The Pittsburgh Penguins battled back to force overtime and picked up a win over the Columbus Blue Jackets Alex Cappa Color Rush Jersey , who still got the point they needed to clinch a playoff spot for the second straight season.
The Penguins answered every Columbus goal in regulation before Phil Kessel scored 1:06 into overtime to get the 5-4 victory in a tight game before an amped-up sellout crowd.
”We were resilient tonight,” Kessel said. ”We’ve been here before.”
Columbus entered the game needing one point in the standings and earned that when it forced the overtime. They’ll go to the playoffs in consecutive years for the first time in franchise history.
”It’s a little bittersweet because it’s Pittsburgh, and you don’t want to lose to them,” Columbus coach John Tortorella said. ”But in the big picture for our team, for our guys, I am really happy for them.”
The Penguins and Blue Jackets are second and third place, respectively, in the Metropolitan Division with playoff positioning not likely to be settled until this weekend.
Columbus is tied with New Jersey – which beat Toronto on Thursday – with 97 points, but the Blue Jackets hold the tiebreaker.
Conor Sheary tied the game at 12:16 in the third period to set up the overtime winner by Kessel Bo Scarbrough Color Rush Jersey , whose shot from the left circle was his second goal of the game and 33rd of the season.
Patric Hornqvist and Kris Letang also scored, and Matt Murray had 26 saves for Pittsburgh, which completed a 4-0 season sweep of Columbus.
”We have such great leadership,” Pittsburgh coach Mike Sullivan said. ”These guys, they play their best when the stakes are high. They’ve proven it time and time again.”
Zach Werenski, Matt Calvert, Boone Jenner and Cam Atkinson scored for Columbus, and Sergei Bobrovsky had 38 saves.
Werenski put the Blue Jackets up 1-0 five minutes into the game when he gathered a centering pass from Pierre Luc-Dubois and backhanded the puck between Murray and the near post. Kessel went top shelf over Bobrovsky on a power play to tie it at the halfway point of the first period.
A few minutes later, Calvert danced around Penguins defenseman Olli Maata and lifted a shot over Murray’s shoulder . Hornqvist knotted it again at 15:35 when he batted a bouncing puck past Bobrovsky’s glove.
The Blue Jackets scored on a power play in the second period when Jenner connected from the slot off a sweet centering pass from Thomas Vanek.
Early in the third period http://www.falconsauthorizedshops.com/authentic-ito-smith-jersey , Pittsburgh tied the score yet again when Letang clanged one in off the top bar from the right circle. Atkinson made it 4-3 when he poked a shot in from the doorstep 8:25 into the third.
Sheary tied the score again with a shot that Bobrovsky deflected with his glove.
”We showed a lot of character there, finding ways to hold on and get back into it,” Penguins captain Sidney Crosby said.
”They’re a team that really builds on leads, especially at home, so we did a good job of finding ways to get ourselves back in it and even it up pretty quick.”
NOTES: Pierre-Luc Dubois tied Zach Werenski’s rookie single-season point record with 47 and pushed his point streak to a career-high eight games. … Artemi Panarin, with assists on two of the goals, also has a five-game point streak. He has a franchise-record 82 points this season. … Hornqvist has four goals in the past four games. … Columbus defenseman Markus Nutivaara missed his second game with an upper-body injury. … Columbus F Josh Anderson returned after missing 17 games with a knee injury. … Pittsburgh F Derick Brassard missed his fourth game with a lower-body injury.
UP NEXT
Pittsburgh: Hosts Ottawa on Friday night to finish regular season.
Columbus: Ends regular season on Saturday night at Nashville.
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The Latest on NBA free agency (all times EDT):
8 p.m.
Mike Scott is headed West to the Clippers.
The unrestricted free agent forward has agreed to a one-year deal, according to a person with knowledge of the agreement who spoke on condition of anonymity because it remains unsigned.
Scott averaged 8.8 points, 3.3 rebounds and shot 40 percent from 3-point range as a reserve in his first season with the Washington Wizards.
– Reporting by AP Sports Writer Beth Harris in Los Angeles.
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6:55 p.m.
Utah didn’t let Dante Exum get away.
