Mark Madden: Tristan Jarry sinking, Jason Zucker soaring during Penguins' playoff push

Tuesday’s 5-4 overtime win over Columbus at PPG Paints Arena was a tale of two Penguins. It’s a story that will continue being told.

Goaltender Tristan Jarry put the Penguins in position to lose. Winger Jason Zucker made sure they didn’t.

Zucker’s story is more fun.

Jarry’s narrative needs to turn for the better, and crucially so. The guy that’s supposed to make you can’t be the guy that breaks you.

Since Jarry returned after missing a month with injury, his fourth in nine months, his goals-against average is 3.96 and his save percentage is .871. That’s in six games.

Those numbers are rotten. Jarry has had ample time to knock the rust off. No excuse suffices.

Jarry hit low tide against Columbus, which has the NHL’s fewest points. He conceded four goals on 12 shots before being pulled in the 23rd minute. Each of Columbus’ fourth-liners scored. The worst line on the league’s worst team torched Jarry.

Jarry got hung out to dry on a few of the goals. But the first was a weak shot to the short side and got the Blue Jackets rolling. As for the more challenging chances, you’re allowed to stop those. Good goalies do that.

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All’s well that ends well. The Penguins rallied from a 4-0 deficit to win. Even an embarrassing two points serves the cause given the Penguins’ precarious position in the Eastern Conference wild-card race.

But the Penguins held on for dear life during Jarry’s absences.

The Penguins are seven games over .500 when Jarry gets the decision, five games under .500 when it’s backup Casey DeSmith. That’s quite a disparity.

Jarry’s return was supposed to fuel a big push, but it hasn’t. What has been accomplished mostly has been done despite Jarry, like in last Thursday’s 5-4 overtime win at Tampa Bay when Jarry leaked in four goals on 31 shots.

Stir in that Jarry’s contract expires at season’s end, and it makes the situation still more confounding.

Jarry reportedly wants a six-year deal at $6 million per. Given his injuries and latest performance level, the Penguins would be insane to give him that.

Jarry has talent, but it wouldn’t be hard to replace what he’s currently doing. Jarry made his NHL debut in the finale of the 2016-17 season and has since disappointed as much as he hasn’t. He also has never won a playoff series.

There’s still time for Jarry to get what he wants and to at least get the Penguins in the playoffs. But this isn’t it.

Jarry looks clumsy and confused. He needs to find his form, and immediately. Because DeSmith isn’t it, either. (Although he played well in relief Tuesday.)

Zucker’s storyline is more inspirational.

Zucker has mostly been dogged by injury since the Penguins acquired him in February 2020.

But not this year. The result is a player who is the Penguins’ driving force on many nights. That’s saying something given the roster’s star power.

Zucker is relentless. He won’t take no for an answer. That was evident Tuesday when he scored the Penguins’ first and third goals.

Zucker has six goals in the last five games. Unlike Jarry, he’s coming through when the Penguins need it. Zucker even hits, which makes him stand out like a sore thumb on these pusillanimous Penguins.

Like Jarry, Zucker’s contract is up at season’s end. He’s fixing to get paid. Just not in Pittsburgh, thanks to GM Ron Hextall’s never-ending saga of salary cap inflexibility. Enjoy Zucker while you can.

Tuesday wasn’t pretty.

The crowd turned when Columbus led by 2-0, then 3-0, then 4-0. Jarry was jeered when DeSmith replaced him. Boos were plentiful. A “Fire Hextall” chant was audible on a few occasions. Give mascot Iceburgh credit for diluting those with some well-timed drum beats. He should have been the game’s third star.

The whole first period was a nonstop odd-man break for Columbus. The risk of the Penguins’ style often overwhelms whatever reward they get.

But the Penguins won. Look at the standings. That’s all that matters.