Double flop on Broadway
Depleted defensive corps can’t stop another poor performance by Jarry
NEWYORK — The limitations of a battered Penguins defensive corps were put on full display by the Rangers, especiallywhen coupled with another rough outing from Tristan Jarry.
The Penguins second loss in three nights to New York in Manhattan, this time by a lopsided 6-0 margin at Madison Square Garden on Saturday, was hardly aided by the absences of veteran defense men Jeff Petry and Jan Rutta. Rather than rise to the challenge with a depleted defense in front of him, a struggling Jarry allowed four goals on 17 shots before being pulled early for the third time in seven starts this month.
“There were a number of things that were going through my mind at that particular point in the game,” coach Mike Sullivan said of his decision to yank Jarry early in the second period. “Sometimes, you make a change with a goaltender to try to create a spark.”
The raucous New York crowd took great pleasure in ridiculing the netminder, sarcastically chanting “Jarry…Jarry…Jarry” soon after he departed. Though Jarry has turned in a handful of solid performances since returning from injury in late February, often times they’ve been followed by some lackluster showings.
“It is what it is,” Sullivan said of Jarry. “We’re trying to get him repetitions. We’re trying to help him get there under a difficult circumstance. We’re working at it. I think he’s making strides, for sure. I thought his last game was a real strong game that he had. Tonight, for me, isa real tough one to assess.”
Per Sportlogiq, the Penguins were expected to give up only 2.28 goals in the game, pointing to Jarry (and later Casey DeSmith) giving up goals they could’ve saved. Still, yielding the odd-man rushes Pittsburgh did to New York’s potent offense made it difficult for Jarry andthe Penguins to contend.
“If we can limit those, we give ourselves a really good chance,” Sidney Crosby said of the Rangers’ odd-man opportunities. “But, those are easy chances that you give teams and you’ve got to make them work a little bit harder.”
The Rangers’ third and fourth goals, which preceded Jarry’s departure, both came on such situations. With the Penguins chasing two goals early in the second, they were in the thick of an offensive rush after the referees elected to leave their whistles untouched on a play that should’ve been ruled offside. The non-call worked out in the home squad’s favor, generating a 3-on-1 opportunity. Jarry didn’t stand much of a chance of stopping Vladimir
Tarasenko’s one-timer.
Even when it appeared the Penguins had gotten a break, it paved the way in part for the Rangers’ fourth goal. A foiled Pittsburgh power-play opportunity turned into a New York 4-on-2, capped off by a Chris Kreider tip-in that ended Jarry’s night.
“We fell behind early in the game, chasing the game again against a team that’s defending really well right now and they have one of the best goalies in the game,” Kris Letang said
New York’s Igor Shesterkin was indeed stellar, turning away a number of quality Penguins looks by using all of his appendages.
“We had chances. Shesterkin came up big with key saves at key moments,” Letang said. “They have a lot of talent and they counter and they’re dangerous.”
The Rangers’ first two goals came on more traditional chances. Mike Zibanejad struck first for the second consecutive game, beating Jarry on a backhand from just outside the blue paint. New York got another before the first intermission, pouncing on the Penguins’ stillstruggling penalty kill after Evgeni Malkin went off for a double-minor.
Brian Dumoulin couldn’t get a sufficiently strong clear from the goal line, and New York kept the puck in the offensive zone with ease. A scrambling Pittsburgh penalty-kill unit failed to regather, and Artemi Panarin walked untouched to the left faceoff dot before delivering a strike over Jarry’s blocker.
DeSmith’s presence didn’t change much, either. He let in two more goals, one by Jacob Trouba and another by Panarin to put the finishing touches on a four-goal second.
Ice chips
• Petry did not play Saturday night because of an upper-body injury suffered in Thursday’s 4-2 loss to New York. He caught an elbow from Tyler Motte and left early in the first period.
• Rutta’s unavailability prompted the Penguins to recall Mark Friedman from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.
• Pettersson is being evaluated for a lower-body injury, per Sullivan.
• Earlier Saturday, the Penguins placed Nick Bonino on long-term injured reserve retroactive to March 9. Bonino must sit out at least 10 games and 24 days. He cannot return until April 2 against the Philadelphia Flyers.
Stat n’at
2 — The Penguins were shut out for the second time this season and in as many months. Their first was another6-0 loss on Feb. 11 to the Los Angeles Kings.
They said it
Sullivan on keeping Dumoulin and Jeff Carter in the Penguins’ lineup:
“I think it’s easy for you guys to pick on one or two guys and what I will tell you is that I respectfully disagree withall of you.”
Coming up
The Penguins are off Sunday and will be back in action Monday night for a home game before embarking on another road trip. Pittsburgh hosts the Ottawa Senators at 7 p.m. in the teams’ last of three encounters this season.