The Pittsburgh Penguins managed just three shots in the third period and kicked away their ninth two-goal lead of the season, allowing the Tampa Bay Lightning to score twice in the final period to force overtime, 2-2.
Brayden Point scored his second goal of the game when took advantage of sprawled Penguins goalie Tristan Jarry at 3:58 of overtime, and the Penguins blew another point when leading by two, losing 3-2 in OT at PPG Paints Arena on Tuesday.
Jarry stopped 32 of 34 in regulation. Vasilevskiy stopped 17 of 19.
Penguins goalie Tristan Jarry has endured a problem with first shots this season. In four starts, he’s surrendered a goal on the first SOG three times. In his fifth start Tuesday, Jarry not only stopped the first shot, but he turned aside several high-quality chances, including a couple within a few feet of the crease.
As coach Mike Sullivan has juggled the lines more than a Vegas street performer with bowling balls and chainsaws, he may well have stumbled across a line that is working well. With Drew O’Connor at center, overdue rookie Sam Poulin on the right wing, and Jesse Puljujarvi playing his offside on the left, the line has chipped in significant offense in each of its three games, including Tuesday.
In the middle of the first period, all three forwards figured prominently and responsibly in the Penguins’ first goal. Poulin made a good defensive play at the red line, which sprung O’Connor’s power rush into the offensive zone. In the resulting sequence, O’Connor held up the defenseman at the net, allowing Puljujarvi (3) to be uncovered as he sneaked toward the back post for a perfect redirection at 12:01.
The Penguins looked to be coming apart at the seams for the start of the second period. Two minutes into the frame, Penguins captain Sidney Crosby squarely hit the post on a shot that would have been his 600th career goal. After that, the Penguins were teetering on unraveling.
Some timely goaltending from Jarry and a few defensive swipes did just enough to allow the Penguins to regain their footing.
Once stabilized, Crosby set up Rickard Rakell (7) for a one-timer and a 2-0 lead at 13:05.
To underscore the tilted ice, Tampa Bay outshot the Penguins 12-6 in the second period.
As they’ve done eight times before, the Penguins squandered a two-goal lead in the third period, allowing Tampa Bay to score twice in seven minutes. First, Brayden Point capitalized on a Penguins line change for a wrap-around goal in which he had time to stop in front of the Penguins net without a defender and roof a no-look backhand over Jarry at 5:41.
Later in the third period, Erik Karlsson’s defensive play cost the Penguins as he got caught behind the net and didn’t protect the middle. Brandon Hagel beat Noel Acciari to the front of the net to chip in Anthony Cirelli’s pass.
Tie game. Ninth blown two-goal lead.
Puljujarvi led all players with five shots on goal.
