.
Had any of those outcomes been different, the Penguins would have been playing for something Thursday at Nationwide Arena. Instead, there they were, skating in a meaningless game. It was a foreign feeling for their core players.
The Columbus Blue Jackets beat them, 3-2. Johnny Gaudreau won it in overtime. He scored on a breakaway exactly one minute into the extra session.
The Penguins had nothing to play for but pride in their regular-season finale after they were officially eliminated from playoff contention one night earlier. Tuesday’s unfathomable loss at home to Chicago proved to be the fatal blow.
It was also the last straw for general manager Ron Hextall and president of hockey operations Brian Burke. Both are expected to be fired as early as Friday. Fenway Sports Group notably had one of their top executives make the trip.
It was not because anyone expected to see a compelling hockey game here.
The Blue Jackets, who entered Thursday with the NHL’s worst record and the best odds of landing top prospect Connor Bedard, iced a young roster with four players who were making their NHL debut. The Penguins, meanwhile, opted to not sit their stars. Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang all played.
“We have a responsibility to ourselves, and a certain level of professionalism, that we’re going to put our best game on the ice,” coach Mike Sullivan said.
But youthful exuberance won out Thursday.
Letang, who had a difficult season on and off the ice, ended it on a high note with a power-play goal 4:28 into the game, giving Pittsburgh the early lead. Columbus answered early in the second period with a goal by Andrew Peeke.
Jake Guentzel put them ahead, 2-1, with 16:07 left, on another power-play goal. His half slapper from the left circle beat Blue Jackets goalie Michael Hutchinson. He didn’t even bother to lift his arms to celebrate that go-ahead goal.
The Penguins took three penalties during the final frame. The Blue Jackets finally converted one. Emil Bemstrom tied the score with 3:25 left in regulation.
It was fitting that the Penguins gave up the lead late in Thursday’s game. They blew more third-period leads than any other season in the Sullivan era.
Tristan Jarry made 31 saves in what might have been his final game in a Penguins uniform. He will be a free agent this summer, along with Brian Dumoulin and Jason Zucker. The Penguins may opt to move on from Jarry after he let them down again when it mattered. Plus, whispers about a chronic injury persist.
The inconsistent Penguins finished the regular season with a 40-31-11 record.
ICE CHIPS
— Bryan Rust apparently suffered an injury. He did not play in the third period.
— The Penguins activated Marcus Pettersson from long-term injured return and he suited up for the first time since suffering a lower-body injury March 18.
— The Penguins placed fellow defenseman Mark Friedman on waivers Friday.
— Forwards Josh Archibald and Nick Bonino and defensemen Jan Rutta and Chad Ruhwedel were scratched. Archibald and Bonino are both free agents.
— Drew O’Connor returned to the lineup after missing the previous two games.
STAT N’AT
92 — points for Crosby this season. That was the 12th-most by a player 35 or older since 1967-68. Only 30 35-plus players netted more than his 33 goals.
COMING UP
All Penguins players will have exit interviews and their final media sessions in the next 48 hours. Then a longer offseason than they are used to will begin.
