Wanting to fortify their goaltending depth this past offseason, the Pittsburgh Penguins took a chance on Alex Nedeljkovic, signing him to a one-year contract in July worth a frugal – by NHL standards - $1.5 million.
Once a promising starter who had struggled in recent seasons, management hoped Nedeljkovic would rediscover the form that made him a member of the NHL’s All-Rookie team during the 2020-21 season.
The first chapter of that tale of redemption was penned marvelously Saturday as Nedeljkovic navigated the Penguins to a 5-2 victory against the Calgary Flames at PPG Paints Arena. In his debut with the team, Nedeljkovic made 34 saves on 36 shots.
“Obviously, I want to have a good showing,” Nedeljkovic said. “This is my first game action with the (team). I didn’t get many looks during preseason. It was good to get out there and have a good showing.”
Penguins forwards Jake Guentzel, Evgeni Malkin, Bryan Rust and Reilly Smith looked good as well as they all registered multi-point efforts.
“Lots of motivation,” said Malkin, who has recorded all six of his points this season in the past two games. “I don’t want to step on the ice and do nothing, just skate around. You win games, good mood after.
“Look around, everybody is smiling right now.”
Frustration appeared to be the most prevalent emotion for the Penguins in the first period, at least with their power play. Working with 3:25 of time on the man advantage – including brief interludes with five-on-three and four-on-three scenarios – the Penguins generated five shots (three by forward Sidney Crosby and two by Malkin). The opportunities were of high quality. The only issue was that a 6-foot-6 and 207-pound titan in the form of goaltender Jacob Markstrom served as a hermetic impediment.
The contest was largely a defensive duel until late in the second period when Flames rookie forward Matt Coronato scored his first career goal on a power-play opportunity at the 18:22 mark.
Settling a rebound in the high slot of the Penguins’ zone, Flames forward Elias Lindholm spun to his right, surveyed his options for a moment and slid a pass into the right circle. Setting up shop, Coronato, a first-round pick (No. 13 overall) in the 2021 NHL Draft, cranked a rising one-timer over Nedeljkovic’s right shoulder on the near side. The puck clunked in off the crossbar and hit twine to break the stalemate. Lindholm and defenseman Rasmus Andersson had assists.
Rust’s second goal of the season only 18 seconds into the third period tied the game, 1-1. From the right point of the offensive zone, Penguins defenseman Kris Letang golfed a one-timer that glanced off of Andersson’s right skate and hit the end boards on the near side. Reacting to the rebound, Rust shuffled a forehand shot from the right of the cage off the left leg of Markstrom and into the net. Letang and Guentzel claimed assists.
All of 23 seconds later, the Penguins took their first lead of the contest via Smith’s second goal. Surging up the left wing of the offensive zone, Malkin generated a two-on-one rush with Smith against Flames defenseman Nikita Zadorov. As Zadorov slid down to prevent a pass, Malkin dished a centering feed to the slot for Smith who scorched Markstrom’s blocker with a wrister. Assists went to Malkin and linemate Rickard Rakell.
Guentzel got in on the act with his first goal at 5:50 of the third period. After Crosby beat Lindholm on a draw in the Flames’ left circle, Letang settled the puck on the near wall and snapped a cross-ice pass to the opposite circle where Guentzel ripped a one-timer by Markstrom’s left skate on the near side. Letang and Crosby registered assists.
“We’ve run that play in the past, Guentzel said of the score that proved to be the game-winner. “A big faceoff win by Sid. Great deception by (Letang). Just try and get it on net. Fortunate it went in.”
Malkin and Smith connected again at 13:13 of the final frame to put the Penguins up 4-1. After a careless clearing attempt from near his own right corner by Flames defenseman Noah Hanifin, Smith claimed the puck at the right point and drove up the wall. Cutting to the top of the right circle, Smith left a drop pass for Malkin who maneuvered below the dot and lifted a wrister to the far side between Markstrom’s blocker and right ribs for his second goal of the season. Smith had the lone assist.
“He’s a great player, a great shot, a great skilled guy,” Malkin said of Smith. “I just give him the puck. The last couple of games, we play pretty well.”
Flames forward Jonathan Huberdeau’s first goal at 16:05 of the third pulled the visitors within two. From the left point of the offensive zone, Hanifin chucked a wrister that was blocked partially by Rust’s stick and hopped into the slot. Flames forward Andrew Mangiapane settled the puck and slid a pass to Huberdeau in the left circle. With limited options, Huberdeau chipped a backhander into a mass of bodies in in the crease and the puck deflected off the left skate of a backchecking Guentzel and into the cage. Mangiapane and Hanifin had assists.
An empty netter by Rust at the 19:38 mark capped the scoring. Guentzel had the lone assist.
While a seven-goal output doesn’t exactly suggest stiff goaltending, Nedeljkovic largely kept the Penguins in a position to win this game, especially in the first two periods when he stopped 25 of the 26 shots he faced while his teammates were limited to 16 shots.
“He made a lot of routine saves and made the tough ones look easy,” Penguins forward Jake Guentzel said. “He played excellent. A lot of the credit goes to him.”
Following a strong rookie campaign with the Carolina Hurricanes in 2020-21, Nedeljkovic endured two lackluster seasons as a member of the Detroit Red Wings organization and spent most of 2022-23 in the American Hockey League.
On Saturday, in his first chance to reward the faith Penguins management put in him, Nedeljkovic showed he was capable of still being a reliable NHL goaltender.
“All summer to training camp to today to right now, I felt pretty good,” Nedeljkovic said. “Just trying to play my game, have fun, enjoy it, keep it simple and just give the guys a chance to win every night.”
Notes:
• A native of Parma, Ohio, Nedeljkovic became the eighth player born in the Buckeye State to suit up for the Penguins. He was preceded by defensemen Ab DeMarco, Moe Mantha and Ian Moran as well as forwards Jansen Harkins, Brian Holzinger, Mike Rupp and Bryan Smolinski.
• Nedeljkovic became the 11th player in franchise history to wear No. 39 in a game of consequence for the franchise. His predecessors:
Mike Needham, Peter Allen, Joel Bouchard, John Sim, Chris Minard, Luca Caputi, Brad Thiessen, Harry Zolnierczyk, David Perron, Jean-Sebastien Dea
• Nedeljkovic became the 58th goaltender to record a regular season win with the Penguins.
• Penguins defensemen John Ludvig and Ryan Shea were healthy scratches.
• Hanifin appeared in his 600th career game.
• During the first television stoppage, the Penguins recognized former Calgary Flames assistant general manager Chris Snow who died at the age of 42 on Sept. 30 following a battle with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).
We may be on different teams, but tonight we join @NHLFlames and the hockey community to celebrate and honor Chris Snow, Assistant General Manager of the Calgary Flames.#SnowyStrong pic.twitter.com/Be1pIzfjkF
— pensfoundation (@pensfoundation) October 14, 2023
Proceeds from the 50/50 drawing at the game were donated to the ALS Association of Western Pennsylvania.
