Crosby, Jarry, Karlsson Help Penguins Hit Jackpot Against Vegas

Whatever points the Pittsburgh Penguins earn during the final month or so of the 2024-25 season won’t affect much except their slot in the NHL’s draft lottery, but there still are some important points to be made.

For Sidney Crosby, that means showing his teammates why the games still matter, even if the results really don’t. Because when you’re Sidney Crosby, being all-in, all the time is the only way you know.

He showed that yet again Tuesday night by scoring the Penguins’ first two goals in their 3-2 overtime victory against Vegas at PPG Paints Arena.

“He’s an elite player, and he’s trying to lead by example,” coach Mike Sullivan said.

For goalie Tristan Jarry, making the second stop on his Redemption Tour, it was another step toward trying to re-establish himself as a quality NHL goaltender, a guy who can be counted on to contribute to his team’s successes on a regular basis.

Jarry turned aside 36 of 38 shots to keep his team in front for much of the game, despite the Penguins generating only 16 shots of their own before Erik Karlsson scored on a wrist shot from near the top of the right circle 49 seconds into overtime.

“(Jarry) is playing up to his capabilities,” Sullivan said. “Obviously, he was the difference in the game tonight. … I thought he was spectacular.”

The victory was the Penguins’ second in a row and raised their record to 26-31-10.

The Penguins came within six seconds of winning in regulation, but Golden Knights defenseman Kaedan Korczak hammered a slap shot past Jarry at 19:54 of the third period to tie the game, 2-2, and send it to overtime. Jarry had stopped 36 of 37 Vegas shots before Korczak scored.

With Ryan Shea sidelined week-to-week because of an unspecified upper-body injury, Vladislav Kolyachonok worked opposite Kris Letang on the No. 1 defense pairing. Kolyachonok was claimed off waivers from Utah Feb. 9.

Forward Tommy Novak, acquired from Nashville last week, did not play because of an unspecified lower-body injury and is listed as day-to-day. His absence created an opening in the lineup for Danton Heinen, who had been a healthy scratch for the Penguins’ 3-1 victory in Minnesota Sunday.

Neither winger Matt Nieto nor defenseman Sebastian Aho, both of whom were on emergency recall from the Penguins’ farm team in Wilkes-Barre, dressed for the game because the Penguins had 12 forwards and six defensemen from their major-league roster available.

The Penguins got the only goal of the opening period during a power play at 17:48, when Crosby claimed a spot at the front lip of the crease and steered a Rickard Rakell feed past Golden Knights goalie Ilya Samsonov. Kevin Hayes picked up the second assist on the goal, Crosby’s 22nd.

Vegas finished with a 9-5 edge in shots during those 20 minutes, and Jarry was forced to make a couple of quality stops.

The Golden Knights entered the game as the least-penalized team in the NHL, averaging five minutes, 28 seconds per game, but it took them less than 21 minutes to exceed that figure Tuesday night.

Nicholas Roy picked up their third minor of the evening just four seconds into the second period, but the Pittsburgh Penguins were unable to capitalize on it.

Roy had been out of the box for less than a minute, however, when Crosby put a shot under Samsonov’s left pad from inside the left dot for his second of the game and 23rd of the season. Rakell received the lone assist.

That gave Crosby 105 multiple-goal games in the NHL. Washington winger Alex Ovechkin, with 178, is the only active player with more.

Vegas got its first chance with the extra man at 14:09, when Penguins forward Philip Tomasino was sent off for tripping.

The Golden Knights needed just 20 seconds to capitalize on that opportunity, as Pavel Dorofeyev lashed a slap shot between Jarry’s legs from above the right dot to cut the Penguins’ lead in half. The goal came on Vegas’ 18th shot.

The Penguins had a chance to pad their lead when Vegas defenseman Zach Whitecloud was penalized for delay-of-game 47 seconds into the third period, but failed to score.

The Pittsburgh Penguins are scheduled to practice Wednesday at noon at UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex.