Evgeni Malkin scores late as Penguins edge Stars in patient, defensive win

The Dallas Stars aren’t the best team in the NHL.

Heck, they might not even be the best team in the Central Division.

But they might be the league’s most dangerous outfit.

That’s to say, if you’re not careful, they can damage your netminder’s save percentage as evidenced by the robust average of 3.75 goals a game they registered entering Monday.

And with a roster that averages 6-foot-3 and 205 pounds – Boeing-class figures in today’s Cessna-sized NHL – the Stars can win most physical battles on the ice.

“They play a heavy game,” Penguins forward Jake Guentzel said before the game. “They’ve got big forwards and their (defensemen) are really skilled and mobile. The net fronts are going to be big on both ends.

“A different challenge than what we’re used to but I think we’re up for the challenge.”

That challenge was met by the Penguins on Monday as they defeated the Stars, 2-1, at PPG Paints Arena, extending a winning streak to a season-best six games.

A late goal by forward Evgeni Malkin at 19:25 of the third period was the difference.

After Malkin and linemate Jason Zucker weaved at the blue line to successfully enter the offensive zone, Malkin collected a puck that popped loose as Penguins forward Bryan Rust drove to the net and fired it past goaltender Jake Oettinger.

“(Zucker) did everything,” Malkin said. “He dropped the puck to me. I see Rust is open and then I try to give it to him quickly. A rebound. I think (Rust) tried and like move around (Oettinger). But (Oettinger) played a poke check. The puck (came) to me. I saw it’s an empty net. I just need to shoot it into the net. It’s almost like an empty net goal.”

On the surface, this contest appeared to offer the promise of offensive fireworks as the Stars and the Penguins (3.54) each averaged north of three and a half goals per game before Monday. After all, there were a handful of Art Ross Trophy winners on the ice in Malkin as well as Penguins forward Sidney Crosby and Stars forward Jamie Benn. And don’t forget younger offensive dynamos like Guentzel and Stars forward Jason Robertson.

But this entanglement turned into a fiercely combated defensive staring contest for the bulk of its duration.

“Each team was aware that there’s some really high-end offensive players on each team,” Rust said. “Each team knew they had to defend hard. It’s just one of those games that we have to take as a (lesson) to learn how to play in these low-event type of checking games.”

It appeared this contest would offer plenty of offense early on as the Stars took the first lead only 24 seconds into regulation.

After a defensive zone turnover by Guentzel on the right wing boards, the visitors went to work. From the right point, Stars defenseman Nils Lundkvist chucked a wrister toward the cage. Positioned just above the crease, Penguins defenseman Kris Letang blocked the puck with the inside of his right skate. The rebound slid through defenseman Marcus Pettersson’s skates to the right circle, where Stars forward Roope Hintz collected it and whipped a wrister into the cage via goaltender Tristan Jarry’s five hole for his 12th goal. Lundkvist had the only assist.

A goal from the Penguins’ Cayenne-hot power play tied the game at 13:14 of the first period. After gaining the offensive zone on the right wing, Penguins forward Kasperi Kapanen went deep on the boards and then slid a slick pass to the left point for on-rushing Penguins rookie defenseman P.O Joseph. Surging into the left circle, Joseph snapped off a wrister that beat Oettinger’s glove on the far side for his first goal of the season and the second of his career. Kapanen and Zucker, who supplied a strong screen on the shot, tallied assists.

This marked the sixth consecutive game the Penguins scored a power-play goal.

Joseph lauded Kapanen’s clever pass for creating his scoring opportunity.

“I just wanted to get in the zone as fast as I can,” Joseph said. “I know (Kapanen) has incredible vision. He saw me coming in late. I just had to finish his beautiful play that he made.”

The only cosmetic appeal the second period offered came in a shade of defensive concealer as the teams stymied one another into a combined 16 shots (nine for the Penguins and seven for the Stars). Things remained tepid in the third period, which saw an aggregate of 14 shots (eight for the Stars and six for the Penguins).

Thankfully for the Penguins, their final shot hit twine.

Gaining the offensive zone on the left wing, Zucker crisscrossed with Rust and left a drop pass for a trailing Malkin. Somewhat faking a wrister, Malkin then fed the puck to Rust low on the left wing, allowing Rust to drive to the crease. Rust never got off a true shot and lost possession of the puck while making contact with Oettinger above the blue paint. As Oettinger got spun around in the chaos, Malkin located the loose puck low in the left circle and whipped in an easy wrister for his nine goal of the season. Rust and Zucker were credited with assists.

A brief video review confirmed the score.

Jarry once again fulfilled his duties in net with precision as he made 26 saves on 27 shots to improve his record to 13-3-3.

Perhaps his most pivotal save of the game came 41 seconds into the third period when he denied Hintz on a scramble right above the blue paint with his right leg to keep the score tied.

The two-time All-Star has been tuned in to a high degree as of late. In his past 10 games, he has a 9-0-1 record with a 1.88 goals against average, a .941 save percentage and one shutout.

“He’s been saving us all year,” Joseph said. “That’s why he’s a great goalie in this league. That’s why we trust him every time he’s on the ice.”

On Monday, the high-flying Penguins — as synonymous with offensive exploits as any of the NHL’s 31 other franchises — showed they can be trusted in stoic, white-knuckle defensive impasses as well.

“There wasn’t a whole ton of room out there,” Rust said. “There wasn’t a whole ton of opportunities. It was one of those games where we were playing against a team that plays really good defense. We had to kind of adapt our game and play hard defense and be patient. We did a good job of that.”

Notes:

• The Penguins’ last winning streak of six games came last season between Jan. 15-25.

• Joseph snapped a 674-day “skid” without a goal at the NHL level. His last goal — and first career goal — came in a 4-3 road loss to the New York Islanders, Feb. 6, 2021. It came from a similar spot on the ice as his goal on Monday:

• Guentzel appeared in his 400th career game.

• Penguins coach Mike Sullivan appeared in his 700th career game.

• The Penguins’ scratches were forward Danton Heinen (healthy) and defenseman Jeff Petry (suspected left arm injury).