INCREDIBLE! Penguins Rally from Four Down, Stun Blue Jackets in OT

New Year’s Eve 1978. Home on holiday break from college, I hunkered down next to my family’s stereo/radio console to listen to Mike Lange call the Penguins-Red Wings game. Following a dismal start, we were trailing, 4-0, when Pete Mahovlich scored what seemed to be an inconsequential goal a couple minutes before the second-period horn. Peter Lee followed suit at 11:35 of the third period to cut the Wings’ lead to two. With just under three minutes to play, Greg Malone struck to make it 4-3. Then Gregg Sheppard tied it at 18:17. Incredibly, with seven seconds remaining, Randy Carlyle blasted home a long-range slap shot to cap a thrilling comeback. The Red Wings’ goalie that night? Jim Rutherford.

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I must’ve burned through a half-dozen lead-ins for my Penguins-Blue Jackets game summary before I was reminded of one of the signature comebacks in franchise history. Wholly appropriate, I thought, in the wake of our titillating 5-4 come-from-behind triumph in overtime.

Needless to say, most of my initial ideas were none-too-complimentary. In fact, here’s how I summed up our nightmarish first period in my game notes.

Dreadful period of hockey. (We were) taken to the woodshed by the worst team in the league. No hop, no jump. Ghastly turnovers.

I didn’t record a positive comment until midway through the second period. By then we were down 4-0.

It took half a game, but Brian Dumoulin aggressively moved tough guy Mathieu Olivier away from our net. Someone did something…finally!

And then we woke up.

Leave it to bellwether Jason Zucker to sound the alarm, with a little help from his linemates. Pressed into service due to injury and illness, Alex Nylander bounced off a check from Erik Gudbranson and lured the Columbus d-man out of the corner before smartly reversing the puck to Evgeni Malkin. Geno placed the puck on a platter for Zucker in the slot and the plucky winger went forehand-to-backhand to beat goalie Michael Hutchinson. The goal…and No. 16’s typically fiery response…lit a fire under his slumbering teammates.

I remember thinking we needed to score another goal before the intermission to have any kind of chance. My hopes rose when Patrik Laine took a hooking penalty at 16:08, only to be dashed by our brutally ineffective power play.

Fortunately, the goal we so desperately needed came just 21 seconds into the third period when Jake Guentzel flew down the wing and beat Hutchinson five-hole to slice the Blue Jackets lead to 4-2.

To quote Robert Pastorelli’s deranged character from the Pittsburgh-based flick Striking Distance, “Now we got us a game.”

With the Malkin line buzzing like bees around the Blue Jackets’ hive, Zucker plowed into the slot and drilled a loose puck past Hutchinson at 3:16 to make it 4-3. Quicker than you can say SHAZAM we knotted the score 43 seconds later on a goal by, appropriately, No. 43 Danton Heinen. Enjoying a rare shift on the top line, the blonde-haired winger punched home Rickard Rakell’s perfect net-front feed, courtesy of a heady setup by Sidney Crosby.

Cue the tension. Having battled all the way back, would our boys give the game away on some funky breakdown? It nearly happened twice within a 29-second span near the 12-minute mark. But Casey DeSmith stopped Emil Bemstrom cold on a breakaway and followed up with a stunning spread-eagled right pad save on the sharpshooting Laine.

Needless to say, I breathed a deep sigh of relief when the final seconds of regulation ticked off the clock. And when Boone Jenner was whistled for hooking at 1:13 of overtime? Let’s just say I was hopin’.

I’m happy to report on this night dreams did come true. Malkin skated toward the slot to decoy the defense, then slipped a buttery pass into Crosby’s wheelhouse in the right circle. Sid stepped into the shot and blasted it past Hutchinson for the game winner.

In the process evoking memories of another night long ago when all seemed lost but in the end was regained.

Puckpourri

The Penguins dominated (and I mean DOMINATED) stats-wise, piling up huge advantages in shot attempts (98-48), shots on goal (47-27), scoring chances (53-24…wow) and high-danger chances (28-10…double wow).

Crosby (1+2) and Malkin (three helpers) paced the attack with three points apiece, while Zucker potted two goals, his 20^th and 21^st of the campaign.

Did I mention that I LOVE Zucker? If we don’t re-sign him, especially due to Mikael Granlund’s contract, axes should fly and heads should roll. I shudder to think where we’d be without him.

DeSmith was huge…the unsung hero. After replacing porous starter Tristan Jarry (who allowed four goals on 12 shots) Casey was calm, cool, collected and razor-sharp.

Nylander’s black-and-gold debut was a smashing success. He meshed beautifully with Malkin and Zucker, and I was really impressed with his offensive instincts, skating and skill. Reminiscent, in some ways, of Rakell. Hopefully a performance that earns him a longer look.

While I’m on the subject, raspberries to a writer from another media outlet (who shall go nameless) who suggested Nylander had nothing to offer. I beg to differ.

Nick Bonino is making a difference on the penalty kill, especially with his ability to clear the puck.

During a particularly onerous stretch of the first period I yelled, “Just play!” in exasperation. Not my favorite saying or mantra. But hockey makes for strange bed-fellows.

Bryan Rust (new daddy) and Granlund (illness) sat out. Coach Mike Sullivan went with 11 forwards and seven defensemen, including newcomer Dmitry Kulikov. Credit Sully for calling a timeout during the disastrous first-period to rally the troops.

We snapped an 0-6-3 streak against our Metro brethren.

We now boast five 20-goal scorers, tied with Toronto and Buffalo for the most in the league.

On Tap

The Pens (32-22-9, 73 points) host the Islanders (33-25-8, 74 points) on Thursday night in a huge Metro showdown. The Isles remain one slot and one point ahead of us in the race for the top Eastern Conference wild-card spot.