Penguins Crash the Net to Beat Winnipeg 3-1, Perfect Canadian Trip

The Pittsburgh Penguins (8-6-4) tore through Canada not with an offensive attack but with tight defensive work and great goaltending. Jake Guentzel peppered the Winnipeg net with eight shots and even ran over Winnipeg goalie Connor Hellebuyck. Tristan Jarry was again nearly unbeatable.

Guentzel scored the empty netter, his fifth-straight game with a goal, and the Penguins beat the Winnipeg Jets 3-1 at Canada Life Centre Monday night.

Jarry stopped 30 of 31 shots.

Danton Heinen did the dirty work for the Pittsburgh Penguins early in the third period. Heinen (6) followed Chad Ruhwedel’s point shot to the net and chipped the rebound over Hellebuyck. That was the the go-ahead goal.

After losing three straight before their three-game Canadian road trip, the Penguins had a chance to sweep the trip, and did. Jarry and the Penguins allowed just one goal.

The Penguins had a hot start which included a two-on-one with Guentzel and Sidney Crosby. However, in the first period, the Pittsburgh Penguins waned and Winnipeg surged.

Tristan Jarry achieved the longest shutout streak in the NHL this season as it crested 161 minutes, but ended there. After Winnipeg’s fourth line cycled and outworked the Evan Rodrigues line, Dominic Toninato’s (2) turning shot through traffic perfectly hit the top glove corner past Jarry.

Winnipeg outshot the Pittsburgh Penguins 11-5 in the first period as the Penguins failed to mount a coordinated forecheck or offensive attack.

Winnipeg had a whopping 14 scoring chances in the first period and four high-danger chances. The Penguins mustered only the two-on-one chance on the opening shift.

From there, it was all Penguins.

The Penguins power play did not score in the second period but showed uncharacteristic signs of life. Hellebuyck sprawled to make an improbable save on Guentzel.

Later in the second period, the Penguins power play didn’t convert on its second chance, but it seems to be a habit to score in the moments after a power play. On the final rush of the man advantage, Evan Rodrigues circled the net and gave Jason Zucker a prime pass just feet from the net.

Zucker (4) roofed his quick shot to tie the game.

Each team fired 14 shots in the second period and the pace was far more even, but the Penguins turned the tables in scoring chances. After getting dunked in the first period, the Penguins outchanced Winnipeg 11-5 in the second.

Midway through the third period, Jarry stuffed Kyle Connor on a 150-foot-breakaway. Despite the lead, the Penguins had far more shots and scoring chances in the third period. The Penguins outshot Winnipeg 17-6 in the third period.

The Penguins are now in a wild-card playoff position after their third win in a row.