Quick Hits
1) The Penguins have scored three or more goals in 22 of their last 28 games against the Blue Jackets, while 17 of those 28 games have been four-plus goal efforts.
2) The Penguins are ranked first in the NHL in power-play percentage (31.4%) and fifth in penalty kill success rate (85.2%).
3) Tristan Jarry has an 8-2-2 record in 12 starts against the Blue Jackets in his career, with a 2.64 goals-against average and .914 save percentage. His save percentage against the Blue Jackets is his fourth highest against all teams with a minimum of 10 games played.
4) Pittsburgh’s penalty kill has allowed just three power-play goals against over its last 14 games (33-for-36, 91.7%).
5) Only Sam Reinhart (5), Seth Jarvis (4) and Dylan Guenther (4) have more game-winning goals than Bryan Rust’s three.
ALL THE STOPS
Goaltender Tristan Jarry made his return to the net after a seven-game absence due to injury, stopping 29 of 31 shots (.935 SV%) in Pittsburgh’s win on Wednesday night against Buffalo. Pittsburgh has gotten consistent goaltending all season, as the team’s .909 save percentage ranks second in the NHL.
SHUTDOWN DEFENSE
The Penguins have allowed the second-fewest goals against in the NHL (57) and have held their opponents to two goals or less 10 times this season (7-0-3 when doing so). All of the goaltenders to play for the Penguins this year have recorded a shutout (Arturs Silovs – 1; Tristan Jarry – 1; Sergei Murashov – 1) and only the Minnesota Wild have collectively shut out opponents in more games this season (5).
SPECIAL TEAMS, SPECIAL PLAYS
The Pittsburgh Penguins have the highest power-play percentage (31.4%) in the league. They have had the fewest power-play opportunities in the league (51) but their power-play goal total (16) is tied for 11th in the NHL. Sidney Crosby has six power-play goals, which is tied for seventh among all skaters, and the Penguins have nine different goal scorers on the man advantage.
CLIMBING THE RANKS
Sidney Crosby is two goals from tying Dave Andreychuk (640) for the 15th-most goals in NHL history.
HOW SWEDE IT IS
Erik Karlsson is one point shy of tying Peter Forsberg for the eighth-most points by a Swedish-born player in NHL history. Karlsson is also one assist shy of surpassing Brad Park for the 12th-most assists by a defenseman in NHL history.
CROSBY VERSUS COLUMBUS
Captain Sidney Crosby has notched 65 points (21G-44A) in 45 career games versus the Blue Jackets. Only two players in NHL history have more points against Columbus than Crosby. Crosby’s 1.44 points-per-game average versus the Blue Jackets ranks fourth in NHL history (min. 20 GP) behind Connor McDavid (1.90), Nikita Kucherov (1.57) and Joe Sakic (1.46).
NO ONE BETTER
Kris Letang’s 13 goals against Columbus are the most by a defenseman in NHL history. It’s also tied for the most goals Letang has scored against any opponent in his career (New York Islanders – 13). He also ranks third among all active defensemen in points (32) against the Blue Jackets.
