Penguins soar past Jets 3-0 as Jarry nets sixth shutout
By Dan Scifo, The Associated Press on February 6, 2024.
PITTSBURGH (AP) – Tristan Jarry stopped 24 shots in his NHL-leading sixth shutout this season and the Pittsburgh Penguins beat the sluggish Winnipeg Jets 3-0 on Tuesday night. Bryan Rust, Jeff Carter and Kris Letang scored. Jarry improved to 5-0 against Winnipeg, with two of his 19 career shutouts. Connor Hellebuyck made 24 saves for the Jets, who lost their second straight game after winning 10 of 11. Rust scored his 12th goal and Carter his sixth, both on the power play, as the Penguins scored multiple goals with the man advantage for the first time since Dec. 18. Letang scored his fourth goal and became the 21st defenceman in NHL history to reach 30 points 14 times. Pittsburgh coach Mike Sullivan earned his 430th win in his 800th NHL game and Jake Guentzel had an assist in his 500th game for the Penguins, who have won consecutive games after losing three straight and four of five. Pittsburgh has points in 16 of its last 21 games. Jets leading scorer Mark Scheifele returned after missing six games with a lower-body injury. He appeared to score early in the third period, but the goal was disallowed after a successful Pittsburgh challenge for offside. Newly acquired Sean Monahan played his first game with Winnipeg. Monahan, who centred Cole Perfetti and Nikolaj Ehlers, was acquired in a trade with Montreal during the NHL All-Star break. The Jets allowed more than two goals for just the fourth time in the last 26 games. The Penguins have won 17 of their last 21 against the Jets. At home, Pittsburgh has won 20 of the past 22 against Winnipeg dating to March 24, 2007. The teams meet again Saturday in Winnipeg. Letang opened the scoring at 7:16 of the first period. He intercepted a pass at the Winnipeg blue line, switched to his backhand and flipped a shot past Hellebuyck from the slot. Pittsburgh scored two power-play goals 90 seconds apart in the second. Winnipeg defenceman Brenden Dillon was assessed a five-minute major and a match penalty for an illegal check to the head of Penguins forward Noel Acciari, who left the game and did not return. Carter scored at 7:33 and Rust made it 3-0 at 9:03 of the second, as both scored rebound goals from the top of the crease. Sidney Crosby extended his point streak to eight games with the secondary assist on Rust’s goal. UP NEXT Jets: Visit the Philadelphia Flyers on Thursday. Penguins: Visit the Minnesota Wild on Friday. — AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl 20-19
