Penguins lose to Rangers, despite better play from Jarry

Before Thursday, the last time Tristan Jarry set foot on the ice of Madison Square Garden … one of them was broken.

Roughly 10 months after he gutted out a painfully resolute but ultimately futile performance in the postseason, the Pittsburgh Penguins’ top goaltender took a step forward in correcting his broken game at that same venue.

But he wound up with another defeat.

Making 31 saves on 34 shots, Jarry and the Penguins fell on the road to the New York Rangers, 4-2, on Thursday.

The defeat dropped Jarry’s record to 20-8-6. But his mostly dependable performance tamped down questions — albeit incrementally — about his suitability to be in net as his team strives to solidify its postseason aspirations.

Thursday’s result was the Penguins’ first appearance in Madison Square Garden since they lost Game 7 of a first-round postseason series to the Rangers on May 15, 4-3, in overtime. That night, Jarry powered his way through the contest with a broken right foot that had sidelined him throughout the late stages of the 2021-22 regular season as well as the first six games of the postseason.

Of more contemporary concerns, Jarry was coming off a dreadful performance Tuesday in which he was pulled after allowing four goals on seven shots during a 6-4 home loss to the Montreal Canadiens. It marked the second game in eight days Jarry was yanked from the cage.

Regardless of those struggles at a crucial juncture of the regular season, Penguins management remains committed to allowing Jarry ample opportunity to steer his play back to the form that has made him a two-time All-Star.

“(Jarry), when he’s at his best, in my mind, he’s one of the best in the league,” Penguins coach Mike Sullivan said to media that traveled to New York following Thursday’s morning skate. “Our challenge is to help him get there. We don’t think he’s far off. We think he’s close.”

The game was a mostly close tight affair between the two rivals. A goal by Rangers forward Chris Kreider – a longtime nemesis of the Penguins – midway through the third period gave the hosts a lead they would never surrender.

The loss left the Penguins a full 10 points behind the third-place Rangers in the Metropolitan Division standings with 14 games to go. The Penguins are tied with the New York Islanders for the conference’s pair of wild-card spots with 78 points.

The Penguins’ defense took a hit, literally, when defenseman Jeff Petry left the game at 5 minutes, 12 seconds of the first period after being struck in the face by the right elbow of Rangers forward Tyler Motte during a puck battle in the left corner of the Penguins’ zone.

There was no penalty on the sequence which appeared to be accidental. No update on Petry’s status was provided following the game.

Petry and fellow right-handed defenseman Jan Rutta returned to the Penguins’ lineup after each suffered undisclosed injuries during Tuesday’s game.

Scoring was opened 2:51 into regulation by Rangers forward Mika Zibanejad’s 35th game of the season.

With Petry badly out of position, Rangers forward Artemi Panarin fed a stretch pass from his own zone to Zibanejad, who was able to generate a breakaway from the Penguins’ blue line. Hustling in off the left wing, Zibanejad approached the cage and elevated a wrister over Jarry’s glove. Panarin and linemate Vladimir Tarasenko had assists.

Penguins forward Rickard Rakell’s 24th goal tied the game, 1-1, at 14:40 of the second period.

From his own right corner, Rangers defenseman K’Andre Miller attempted a backhand pass to the opposite corner for defensive partner Jacob Trouba. Penguins forward Sidney Crosby alertly read the play like a short story and intercepted the puck behind the cage then fed a backhand pass to the front of the crease. Rakell, who jumped up to the Penguins’ top line after forward Bryan Rust was temporarily hobbled by a blocked shot, leaned down and lifted a forehand shot by goaltender Igor Shesterkin’s glove. Crosby claimed the lone assist.

For Rakell, the goal was his 400th career point while Crosby recorded his 82nd point of the 2022-23 campaign, ensuring he would average a point per game for the 18th consecutive season. Only NHL icon Wayne Gretzky (19) posted more campaigns with that level of production.

The Rangers regained the lead only 133 seconds later thanks to Motte’s fourth goal.

From in front of the home penalty box, Penguins forward Jeff Carter fed a pass back to the defensive zone, but Penguins rookie defenseman P.O Joseph was unable to accept the puck cleanly. A forechecking Motte overwhelmed Joseph, claimed possession in the right circle, motored in on net and slipped a forehand shot through Jarry’s five hole. There were no assists.

Crosby set up the Penguins’ second goal by linemate Jake Guentzel to tie the game again, 2-2, 9:09 into the third period.

Corralling a loose puck in the Rangers’ right corner, Crosby identified an open Guentzel and fed a pass to the high slot where Guentzel, standing only on his left leg, gripped and ripped a wrister through an aggressive Shesterkin’s five hole for his 30th goal. Crosby and Rakell registered assists.

Kreider scored the eventual winning goal — his 29th of the season — at 11:45 of the third.

Taking a pass at the right point of the offensive zone, Rangers defenseman Adam Fox fired a wrister toward the cage that was partially deflected from the right circle by Rangers forward Vince Trocheck. Kreider battled for position above the crease with Penguins defenseman Brian Dumoulin and was struck on the right skate by the puck. As Jarry tried to adjust after reacting to the initial shot by Fox, Kreider reclaimed the rebound and tucked a forehand shot past the goaltender’s right skate. Trocheck, of Upper St. Clair, and Fox had assists.

Another goal by Kreider on an empty net at 19:10 of the final frame secured victory. Trocheck and Zibanejad netted assists.

The two foes will square off again, also at Madison Square Garden, on Saturday in their final meeting of the regular season.

Notes:

• Penguins forward Ryan Poehling was activated from long-term injured reserve and returned to the lineup after missing 15 games due to an undisclosed ailment.

Primarily deployed on the fourth line and the penalty kill, Poehling logged 8:43 of ice time on 15 shifts (including a team-best 2:30 short-handed) and had one shot on one attempt while going 1 for 3 (33%) on faceoffs.

• The only penalties taken during the game were accrued by Penguins defenseman Marcus Pettersson in the first and second periods. As a result, the Rangers had the only two power-play opportunities in the contest.

• The Penguins’ scratches were forwards Nick Bonino (lacerated kidney), Danton Heinen (healthy) and defenseman Chad Ruhwedel (healthy).

• Miller appeared in his 200th career game.