Pittsburgh scores three in second period to hand Vancouver seventh loss in eight games

by Wes Crosby / NHL.com Independent Correspondent

PITTSBURGH — Tristan Jarry made 36 saves to help the Pittsburgh Penguins to their fourth straight win, 4-1 against the Vancouver Canucks at PPG Paints Arena on Wednesday.

Jarry has allowed two goals on 121 shots since Buffalo Sabres forward Kyle Okposo scored against him at 8:54 of the second period in a 2-1 loss Nov. 16. He has two shutouts in four starts since that loss.

Brock McGinn had a goal and an assist for the Penguins (9-6-4), and Bryan Rust, Evan Rodrigues and Zach Aston-Reese scored in the second period.

Bo Horvat scored to end his seven-game point drought, and Thatcher Demko made 33 saves for the Canucks (6-12-2), who have been outscored 33-14 while losing seven of their past eight.

Rust put the Penguins ahead 1-0 with a power-play goal 49 seconds into the second. After taking a pass from Kris Letang, Rust dropped to one knee in the left face-off circle for one-timer to the blocker side.

Rodrigues made it 2-0 with his 100th NHL point at 7:29. Canucks defenseman Quinn Hughes sent a pass above the crease to the opposite wall, where Rodrigues collected it for a snap shot from the left circle.

Rodrigues has 41 goals and 59 assists in 253 games.

Aston-Reese scored his first goal of the season, extending the lead to 3-0 at 15:20. After passing to McGinn on a 2-on-1, Aston-Reese took a return pass for a wrist shot from the slot.

Horvat cut it to 3-1 by driving to the net around Letang for a backhand at 14:52 of the third period. He hadn’t scored a point since he had two goals and an assist in a 6-3 win against the Dallas Stars on Nov. 7.

McGinn scored an empty-net goal for the 4-1 final with 1:00 remaining.