The Pittsburgh Penguins are trying to string some wins together so that they can stay in the Metropolitan Division/Eastern Conference race. That continued on Thursday when they took on the Tampa Bay Lightning in Florida.
Things didn’t start well for the Pens in this one as they went down 2-0 in the first period. However, they came all the way back to tie it in the second period going into the third. Then, in the third period, something very special happened.
The Penguins took a 3-2 lead at 2:49 of the third period. They knew that from there, it was going to be a challenge keeping Tampa Bay from tying it.
Eventually, the Lightning pulled their netminder and put the extra attacker on the ice. What happened next was legendary. Penguins goalie Tristan Jarry took the puck and launched it down the ice and into the empty net.
Tristan Jarry scored a goal for the Pittsburgh Penguins on Thursday night
HE DID THAT 🐧
— NHL (@NHL) December 1, 2023
Last night, the @penguins celebrated their first franchise goalie goal thanks to Tristan Jarry! pic.twitter.com/4TWIec0bJM
Jarry became the first goalie in the history of the Pittsburgh Penguins to pull this off. This is also the first time that he has ever done it in his career.
Tristory will be made. pic.twitter.com/0Jmr1PctBz
— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) December 1, 2023
This is the 14th goalie to ever score a goal and the fifth in the last decade. Last season, Linus Ullmark scored one for the Boston Bruins last season which was the most recent before Jarry. This is always an incredible feat in the NHL.
It wasn’t the NHL but Alex Nedeljkovic scored for the AHL’s Wilkes Barre/Scranton Penguins earlier in the season so the organization has had one but not at the big league level.
Tristan Jarry is having a very good season which was a big question mark for the Penguins coming into the season. He is currently 8-8-1 with a 2.45 goals-against average and a .919 save percentage. He would like a better record but that is more of a product of his team based on his other stats.
If Pittsburgh is going to get back in the playoffs after missing last year, Jarry is going to need to keep playing as well as he has been. These numbers would be great as long as the Penguins start to score more. Maybe their power play can finally get going.
They are back in action on Saturday night when they will take on their in-state rival Philadelphia Flyers. That should be a great match as both teams want to stay in the race. Hopefully, Jarry continues to have a good year.