Evgeni Malkin misses his first game of the season with an undisclosed upper body injury, the Penguins replace him with a different 6’5” center. Maybe no one will notice? Pittsburgh gets two happy returns from injury with Justin Brazeau and Noel Acciari back for the first time in a while. Matt Dumba rotates back in on defense, Tristan Jarry keeps going in goal.
Pittsburgh got off to a good start. Aside from Dumba and Ryan Graves getting pinned in their zone for a couple of shifts, the Penguins did well in terms of managing the puck and staying out of the penalty box.
Late in the first, the reunited fourth line strikes. Blake Lizotte lays a pass over for a wide open Connor Dewar in the middle of the ice. Dewar slams it home past Jake Oettinger to open the scoring with 1:42 to play in the first.
The teams guide into first intermission even on shots at 7-7 and with the Pens holding the early 1-0 lead.
Dallas gets a 2-on-1 in the opening seconds of the period, Jarry makes a big save on Jamie Benn. On Benn’s next shift a minute later, he gets a similar situation and makes a much harder shot. Dumba and Hayes don’t do much in support. Tie game 1-1.
The Pens’ new look first line gets a strong shift in the offensive zone. Sidney Crosby goes low to high with passes twice, Kris Letang gets the memo and takes a quick point shot. Tommy Novak is able to deflect it from in front, and Pittsburgh is back in front 2-1.
Benn’s active period continues, not in a good way for him. He’s off to the penalty box for hooking in the game’s first penalty. Not a particularly impressive power play, Ben Kindel gets one good look but shoots wide of the net. The Pens get another power play soon after, same outcome of nothing happening.
The Pens get to the second intermission only allowing three Dallas shots in that period, and only 11
on the game in total. It’s only a one-goal lead at 2-1.
Great shift for the Pens’ youngsters on the third line- Rutger McGroarty sets up Ville Koivunen for a great look and he chunks the shot enough to where Oettinger can get a glove to it. Koivunen unfortunately ends the shift in the penalty box, granting Dallas their first power play of the night. The Pens kill that off.
Dallas pulls the goalie and isolated on the Pens’ fourth line and third defensive pair after an icing and work a 6v5 advantage. The Pens can’t find a clear, Miro Heiskanen shoots from out deep, neither Lizotte nor Graves can block it. Pittsburgh blows another third period lead, 2-2 with 1:49 to play.
Dallas keeps pushing for a late winner, but they can’t find one before regulation ends.
Crosby-Rust-Karlsson start out for the Pens, the linesman throws Crosby out of the faceoff circle and the Penguins end up losing the opening faceoff and the all-important control of the puck…Jarry robs Jason Robertson and keep the game alive.
Robertson gets another chance late, Jarry is there or the shot is wide.
Robertson goes first, hits the crossbar. Not his night.
Rust is up for the Pens, shoots it right into the glove of Oettenger.
Matt Duchene leads off Round 2, he tries to go 5-hole but Jarry takes it away in time.
Crosby takes his turn, tests the blocker of Oettenger, it’s solid.
Mikko Rantanen is up, he snaps a shot past Jarry.
Letang has the last gasp for the Pens, he tries to deke to the forehand but the goalie reads it all the way.
The Pens fall in a shootout.
It didn’t take long for the best fourth line configuration the Pens have used this season to get back on the scoreboard. Something about the way those players work together simply works very well as a cohesive unit. They’re not going to score all the time but players like Lizotte and Dewar aren’t devoid of offensive talent either. As mentioned on the broadcast, Dewar is up to 10 total goals as a Penguin in 44 games. He’s got six this season in 27 games.Mantha looked rejuvenated to get his linemate back in Brazeau, recording 4 SOG and 9 total shot attempts. Mantha was also elevated to the top power play in Malkin’s absence.Haven’t always been impressed by Novak from game to game, but he’s playing good hockey these days. Six points in the last five games and he’s been raising his game lately. It’s been nice to see his decisions with the puck lately, it looks like he’s playing with more confidence given how well it’s been going as of late.Bryan Rust blocked four shots on the game, the last one made a mark. Cameras caught him wincing and holding up his arm pointing to trainers down past the wrist on the back of his forearm where it struck. Rust would have to leave for the dressing room for a bit of the second period to get that tended to but was back for the third period.Another game, another blown third period lead for the Pens. They only had a one-goal cushion, it happens – but it happens a lot to them. It felt ominous when Koivunen couldn’t convert a great chance and then took a penalty seconds later. They got out of that, they couldn’t quite make to the end of regulation while up. You’ll take a 2-0-1 road trip any day of the week but with the standings so tight the Pens are going to have to hold onto the games when they’re up late.Not sure what Dumba is doing on the team, or especially in the lineup. Using him with Graves is playing with fire and creates a pair with limited upside and significant chance that their combined limitations end up hurting the team.Shame for Jarry that he lost, Dallas didn’t pepper him with shots (see the preview notes about their tendency to not achieve a high quantity of shots) but the ones he saw were a test. Jarry was sensational in OT as well. It was all for naught, because the Pittsburgh shooters are not very skilled in the arts of the shootout.
Up next is a lengthy home-stand, and the schedule picks up with games every other day (or sooner) for a while in December. The Pens won’t feel great about another blown lead but they can return home after a successful road trip that saw them pick up five out of a possible six points.