Malkin, Jarry provide boost, more optimism for Penguins

BUFFALO -- When the final horn sounded on Friday, Evgeni Malkin skated back to the Pittsburgh Penguins crease and gave Tristan Jarry a tap on the head.

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It was the soft-spoken center's way of telling the goalie, "Great job, kid. Congratulations."
The Penguins could not have written a better script on so many fronts.

Seeing Malkin return after missing four games with an upper-body injury was encouraging in itself. But to have him back in the lineup on the same night that Jarry made 34 saves in his first NHL shutout, 4-0 against the Buffalo Sabres at KeyBank Center, was a bonus for Pittsburgh (14-10-3), which finally seems headed in the right direction.
It was the third consecutive victory for the Penguins, who host Buffalo on Saturday (7 p.m.; NHLN, ATTSN-PT, MSG-B, NHL.TV). It has been a wobbly start to the season for the two-time defending Stanley Cup champions, who have allowed 10 goals in a game once (at the Chicago Blackhawks on Oct. 5) and seven goals in a game two other times (at the Tampa Bay Lightning on Oct. 21, at the Winnipeg Jets on Oct. 29).
But those early-season struggles seem to be fading, creating a sense of optimism that was augmented by having Malkin back.
After playing 16 of their first 27 games on the road (6-8-2), the Penguins begin a five-game homestand on Saturday. They have not played more than two consecutive games at home this season.
Adding to the Penguins' growing confidence was the performance of Jarry, who made his first start since Matt Murray was placed on injured reserve Tuesday (Murray is week to week after sustaining a lower-body injury against the Philadelphia Flyers on Monday).
Jarry, 22, was flawless. Playing in the arena where former Sabres goalie Dominik Hasek turned in so many great performances, Jarry actually resembled The Dominator in the second period by making two snow-angel saves during a scramble in front of the net.
"We work on those desperation saves in practice," Jarry said. "I was just trying to cover the ice. I was just lucky I got my leg on it.
"I just tried to go about my day. It doesn't really change if [Murray] is here or not. I just try to get better and better each and every time out."

When the game ended, Penguins forward Patric Hornqvist quickly scooped up the puck, a souvenir for Jarry that he'll cherish for a lifetime.
As for Malkin, who had an assist, he's accrued plenty of keepsakes over his career, his three Stanley Cup rings being the highlights. Given Malkin's pedigree, coach Mike Sullivan was quick to state the obvious: that the Penguins are much better with the center in the lineup.
"You can see the impact he has on our team," Sullivan said. "He is such an elite player. He comes back and jumps right into the action after having not played in a little while. And he doesn't seem to miss a beat."
It is a 215-mile drive between Buffalo and Pittsburgh along Interstate 90 and Interstate 79. With the Sabres and Penguins trending in different directions, the distance between them seems much greater.
Heading into their rematch Saturday, the Sabres (6-16-4) have been shut out three consecutive times, a Buffalo record. They have not scored since Kyle Okposo's empty-net goal with 51 seconds remaining in a 3-1 win against the Edmonton Oilers on Nov. 24, a drought of 180:51.
The Penguins, meanwhile, have a chance to build on their momentum, especially with the next five games at home, where they are 8-2-1.
"We have a chance to go on a run here, sure," captain Sidney Crosby said. "But we still have to take advantage of the opportunity."
After winning back-to-back Stanley Cup titles, the Penguins know how to do just that.