Guentzel's goal in 3rd allows Penguins to get point, avoid wild-card spot

With Sidney Crosby coming into the game with 98 points for the season and linemate Jake Guentzel sitting on 39 goals, it was easy to imagine both hitting significant milestones on the same play Saturday night.

Crosby would slide a puck to Guentzel for a shot into an empty net as the Penguins dispatched the lowly New York Rangers in their regular-season finale, tipping their caps to the crowd on fan appreciation night and cruising into the playoffs on a high note.

But that’s not how it happened.

Crosby and Guentzel hit their milestones on the same play, but the goal wasn’t exactly a crowning achievement. More accurately, it saved the Penguins from an embarrassing result.

Guentzel converted a Crosby pass with 2 minutes, 35 seconds left in regulation to forge a tie. Ryan Strome scored a little more than two minutes into overtime to give the Rangers the 4-3 win, but the Penguins got the point they needed in the standings.

Without it, they would have fallen into a wild-card position in the Eastern Conference, which would have meant a first-round playoff matchup with the defending champion Washington Capitals.

Instead, they finished in third place in the division and will open the playoffs on the road against the second-place New York Islanders next week.

“It probably wasn’t our best, but we got it done,” goalie Matt Murray said.

Crosby got his 99th point by scoring on a two-on-one with Guentzel in the first period, and Nick Bjugstad broke a 1-1 tie early in the third. But the Penguins never came close to pulling away from the rebuilding Rangers.

The Penguins gave up 30 shots and more than a handful of high-danger scoring chances. Brendan Smith converted a Garrett Wilson turnover into a breakaway goal in the first period. Brady Skjei scored as the trailer on a three-on-two in the third.

With less than seven minutes left in the game and the Penguins attempting to retake the lead on the power play, an old, ugly friend paid another unscheduled visit.

A Crosby pass kicked away from Justin Schultz in the offensive zone, giving Vladislav Namestnikov a short-handed breakaway. His backhand shot rolled in off Murray’s gear.

It was the league-leading 15th shorthanded goal the Penguins allowed this season, and they were in big trouble.

“A lot of ups and downs. When they scored that short-handed one, it was a pretty big down,” Guentzel said. “It was kind of shocking.”

The Penguins managed to get the goal they needed late. Schultz threw a puck on net from the left point. Crosby dug it out from under the pads of goalie Alexandar Georgiev and nudged it across to Guentzel, who shoved it across the goal line.

“You’re going out there for a power play with a chance to possibly win the game, and it changes pretty quickly when you get scored on,” Crosby said. “Just the way it happened, we tried to leave it all out there in that last five or six minutes and try to get back in it.”

Coach Mike Sullivan said the Penguins know they turned in a loose defensive effort, giving up more odd-man rushes than any team should. He also noted that an 0-for-4 effort on the power play could have been much better.

Sullivan and his players also know — perhaps better than most — that no one will be thinking back to the regular-season finale once the playoffs start next week.

That’s when the real test begins.

“We know we need to tighten up in the playoffs, some odd-man rushes we’ve got to clean up and whatnot,” Guentzel said. “But we like where our game’s going going into the playoffs. Obviously, it’s a new season, so we’re ready to go.”