It was an evening heavy with emotion for the Pittsburgh Penguins on Saturday night.
Ahead of their tilt against the Columbus Blue Jackets, the Penguins inducted four new members into their Hall of Fame in Ron Francis, Kevin Stevens, Scotty Bowman, and Eddie Johnston. Emotions were high, and the Penguins came into this one riding a four-game winning streak.
They came out a little flat, and then they found some late life. Unfortunately, they came up just short.
The Penguins fell to the Blue Jackets, 5-4, in a shootout after a late-game comeback. Heading into the final seven minutes of regulation, Pittsbugh trailed, 4-2, and they were awarded a power play opportunity on a Cole Sillinger hooking penalty.
In the waning seconds of the power play opportunity, Kris Letang capitalized on a clapper from the point to bring the game to within one. Then, just two minutes later, Bryan Rust buried a goal from a bad angle after a pretty passing sequence by the Penguins with the empty net, and it was all tied up at 4-4 with 3:06 to play in regulation.
After an exciting, back-and-forth overtime that featured a remarkable save by Columbus defenseman Ivan Provorov to prevent a goal, the game went to the shootout. Between the two teams - and the two netminders in Arturs Silovs and Elvis Merzlikens - not one save was made, and the Blue Jackets squeaked out the win when Evgeni Malkin missed the net on his final shootout attempt.
Silovs stopped 37 of 41 Columbus shots on goal, and the Penguins had 30 shots of their own. Ryan Shea and Anthony Mantha registered first-period goals for Pittsburgh.
Even though the Penguins didn't come out on top of this one, it was still a feel-good effort because of the late comeback and heart that this team has shown in the earlygoing.
Penguins' 2025 Hall Of Fame Inductees: Forward Kevin Stevens
Kevin Stevens is set to be inducted into the Penguins Hall of Fame on Saturday.
Here are a few notes from this one:
- Rickard Rakell exited the game in the third period after blocking a shot with what appeared to be his left hand. He did not return to the game, and Filip Hallander and Tommy Novak each took some reps on the first line in his place.
Earlier in the game, Bryan Rust was also shaken up on multiple plays, but he remained in the game.
Obviously, losing Rakell would be a huge blow for the Penguins, as he has three goals and eight points in nine games on Sidney Crosby's wing this season. If he is out longer-term, it would also put a significant dent in his trade value.
Of course, we don't know anything at this point. But, if he is out, it would open up an opportunity for a young player from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (WBS) to prove himself.
- On a related note, Ville Koivunen has four goals and 11 points in six AHL games this season, and he scored the overtime game-winner for WBS Saturday to propel the team to a 7-0 start.
If Rakell is out, I imagine he'll be the first to get the call. The Penguins already have another open roster spot with defenseman Caleb Jones on injured reserve for approximately eight weeks as well.
Penguins' 2025 Hall Of Fame Inductees: Head Coach Scotty Bowman
Scotty Bowman is a pivotal part of the history of the Pittsburgh Penguins and will be inducted into the Penguins' Hall of Fame on Saturday.
Keep an eye on player transactions in the coming days.
- This felt like a game where having Ben Kindel and Harrison Brunicke - both scratched for developmental purposes - in the lineup probably would have helped.
The Blue Jackets played a fast game, and they controlled five-on-five play for large portions of this game. Having the young legs out there for three-on-three in overtime would have been helpful as well - especially given Brunicke's skating ability.
Kindel has played in seven games, and Brunicke in six. The latter has been scratched for two consecutive games. We all know the 10-game marker is approaching for both of them.
We'll see what happens with their load management in the coming days.
- Matt Dumba and Connor Clifton manned the bottom defensive pairing for the Penguins in this game. And it was a struggle for them most of the evening.
Penguins' 2025 Hall Of Fame Inductees: Eddie Johnston
Saturday will be a very special evening for the <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins">Pittsburgh Penguins</a>' organization as well as some of its players, coaches, and executives who have been part of its winning legacy.
Dumba laid out a huge hit in the first period, but other than that, they were chasing their tails for a lot of this game. I don't think it would be as problematic to see one of those guys out there with Brunicke, who at least has the footspeed and skating ability to get back in plays should someone slip past the defense.
But them together did not work well for the Penguins.
- With two more points in this one, Evgeni Malkin is up to 14 points in nine games.
Not sure what else to say about him at this point. He's been phenomenal in the earlygoing.
- He did score the opening goal for the Penguins, but I didn't think this was a particularly good game for Shea defensively. He left Charlie Coyle completely unattended in the blue paint during Columbus's first goal in the first period, and he made mistakes in his own zone with regularity all night.
I respect the start that Shea has had. But I still don't think he's a top-four defenseman.
- Silovs was pretty solid in this game. That is, until the shootout.
Both goaltenders were horrendous in it. But it's hard to hang that over Silovs after getting peppered all night long.
Penguins' 2025 Hall Of Fame Inductees: Center Ron Francis
Saturday will be a very special evening for the <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/pittsburgh-penguins">Pittsburgh Penguins</a>' organization as well as some of its players, coaches, and executives who have been part of its winning legacy.
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