PITTSBURGH — The fire that Evgeni Malkin showed after the Penguins finally blasted through the brick wall at the other end of the ice hammered home just how difficult that task was and how physically and emotionally draining Saturday’s game was.
Throughout the first 45 minutes of their 1-0 victory against the New York Rangers at PPG Paints Arena, Tristan Jarry and Igor Shesterkin traded saves and two of the Metropolitan Division’s top squads took turns crashing into each other.
Finally, with 14:51 left in regulation, somebody scored the game’s first goal. With the Penguins on the power play, Bryan Rust sent a backhand pass across the zone to Malkin, who ripped a shot from the right circle past his countryman.
As the crowd erupted, Malkin raised his arms towards the rafters before unleashing an emphatic right-handed uppercut. That held up as the game-winner.
The victory, one of the Penguins’ best in a while, snapped a three-game skid.
After Thursday’s 6-1 loss to the New Jersey Devils, the fifth consecutive game in which they had to chase the game after giving up the first goal, Sidney Crosby said better starts would go “a long way” toward getting the Penguins back on track.
But two days later, they had another uninspiring start. The Rangers controlled play in the first 10 minutes and Jarry was forced to make a few difficult saves. They also took it to the Penguins physically, including a crushing hit from Ryan Reaves on Kris Letang. It took the Penguins seven minutes to record their first shot.
One early sequence was a microcosm of life for Jarry over the past few weeks.
Just 90 seconds into the game, the Penguins let the Rangers turn an innocent play into a scoring chance off the rush. Jarry had to kick out his right pad to stuff Ryan Strome. He then got bowled over by his defenseman, Marcus Pettersson.
Jarry made a dozen saves during the first period to keep the Penguins even. The spotlight shifted to Shesterkin in the second. And he showed Pittsburghers why he is the Vezina Trophy frontrunner and a threat to claim the Hart, too.
The acrobatic Russian nonchalantly shut down a streaking Jeff Carter. He shrugged off Crosby’s shot from the doorstep. And he made a trio of highlight-reel saves on poor Danton Heinen, showing off at one point with a flashy glove save.
Malkin finally beat Shesterkin in the third and the Penguins made it hold up.
A key moment came midway through the period after Pettersson was called for cross-checking, putting one of the NHL’s top power plays on the ice. But the Pittsburgh penalty kill, a problem area over the past month, got it done. The fans went wild after Jarry punched Artemi Panarin’s shot over the glass.
Jarry turned away Mika Zibanejad in the final minute to secure the shutout.
Jarry’s numbers had taken a nosedive since the Penguins put together one of the best stretches in team history, winning 17 times in the span of 19 games.
Entering Saturday, he was 2-4-2 with a .893 save percentage in his past eight starts. He gave up four or more goals five times. His .736 save percentage on high-danger chances ranked 34th out of 35 qualifiers since Jan. 27, per Natural Stat Trick. And in Thursday’s loss to New Jersey he got pulled for the first time this season.
But he bounced back in a big way Saturday, stopping all 27 shots he faced.
In terms of physicality, Saturday’s Metropolitan Division showdown had the feel of a playoff contest, with big hits thrown by both sides. But after watching Reaves and the Rangers try to pummel Penguins stars, you wonder what would be left of the Penguins if they had to play a seven-game series against the Rangers.
Reaves left Letang wincing on the bench after blasting him along the boards in the first period. Ryan Lindgren crushed Jake Guentzel during the second. Crosby found himself in multiple headlocks. And Malkin will not be inviting Kevin Rooney to his next birthday party after the two were issued matching penalties twice.
The Rangers were credited with 43 hits. The Penguins threw 39 themselves.
It will be a quick turnaround for the Penguins, who play Sunday in Columbus, Ohio.
