PITTSBURGH — As much as they dance around it, the Blue Jackets ' mind-boggling struggles at PPG Paints Arena remain unshakeable.
Despite limping back from Western Canada with a three-game losing streak, the Pittsburgh Penguins did what they've always done to the Blue Jackets on their own ice since Dec. 21, 2015. They won for the 14thstraight time over Columbus in this building, extending the NHL's longest active home winning streak against one team with a 5-3 victory decided by some odd bounces.
In typical Blue Jackets fashion while in Pittsburgh, Rickard Rakell and Jeff Carter each scored key goals for the Penguins off strange deflections. Rakell was credited with a goal that ended a 2-2 tie late in the second, after Erik Gudbranson sent the puck into his own net off the forward's left skate, and Carter's flip shot in the third bounced off defenseman Andrew Peeke 's knee into the net.
Carter's goal made it 4-3 just 22 seconds after Jack Roslovic knotted the score at 3-3 in the third with a short-handed goal, and the Penguins went up 5-3 on a goal by Reilly Smith ― who was left unchecked in front of rookie goalie Jet Greaves .
That's all the Penguins (28-24-8) needed to keep their home-ice streak alive against the Blue Jackets (21-31-10), not to mention an 11-game point streak against Columbus that's the NHL's longest active streak (10-0-1) against an opponent.
Jesse Puljujarvi and Evgeni Malkin scored the first two goals for the Penguins, giving them a 2-0 lead at the first intermission. The Jackets responded with goals in the second by Johnny Gaudreau and Peeke to tie it 2-2.
"We've talked about it a little bit, just among the guys," Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski said of the Jackets' misfortunes in Pittsburgh. "Obviously, it's not what you think about when you go out there and play, but it's definitely one of those things where you want to come out here and get a win in this building. It's something I haven't done yet."
He's still waiting.
Here are four more takeaways:
Kirill Marchenko, come on down, you're the next contestant on the Blue Jackets' new show, "The Price Is Wrong."
Count Marchenko, a second year forward, as the latest lineup mainstay to either get benched or sit out entirely as a healthy scratch while Vincent continues to instill "accountability" via ice time decision. This time, Vincent dressed 11 forwards and seven defensemen Tuesday in Pittsburgh, scratching Marchenko after a recent dip in play and replacing him with Peeke — an oft-scratched defenseman .
Once again, the Jackets' first-year coach cited team culture and accountability as his logic behind making the decision. Vincent said Marchenko will return to the lineup Thursday against the Edmonton Oilers .
"We keep the standards where they are, and if we want to create something that is more than average, we have to go through this," Vincent said. "For Marchenko, I feel his last two games, his standards have been lowered a little bit for himself. I know the intentions are right. We just want the best out of him."
Peeke contributed a goal, assist and finished with a +2 plus/minus rating, but also had the game-deciding goal bounce off his left knee into the net. The most puzzling thing about Vincent's decision with Marchenko was the fact the Jackets had won their previous two games, including a 6-3 victory Monday over the Vegas Golden Knights in Columbus.
They were looking for their first three-game winning streak in almost two years while playing their fifth game in seven days. Placing injured rookie Adam Fantilli on injured reserve and recalling a deserving forward from AHL Cleveland probably would've been the choice for most teams in that spot, but Vincent saw an opportunity to do two things with one move.
The first was giving Marchenko a "reset" game as a scratch. The second was getting Peeke into the lineup for just the second time in the past 11 games.
"I want to reward Andrew Peeke," Vincent said. "He's been here all year, he's played, what, (22) games? He's working hard every practice, and when he's played, he's been playing good. I would have a hard time looking Andrew Peeke in the eyes saying, 'We called up a player and we're not playing you.' He's done everything we've asked him to do, and he deserves to play."
Blue Jackets players are no strangers to seeing lineup regulars sitting out of games, which Vincent began doing three games into the season.
Damon Severson was benched for the third period of a shutout loss to the Detroit Red Wings at Nationwide Arena back in October, and the Jackets' coach has continued using ice time as a coaching tool to instill "standards" of effort and play. Others who've been benched include Gaudreau and Yegor Chinakhov . Elvis Merzlikins , Patrik Laine , Jack Roslovic, Adam Boqvist , Peeke and others have been scratched at various times.
"I think it's great having a standard in the room," defenseman Zach Werenski said. "I think it's something the last few years we've missed a little bit. As for (Vincent) scratching guys or benching guys, that's up to him and the player. I'm not going to get into that, but I think having that standard and knowing you have to play well to stay in the lineup is good for everybody."
Gaudreau agreed.
"Hopefully, personally, you can learn from experiences like that," he said. "Obviously, if you're not playing your best, you're not going to see the ice and that goes for everyone. It doesn't matter who you are, a first-year guy or a 10thyear guy. It doesn't matter. We want to build a culture around here of putting guys on the ice who can help this team win games, hold each other accountable and go from there."
Peeke and Gudbranson each finished with good stat lines against the Penguins, as both were +2 in plus/minus and Peeke had two points with an assist and first goal of the season.
Unfortunately, both had issued with "puck luck" going sour at key times. Gudbranson's misfortune untied the game on the goal credited to Rakell during a power play late in the second, after the towering Blue Jackets defenseman shot a puck off his skate into the Columbus net.
Peeke's happened 22 seconds after Roslovic tied it 3-3 in the third with his shorthanded goal. After dropping to a knee to help Greaves in the crease, Peeke had a puck shot softly by Carter bounce off his right knee into the net, giving the Penguins a 4-3 lead. Both bad bounces were on Pittsburgh power plays, which gave the Jackets a tough 1-of-3 penalty-kill performance to swallow.
The Penguins' first goal of the night, scored by Puljujarvi, was also helped by a puck hopping over Severson's stick along the right wing. An exit pass from Boone Jenner turned into a turnover and the game's first goal. It was that kind of night for the Jackets with deflections and odd bounces.
Peeke was also helped by one when his shot in the second period deflected off Evgeni Malkin's stick to beat Penguins goalie Tristan Jarry , tying it 2-2.
"It's frustrating," Vincent said. "We were in position to win this game. The first goal goes over Severson's stick ... it's a clean breakout. It just goes over Severson's stick and the next thing you know it's in the back of your net. Two more goals, it basically deflects into our net ... (and) we wouldn't change anything. 'Peeker' was in a good position and Gudbranson is trying to clear the puck, and it ends up in our net."
The NHL's trade deadline arrives at 3 p.m. Friday and there's a chance Roslovic will be moved before it passes.
He's a pending unrestricted free agent, has gone through ups and downs since being traded to his hometown in 2021 and could be a versatile depth addition for a contender. Whether he's meaning to or not, Roslovic is also doing his part to sell potential suitors on making the Blue Jackets an offer.
Since being scratched Jan. 28 in Seattle , Roslovic has three goals, nine assists and 12 points in the past 13 games while playing most often at right wing on the top line. He finished with a goal, assist and two points against the Penguins, setting up Gaudreau's goal with a nifty wrap-around pass and scoring his own goal while killing a penalty in the third.
Roslovic's contract pays him $4 million a season , so there's roughly one-quarter of it left unless the Blue Jackets are willing to eat a percentage to complete a deal.
This article originally appeared on The Columbus Dispatch: Penguins extend Blue Jackets' losing ways in Pittsburgh: 5 takeaways
