Penguins snap skid with impressive win over Jake Guentzel and the Hurricanes
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Michael Bunting is barely more than two weeks into his tenure with the Pittsburgh Penguins, and he has helped his new employer in a handful of ways through a few hard-working, dirty goals and a dutiful, energetic approach to his vocation.
And for one night at least, he offered to be something of a scout — or even a spy — on Tuesday.
Acquired from the Carolina Hurricanes on March 7 in a deal that sent All-Star forward Jake Guentzel to the North Carolina Piedmont, Bunting suggested there wasn’t much new he could tell the Penguins coaches about Tuesday’s opponent but pledged to provide clandestine services if needed.
“I told them all the secrets over there,” the forward quipped after a morning skate at PPG Paints Arena. “When you play a team so much, there’s so much video … that the coaches already know that. But whatever input I can (provide), I’ll tell.”
Based on the outcome of Tuesday’s game — a 4-1 home win — the Penguins looked as though they received a dossier of intelligence from the likes of Nathan Hale or Moe Berg as they snapped a three-game losing streak by defeating one of the best teams in the NHL.
Tuesday’s disciplined approach was considerably more appetizing for the Penguins in comparison to their ramshackle performance Sunday when they surrendered a four-goal lead in a repugnant 5-4 road loss to the Colorado Avalanche.
What changed after Sunday’s collapse (aside from the final result)?
“I think the biggest thing was we paid attention to the little things, the details a little bit more, a little better,” said goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic, who started his second consecutive game. “Especially as the game went on. I didn’t ever think there was a time where we weren’t really … in control or out of control. They had some sustained pressure, they’re a good team, it’s going to happen. But it never felt like we were caught running around for three, four, five minutes at a time. It was, most of the time, one or two shifts maybe. Then that was it. Then we found a way to get the puck back, get a whistle or spend some time in their end. We just did that a little bit more consistently.
“The little things from the first half to the second half, there was no let up.”
Following a scoreless first period, Penguins forward Jesse Puljujarvi — whom the Hurricanes declined to re-sign as a restricted free agent this past offseason — put the Penguins up 2:41 into the second frame with his third goal of the season (and second in as many games).
Hurricanes forward Andrei Svechnikov fell to the ice at the left point of the Penguins’ zone and lost possession of the puck, allowing Penguins rookie forward Valtteri Puustinen to claim possession and initiate transition. Accepting a pass from Puustinen, forward Lars Eller gained the offensive zone on the right wing and left a drop pass at the half-wall. Racing off the bench from a line change, Puljujarvi took the puck, advanced to the near circle and ripped a wrister. The puck sailed through the legs of Penguins defenseman Ryan Graves – surprisingly supplying a screen – and toasted rookie goaltender Pyotr Kochetkov’s right shoulder on the far side. Eller and Puustinen had assists.
A big goal, a bigger smile ???? pic.twitter.com/0YOMGgtnNB
— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) March 27, 2024
Puljujarvi was a healthy scratch for six consecutive games before becoming a regular presence on the ice for the past three contests.
“Since we’ve put him back in the lineup, I think Jesse has played his best hockey,” Penguins coach Mike Sullivan said. “When he’s moving and he gets in on the forecheck, he uses his size and his physicality. … I’m sure it’s good for his confidence that he scores a couple of goals. He’s playing the best hockey since we’ve gotten him the last couple of games since we reinserted him into the lineup. Hopefully, he can build on it.”
Hurricanes defenseman Dmitry Orlov’s sixth goal tied the game at 11:17 of the second period.
With Penguins defenseman Marcus Pettersson lying in the right corner of his own zone in discomfort after an awkward collision into the boards with Hurricanes forward Jesperi Kotkaniemi, Hurricanes forward Jack Drury tried to jam in a forehand shot from the right of the net but was denied by Nedeljkovic’s left foot. The rebound skidded above the left circle where Orlov corralled it and snapped off a wrister. The puck glanced off the left glove of Penguins defenseman Erik Karlsson – stationed in the left circle – and deflected to the far side under Nedeljkovic’s glove. Former Penguins forward Stefan Noesen provided a stout screen on the sequence. There were no assists.
