COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — Sidney Crosby scored the 79th game-winner of his career and rallied Pittsburgh from a two-goal deficit to beat the Columbus Blue Jackets 6-3 Saturday night for the Penguins’ first road win of the season.
Danton Heinen scored twice, Josh Archibald and Jan Rutta each had a goal and an assist, and Brock McGinn also scored a goal. Crosby and Kasperi Kapanen added two assists apiece.
Tristan Jarry stopped 29 shots for Pittsburgh, which scored three times in the second and third periods, and has won four of its first five games. The Penguins now lead the Metropolitan Division with nine points.
Boone Jenner had a goal, Jack Roslovic scored short-handed, and Kent Johnson got his first NHL goal for Columbus, which has lost four of its first six games. Elvis Merzlikins stopped 33 shots.
Pittsburgh had not even recorded a shot when Columbus went ahead 1-0 at 7:13 of the first. Kris Letang’s clearing pass went off Johnny Gaudreau’s skate and bounced to Jenner who buried it from right in front of the net.
Roslovic made it 2-0 when he jumped on a Penguins turnover and scored short-handed with 1:16 left in the first.
Archibald cut the Blue Jackets’ lead in half at 3:43 of the second but Columbus responded 14 seconds later with Johnson’s first NHL goal to make it 3-1.
The second and third periods clearly belonged to Pittsburgh.
Rutta pulled the Penguins within one midway through the second with a laser from the blue line and Heinen tied it with 5:41 left as he buried Crosby’s rebound.
Crosby’s one-timer at 5:38 of the third from the lower right circle gave Pittsburgh its first lead of the game. Heinen and McGinn scored 44 seconds apart to complete the scoring with just over 5 minutes remaining.
UP NEXT
Penguins: At Edmonton on Monday night.
Blue Jackets: At the New York Rangers on Sunday.