Pittsburgh’s Goalies Share the Net and Friendship

When Alex Nedeljkovic got to Pittsburgh after signing as a free agent in the offseason, he quickly discovered a shared interest with his new goalie partner, Tristan Jarry – their trucks, as they drive the same Ford pickup, albeit different models, to and from the rink.

“I think Ned and I have found a lot of things that we’ve bonded over, a lot of things that we can talk about. One of the first things was obviously we have the same truck, so it was kind of cool,” Jarry said with a smile. “Just finding key things you can talk about, and I think just keeping the conversation going to learn more about each other, that helps build a relationship both on and off the ice.”

That relationship between Jarry and Nedeljkovic, both 28 years old, is a strong one, and Mike Sullivan believes that’s been a big key for this particular goalie tandem – with the Penguins Head Coach describing them as “1 and 1A.”

“I think they sincerely like one another and root for one another,” Sullivan said. “I think they push one another to be at their best. Both of those guys have played well for us throughout the course of the year. They’ve both played extremely well and have been deserving of being in the net. It makes for a difficult coaching decision every night, but that’s a good challenge to have.”

For Jarry and Nedeljkovic, it’s about finding that balance between being competitive and wanting the net, but also being a good teammate. Because ultimately, all that matters is that they’re giving the team a chance to win every night.

“You can take it too far and be a (jerk) and not talk to a guy, but it just makes it awkward and not friendly. That's not what you want. It's not good,” Nedeljkovic said. “So, you want him to succeed, I want him to do well just as he wants me to do well, and that's how we get better. You’re not gonna do yourself any favors hoping that he does bad and thinking negatively... So, it’s just being a good teammate. It's easy to do, and he's a great guy. He's a good guy off the ice, so it just makes it that much easier.”

As Nedeljkovic put it, they’re just a couple of easygoing guys. Alex is affable and good-natured, and Tristan is laid back with a sly sense of humor “that comes out of nowhere sometimes with some of the jokes, some of the jabs,” Nedeljkovic said.

They get along extremely well with goalie coach Andy Chiodo, nicknamed ‘Chico,’ who’s working with them closely this week with three days between games ahead of Saturday’s contest in Vegas. They skated on Wednesday in Cranberry before flying out, with an off day Thursday and practice on Friday before facing the Golden Knights.

“You gotta find value in these three days,” Jarry said. “Whether it’s what you’re doing in practice, what you’re doing off the ice, too, I think it all helps. You want to set yourself up for the best opportunity on Saturday to be at your best.

“Just being able to find keys in your game, whether it’s getting an extra workout in, or being able to do a little bit more on the ice you might not be able to when we play consecutively every other day … being able to know your body and know what you need, that helps a lot.”

Practices are key for any player, but especially for goalies, and especially in a tandem like this one where the Penguins aren’t relying on just one guy to carry the majority of the load.

Last month, after Nedeljkovic got a string of games where he was credited with points in four straight starts (3-0-1), Jarry took advantage of the practices he got. After pitching a shutout on Dec. 27 versus the Islanders, Jarry pointed to that period as being hugely beneficial.

“Obviously for my game, it helps when you're able to get those practice days and that practice time. You don't get very much during the NHL season just with how many games that we play, so I think it's good sometimes that you get that break, and it keeps you sharp,” Jarry said.

Right now, it’s Jarry who has been on a roll, helping the Penguins get points in overtime losses to Vancouver and Carolina before getting his league-leading fifth shutout of the year against the Kraken on Monday.

So, this week, Nedeljkovic focused on keeping it as consistent as possible with his approach. “You have to, right? That’s how you get better,” he said. “Your goal, down to the simplistic form, is to get better every day.”

Nedeljkovic said for him to be successful and stay healthy, being ready to go once he and Jarry hit the ice – usually 10-20 minutes before it’s supposed to start – is a big key.

He likes to get started pretty early with his warmup routine in the gym, so that way, once they take the ice, “our warmup is just getting our eyes going and focusing on tracking pucks. Make sure your body is physically ready to go for the stuff that we put it through.”

Sullivan can’t say enough about their practice habits this season, calling them ‘exceptional.’

“I think that's part of the reason why these guys have been as good as they've been,” Sullivan said. “I think it's a daily endeavor. When you practice the right way, things become habitual. That takes a certain level of commitment and a certain level of focus each and every day.

“There are some days when players may not feel like practicing, and it's not about getting through a practice, it's trying to figure out how do I get better with the practice. I think these guys have that intent, and because of that, I think it translates. I give them both a lot of credit. They're competing really hard.”