With three NCAA titles and a bronze medal in the 2016 Rio Olympics, J’den Cox is arguably the greatest athlete in the University of Missouri’s history. His path from precocious teeth-pulling Columbia kid to MU icon might have seemed like a short — both literally and figuratively — and predestined one. But, in this three-part series continuing Wednesday and concluding next Sunday, the Missourian looks at the arduous odyssey fraught with deep-seated and what at times seemed like insurmountable obstacles.

First Period_None. Penalties_Daley, PIT, (hooking), 4:18; Cole, PIT, (interference), 17:43.
Second Period_1, Pittsburgh, Cullen 1, 1:15 (sh). 2, Washington, Niskanen 1 (Ovechkin, Backstrom), 2:09 (pp). 3, Pittsburgh, Kessel 3 (Guentzel, Crosby), 13:04. 4, Pittsburgh, Guentzel 6 (Crosby), 16:14. Penalties_Guentzel, PIT, (hooking), 0:29; Malkin, PIT, (slashing), 2:15; Orpik, WSH, (hooking), 9:45.
Third Period_5, Pittsburgh, Kessel 4 (Schultz, Malkin), 2:19 (pp). 6, Washington, Backstrom 3 (Oshie, Ovechkin), 3:44. 7, Pittsburgh, Malkin 2 (Cole, Kessel), 5:31. 8, Pittsburgh, Guentzel 7 (Maatta, Cullen), 19:17. Penalties_Shattenkirk, WSH, (due to delay of the game), 1:32; Wilson, WSH, served by Ovechkin, (roughing), 10:38; Wilson, WSH, Misconduct (misconduct), 10:38; Kuhnhackl, PIT, served by Kessel, 16:22.
Shots on Goal_Pittsburgh 5-9-10_24. Washington 16-11-9_36.
Power-play opportunities_Pittsburgh 1 of 3; Washington 1 of 5.
Goalies_Pittsburgh, Fleury 6-1 (36 shots-34 saves). Washington, Grubauer 0-1 (9-7), Holtby 4-3 (14-11).
A_18,506 (18,506). T_2:46.
Referees_Jean Hebert, Dan O’Rourke. Linesmen_Derek Amell, Bryan Pancich.