Dmitri Orlov stays hot! Tie game in Pittsburgh pic.twitter.com/GbI9DvyYtm
— The Hockey Writers (@TheHockeyWriter) March 27, 2024
Penguins forward Bryan Rust scored late in the second at the 18:09 mark to restore a lead for the hosts. Crosby had the lone assist.
In Carolina’s left circle, Crosby beat Drury on a faceoff and muscled the puck to his left. Moving off the near boards, Rust took possession, utilized Hurricanes defenseman Brett Pesce as a screen and sniped a wrister to the far side by Kochetkov’s left shoulder.
Fun fact: Bryan Rust has seven goals (7G-3A) over his last ten games ???? pic.twitter.com/KCsFXRhJya
— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) March 27, 2024
It wasn’t quite as automatic as the old “Nealer” scheme the Penguins used to run with linemates Evgeni Malkin and James Neal off of offensive zone faceoffs, but Crosby and Rust connected as they planned on the sequence.
“It’s a designed play,” Rust said. “I had my forehand coming off that wall. Tried to shoot it through traffic and I was able to get it in.”
The Penguins largely limited the quality of the Hurricanes’ chances over the final 20-plus minutes. A lot of that was due to the relatively novel presence of three rookies in the lineup: forwards Sam Poulin and Jonathan Gruden as well as defenseman Jack St. Ivany (to say nothing of Puustinen, who has become a regular).
“Their excitement and their youthful energy, I think was kind of carried throughout the lineup,” Rust said. “You saw it from their first shift on out, they were playing hard, they were playing in (the Hurricanes’) face, they were playing with a certain sense of swagger to them.”
Poulin, the team’s first-round pick (No. 21 overall) in 2019, made his season debut and appeared in his first true NHL game since Nov. 5, 2022.
His joy was so obvious, Poulin — who missed much of the 2022-23 campaign for a leave of absence to address his mental health — was visibly shaking with a bright smile when speaking following the game.
“Been having a lot more fun this year,” said a smiling Poulin, recalled from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the American Hockey League earlier in the day. “It’s always much better when you’re enjoying what you do. I’m just so happy to be here.”
The Penguins’ happiness grew when forward Drew O’Connor found his 11th goal on an empty net at 18:04 of the third period (off his own rebound from a shot off a post). Once again, Crosby had the only assist.
Stick-to-it-iveness™ pic.twitter.com/xCSY3E7Laz
— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) March 27, 2024
Crosby buttressed his stats at the 19:37 mark with his team-best 35th goal, also on an empty net. There were no assists.
Pardon, Sid will take that now. Thank you! pic.twitter.com/ZsXLA8t32i
— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) March 27, 2024
Nedeljkovic made 38 saves on 39 shots as his record improved to 11-6-5.
A half dozen of those saves came off the stick of Guentzel.
“That’s great,” Nedeljkovic quipped. “Those games are always fun to play in, they’re fun to be a part of. You know you want to score, you want to have a good night. And their line was buzzing all night but at the same time, I think every one of us in here was probably wanting to keep him off the scoreboard as best we could.
“It was a good night.”
Tuesday night was far better than what the Penguins experienced Sunday afternoon in Colorado.
“We showed what we were capable of,” Rust said. “They had a lot of shots, but a lot of the shots were from the outside. We defended really well and hard in front of our net and took what the game gave us.
Notes:
• In his past seven games, Rust has seven points (five goals, two assists).
• Shortly before the game, the Penguins announced they had recalled Gruden from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. This marked the seventh recall to the NHL roster this season for Gruden.
Replacing ineffective forward Emil Bemstrom on the fourth line, Gruden logged 9:02 of ice time on 13 shifts and was 0 for 1 on faceoffs.
He also recorded four hits, including a big shoulder check on Drury while on a forecheck early in the second period. In response, a handful of Hurricanes players chased after Gruden before Noesen wrangled him and slung him to the ice. Each player received a fighting major at 3:03 of the third.
• Primarily stationed as the fourth-line center, Poulin logged 9:11 of ice time on 12 shifts and was 1 for 7 (13%) on faceoffs with two blocked shots.
• Sullivan clarified Bemstrom was a healthy scratch while forward Jeff Carter was scratched for a third consecutive game due to injury. Rookie defenseman John Ludvig was also a healthy scratch.
• During the first television stoppage, the Penguins offered their customary “welcome back” video to members of their Stanley Cup-winning teams who return for the first time as an opponent: