Penguins Grades: Lifeless Efforts Show Cracks

The Pittsburgh Penguins had a Lazarus-level comeback on Thursday night. They gave up the first goal on the first shot yet got themselves off the mat to end their four-game losing streak. Saturday, they started in the same lethargic fashion against the Boston Bruins, but a late surge wasn’t enough.

This time, they largely stayed down, much like they’ve done in two of the last three games, or three of the last five if one counts the meltdown against the Washington Capitals one week ago.

Multiple players submitted lifeless games Saturday, even as others tried.

Chief among those who struggled to engage was Erik Karlsson, whose multiple turnovers gave former Rocket Richard winner David Pastrnak a few great chances and a penalty shot. The cap on the rough go was with 11 minutes remaining in the game. Karlsson tried to slow play the puck near the Penguins net, only to watch Pastrnak steal it and put another high-danger chance on goalie Alex Nedeljkovic.

Scorers registered Karlsson with six giveaways. In a building that doesn’t easily score turnovers on the stat sheet, six is an extraordinary number.

While not a turnover, Karlsson failed to cover Pastranak on the second shift of the game. Pastrnak scored a breakaway goal 92 seconds into the game, and it was the 13th time this season that the Penguins have given up a goal on the first shot of the game. The team clearly had players who were not engaged at the start.

With long pauses to collect his thoughts and not go overboard, Nedeljkovic obviously had a message for the team. Again.

“I think for a majority of (the first shot, first goal situations), it’s just about starting on time for everybody,” Nedeljkovic said. “Some things are preventable. Some things, they just happen. And that’s hockey, right … So. I think we need to find a better way of starting on time, playing with a little bit more emotion from the get-go. And I don’t think you’ll see those types of things happen.”

Nedeljkovic’s postgame comments were punctuated by long silences, head shakes, and grimaces. Multiple silences were several seconds. After his outburst Thursday, he did not want to light the fire again.

In addition to Karlsson’s misadventures, Matt Grzelcyk had a few. On Pastrnak’s breakaway goal, an ill-advised pinch put Karlsson under pressure.

Grzelcyk also had a trio of turnovers.

Motivation?

Are the Penguins struggling to find motivation?

“No,” was winger Bryan Rust’s blunt one-word answer.

He remains one of the players who wears his heart on his sleeve in every game, but the same cannot be said for everyone.

The wear and tear of marching toward a sad and lonely end in six weeks is beginning to show. The Penguins just couldn’t muster their best against Boston, at least until the final few minutes. They pulled the chord a few times. They collectively checked the gas and fiddled with the spark plug wires, but ultimately, the engine never turned over.

Having done everything a mechanic can do, the coaches stared at the impotent engine, thanking the hockey gods that Boston didn’t bury them. In large part, Nedeljkovic’s exemplary saves on Boston’s star players kept the game close.

The Penguins had five shots in the second period, not counting Rickard Rakell’s pair of glorious chances at a yawning cage that merely hit the side of the net.

That was also the 13th time in 62 games in which the Penguins allowed a goal on the opponent’s first shot of the game. The record since the NHL started keeping track in 2009-10 is 14, set by the 2011-12 Edmonton Oilers at 14.

Something to shoot for, eh?

The Penguins’ first 40 minutes were only too emblematic of the problems that have plagued the team. They are not as old as they used to be, but they remain old in spirit. Actually, they surely appear more elderly in spirit than old.

Fight?

It surely seems that about 144 hours to the NHL trade deadline, the Penguins are a dead man walking. They’re waiting for their last supper, the chaplain to read them last rights, and general manager Kyle Dubas to walk them down the long hall to the end.

There was little fight until the third period, even as Boston sought retribution for P.O Joseph’s awkward hit on Bruins captain Brad Marchand in the first period that obviously injured Marchand, who did not return to the game.

There was some petulant swinging. Some frustration. But little that could or would resemble fire until later in the third period.

The Penguins began the game nine points out of a playoff spot, and it could be 10 pending the result of the Columbus Blue Jackets facing the Detroit Red Wings at the Horseshoe (Ohio Stadium) in Columbus.

Detroit and Columbus hold both wild card spots with 66 points, so no matter the result of Saturday’s outdoor game, the Penguins will trail by at least nine points. Should the teams go to overtime, the deficit will reach 10.

Not that playoff stats matter as an attainable goal; the size of the canyon between them is more symbolic of the dying of the light.

Future

Worse, the Penguins don’t figure to be better next season unless Dubas hits a few home runs on the free-agent market and the Penguins win the NHL Draft Lottery.

To that end, the Penguins are in a “battle” for the fifth overall pick with the Seattle Kraken, who are three points worse than the Penguins–so they “lead” by three points–with one game in hand.

The sixth overall slot has a 7.5% chance to win the NHL Draft Lottery.

Eight players are restricted or unrestricted after the season. From Cody Glass to Philip Tomasino, talented first-round picks are staring at an uncertain future. Now would be the time to make a final case for a new contract or even just a job next season.

Some are playing well, some aren’t, but it’s hard to say any are having a big impact.

There are moments when the lions roar. Evgeni Malkin nearly scored on a spin-o-rama move in the second period and had two goals on Thursday. He’s bringing his best. Sidney Crosby is a constant.

The rest of the herd needs to bring their best, too.

Penguins Report Card

Team: D

Nedeljkovic kept the game close despite the best efforts of his defensemen. The Penguins did get some good scoring chances, but Boston’s Joonas Korpisalo was excellent. It takes sustained pressure to score, which was something the Penguins never achieved.

Erik Karlsson: F

After one of his best games of the season, he was the opposite Saturday. The turnovers were bad, and the lack of energy was equally concerning. That’s not the way to entice a Stanley Cup contender.

Matt Grzelcyk: F

The power play was increasingly rough after some scoring chances in the first period. Grzelcyk’s puck management was far too generous.

Rickard Rakell: Heart

Rakell is fighting through a slump. He had a pair of wide-open nets to hit in the third period and missed both. He led all Penguins forwards with five shots on goal. It wasn’t for lack of effort.

He finished the game with a healthy cut below his left eye, which looked as bad in the locker room as it did on TV.

David Pastrnak: Wow

Sometimes, you forget how special some of the players around the league are. Pastrnak is both a magician and a sniper. He creates, and he finishes. The puck seeks him out. He was really fun to watch on Saturday.