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Ahead of Saturday’s game at PPG Paints Arena, the Pittsburgh Penguins took to the ice in droves to celebrate their captain.
The 20 players who officially dressed for the contest surrounded Sidney Crosby. So were healthy scratches such as defender Chad Ruhwedel and striker Colton Sceviour and even reserve casualties including striker Jared McCann and defender Juuso Riikola took to the ice in uniform.
After all, this was the time to honor the mainstay of the franchise in his 1,000th career game.
Crosby held a ceremonial silver stick and took a handful of photos with his teammates in the east of PPG Paints Arena.
It was a profound moment for anyone interested in penguins.
It also might have been the Penguins’ most consistent display of teamwork heading into the third period.
Shaking a slow effort during the first 40 minutes of regulation, the Penguins managed to come back in the third period and defeat the New York Islanders, 3-2.
It was the fifth time this season the Penguins had rebounded from a deficit in the final frame to claim a victory.
“Even if we don’t have our A game or one of those nights, we can still be in the fight to win and get points in the standings,” said Penguins defenseman Kris Letang. “This team never gives up. It doesn’t matter. We keep working hard.”
Although they were poorly beaten for most of the game – the Islanders finished with a 35-18 advantage in that measure – the Penguins were able to stay in the game thanks to another solid effort from goalie Tristan Jarry who finished with 33 saves.
In his last four games, Jarry has stopped 131 of 140 shots, which equates to a save percentage of .935.
“I mean, Tristan won this game for us, hands down,” Penguins defenseman Mike Matheson said. “After the second half… we had no reason to be in this game. We haven’t played the way we should or have to to stay with a team like the Islanders. But he kept us in it and did it in the third period as well.
The Penguins actually took the first lead at 12:35 of the second period thanks to Letang scoring his first goal of the season on a power play.
But a change of attacking zone between Penguins forwards Evgeni Malkin and Jason Zucker led the Islanders to tie the game, 1-1, less than three minutes later. Out of turnover, Islanders forward Jordan Eberle had a meteoric run down the right wing to collect his seventh goal at 3:28 pm.
Just 53 seconds into the start of the third, another Zucker roll, this time in the defensive zone, led Islanders forward Brock Nelson to claim his fifth goal with a crooked high lunge.
It took a determined effort from Matheson to forge a tie at 7:35 of the third. Skating a puck out of danger from his own zone – from behind his own net, in particular – Matheson allowed forward Teddy Blueger to win the offensive zone and then pass from the right corner to the right circle to the ripped Matheson a wringer in front of the goalkeeper. Blocker Semyon Varlamov on the other side for his first goal since joining the Penguins this last offseason.
The Penguins definitely took the lead at 13:34 of the third. After Penguins forwards Jake Guentzel and Brandon Tanev won a puck battle on the Islanders’ end boards, Crosby dealt a pass from left corner to left point for Letang who inspected a shooting lane and threw a wringer in front of Varlamov’s blocker.
The win was important as it pushed the Penguins past the Islanders for fourth place in the Eastern Division.
But this triumph seemed to have greater significance for their captain.
“It means a lot,” Crosby said. “It’s a special day regardless of the outcome. But it makes it so much better when you win. Just everything guys, the ceremony in the hall (and) on the ice. Just completely spoiled today. It was a pretty awesome experience. A day that I will always remember and even sweeter than we were able to win.
Seth Rorabaugh is a staff writer for Tribune-Review. You can contact Seth by email at [email protected] or via Twitter .
Categories:
Penguins / NHL | Sports
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