After the first 3:18 of the game, the Penguins looked like they were in trouble.
Down 2-0, the second seed in the East was on the ropes against an aggressive Columbus team that fed off a crowd that finally showed up wearing blue and red instead of black and vegas gold.
But a goal by Brooks Orpik late in the second period gave Pittsburgh hope, and the Penguins climbed out of a 2-0, then 3-1, deficit with three goals in a span of 2:13 during the third period to defeat the Blue Jackets 4-3 on Monday.
Boone Jenner gave Columbus a 1-0 lead just 1:38 into the game when he beat Marc-Andre Fleury five-hole on a shot in front of the net. Jack Skille’s wrist shot off the rush was stopped but produced a big for Jenner who was left all alone in front of the Penguin goal.
Jack Johnson then scored his third goal of the playoffs less than two minutes later to give Columbus a 2-0 lead.
Despite having four straight power play opportunities, the Penguins failed to get on the board against Bobrovsky.
Columbus looked primed to take a 2-0 lead into the second intermission but Brooks Orpik scored with less than two seconds remaining in the second period to bring the Pens within one. Orpik found a loose puck in the middle of the slot, curled around the defense and blistered a shot past Sergei Bobrovsky who was crowded in front of the net.
The Blue Jackets restored their two goal lead 1:04 into the third period when Brandon Dubinsky’s wide shot went off of Cam Atkinson and behind Marc-Andre Fleury to make the score 3-1.
The Penguins answered by cranking up the pressure in the Columbus zone and it resulted in breaking the backs of the Blue Jackets.
Paul Martin’s slap shot bounced off of Brandon Sutter in front of the net to cut the Blue Jacket lead to 3-2. Less than two minutes later, Lee Stempniak took the puck, powered his way to the net and beat Bobrovsky with a perfectly placed wrist shot over the goaltender’s left shoulder.
Jussi Jokinen deflected a shot by Olli Maatta just 1:03 later to give the Penguins their first lead of the game.
Columbus tried to come back and nearly tied the score in the dying moments of the game, but Fleury was able to stand tall and Pittsburgh escaped with a 2-1 series lead.
Three Stars
- Olli Maatta
- Brandon Dubinsky
- Paul Martin
Photo courtesy of NHL.com
