The Penguins welcomed the Columbus Blue Jackets to the Metropolitan Division rudely, Friday night.
Pittsburgh scored three goals within 4:24 in the second period and Marc-Andre Fleury stopped 37 of 39 shots en route to a 4-2 victory at Consol Energy Center.
Fleury was electric in the first period, stopping all fourteen shots that included back to back saves on Cam Atkinson late in the period, and unbelievable pad stop on Ryan Johansen. The Blue Jackets had two power plays in the first but couldn’t score despite getting great looks at the net.
The Penguins, meanwhile, took a 1-0 lead just six seconds into their lone power play of the first period. Sidney Crosby got his own face off win, thanks in large part to Evgeni Malkin running interference along the half wall. Crosby got the puck to Paul Martin whose slap shot from the right point was redirected past Sergei Bobrovsky by Chris Kunitz.
Brandon Sutter scored his second goal in as many games just 1:10 into the second frame to extend Pittsburgh’s lead to two. Sutter forced a turnover in the neutral zone and created a two on one the other way. Sutter closed in on Bobrovsky and beat the goaltender five-hole.
Just 1:51 later, Kris Letang scored on the power play. Letang’s shot slithered through Bobrovsky’s left armpit and slipped into the goal.
Jayson Megna added his second goal of the season just a few minutes later. Malkin found Jussi Jokinen to the right of the goal who quickly went cross-crease to Megna for a wide open goal.
Columbus was finally able to crack Marc-Andre Fleury. Derek MacKenzie finished off a chance in close, scoring on a cross-crease pass while the Penguins were on the penalty kill.
Malkin hit the post early in the third off a golden chance in front of the net. The horn went off indicating a goal, but a review showed the puck had hit the crossbar, then right post, before coming back out.
Ryan Johansen scored to cut the deficit to two, but the goal came with only 46 seconds remaining in the game.
Three Stars
- Evgeni Malkin
- Marc-Andre Fleury
- Jayson Megna
Photo courtesy of NHL.com
