The Gauntlet 2024-25 · Qualification night
The Penguins snuff the Bruins
Penguins 3, Bruins 0 (virtual game)
October 22, 2024. The Pittsburgh Penguins went out in the round of 16, extinguished by the Columbus Blue Jackets.
Every round of the 2024-25 Gauntlet
Flamekeeper
Bryan Rust
His power-play wrister at 6:31 of the 2nd, set up by Crosby and Karlsson, was all Pittsburgh needed against a Boston side that never scored.
Beaten in Calgary, the Penguins burn on anyway
Losing and living
The Pittsburgh Penguins lost their game on qualification night and still left the Saddledome with their flame lit. That is the Gauntlet. Each team played its own game, and the one that scored more went through. Pittsburgh's goals in Calgary only had to outnumber the Boston Bruins' goals in Nashville.
On last season's form this was Boston's to win: the Bruins finished 7th, the Penguins 19th. A year ago Pittsburgh went dark on qualification night against the Florida Panthers. This time they lived.
Saros slams the door
In Nashville, Juuse Saros stopped all 33 Boston shots. Ryan O'Reilly tipped in a power-play goal at 17:16 of the 1st, and Tommy Novak and Gustav Nyquist added wristers. Luke Evangelista finished it into an empty net. Mark Kastelic fought Luke Schenn at 3:15 of the 1st, and Jeremy Swayman made 38 saves, but Boston never scored. A quarterfinalist last Gauntlet, the Bruins were doused without a goal.
Three goals stand
In Calgary, Rasmus Andersson's snap shot gave the Flames the lead before Bryan Rust tied it on the power play. Rickard Rakell's wrister put Pittsburgh ahead, MacKenzie Weegar's slap shot tied it, and Noel Acciari's wraparound at 13:40 of the 3rd went back in front. Then Nazem Kadri scored with an extra attacker at 19:17. The shootout ran six rounds before Justin Kirkland won it for Calgary. It didn't matter. Three goals beat none, and 20 flames still burn.
Every goal: Bruins at Predators
- 1st 17:16Ryan O'Reilly NSH · power play
- 2nd 16:55Tommy Novak NSH
- 3rd 12:47Gustav Nyquist NSH
- 3rd 13:56Luke Evangelista NSH · empty net
What is the Gauntlet?
A proposal for an NHL in-season tournament. All 32 teams start alive, every Gauntlet game is a game already on the regular-season schedule, and lose one and you are out.