Read the reports of the games played Friday in the NHL.
Posted at 10:34 p.m.
Updated at 10:38 p.m.
Penguins save themselves with third-period win
Mark Friedman’s first goal in ten months, scored early in the third period, opened the floodgates for the Pittsburgh Penguins en route to a 5-2 victory over the Vegas Golden Knights.
Friedman’s goal gave the Pens a 3-2 lead before seeing Bryan Rust put on his 20and to inflate the visitor cushion. Friedman beat goaltender Laurent Brossoit with a snappy wrist shot at 3:49 of the third. A first goal since May 2021 for the defender who has often been left out this season.
Rust widened the gap on the power play with just over five minutes left in the game after the Penguins killed two straight penalties. This goal sealed the fate of the Golden Knights who suffered a third loss in a row.
Evan Rodrigues completed the scoring in an empty net. Mike Matheson and Jeff Carter were also involved in the Penguins’ offensive production. Tristan Jarry stood out in front of the net, notably resisting enormous offensive pressure from the Knights in the second period. He made 39 saves to earn the win and lift the Pens past the second-place New York Rangers in the Metropolitan Division.
Jake Eichel scored his fourth goal in less than a month with the Golden Knights. Alex Pietrangelo also found the back of the net as Jonathan Marchessault contributed with two assists. Brossoit stopped 28 shots.
The Penguins have had a bad habit of getting off to a slow start to games lately, especially at home, but not on Friday night.
They stormed the opposing zone on the opening face-off and Matheson put the home side ahead 1-0 by accepting a superb cross pass from Sidney Crosby before beating Brossoit at 1:04.
Carter doubled the lead to 2:36 in the second period. Brossoit initially frustrated Brock McGinn on a fumble, but Carter followed to drive the return into the back of the net. Rookie Valtteri Puustinen, who was making his National Hockey League debut, had an assist on the goal.
Far from collapsing, the Golden Knights have finally shown a sign of life. Eichel jumped on a loose puck to beat Jarry less than two minutes after Carter’s goal.
Pietrangelo tied the Knights before coming halfway through the second period. The visitors attacked relentlessly throughout the middle period, dominating the penalty shoot-out column 22-7, but Jarry was intractable.
Will Graves, Associated Press
The Blue Jackets beat the Wild 3-2
PHOTO RUSSELL LABOUNTY, USA TODAY SPORTS
Zach Werenski (8) feasts after blacking out the scoresheet in third.
Yegor Chinakhov scored the key shootout goal and the Columbus Blue Jackets prevailed 3-2 at the expense of the Minnesota Wild on Friday.
Zach Werenski of the Jackets had created the deadlock at 19:28 in the third period, using a shot from the blue line.
Chinakov also scored in the first period for Columbus, ending a four-game losing streak.
Elvis Merzlikins made 36 saves, being beaten by Mats Zuccarello and Kirill Kaprizov.
Kaapo Kahkonen stopped 26 shots for the Wild, who were looking for a third straight win.
The Wild will host Nashville on Sunday night.
The Blue Jackets’ next game is also Sunday night at home against Las Vegas.
Nicole Kraft, Associated Press