ST. PAUL, Minn. — Bryan Rust had a goal and an assist, Tristan Jarry made 26 saves and the Pittsburgh Penguins beat Minnesota 4-1 on Thursday night to hand the Wild their fifth straight loss.
Rustâ€s tip-in of Ryan Sheaâ€s long pass from the point broke a 1-1 tie 6:29 into the third. Ben Kindel added an insurance goal a minute later.
Shea also scored and Anthony Mantha had an empty-net goal for Pittsburgh, which improved to 5-1-1 on the road. Jarry improved to 13-5-2 since returning from an AHL stint late last season. The 30-year-old goalie held the Wild scoreless on four power plays after they entered leading the Western Conference with 14 goals with the man advantage.
With the win, the Penguins extended their point streak to eight games. Pittsburgh’s 18 points lead the NHL through the first month of the season.
Kirill Kaprizov had the lone goal for Minnesota, which has lost eight of nine, including four straight to start a six-game homestand. Filip Gustavsson made 30 saves.
Shea’s slap shot off a loose puck outside the left faceoff circle tied it 2:18 into the second period. Gustavsson stopped former Wild forward Connor Dewar on a short-handed breakaway before Jarry made two point-blank saves to help keep it tied entering the third.
The Wild opened the scoring for the first time in six games when Kaprizov tapped in a cross-ice pass from Marcus Johansson with 9:44 left in the first. It was Kaprizov’s team-leading seventh goal.
Evgeni Malkin appeared to answer for Pittsburgh less than three minutes later, but the goal was waved off because of goaltender interference. Penguins coach Dan Muse unsuccessfully challenged the call.
The sequence then included the replacement of a damaged piece of glass next to the Wild bench, leading to a stoppage of more than five minutes before the ensuing Wild power play.
Penguins: At the Winnipeg Jets on Saturday.
Wild: Host the Vancouver Canucks on Saturday night.
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