Jason Zucker sparks comeback win over Vegas in return to Penguins' lineup

There’s no place like home.

And there’s definitely no place like Las Vegas.

For Jason Zucker, Sin City is home.

On Monday, the veteran forward who grew up in Southern Nevada had a pretty nice homecoming as he returned to the Penguins’ lineup.

Activated from long-term injured reserve Monday evening, Zucker scored two goals and helped spark a 5-3 comeback road win against the Vegas Golden Knights at T-Mobile Arena.

The Penguins had to overcome a three-goal deficit to claim victory in the final segment of a six-game road trip during which they posted a 4-2-0 record.

Celebrating his 30th birthday on Sunday, Zucker, who missed the the past seven games due to an undisclosed ailment, scored his first goal since Nov. 22 and had his first two-goal game in almost two years (Feb. 28, 2020).

“He turned 30 a couple of days ago and we’re in Vegas,” linemate Kasperi Kapanen said to media in Las Vegas. “So it’s not a better time for him to have a great game.”

The Penguins looked like they were in for a rotten game based on the first 20 minutes as they gave up a field goal’s worth of goals.

The Golden Knights scored first only 3:43 into regulation. Off a cross-ice pass by Golden Knights forward Evgenii Dadonov, linemate Chandler Stephenson gained the offensive zone on the left wing. Fending off a poke check attempt by Penguins defenseman John Marino, Stephenson released a pedestrian wrister that beat goaltender Tristan Jarry through the five hole for his 11th goal of the season. Dadonov and defenseman Shea Theodore had assists.

Dadonov’s 10th goal made it a 2-0 game at 12:12 of the first period. After Stephenson beat Evgeni Malkin on a faceoff in the Penguins’ left circle, Golden Knights defenseman Alex Pietrangelo controlled it on the right half wall. Surveying the zone for a moment or two, Pietrangelo slipped a pass to the right point for forward Mark Stone, who launched a one-timer towards the cage. Dadonov established position above the crease on Malkin and re-directed the puck past Jarry’s left skate. Stone and Pietrangelo collected assists.

The Golden Knights went up by three at the 19:30 mark. Controlling the puck at center point of the offensive zone, Pietrangelo waited for a shooting lane to open up then unleashed a heavy wrister towards the cage. Forward Niclas Roy, positioned above the crease, deflected the puck on net. Jarry made the initial save but allowed a rebound to sit free in the blue paint. Before Penguins defenseman Chad Ruhwedel could clear it, Roy jabbed the puck into the cage for his eighth goal. Assists went to Pietrangelo and forward Jonathan Marchessault.

From there, the Penguins turned things around dramatically.

Zucker got his team on the scoreboard with a power-play goal at 6:56 of the second period. Taking a pass on the left half wall of the offensive zone, Penguins forward Jeff Carter chucked a wrister on net. Goaltender Robin Lehner made a save but spit out a big rebound above the blue paint. From the left of the crease, Zucker indefatigably jabbed the puck a handful of times before it found an avenue under Lehner that led to the back of the net. Zucker was credited with his fifth goal of the season while Carter and Kapanen collected assists.

It became a 3-2 game only 49 seconds later. From his own right circle, Penguins defenseman Mike Matheson snapped a stretch pass to the far blue line for forward Brian Boyle. Fending off Theodore, Boyle attacked the net and flicked a gentle forehand shot that Lehner knocked down with his glove. Forward Teddy Blueger followed up on the sequence and buried the rebound with a backhand shot for his eighth goal. Boyle and Matheson recorded assists.

Zucker tied the game 3-3 only 28 seconds into the third period. Utilizing a tactic he used to deploy frequently with former linemate James Neal, Malkin lined up for a draw in Vegas’ left circle with Kapanen directly behind him. After beating Stephenson on the draw, Malkin slid the puck back to Kapanen. On the lip of the circle, Kapanen ripped a wrister towards the cage. Zucker, who was battling for position with Stone, deflected the puck — perhaps inadvertently — past Lehner’s glove on the far side. Kapanen and Malkin were credited with assists.

“Just a good faceoff play,” Kapanen said. “(Malkin) told me to go behind him and just try to put it on net. Luckily enough, it went in.”

The Penguins took their first lead at 2:12 of the third period. From the left point of the offensive zone, Matheson fired a wrister towards the cage. Theodore blocked the shot and tried to clear the rebound with a backhander. Penguins forward Jake Guentzel intercepted the puck and shuffled it on net. After Lehner made a save, Guentzel reclaimed the rebound, swooped behind the cage and tucked in a wraparound forehand shot past Lehner’s left skate for his 20th goal. It marked the fifth consecutive season Guentzel has reached that plateau. There were no assists.

Victory was secured at 18:52 of the final frame when Sidney Crosby airmailed a wrister from in front of the Golden Knights’ bench for an empty net goal, his sixth score of the season. Carter and defenseman Kris Letang had assists.

At what point did the Penguins turn things around so dramatically after a squalid first period?

“The first intermission when we got our (stuff) together,” Carter said, using a colorful synonym for fertilizer.

“It clearly wasn’t the way we wanted to start the game. But the character in the room showed tonight.”

Jarry shook off a shoddy start and made 23 saves on 26 shots to push his record to 19-7-4.

As for Zucker, he had arguably his best game of the season — or any season in which he’s played for the franchise — and helped push the Penguins to one of their most impressive — albeit highly imperfect — triumphs of 2021-22.

“We knew he was going to play with a lot of energy,” coach Mike Sullivan said. “He’s in his hometown. (Sunday) was his birthday. He was excited to get back in the lineup. We knew we were going to get a guy that was going to play an inspired game.

“He did that.”

Notes: Penguins forward Bryan Rust returned to the lineup after missing four games while in the NHL’s protocols for covid-19. He logged 16:17 of ice time on 24 shifts and had one shot on two attempts. … The Penguins’ lone scratch was defenseman Mark Friedman. … The Golden Knights remain one of three opponents the Penguins have never recorded a shutout against. The Minnesota Wild and Seattle Kraken, a first-year expansion franchise, are the others. … Golden Knights forwards William Carrier and Nolan Patrick as well as Theodore each returned to the lineup after being removed from the NHL’s protocols for covid-19.