PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – An all-time great, potential trade-bait and a first-time as a Penguin were among the goal scorers as the Pens ended a three-game losing streak with a 5-3 win over Columbus at PPG Paints Arena.
How it Happened
No score in the first period-struggling at times this year, defenseman Ryan Graves kept a puck in after a bad Columbus pass and floated towards the net, it found forward Jesse Puljujarvi in stride wide open in front of the Blue Jackets cage and the forward made a move with his stick and lifted it over Columbus rookie goalie Jet Greaves for a 1-0 lead.
The 500th assist in Reilly Smith’s career was a beauty, between the legs, no-look at mid-ice that Evgeni Malkin picked up with speed and buried a slapper past Greaves to make it 2-0 in the first.
Third goal was crazy, as former Penguins defenseman Erik Gudbranson spun behind his cage and wound up to clear the puck short-handed. The puck hit the skate of Rickard Rakell and into the net as the Pens regained the lead 3-2.
Former Blue Jacket Emil Bemstrom creates a turnover along the wall, another former Columbus player Jeff Carter grabs it, headed for the net and his close shot, or maybe pass to Reilly Smith, right in front bounces off a Columbus skate for a 4-3 lead. The eighth of the season for the 39-year-old and game-winning goal.
Malkin forces the Blue Jackets to make a bad pass later in the third. He steals it, back-handed perfect set-up for Smith wide-open in front to slap it home for a 5-3 win.
Major line changes
Injuries to Bryan Rust and Jake Guentzel have led to top line changes, but more than that Tuesday night. Third-line center Lars Eller up to a wing on Sidney Crosby’s line while Drew O’Connor returns to a pre-NHL position of center. 6’5” Joona Koppanen was called up and centered the fourth line. The 26-year-old free agent signee from Boston had 16 points in 49 games with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton in the AHL.
Eller-Crosby-Rakell
Smith-Malkin-Puustinen
Puljujarvi-O’Connor-Bemstrom
Gruden-Koppanen-Carter
Joseph-Letang
Pettersson-Karlsson
Graves-Ruhwedel
Tristan Jarry made 33 saves.
Metropolitan Division Standings
Rangers (62 games) 84 points
Hurricanes (61 games) 78 points
Flyers (63 games) 72 points
Islanders (60 games) 66 points
Capitals (60 games) 65 points
PENS (60 games) 64 points
Devils (62 games) 64 points
Up Next
Pens host Washington on Thursday after the Capitals traded forward Anthony Mantha, 34 points, to Las Vegas for a pair of draft picks.