Jarry & Geno Power Pens Past Rangers 1-0

Recap by Yinzer Crazy Contributor Patricia Beninato

After the debacle that was the 6-1 loss against the Devils on Thursday, the Penguins came into this game against the surging Rangers with a couple of thoughts:

“We’re on national TV.”

“We really shouldn’t suck when we’re on national TV.”

They took those thoughts to heart in a brawling skateathon where no one scored until the third period. Fortunately for the Pens, that score came from Evgeni Malkin, and the Pens held on for the 1-0 victory at PPG Paints Arena.

Tristan Jarry, who’s looked disturbingly like 2021 Playoffs Tristan Jarry the past few games, reverted to 2022 Pretty Awesome Tristan Jarry this game, stopping all 27 shots that came his way for his fourth shutout of the year and maintaining his stellar save percentage. This time last year, if he was coming off a couple of bad performances, you could almost see his uncertainty. This year, he comes out, puts on his mask, pounds the cage, and practically hollers BRING IT at the other team. An aggressive, confident goalie is a good goalie.

During the live tweet, I predicted that there was going to be a fight sooner or later. There wasn’t, but there were more scrums than we’ve seen in a while. The crew at ESPN said that this was like a playoff game, a statement echoed by Mike Sullivan in his post-game presser. And if I’m handing out goalie love, I have to give some to the Rangers’ Igor Shesterkin, who was almost as lights-out as Blue Steel.

But … almost. The lone goal came on a power play at 5:09 in the third, when Geno picked up Bryan Rust’s brilliant feed and sniped it past Shesterkin because Geno is score (when he wasn’t being penalty). The shot count for this game was pretty even, with the Rangers getting 27 and the Penguins 26.

I’m still seeing a little too much short-handed charges against the Pens’ penalty kill, but the D was more present to help Jarry. The Rangers, who were the joke of the league not too long ago, are showing their future--and it’s dangerous. As it stands now, the Pens and Rangers would meet in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Looks like it’s going to be fun.

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