The Pittsburgh Penguins (27-31-10) are not going away quietly, racking up another victory on Thursday night to extend their winning streak to three games, thanks to a 5-3 triumph over the St. Louis Blues at PPG Paints Arena.
Thanks to goals from five different players, including Rickard Rakell's 30th of the year, the Penguins defeated a Blue team trying to claw their way into a wildcard spot in the Western Conference, backed by Tristan Jarry's 33 saves.
Jarry Stops Over 30 Again, Improves to 3-0-0 Since Return
In a worst-case scenario, Jarry would continue his revenge tour, go undefeated the rest of the season, and knock the Penguins out of the top five at the upcoming NHL Draft.
Meanwhile, the club still misses the postseason by a couple of points, but Jarry redeems himself and many players in the lineup play meaningful hockey and achieve personal milestones.
Tristan Jarry said each and every #Pens player reached out to him after he was sent down pic.twitter.com/pxH2GI6Wp1
— 93.7 The Fan (@937theFan) March 14, 2025
Since starting against the Minnesota Wild, Jarry has made at least 30 saves in three starts while helping the Penguins win three consecutive games.
No one knew if we'd see him again after a reassignment to the AHL in January. However, he's back and has been on a roll, helping his team earn points during the stretch run.
No matter his future, Jarry will do everything he can to refurbish his reputation in the final weeks.
Rakell Closing in on Personal Milestone
While the hockey world patiently waits for Alex Ovechkin to break the goal scoring record, there's a magic number in Pittsburgh: four. That's how many goals Rakell is away from his career high of 34, set in 2017-18.
Rickard Rakell is a three-time 30-goal scorer 🔥
— Penguins PR (@PenguinsPR) March 14, 2025
Rakell becomes the fifth @penguins player not named Sidney Crosby or Evgeni Malkin to score 30 goals since 2006-07. pic.twitter.com/4t5At0CSU9
Considering how important he's been to the Penguins' attack all season, Kyle Dubas opted not to trade him, the entire team will rally around him in the final 13 games and try to get him five more goals.
It would be a special moment for him because he could become only the 22nd Swedish-born skater with a 35-goal season.
Penguins Play for Pride and Win for Themselves
When a team is at the bottom of the standings, there's not much to play for in the season's final weeks. However, these Penguins are doing more than playing spoiler; they are raking up points and reaching personal milestones.
Whether it's captain Sidney Crosby's quest to catch Wayne Gretzky's point-per-game record, Rakell getting within a couple of goals of a new career high, or Jarry making 30 saves look routine, these guys are not rolling over with just a handful of games left.
For those fans who dreaded the slumps and losing streaks, the Penguins are doing their best to reward the faithful who stuck with them through thick and thin by ending the campaign on a high note, giving them some momentum heading into the summer.
As mentioned before, when clicking, Pittsburgh can skate with any team in the league and pick up a win or two. They may not always be pretty, and there will always be some drama like a blown lead, but these Penguins are still competitive with the right personnel.