SAN JOSE — Tristan Jarry stopped all 31 shots he faced for his first shutout of the season, leading the Pittsburgh Penguins to a 3-0 win over the San Jose Sharks at SAP Center on Saturday. It was the 22nd shutout of his NHL career. Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin each recorded a goal and an assist, and Anthony Mantha also scored as Pittsburgh improved to 4-2-0 and picked up its second straight victory. San Jose fell to 0-3-2 and has dropped five in a row. Alex Nedeljkovic made 24 saves in his first start against the Penguins since being traded to the Sharks on July 1.
Game Highlights and Key Performances
Crosby opened the scoring at 7:35 of the second period by redirecting a Kris Letang shot from above the right circle. Mantha doubled the lead at 7:02 of the third, finishing a cross-crease pass from Justin Brazeau after Brazeau slipped past Macklin Celebrini into the slot. Malkin sealed it with an empty-netter at 19:38.
Pittsburgh’s coaching staff pointed to steady early-season progress in its team structure. San Jose’s coaches noted a better overall effort while stressing that defensive-zone coverage and puck management still need work.
Notable game statistics include:
- Jarry’s shutout ties Tom Barrasso for second-most in Penguins history; Marc-Andre Fleury leads with 44.
- Letang assisted on a Crosby goal for the 125th time. Only two other defenseman-scorer tandems have more: John Carlson with Alex Ovechkin (158) and Bobby Orr with Phil Esposito (130).
- Crosby has now scored against 160 different NHL goaltenders. Only Alex Ovechkin (184), Jaromir Jagr (178), Patrick Marleau (177), and Mark Messier (164) have scored against more.
- Sharks defensemen John Klingberg (lower body) and Timothy Liljegren (upper body) will travel on the upcoming four-game road trip, while Shakir Mukhamadullin (upper body) will not.
This victory not only boosts the Penguins’ morale but also showcases their potential as a strong contender this season. With key players like Crosby, Malkin, and Jarry stepping up, they look to build on this momentum in their upcoming games. The Sharks, on the other hand, will need to address their recent struggles and find a way to turn their season around.