Penguins drop 2nd game in split-squad series to Blue Jackets in overtime
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A goal by forward Jordan Dumais at 2:45 of overtime gave the Columbus Blue Jackets a 4-3 preseason win against the Pittsburgh Penguins at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio, on Sunday evening.
It was the second game in a set of split-squad contests between the two clubs Sunday. Earlier in the afternoon, the Penguins claimed a 3-2 shootout win at PPG Paints Arena.
The hosts opened the scoring 4:37 into regulation with a rebound goal by forward Alexandre Texier. Taking a pass in the Penguins’ left circle, Blue Jackets forward Adam Fantilli, the third overall selection in this year’s draft, chucked a wrister on net. Penguins goaltender Magnus Hellberg made a save but was unable to corral the rebound. Fending off Penguins defenseman Ryan Shea, Texier barged in from the left of the crease and tapped a backhander past Hellberg’s left skate for his first goal of the preseason. Fantilli and forward Patrik Laine had assists.
Things were tied, 1-1, at 15:15 of the opening period. From behind the Blue Jackets’ net, Penguins forward Corey Andonovski emerged to the left of the crease and whipped a wrister that hit off the side of the net and came to a stop on the left edge of the blue paint. With Blue Jackets goaltender Elvis Merzlikins unsure of the puck’s location, Penguins forward Jonathan Gruden darted in from the top of the crease and swatted the puck over Merzlikins’ right skate for his first goal. Andonovski and linemate Jagger Joshua tallied assists.
The Blue Jackets regained the lead, 2-1, 63 seconds later. Surging up the left wing and behind the Penguins’ net, Blue Jackets forward Martin Rysavy fended off Gruden and attempted a wraparound from the right of the crease but didn’t get a true shot off. Instead, he sent a seemingly unintentional pass to the far side of the crease for linemate Carson Meyer who batted in a forehand shot past Hellberg’s left skate for his first goal. Rysavy recorded the lone assist.
Forward Sam Poulin, the Penguins’ first-round pick (No. 21 overall) in 2019, tied the game again, 2-2, late in the opening frame at the 19:23 mark. Taking a pass at the right point of the offensive zone, Penguins forward Avery Hayes dangled through Blue Jackets forwards Kent Johnson and Boone Jenner but lost possession, allowing the puck to skid to the right of the crease. Poulin collected the puck and attempted a blind backhanded pass back to Hayes above the crease. As Merzlikins largely break danced in his crease in reaction to the puck’s movement, Blue Jackets defenseman Marcus Bjork intercepted Poulin’s pass attempt, only to inadvertently “pass” it back to Poulin who immediately roofed a wrister over a hapless Merzlikins for his first goal. There were no assists.
Meyer struck again with a short-handed goal at 11:01 of the second frame. Following a turnover by Penguins forward Vinnie Hinostroza inside the offensive blue line, Fantilli chased down the loose puck as it slid into the Penguins’ zone. With Penguins defenseman Ty Smith applying pressure, Fantilli slipped a clever backhand pass from the left circle to the slot where a trailing Meyer clunked a wrister in off the underside of Hellberg’s glove. Fantilli had the only assist.
A determined effort by Penguins forward Austin Wagner tied the contest again, 3-3, 2:23 later. Driving up the right wing of the offensive zone, Wagner fended off ex-Penguins defenseman Erik Gudbranson with his left arm and pitchforked a backhander with only his right arm holding his stick. Merzlikins made the save initially but allowed the puck to hop up and bounce off the near post before entering the cage for Wagner’s first goal. The only assist went to linemate Austin Rueschhoff.
Hellberg made 16 saves on 19 shots in 39:58 of ice time and was replaced, as planned, at the start of the third period by prospect Taylor Gauthier. Stopping 16 of 17 shots, Gauthier was charged with the loss.
In the overtime period, Dumais took a cross-ice pass in the right circle off the offensive zone and roofed a wrister over Gauthier’s left shoulder on the near side to claim victory. Johnson and defenseman Denton Mateychuk had assists.
Note: The Penguins have a scheduled day off Monday.