The Jazz locked up their third internal free agent of the summer Tuesday http://www.vikingsauthorizedshops.com/authentic-brian-o_neill-jersey , agreeing to terms with Exum on a three-year extension that will be worth around $33 million. The extension was confirmed to The Associated Press by a person with knowledge of the agreement, speaking on condition of anonymity because it remains unsigned.
Exum has been limited to a total of 80 regular-season games over the past three seasons. He averaged 8.1 points and 3.1 assists last season for the Jazz.
– Reporting by AP Basketball Writer Tim Reynolds in Miami
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5:35 p.m.
Utah has kept another of its internal targets, with restricted free agent Raul Neto agreeing to a two-year extension.
Neto’s decision was confirmed Tuesday by a person who spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the deal remains unsigned, with the NBA’s offseason moratorium in place until Friday.
The news comes one day after the Jazz and Derrick Favors also agreed on a two-year contract.
Neto averaged 4.5 points and 1.8 assists per game last season for Utah, which is still seeking a deal with its third in-house free agent – Dante Exum.
– Reporting by AP Basketball Writer Tim Reynolds in Miami
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5:25 p.m.
Tyreke Evans had plenty of suitors, and decided to sign with the Indiana Pacers.
A person with knowledge of the negotiations says Evans has agreed to a one-year deal that will be worth $12 million for next season. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the contract cannot be signed until Friday at the earliest.
Evans is a proven scorer, and expanded his 3-point ability last season as well. He spent last year with Memphis, averaging 19.4 points per game.
For his career, Evans has averaged 16.5 points in stints with Sacramento Rashaan Gaulden Color Rush Jersey , New Orleans and the Grizzlies. He also had meetings with Golden State and Oklahoma City, among others, before choosing the Pacers.
– Reporting by AP Basketball Writer Tim Reynolds in Miami
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4:35 p.m.
Jeff Green is heading back to Washington, the city where he played college basketball at Georgetown, joining the Wizards to provide some front-court help.
A person familiar with the deal tells The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Tuesday that Green agreed to a one-year contract for the veteran’s minimum of $2.4 million. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the move cannot become official until after the NBA’s free-agency moratorium is lifted Friday.
Washington needed to add some big men after trading away starting center Marcin Gortat and losing backup power forward Mike Scott to free agency.
The Wizards play in the same arena that Green played most of his home games in while with the Hoyas, who he led to the Final Four in 2007.
Green, who turns 32 in August, spent last season with the Eastern Conference champion Cleveland Cavaliers. He has played 10 NBA seasons with six teams, averaging 13.2 points and 4.6 rebounds.
He missed the 2011-12 season because of open heart surgery.
– Reporting by AP Sports Writer Howard Fendrich in London.
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2:35 p.m.
Michael Carter-Williams is on the move again http://www.dolphinsauthorizedshops.com/authentic-durham-smythe-jersey , this time to the Houston Rockets to add some backcourt depth behind MVP James Harden and Chris Paul.
A person involved in the negotiations says Carter-Williams agreed Tuesday to a one-year minimum deal. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the deal is unsigned.
Houston will become Carter-Williams’ fifth team in six seasons. He was a backup in Charlotte last year, averaging 4.6 points per game.
He was the NBA’s rookie of the year for Philadelphia in 2013-14 when he averaged 16.7 points per game. But his scoring average has dropped each year since.
– Reporting by AP Basketball Writer Tim Reynolds in Miami.
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9:30 a.m.
Avery Bradley is staying with the Los Angeles Clippers.
Bradley has agreed to sign a two-year contract with the Clippers after free agents can begin making deals official on Friday, according to a person familiar with the negotiations. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity Tuesday because neither side was commenting publicly until the league’s offseason moratorium ends.
Yahoo Sports, which first reported the agreement, said the contract will be worth $25 million.
Bradley played in 46 games last season between the Detroit Pistons and the Clippers. He was traded to the Clippers in January as part of the Blake Griffin deal, then made only six appearances with Los Angeles before being shut down with a hernia.
For his career, Bradley has averaged 12.3 points in 459 NBA games.
– Reporting by AP Basketball Writer Tim Reynolds in Miami
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