In the span of a dozen days, the Penguins have transformed from a team that kept finding ways to beat itself into one that does everything it takes to win.
Back at PPG Paints Arena, they extended their winning streak to four Saturday night by brushing aside the Buffalo Sabres 4-0. Tristan Jarry got back in goal and got another shutout. Drew O’Connor scored his first of the year. And Erik Karlsson added two more goals in another all-around team effort.
After starting 3-6-0, they have outscored opponents 20-5 during this streak.
Bryan Rust had to laugh a little when asked about their surging confidence.
“It’s definitely higher than it was a couple weeks ago,” he said. “We’re doing some good things. We’re in a good spot. By no means are we satisfied with where we’re at, but we’re definitely happy with the strides we made. ... Any time you can string some wins together, especially with where we were, it’s big.”
For the fifth game in a row, the Penguins got the opening goal. They had several good looks during the first period. But it was the backhand shot that Evgeni Malkin shoveled on goal from the right corner that found its way in. He caught Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen off guard, banking it in off the goalie’s back.
At 37, Malkin leads Pittsburgh in goals, with eight scored through 13 games.
O’Connor made it 2-0 late in the second period. He put a long wrist shot on goal that somehow snuck under Luukkonen’s right arm. The young goalie slammed his stick on the ice in frustration after he had allowed another iffy goal.
“We had a whole lot of chances tonight,” Rust said, giggling a bit. “And it seemed like the ones that weren’t the best chances were the ones that went in.”
O’Connor didn’t care. He was relieved to finally score his first since March 2.
“I tried not to let it affect the other parts of my game,” O’Connor said. “But if you go a little while without scoring, you start gripping your stick a little tighter.”
Karlsson pushed the lead to 3-0 early in the third period with a power-play tally that hit the stick of a defender and went in. He later added an empty netter.
That was more than enough offense for Jarry to continue his winning ways.
Coach Mike Sullivan naming Jarry the starter Saturday was a bit of a surprise.
“He came in today and he looked a whole lot better, and his vision is fine,” he said after the morning skate, explaining his rationale. “He feels really good.”
Jarry couldn’t practice Wednesday or suit up for Thursday’s victory in Los Angeles after he was struck in the face by a puck in Tuesday’s win at Anaheim. The swelling in his right eye went down Thursday and Friday, but Saturday’s morning skate was the closest thing to a full practice he had since the injury.
Given that and the fact Magnus Hellberg had played so well in the last two games, stopping 44 of 47 shots, it would have been easy to stick with Hellberg.
But Sullivan trusted his No. 1 netminder. It turned out to be a smart decision.
Jarry didn’t look completely comfortable early on. He fought the puck a few times, including when he let an innocent wrister from the left wing hit the post. But Jarry settled in and stopped 35 shots to earn his NHL-best fourth shutout.
After struggling at the start of the season and vowing to be better, he is 3-0-0 in his last three games, with a pair of shutouts and a .975 save percentage.
“Like I said before, hard work was going to get me out of it,” he said. “And that was honestly what I’ve done over the last two weeks — not stopped working.”
It certainly helped Jarry that the guys in front of him continued to defend well.
The Penguins allowed just three odd-man rushes and largely pushed the Sabres to the perimeter. They also took good care of the puck. A dangerous counterattack team, the Sabres had just three scoring chances off turnovers during the first two periods, per Sportlogiq. That last part pleased Sullivan.
“We’ve talked a lot about cutting risk out of our game. It’s hard to win consistently in this league if you’re a high-risk, high-reward team,” he said. “It just is.”
With the win, the Penguins moved above .500 for the first time in four weeks.
ICE CHIPS
• Sidney Crosby picked up a late assist to push his point streak to eight games.
• The Penguins have already posted four shutouts, the league’s highest total.
• With Jarry cleared to play Saturday, the Penguins returned goalie prospect Joel Blomqvist to the American Hockey League. In a corresponding move, they brought forward Vinnie Hinostroza back up from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.
• Hinostroza replaced Jeff Carter in the lineup. Carter, who played just 10 shifts in Los Angeles, has been scratched for three out of the last four games.
• Pierre-Olivier Joseph was also a healthy scratch, making it three in a row.
• Goalie Alex Nedeljkovic and defenseman John Ludvig continue to skate on an individual basis. They are eligible to return from injured reserve Nov. 19.
• Saturday was Military Appreciation Night at PPG Paints Arena. Before the game, the Penguins aired a video, narrated capably and emotionally by Sullivan, that paid tribute to our veterans. They also highlighted local vets throughout the night. The players did not wear special jerseys in warmups this year.
STAT N’AT
5 – Karlsson’s goal extended his point streak to five games. The star defenseman has put up three goals and six assists with a plus-8 rating over that span.
THEY SAID IT
“We’re playing with urgency. We’re playing together. And I think we’re having a lot of fun,” Jarry said of the winning streak. “Every time we step on the ice, the guys are doing a great job. They’re blocking shots. They’re getting pucks in deep. And I think when we’re taking control of the game, it really helps us.”
COMING UP
The Penguins have a scheduled off day Sunday. They return to practice Monday. Their next game is Tuesday versus the Blue Jackets in Columbus, Ohio.
Matt Vensel: mvensel@post-gazette.com and Twitter @mattvensel
First Published: November 12, 2023, 3:08 a.m.
Updated: November 12, 2023, 3:19 a.m.