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Tristan Jarry, Penguins beat Golden Knights in overtime | TribLIVE.com
Penguins/NHL

Tristan Jarry, Penguins beat Golden Knights in overtime

Seth Rorabaugh
Seth Rorabaugh
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The Golden Knights’ Tomas Hertl (48) skates through the goal crease past Penguins goaltender Tristan Jarry during the first period Tuesday.
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Penguins center Sidney Crosby gets a shot behind Vegas goaltender Ilya Samsonov for a goal during the first period Tuesday.
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The Penguins’ Sidney Crosby (center) celebrates with teammates after scoring during the first period against Vegas on Tuesday.
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The Penguins’ Evgeni Malkin has a shot blocked by Vegas goaltender Ilya Samsonov during the first period Tuesday.
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The Penguins’ Sidney Crosby (left) celebrates with teammates after scoring during the second period against Vegas on Tuesday’

In the distant past, Tristan Jarry was the Pittsburgh Penguins’ goaltender of the future.

As for his current future, things are murky, at best, considering in the near past, he was waived in mid-January and the NHL’s 31 other franchises opted not to claim him (or, more importantly, his ample salary cap hit of $5.375 million).

But for the present, he’s the Penguins’ leading candidate in net for the remaining games of a lost season.

That was evident Tuesday when the Penguins defeated the powerful Vegas Golden Knights, 3-2, in overtime, at PPG Paints Arena.

Defenseman Erik Karlsson’s ninth goal of the season 49 seconds into the overtime period was the difference.

Jarry made 35 saves on 37 shots as his record was boosted to 10-8-4. It was a demanding effort by Jarry considering his teammates mustered only 17 shots on goal, potentially equaling the number of appreciative fans who serenaded the goaltender with “Jarr-EEE! Jarr-EEE” chants during the contest.

Prior to his demotion to Northeast Pennsylvania, boos were heard on the occasions he was announced as the starter.

“It was a tough time for me,” Jarry said. “It was something that I had to work through, and I think it was something that I needed to look at myself in the mirror and say I have to have a better game. Just going down (to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton), working hard and working on my game was a big help for me. Obviously, I had a lot of support, so I think that helped a lot.

“Coming back here, I wanted to put my best foot forward and show the Penguins that I could do it.”

Tuesday’s triumph came a little more than 48 hours after Jarry made 29 saves on 30 shots in a 3-1 road win against the Minnesota Wild.

“He’s playing up to his capabilities,” Penguins coach Mike Sullivan said. “Obviously, he was the difference in (Tuesday’s) game. He was the difference in the game against Minnesota also. He has that ability when he’s playing to his capability. He just looks big in the net. The vantage point I get from the bench, you just don’t see a whole lot, and that’s usually a sign that he’s playing a confident game. He’s big in there. He’s tracking pucks. He’s playing with confidence. He’s got a calm demeanor. His handles as far as when he comes out and plays the puck have been simple and efficient.

“I thought he was spectacular tonight. He was the difference.”

Considering the Penguins exiled the struggling would-be franchise goaltender to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton for approximately a month and a half after he cleared waivers, it’s difficult to suggest Jarry is still in the management’s designs for crafting this roster beyond this season.

Two games in mid-March during a non-playoff push won’t be the determining factor for any major decision, but Jarry will do everything he can in the final five weeks of the regular season to keep his job.

“Over my time that I’ve been playing in the NHL, I think I played a lot of good hockey and I want to continue that,” Jarry said. “Just keeping it going, making sure my practices are sharp, making sure my mental game is sharp. When all of that is together, I think it helps me a lot.”

Playing with a lead is always helpful, no matter the circumstances. And the Penguins did that for most of the contest even though it was apparent very early that the Golden Knights would control the puck for most of the evening.

Despite yielding ample puck possession to the visitors through the opening period, the Penguins took the contest’s first lead 17:48 into regulation when Sidney Crosby scored his 22nd goal of the season during a power-play sequence.

