Fleury backstops Pens to Game 1 win over Jackets
PITTSBURGH -- Marc-Andre Fleury, a last-minute starter after goaltender Matt Murray got hurt during the pregame warmup, stopped 31 of 32 shots as the Pittsburgh Penguins beat the Columbus Blue Jackets 3-1 in Game 1 of a first-round Eastern Conference playoff series Wednesday at PPG Paints Arena.
Fleury was the Penguins' franchise goalie for more than a decade and helped them win the 2009 Cup. Murray, a rookie, stepped in last year when Fleury was hurt at the start of the postseason and helped Pittsburgh win the 2016 Cup, then took over the No. 1 job this regular season.
The Penguins built a 3-0 lead in the second period with goals from Bryan Rust, Phil Kessel and Nick Bonino. Evgeni Malkin added two assists.
The Blue Jackets spoiled Fleury's bid for his ninth career playoff shutout when Matt Calvert scored from the slot at 12:41 of the third. A clearing attempt by Fleury scooted past three Penguins and ricocheted out to Calvert.
It was Pittsburgh's 100th home playoff win all-time (100-73).
Rookie Tristan Jarry dressed as Fleury's backup after Murray left the warmup with a lower-body injury.
Fleury was busy early as the Blue Jackets held a 16-3 advantage in shots in the first period.
Rust gave the Penguins a 1-0 lead at 1:15 of the second. Malkin carried the puck over the blue line and passed to Kessel, who gave a little soft-touch pass to Rust in the slot. Rust one-timed it past goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky's stick.
Kessel's power-play goal 2:30 later gave Pittsburgh a 2-0 lead. He toyed with the puck at the left dot and snapped it over Bobrovsky's shoulder, far side.
Malkin picked up his second assist on the goal, giving him 84 career playoff assists, moving him past Jaromir Jagr for third all-time in club history.
At 16:25, Bonino reached around Bobrovsky to score on a rebound for a 3-0 Pittsburgh lead.
Bobrovsky made 26 saves.
NOTES: As expected, Pittsburgh C Evgeni Malkin and Columbus D Zach Werenski returned from shoulder injuries. ... G Marc-Andre Fleury's late-minute start moved him into tie with G Tom Barrasso for most playoff appearances by a Penguins goaltender, 101. ... Penguins D Ron Hainsey played in his first Stanley Cup playoff game after 907 regular-season games. ... In addition to G Matt Murray, a late scratch, the Penguins scratched D Chad Ruhwedel, D Cameron Gaunce, D Mark Streit, LW Chris Kunitz, LW Tom Sestito, RW Josh Archibald. ... Columbus scratched D Kyle Quincey, D Ryan Murray, D Markus Nutivaara, LW Lauri Korpikoski, C Lukas Sedlak and G Oscar Dansk.