Now that was more like it. After a lackluster opener when they blew a 2-1 lead after two periods to lose 4-2 against the Chicago Blackhawks on home ice, the Pittsburgh Penguins showed what they were capable of in the next game.
On a Friday the 13th in spooky season, the Penguins visited the Washington Capitals and beat their longtime rivals convincingly 4-0. Evgeni Malkin led the way with a goal and four points, captain Sidney Crosby picked up a pair of power-play goals, and Tristan Jarry earned the shutout.
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Following the disappointing showing from their first game, the Penguins performance against the Capitals was important not only to prevent them from digging themselves into an early hole in the standings but also to show the league, and themselves, what kind of play they are capable of.
Evgeni Malkin Can Still Dominate
From the opening faceoff, there was an urgency with the Penguins. Their forecheck was strong, and it was as though they were playing in direct response to the poor performance during their third-period collapse against the Blackhawks. Chiefly among the Penguins in that regard was Evgeni Malkin.
After getting shut out in the opener in spite of firing six shots on net, Malkin was all over the puck all night against the Capitals. He made it clear he would not be denied.
Malkin playing like his 27 in this game. Just locked in. Skating confidently. Hunting pucks.
Can’t do that every game with all his mileage. But when he can, it’s still something to behold.— Rob Rossi (@Real_RobRossi) October 14, 2023
Malkin opened the scoring a little over four minutes into the second period with a goal from the slot right off the faceoff. About a minute and a half later on the power play, he started a tic-tac-toe throwing the puck at the net to Jake Guentzel who tapped it to Sidney Crosby for the goal.
Not content with just one assist on the power play, Malkin picked up an assist on a second Crosby goal with the man advantage later in the second. He finished his night with an assist on Reilly Smith’s first goal of the season in the third period. With four points and four shots on goal, Malkin had a good night at the office.
Tristan Jarry Can Be a Capable Goaltender
If anyone felt the sting during that third-period breakdown in Game 1, it had to weigh on goaltender Tristan Jarry most of all. He had played a solid game through two periods that night, but the defensive miscues in front of him piled on and were just too much in the end. In Game 2 in Washington, it was clear he wanted to put his previous performance behind him.
Jarry did get some help from his posts in the game. At 10:30 of the second period, Capitals center Connor McMichael beat him from the slot, but the shot rang off the post. Yet, that didn’t mean Jarry wasn’t able to step up himself when tested. With 4:10 left in the second period, Alex Ovechkin streaked in alone on a breakaway, and Jarry stopped him trying to go 5-hole.
To their credit, the Penguins’ defense played well in front of Jarry. They held the Capitals to only one shot total across three power play attempts, and 19 shots the whole game. The strong effort from the defense and goaltender resulted in Jarry’s 14th career shutout and the first time the Capitals failed to score in a home opener.
Final Word
This was a night-and-day performance for the Penguins following the game against the Blackhawks. They showed jump and urgency, and the big names stepped up. It was the kind of statement game they should have had in the opener when they were outworked by a young team with nothing to lose.
Still, they went into Washington and outpaced the Capitals, they outshot them, and they outblocked them. The Penguins did get outhit, 18 to 13, but otherwise, they got a full effort from the forwards, defensemen, and their goaltender. The Penguins won in the faceoff circle 55.2% to 44.8%, and Crosby’s two power-play goals were the team’s first of the season. Good effort all around.
In the only other NHL game Friday night, the Arizona Coyotes topped the New Jersey Devils in a shootout. The Penguins will need nights like that to keep pace with the Devils, who are expected to finish among the top teams in the Eastern Conference this season. It was an encouraging sign to see the effort with which they played, but it remains to be seen whether they can keep it up over time. The Penguins’ next game is Saturday, Oct. 14 at home against the Calgary Flames.
