Penguins Cruise Past Islanders, Clinch Playoff Berth

I don’t know about you. But for the first time in a long (long) while I felt like I was watching the real Pittsburgh Penguins last night. Our 6-3 playoff-clinching conquest of the Islanders featured some old, familiar story lines.

Great skating, determined forechecking, clutch goaltending and opportunistic scoring. And yes, a nagging inability to play with and protect a lead.

Still, as they say, a win is a win is a win. And we’ll gladly take the two points and run.

We got the jump on those pesky Islanders 4:59 into the first period. Jake Guentzel, superb in garnering top-star honors, hit Kris Letang with a pass out of the left corner of the Isles’ zone. Tanger skated to the high slot and drilled the puck past Ilya Sorokin to stake us to a 1-0 lead.

On this night even a slashing penalty to Danton Heinen at 6:46 proved fortuitous. Two minutes later Brian Boyle spotted the blonde-haired winger stepping from the box and sprung him on a breakaway. Heinen laced the puck through Sorokin’s wicket.

Two-zip Pens.

Despite a four-minute high-sticking call to Mark Friedman…interrupted by a penalty to Zach Parise…our guys continued to dictate play while amassing a 13-10 edge in first-period shots on goal.

The second period proved to be an entirely different story. The Islanders found their legs and rang up a staggering 19-5 advantage on the shot counter. At 5:51, Matt Barzal used his blazing speed to drive our defense back before turning on a dime and arcing through the slot. The former Calder Trophy winner slipped the puck to Parise in the right circle and Sidney Crosby’s old teammate did the rest, beating Tristan Jarry clean to the glove side.

With the score 2-1 and the contest very much up for grabs, Sid once again put his greatness on display, to the delight of the partisan throng in attendance. Just past the 12-minute mark No. 87 pounced on a turnover and streaked into the Isles’ zone on a 2-on-1 with Guentzel. Although human land mass Zdeno Chara had the passing lane plugged, Crosby threaded a beautiful tape-to-tape aerial pass over the hulking defender’s stick to his partner in crime. Jake drilled the puck between Sorokin’s body and right arm to restore our two-goal lead.

The dynamic duo applied the icing on the cake at 10:44 of the final period. Mike Matheson stole the puck from Noah Dobson in the neutral zone and sent Crosby and Guentzel scurrying off on a quick-breaking 2-on-none. Following a brisk three-pass patty-cake sequence, Crosby buried the biscuit glove side. Effectively putting the game out of reach.

…or so it would seem. Is any lead really safe for our Pens?

Well, no. With 2:37 left on the clock Anders Lee barreled down the slot. Resembling a bowling ball careening into the pocket, the big Islanders’ forward sent “Pen-pins” Letang, Jarry and Jason Zucker sprawling while delivering a perfect strike.

The Metro rivals proceeded to exchange three goals in the final two minutes. Brock McGinn and Guentzel tallied empty-netters for the locals, sandwiched around a blast by Chara that banged in off the post to make the final count 6-3 for the good guys.

Puckpourri

Our heartfelt prayers and condolences go out to the family and loved ones of Islanders great Mike Bossy, who passed away this morning.

The Islanders held a decided edge in shot attempts (68-49) and shots on goal (39-28). The Pens had the better of the scoring chances (30-29) and high danger chances (14-10).

Guentzel enjoyed a four-point night (2+2). He has 37 goals and 78 points for the season. With a goal and an assist, Crosby reached the 80-point mark for the 11th time in his career, the most of any active player.

Heinen’s goal, his 16th, tied a career high established as a rookie with Boston in 2017-18. Matheson needs one point to reach 30 for the first time in his career. Boyle’s assist gives him 10 points in his past 17 games (4+6). Again, what a pickup.

Bryan Rust and Evan Rodrigues shook off the effects of a non-Covid illness and suited up. The Rusty Razor logged a healthy 18:54 of ice time, E-Rod 7:35. They combined for three shots on goal.

The Pens qualified for their 16th straight postseason berth, the longest active streak in major professional sports.

With the victory, the Pens (43-22-11, 97 points) solidified their grip on third place in the Metro, five points ahead of the fourth place Capitals. Up next, the Bruins in a Saturday afternoon matinee match-up in Beantown.

UPDATE

Apparently the Pens didn’t emerge from last night’s contest unscathed. Jarry is being evaluated for what’s being termed a lower-body injury and will not travel with the team to Boston.

Casey DeSmith will get the starting nod against the Bruins. Louis Domingue has been recalled from the Baby Pens on an emergency basis.

Stay tuned…