Penguins Continue Hot Start With 6-3 Win Over Blues

On Monday night (Oct. 27), the red-hot Pittsburgh Penguins played host to the St. Louis Blues. The Penguins (7-2-1) continued their great start to begin the season with a 6-3 win over the Blues (3-5-1).

Tristan Jarry had another big game to move to 3-1-0, making 26 saves on 29 shots in the win. Joel Hofer struggled in the loss, allowing five goals on 25 shots.

Game Recap

The Penguins came out of the gate with a perfect start. Bryan Rust and Anthony Mantha each scored to give the Penguins a 2-0 lead just 55 seconds into the opening frame. Despite falling by a pair early, the Blues found a way back into the game. After overwhelming the Penguins with their transition game, the Blues scored two goals of their own. Nick Bjugstad’s second of the season at 4:15 saw their deficit cut in half. With under five minutes to go, Jordan Kyrou extended his point streak to seven games to make it a 2-2 game.

On a delayed penalty on the Blues, the Penguins regained their lead at 6:37 of the second period with Parker Wotherspoon’s first goal as a Penguin. On their second power play of the game, the Blues displayed quick puck movement to create chances. Despite that, they couldn’t find anything to go as they continued to trail 3-2 with just under six minutes to go in the period. With both teams playing tight defense in the last few minutes of the second period, the Penguins carried their 3-2 lead into the final frame.

Parker Wotherspoon Pittsburgh Penguins — Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Parker Wotherspoon celebrates his goal with the Penguins bench against the St. Louis Blues (Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images)

The Penguins extended their lead 42 seconds into the third period with Rust’s second of the night. On the goal, Sidney Crosby tallied his 1,700th career point, becoming the fourth-fastest player in NHL history to reach the mark. The Blues’ transition game again benefited them as Mathieu Joseph brought his team back to within one at 4:35. With 3:21 to go, Crosby restored the Penguins’ two-goal lead. Just 21 seconds later, Evgeni Malkin sealed the deal with an empty-net goal to give the Penguins a 6-3 win, making it five wins in their last six games.

Both squads will be back on the ice tomorrow night as part of the NHL’s Frozen Frenzy. The Penguins will travel east to take on the Philadelphia Flyers at 6 PM EST. The Blues will head back home to welcome the Detroit Red Wings at 8:15 PM EST.