PITTSBURGH — Sidney Crosby’s overtime goal capped off a crazy comeback for the Penguins in Tuesday’s 5-4 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets at PPG Paints Arena.
The Penguins rallied back from a four-goal deficit to pick up two critical points in the standings and avoid embarrassment at the hands of a cellar-dweller.
The crowd was restless as the Penguins trailed, 4-0, midway through the game.
Jason Zucker – who else? – gave the Penguins a needed jolt midway through the second period. He bounced off a defender in front of the net, pulled in a centering pass from Evgeni Malkin then deked Michael Hutchinson for a goal.
That put the Penguins back within striking distance. And strike they did, pumping three more past the injury fill-in in a span of three minutes, 38 seconds.
On the first shift of the third period, Jake Guentzel sliced inside and snuck a shot between the pads of Hutchinson. Zucker made it a one-goal game moments later, after Malkin forced a turnover on the forecheck then set Zucker up.
Zucker, one player the Penguins can count on to bring it every night, wrapped his arms around Malkin and the two gleefully twirled into the end boards.
The PPG Paints Arena crowd, which booed the Penguins and jeered their general manager after that dud of a start, seemed to sense what was coming.
Danton Heinen’s tap-in tied the score. The Penguins skated in on a 3-on-2 rush. Crosby dropped the puck to Rickard Rakell, who drove wide down the right wing and put a perfect pass on the tape of Heinen, atop the blue paint.
The Penguins kept pushing but couldn’t pull past the Blue Jackets in the third.
Casey DeSmith was sharp in relief of Tristan Jarry, with 14 saves in regulation.
Crosby’s winning goal came with 2:15 left in overtime and the Penguins on the power play. He teed off from the right circle, ripping a one-timer past Hutchinson.
It was the first time since 2006 that they rallied back from four goals to win.
The Penguins after Saturday’s 4-1 loss at the Florida Panthers lamented their lack of early energy and structure throughout, saying they need to show more urgency. Three nights later, they were trailing, 3-0, midway through the first.
Emil Bemstrom’s one-timer from the left circle gave the visitors a 1-0 lead 4:02 into the game. That made it three games in a row allowing a power-play goal for the Penguins, who have iced one of the NHL’s worst penalty kills in 2023.
Jan Rutta took the penalty that put the Blue Jackets on that power play. Then he watched them push their lead to two after he whiffed on a shot attempt, leading to an odd-man rush. Rutta skated back into the action, only to get outmuscled in front by Lane Pederson, who whacked a rebound past Jarry’s right toe.
Patrik Laine made it 3-0 after a greedy giveaway then a lazy backcheck by Evgeni Malkin. Malkin tried to sneak a pass through two defenders in the offensive zone then coasted up the ice, seemingly unconcerned that Laine was about to chug past him. Jack Roslovic set up Laine for a too-easy Blue Jackets tally.
Sullivan used his timeout. The coach, who continues to be perplexed by some of thing he sees on a nightly basis from his veteran team, did not appear to be using positive reinforcement as he loudly made a few points on the bench.
Jarry, who was unable to start Saturday in Florida due to an illness, gave up three goals on the first seven shots the Blue Jackets flung his way Tuesday. The fourth goal, the one that got him yanked early in the second period, yeah, that was a softie. Liam Foudy’s long-range knucklepuck fooled the goalie.
Sullivan had seen enough after that one, replacing Jarry for the second time in the last two weeks. He made eight saves before making way for DeSmith.
At that point, the rout appeared to be on, at the hands of the NHL’s worst team.
But the Penguins finally found their footing and took advantage of Hutchinson, who replaced Blue Jackets starting goalie Elvis Merzlikins after the first period.
ICE CHIPS
-- Bryan Rust (personal reasons) and Mikael Granlund (illness) both sat out the game. The Penguins recalled Alex Nylander on an emergency basis. The forward, acquired last year in the Sam Lafferty trade, made his Penguins debut.
-- Defenseman Dmitry Kulikov, the trade addition, also made his team debut.
-- With only 11 forwards available, the Penguins had to deploy seven defensemen for the third time this season. The last occurrence was the Winter Classic.
-- Guentzel, who missed Monday’s practice, was good to go Tuesday night.
STAT N’AT
5 – Zucker passed the 20-goal mark for the first time with the Penguins. He became the fifth player with 20-plus goals for Pittsburgh, the most in the league.
COMING UP
The homestand continues Thursday, when the Penguins host the rival New York Islanders at PPG Paints Arena. They are 0-3-0 against them this season.
