Penguins
Jarry Spectacular, Puck on the Line: Penguins Lose in Tampa 3-2
(PHN) — Pittsburgh Penguins backup goalie Tristan Jarry was again spectacular, and Brandon Tanev circled the zone for a jaw-dropping goal as the Penguins survived a first-period onslaught by the Tampa Bay Lightning. However, consecutive penalties in the final four minutes were too much for the Penguins to overcome. Tampa Bay defenseman Victor Hedman scored a power play goal with under one minute remaining in the third period for a 3-2 Tampa Bay win at Amelia Arena.
The Penguins (6-4-0) lost their third straight, and Tampa Bay improved to 5-3-1.
Jarry, who made 45 saves on 48 shots, was not on the ice in the final 50 seconds as the Penguins nearly scored with the extra attacker at the final horn. Defenseman Kris Letang shot the puck towards the net. Tampa Bay goalie Andrei Vasilevski made a glove save, but the glove was behind the goal line. A lengthy review ensued, but replays were inconclusive. The Penguins were that close at the final horn.
The Penguins earned a 2-1 lead within the final minute of the second period. Jarry again thwarted the Tampa Bay attack, and Yanni Gourde hit the post. The Penguins top line with Sidney Crosby, Jake Guentzel, and Dominik Simon all touched the puck as the Penguins transitioned to offense. Simon dug out a chip-in from the wall, then Crosby pulled Tampa Bay goalie Andrei Vasilevski out of position before setting up Guentzel (6) for the tap-in goal.
The Penguins score put them ahead 2-1 after two periods despite being outshot 37-23 and outchanced 19-13. Tampa Bay also had seven of the 10 high-danger chances after two periods.
“I thought we played pretty hard against a team that was a pretty deep team. This was another game which could have gone our way,” Sullivan said. “That’s two nights in a row now that we felt like we were in the hockey game, we generated a fair amount of scoring chances.”
Jarry kept the Penguins in the game. The goalie who is proving he is an NHL goalie set a career-high with 36 saves but accomplished that feat in just 40 minutes.
Penguins winger Brandon Tanev tied the game in the second period with a goal-scorers goal. His speed allowed him to get past the Tampa Bay defense on the left wing. He gathered his own rebound and circled the net. On the other side, Tanev (2) had time and space to deke to his backhand and roof a shot over Vasilevski’s shoulder.
A giveaway behind the Penguins net by defenseman Erik Gudbranson in the middle of the third period set up Tampa Bay for the game-tying goal. Ryan McDonough zipped a pass to fourth-liner Cedric Paquette (1), who one-timed a shot past Jarry.
Late in the third period, Penguins winger Zach Aston-Reese was called for the rare throwing the stick to a teammate penalty. The Penguins killed that penalty but Jake Guentzel took a hooking call moments after the team killed the first call.
A subdued Mike Sullivan questioned the call on Aston-Reese.
“Did he throw it or did he drop it? I’m not sure which,” Sullivan said.
Otherwise, the postgame could be an ode to Jarry, who made no less than a half dozen sparkling saves. In the end, Vasilevski made the final save. Vasilevski made 37 saves on 29 shots.
Alex Killorn scored the first Tampa Bay goal early in the second period. Killorn (1) deflected the shot from high in the slot, which bounced past Jarry.