PITTSBURGH -- Pekka Rinne’s recent struggles on the road continued in the first period on Thursday night when he surrendered three goals on the first nine shots he faced against the Pittsburgh Penguins.
That resulted in him getting pulled for the second time in this series -- both times in Pittsburgh -- in favor of backup Juuse Saros.
After Rinne slammed the door shut in Game 4 with one of his best performances of the postseason, things immediately got off to a bad start for him in Game 5.
He allowed a power play goal to Justin Schultz less than two minutes into the game, the later gave up goals to Bryan Rust and Evgeni Malkin.
Things did not get off to a great start for Saros when he entered the game.
He gave up a goal to Conor Sheary on the first shot he faced as the Penguins’ top line of Sidney Crosby, Jake Guentzel and Sheary completed a dominant shift in the offensive zone.