Penguins win ninth straight, score three in third to rally past Blues

PITTSBURGH -- Sidney Crosby and Evan Rodrigues scored 12 seconds apart late in the third period, and the Pittsburgh Penguins extended their winning streak to nine games with a 5-3 victory against the St. Louis Blues at PPG Paints Arena on Wednesday.

Crosby tied it 3-3 by corralling a shot from Jake Guentzel for a wrist shot from just outside the crease at 12:23. St. Louis was unsuccessful on a challenge for goaltender interference, and Rodrigues scored with a one-timer on the ensuing power play to put Pittsburgh ahead at 12:35.
"[Crosby] was in beast mode tonight, I thought," Penguins coach Mike Sullivan said. "He commands the puck. He's so strong on the puck. … The goal he scored was vintage Crosby for me. He's so good down low. He's so good in the traffic. He's so strong on the puck. When he's playing the game that way, he's the standard bearer for the team."

Bryan Rust scored twice and had an assist, and Tristan Jarry made 13 saves in relief for the Penguins (19-8-5), who have not lost since Dec. 1. Jarry, in his return from missing one game while in NHL COVID-19 protocol, entered after Casey DeSmith allowed three goals on 16 shots before being pulled at 13:49 of the second period.
Brayden Schenn scored his 200th NHL goal in his return from an upper-body injury, and Jordan Kyrou scored for the fourth time in three games for the Blues (19-10-5), who had won three straight. Jordan Binnington made 36 saves.
"We didn't pressure very well tonight, I didn't think," St. Louis coach Craig Berube said. "Our forecheck wasn't very good. That's where it starts for me."
Brock McGinn tapped in a pass from Teddy Blueger for the 5-3 final with 1:39 remaining.
Pittsburgh's winning streak matches the longest in the NHL this season. The Carolina Hurricanes won nine straight from Oct. 14-Nov. 3.
"We found a way to win here," McGinn said. "We had some good steps in this game. I think we just have to continue to grow."
Schenn gave the Blues a 1-0 lead with a snap shot on a power play 20 seconds into the second period.
"Feels good," Schenn said. "Obviously, this is what we enjoy doing. It's so much fun being out there with the guys, being a part of it."
The Penguins hadn't trailed since a 5-2 loss at the Edmonton Oilers on Dec. 1.
Kyrou made it 2-0 at 8:45 of the second on a wrist shot from the slot set up by Vladimir Tarasenko.
Rust cut it to 2-1 on a power play at 13:30 of the second by batting a puck out of midair with a backhand.

Colton Parayko scored 19 seconds later on a wrist shot to make it 3-1 at 13:49, chasing DeSmith.
"Had some timely goals. We had a chance to win it there," Blues captain Ryan O'Reilly said. "We were in a good spot in that third period. Had a chance to win a game. Unfortunately, we didn't. It's frustrating. By no means was it our best game. That happens, but it was there for the taking."
Rust took a pass from Crosby for a wrist shot, cutting it to 3-2 at 15:46 of the second. Five of his seven goals this season have come in the past two games, including three in an 8-5 win against the San Jose Sharks on Sunday.
"I'm getting some confidence back," Rust said. "I said it after last game, I'll say it again, those extra practices I got in with the canceled games, or the postponed games, I think that helped a lot. … Get that confidence back shooting the puck, things like that, I think that did go a long way."
NOTES: St. Louis played its first game since defeating the Minnesota Wild 6-4 in the 2022 Discover NHL Winter Classic at Target Field on Saturday. … Penguins forwards Kasperi Kapanen and Blueger returned after missing an 8-5 win against the San Jose Sharks on Sunday while in COVID-19 protocol. Kapanen had three shots on goal in 14:54 of ice time; Blueger had one assist and one shot on goal in 15:43. … Guentzel, who had two assists, has at least one point in 15 straight games (23 points -- 13 goals, 10 assists) since last being held without one Nov. 11. He missed five games with an upper-body injury from Dec. 10-19 before returning Sunday. … Kyrou has 13 goals in 30 games this season, one goal shy of his NHL career-high of 14 in 55 games last season.