Circumnavigating his way with the puck around the back of Vegas’ cage and past the right corner, Penguins forward Kevin Hayes dropped anchor at the right half-wall and flicked a backhanded pass to the near circle. Forward Rickard Rakell accepted the puck on his forehand and turned to his left, directing a pass to the left of the crease where Crosby leaned on his left knee and shuffled a forehand deflection on the near side over the extended right leg of goaltender Ilya Samsonov. Rakell and Hayes had assists.

Another goal by Crosby came 3:02 into the second period.

Near the right half wall of Vegas’ zone, Rakell chopped the puck away from Golden Knights forward Tomas Hertl, allowing Crosby to claim possession. Advancing with ill intent — towards Samsonov’s goals-against average — into the near circle, Crosby snapped a wrister under the goaltender’s left leg and into the back of the cage. Rakell recorded the lone assist.

Crosby lauded his linemates for their roles in his offensive exploits.

“As a line, we were creating some chances,” Crosby said. “Rakell made some great plays, (Bryan) Rust was all over the puck. We were just opportunistic and good on pucks and got chances because of it.”

The visitors got on the scoreboard at 14:29 of the second frame when forward Pavel Dorofeyev found his 25th goal during a power-play opportunity.

Off some perimeter passing around the offensive zone, Golden Knights defenseman Noah Hanifin accepted the puck near the center point and slid a pass to the right circle where Dorofeyev stroked a one-timer that leaked through Jarry’s five hole. Hanifin and forward Jack Eichel extracted assists.

The Golden Knights were persistent and forced overtime at the last second — almost literally — when Hanifin scored his ninth goal at 19:54 of the third period.

With Samsonov pulled for an extra attacker, Hanifin and Golden Knights forward Mark Stone worked the puck on the perimeter of the offensive zone a bit before Stone slid a pass from the left half-wall to the top of the right circle where Hanafin hammered a one-timer past Jarry’s glove on the near side. Hertl supplied a determined screen on the sequence. Stone and Dorofeyev had assists.

In overtime, the Penguins were largely the sole possessors of the puck, and Karlsson claimed victory with the only shot during the period.

Operating with the expanse of three-on-three play, forward Evgeni Malkin gained the offensive zone on the right wing and left a drop pass at the point. Off a change, Karlsson galloped from the bench and across the blue line, took the puck and then pushed into the right circle before lasering a wrister to the near side past the glove of Samsonov, who was sluggish in reacting to the shot. Assists went to Malkin and defenseman Kris Letang.

“(Letang) made a great change and (Malkin) drove down,” Karlsson said. “Two (defenders) followed him, and I kind of just jumped on the ice. Had an opportunity and didn’t have many other options. Usually, I look for pass first but couldn’t see anything out there and decided to shoot. Luckily, I hit the spot I wanted to.”

For the past two games, Jarry has been in the right spot. At least that’s what one can assume from the cheers he received Tuesday.

“It shows his character and his professionalism that he’s been able to go through this year and continue to put his head down, work hard and try to keep doing what he’s doing,” Rust said. “Huge game in Minnesota. Came back here tonight. He was announced in the starting lineup and the fans gave him a good welcome back. And I think that goes a long way.

“Obviously, before …. I think there was some negative reaction to the starting lineup sometimes when he was in net. And obviously, you hate to see that, especially as a friend and as a teammate. It (stinks). So, (it was nice for him) to be able to get that warm welcome back, and he was huge tonight. He made some huge saves.”

Notes:

• This was the first game between the Penguins and Golden Knights that was determined in overtime.

• Malkin (1,339 points) surpassed Dave Andreychuk and Denis Savard (1,338 each) for 31st place on the NHL’s career scoring list.

• Penguins forward Tommy Novak and defenseman Ryan Shea were scratched due to undisclosed injuries.

• Penguins defenseman Sebastian Aho and forward Matt Nieto were recalled from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the American Hockey League Tuesday morning under emergency roster conditions. Both players were healthy scratches.

• In three career games against the Penguins, Dorofeyev has three points (two goals, one assist).

Seth Rorabaugh is a TribLive reporter covering the Pittsburgh Penguins. A North Huntingdon native, he joined the Trib in 2019 and has covered the Penguins since 2007. He can be reached at srorabaugh@triblive.com.

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