Penguins put up little resistance in loss to Capitals

The Pittsburgh Penguins probably don’t expect Joel Blomqvist to save their season.

But just being reliable by saving a few shots is a fair hope for the rookie goaltender. That’s something would-be franchise netminder Tristan Jarry was not able to provide, and that’s why he was sent to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the American Hockey League on Thursday while Blomqvist was summoned to the NHL roster.

“In terms of the technical side, his athleticism and speed, the way he reads the game and he’s got good size, good movement,” Penguins president of hockey operations Kyle Dubas said in outlining Blomqvist’s attributes in Cranberry on Wednesday. “On the psychological side, and I think we’ve all seen it up here a little bit, when he has a bad stretch or bad game, he is able to put a stop to it and get it moving the other way.

“It’s going to be different here than the (AHL). But we’ll give him that chance.”

In his first chance in net since being recalled, Blomqvist made 28 saves on 31 shots in a 4-1 loss to Washington Capitals on Saturday at Capital One Arena in Washington.

His record fell to 3-6-0 in his first NHL action since Nov. 11.

“He was awesome,” Penguins forward Bryan Rust said to reporters in Washington via audio provided by the team’s media relations staff. “Kept us in it there until the end of the game.”

Blomqvist, who turned 23 on Jan. 10, unexpectedly opened the season on the NHL roster after incumbent goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic suffered an injury during the preseason.

“I had a chance to work on my game a little bit more and play some more games,” Blomqvist said regarding his time in the AHL before this most recent recall. “I feel a little bit more prepared this time.”

The Capitals opened the scoring 7:42 into regulation via defenseman Jakob Chychrun’s 13th goal of the season.

Out of a puck battle in the Penguins’ right corner, Capitals forward Aliaksei Protas banked a backhand pass off the left half-wall to the near point where Chychrun wound up and cranked a one-timer. Penguins forward Anthony Beauvillier attempted to impede the shot in the left circle but wound up allowing the puck to glance off his stick then deflect past Blomqvist’s blocker on the near side. Protas and forward Nic Dowd had assists.

Washington goal!

Scored by Jakob Chychrun with 12:18 remaining in the 1st period.

Assisted by Aliaksei Protas.

Washington: 1
Pittsburgh: 0#PITvsWSH #ALLCAPS #LetsGoPens pic.twitter.com/ivq43zz6Ze

— NHL Goals (@nhl_goal_bot) January 19, 2025

Protas procured his 19th goal at 12:08 of the second period.

Collecting a loose puck in his own left corner, Penguins defenseman Marcus Pettersson tried to rim it around the end boards but wound up sending it directly to Capitals forward Connor McMichael behind the cage. Accepting the charity, McMichael tapped a backhand pass to the left of the crease for Capitals forward Pierre-Luc Dubois, who one-touched a forehand pass to the lower right hashmark where Protas ripped a one-timer by Blomqvist’s blocker on the far side. Dubois and McMichael merited assists.

Washington goal!

Scored by Aliaksei Protas with 07:52 remaining in the 2nd period.

Assisted by Pierre-Luc Dubois and Connor McMichael.

Washington: 2
Pittsburgh: 0#PITvsWSH #ALLCAPS #LetsGoPens pic.twitter.com/UjiIpqcPmH

— NHL Goals (@nhl_goal_bot) January 19, 2025

Rust got his team on the scoreboard with his 19th goal at 11:29 of the third period.

After Penguins defenseman Matt Grzelcyk forced Capitals forward Ethen Frank into a turnover at the Penguins’ blue line, Penguins forward Rickard Rakell claimed the loose puck, reversed course and fed a pass toward the opposite blue line for linemate Sidney Crosby. Creating a two-on-one rush against Capitals defenseman John Carlson, Crosby offloaded a pass to Rust, who gained Washington’s zone on the right wing. Dragging the puck past a sliding Carlson in the right circle, Rust snapped a wrister by goaltender Logan Thompson’s left skate on the near side. Crosby and Rakell recorded assists.

Bryan Rust has eight points (4G-4A) in his last six games ???? pic.twitter.com/dYZDuBzO6A

— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) January 19, 2025

Dubois’ eighth goal came at 17:50 of the third period during a power-play sequence.

Following a faceoff win by Dubois against Penguins forward Kevin Hayes in the Penguins’ right circle, McMichael dug the puck out of the near corner and slipped a short-area backhand pass back into the circle where Dubois lifted a wrister over Blomqvist’s left shoulder on the near side. The lone assist went to McMichael.

Power play goal for Washington!

Scored by Pierre-Luc Dubois with 02:10 remaining in the 3rd period.

Assisted by Connor McMichael.

Washington: 3
Pittsburgh: 1#PITvsWSH #ALLCAPS #LetsGoPens pic.twitter.com/x3ICQJLyK1

— NHL Goals (@nhl_goal_bot) January 19, 2025

After the Penguins pulled Blomqvist for an extra attacker, Capitals forward Brandon Duhaime scored his sixth goal on an empty net at 18:30 of the final frame. Forwards Tom Wilson and Dowd had assists.

Empty net goal for Washington!

Scored by Brandon Duhaime with 01:30 remaining in the 3rd period.

Assisted by Tom Wilson and Nic Dowd.

Washington: 4
Pittsburgh: 1#PITvsWSH #ALLCAPS #LetsGoPens pic.twitter.com/AxfOQagzZt

— NHL Goals (@nhl_goal_bot) January 19, 2025

Notes:

• Penguins defenseman Kris Letang returned to the lineup after missing one game due to an illness.

• Letang’s roommate, defenseman P.O Joseph, was scratched due to an illness according to one of the team’s social media accounts.

• Penguins forward Matt Nieto and defenseman Ryan Shea were healthy scratches.

• Thompson entered the contest with two consecutive shutouts and had a shutout sequence of 198:22 snapped by Rust’s goal.

• Wilson appeared in his 800th career game.