Penguins Drop Dramatic Contest to Blue Jackets
The Pittsburgh Penguins playoff hopes are on thin ice after a devastating shootout loss to the Columbus Blue Jackets.
PITTSBURGH – The Pittsburgh Penguins opened a four-game road trip with what could be their last easy opponent of the season. While no NHL team is an “easy” contest, the Penguins were set to close out a home-and-home series with the only Eastern Conference team eliminated in the Columbus Blue Jackets.
The Penguins still hope to make a miraculous run to the postseason and would need another win over the Blue Jackets to keep the dream alive.
First Period
Things didn’t get off to a great start for the Penguins, however, as a power play opportunity turned into a disaster. The Blue Jackets scored an early goal while short-handed, which the Penguins did challenge for goalie interference. The Penguins lost that challenge, securing the Blue Jackets 1-0 lead.
The Penguins had their share of scoring chances but couldn’t break through for an early tie. The Blue Jackets carried their 1-0 lead into the first intermission.
Second Period
Neither team scored for a good chunk of the second frame, but the Penguins looked to be gaining momentum. They held the Blue Jackets to very few scoring opportunities before finally notching the game-tying goal.
After Lars Eller's excellent tracking play, the Penguins made a few good passes before Drew O’Connor buried a heavy one-timer. The tally extended O'Connor's goal streak to three games, as he continues to fit right in on the first line.
With a tie game, the Blue Jackets started to fight their way back by accumulating a few good shots and chances at the net, but Alex Nedeljkovic stood tall in his fourth straight start.
Before the period ran out, the Penguins scored to take their first lead of the game. On what appeared to be a set play, Sidney Crosby won a faceoff and soon found a seam to pass to Bryan Rust, who had essentially the entire net to work with.
Rust didn’t miss for his 24th goal of the season and allowed the Penguins to take a 2-1 lead into the second intermission. Crosby’s assist pushed him to just three points away from securing his 19th straight point-per-game season.
Third Period
The final frame opened with the Penguins attacking early and having a close call around the Blue Jackets' goal crease. A loose puck bounced around a few players and ended up under a sprawling Elvis Merzlikins. A review of the play determined the puck never crossed the goal line, and the score remained 2-1.
Rickard Rakell has had a tough season, but he wasn't going to be denied in getting his 12th goal of the season and putting the Penguins up by two.
Despite the two goal lead, the Blue Jackets answered right back about 10 seconds later to keep them separated by just a goal.
The Blue Jackets kept their foot on the pedal and put the Penguins on their heels. The Blue Jacks pushed a heavy attacked that finally ended with them beating Nedeljkovic to knot the game at three.
The contest hit its final minute with the score still tied at three. Both teams had a scoring chance in the closing moments, but the clock hit zeros with a tie game.
Overtime/Shootout
The Penguins secured a standings point for the fourth straight game, but they were going to need that extra notch to really stay in the race. Some outside help from games around the league meant the extra point for the Penguins could get them back to within striking distance of a wild card spot.
After a fairly uneventful start to the overtime frame, the Blue Jackets got the first real good scoring chance on a Johnny Gaudreau breakaway, but Nedeljkovic made a huge stop.
The five minutes of the overtime period came and went with no goals forcing the shootout.
The Penguins and Blue Jackets traded their chances into the fifth round of the shootout. Merzlikins came up with the game-winning save on Evgeni Malkin for the Blue Jackets.
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