Jarry, Penguins end Islanders' point streak at eight

PITTSBURGH -- Tristan Jarry made 31 saves to help the Pittsburgh Penguins defeat the New York Islanders 4-1 at PPG Paints Arena on Thursday.

Jarry has made 70 saves on 74 shots in his past two starts after allowing 11 goals on 77 shots in his previous three.
"I'm just working on it," Jarry said. "Working on it in practice and making sure my habits are good. I think that's where it comes from."
Sidney Crosby scored in his 999th NHL game, and Jason Zucker and Bryan Rust each had a goal and an assist for the Penguins (8-6-1), who have won three of four and did not trail in a game for the first time this season.
"I think we're making progress," Pittsburgh coach Mike Sullivan said. "I think one of the things we talk about with our players is just trying to get better each and every day and learn through the experiences, and try to grow as a group. … We're looking to try to gain some traction here."

Semyon Varlamov made 33 saves for the Islanders (8-5-3), who had their eight-game point streak end.
The teams play again here Saturday.
"We'll regroup," New York forward Josh Bailey said. "I think there were some good things tonight. We could've found a way to put a few home early. I think we had a good start. We had some good looks. That might change the course of the game. It's just not the way it went tonight. ... I think guys competed all night long. We'll regroup and get ready."
Crosby put Pittsburgh ahead 1-0 at 4:15 of the first period. Kasperi Kapanen stole the puck from Brock Nelson in the left face-off circle and turned for a wrist shot that deflected off Crosby's stick.
After the Penguins failed to extend the lead on a 5-on-3 that lasted 1:13 midway through the second period, Teddy Blueger made it 2-0 at 18:01. Mike Matheson shot off the end boards and followed it with a wrist shot that produced a rebound to Blueger, who was left alone by Noah Dobson and scored into an open net.

Cal Clutterbuck almost scored for New York while shorthanded 31 seconds into the third period, but he shot off the crossbar after taking a backhand pass from Jean-Gabriel Pageau on a 2-on-1.
"I think the second goal really took a lot out of us," Islanders coach Barry Trotz said. "And then we come out and we hit the crossbar shorthanded to start the third, and it was sort of like our night, just the way everything was going. Instead of getting a lot of momentum off that 5-on-3 (penalty kill), we had a defenseman jump by us and it bounces off the back wall and makes it a greasy goal.
"We didn't have enough push. They backed it up pretty good. They did a good job of keeping everybody back. So we can be better. We can be better. Our game wasn't a 4-1 game, in my opinion."
Zucker pushed the lead to 3-0 at 9:11 of the third with a one-timer from the top of the crease after receiving a pass Rust sent from behind the net.
"When they have to start chasing, they have to come out of their system," Zucker said. "We can have a little bit more freedom to play the game and play smart, but keep attacking."
Nelson cut it to 3-1 by tipping in a centering pass from Bailey on a power play at 15:39 before Rust scored an empty-net goal for the 4-1 final at 16:54.
"We've had a good run," Nelson said. "Trying to bank as many points as you can with the shortened season and only playing in our division. Tonight was a tough one. ... Just weren't able to get one, get some momentum and kind of feed off that. Then we found ourselves in a hole."

NOTE: If Crosby plays Saturday, he would become the first to play 1,000 games with the Penguins.