Penguins Can’t Build on Beating Avs, Fall to Senators, 5-2
So much for the notion that shutting out Colorado Thursday might be a pivotal moment in the Pittsburgh Penguins’ season, and not just a positive one.
What they hoped would be the start of a winning streak proved to be nothing more than a smudge, as whatever momentum was generated by beating one of the NHL’s top teams dissipated during what became a 5-2 loss to Ottawa at PPG Paints Arena Saturday night.
The defeat dropped the Penguins, who have lost four of their past five games, to 3-5, while the Senators — one of the clubs the Penguins figure to battle for a spot in the Eastern Conference playoff field — improved to 4-4 after dropping their previous three games.
Colorado, conversely, had come to town after winning an NHL-record 15 consecutive regular-season road games.
Penguins goalie Tristan Jarry, who had been outstanding against the Avalanche, was pulled at 5:28 of the second period, after giving up three goals on nine shots.
Defenseman Erik Karlsson, the defending Norris Trophy winner and centerpiece of the Penguins’ offseason makeover, failed to record a point for the fourth consecutive game.
Ridly Greig staked Ottawa to a 1-0 lead just 4:24 into the game when, with his back to the net, he deflected a Claude Giroux shot past Jarry while Kris Letang was serving a cross-checking penalty.
The Penguins had an opportunity to counter when Senators forward Josh Norris was sent off for cross-checking at 5:38, but they failed to capitalize, just as they did after Senators defenseman Jacob Bernard-Docker picked up a delay-of-game minor at 11:29.
Forty-five seconds after Bernard-Docker’s penalty expired, Brady Tkachuk beat Jarry, who was not screened, from the left dot to put the Senators up, 2-0.
That gave Ottawa two goals on its first five shots.
The Penguins, meanwhile, launched 22 pucks at Senators goalie Joonas Korpisalo, who entered the game with a 1-5-1 career record against the Pittsburgh Penguins, during the opening 20 minutes, but failed to get any past him.
Although Travis Hamonic appeared to make it 3-0 at 4:20 of the second period, when his shot from just inside the blue line eluded Jarry, whose vision seemed to be obscured by Penguins defenseman Ryan Graves, the goal was waved off after a video replay determined that, per a challenge by the Penguins, the play had been offside.
Had it counted, Hamonic’s shot would have been the Senators’ first of the period.
It turned out, though, that the reprieve was temporary, as Senators winger Dominik Kubalik lashed a shot past Jarry from near the top of the right circle at 5:28, swelling Ottawa’s advantage to 3-0.
That goal prompted Mike Sullivan to replace Jarry with Magnus Hellberg.
The Penguins finally broke through on their 31st shot, as Sidney Crosby set up at the front lip of the crease and directed a Bryan Rust feed from the left circle past Korpisalo at 17:34 for his fifth of the season. Letang got the second assist.
Crosby’s goal, however, proved to do nothing more than spare the Penguins the ignominy of being shut out.
Any hope they had of salvaging a point or two disappeared at 13:07, when Tkachuk flipped a backhander past Hellberg after pulling the puck around Marcus Pettersson near the left side of the crease.
Just 31 seconds later, Drake Batherson got behind the Penguins’ defense and threw a backhander by Hellberg to put Ottawa in front, 5-1.
Jake Guentzel got his second of the season at 19:26 to close out the scoring.
The Pittsburgh Penguins have a scheduled day off Sunday. They will practice Monday at 11 a.m. at UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex before closing out their four-game homestand Tuesday against Anaheim.
Categorized: Penguins
Bench. Carter.
I feared that Sullivan wouldn’t know how to utilize Karlsson and his unique skills. Consider them confirmed. Somehow, the HC has turned a first-ballot HOFer into just another d-man. Maybe that will change in time. It had better. Duby worked his arse off to acquire him and can’t be thrilled by what he sees out there.
Sully doesn’t know how to use any of his recently acquired players. Still has Acciari playing center with useless Carter on the wing. Rierdon is a complete joke too., and 5 all stars on the PP and still can’t score a goal. The entire coaching staff is a f’n joke and needs replaced
You’ve had some doozies, but this is a Mount Rushmore one. Karlsson is all over the ice. He’s adpating to new players and they’re learning to read him, too. There certainly aren’t restraints on him.
But the rest of the team sucks, Dan. 😂 But seriously, how much longer can Dubas watch this garbage. It seems the biggest issue is the entire coaching staff. It’s like a bad marriage where they want to stay together for the kids. That shit never works buddy!
I know it’s still early in the season, but very disappointing. So far the offseason changes have yielded very little results. The fourth line has produced nothing. Has Dubas made some major miscalculations??
Yes, In bringing Sullivan and Rierden back
Well, wouldn’t you know it! T’was the goaltending again. I will count the 4th one, disallowed for offside, and look at the 50% saves made. Hellberg was no better. He had some luck and the game was already gone, but if you’ve watched him and know anything about hockey, you understand that this guy is for dire emergency cases only. You could probably find my comments from previous years saying I’d just blow all the cap space on a goalie or two. I do not like being right. I’d rather have my team winning than being right. Now, if you… Read more »
A trade is needed to send a message. Rackell
Get him back with Sid where he belongs
Trading Rakell doesn’t send a message. Trading Jake does. They need to trade him before deadline anyway.
This team as assembled are following the lead of their top 3 core who have been here for over a decade, a core that has won multiple cups, achieved a number of individual goals, and also a core that had quit on their head coach and GM when they don’t like the system or message anymore, which the rest of the ham and eggers support. It’s a stale, boring and losing brand of hockey that only a coaching change can possibly rectify.
Yes Monday against the Ducks chalk up another loss and boring as well.
Said this after the last win. This is who the pens are, roller coaster year. It will take a big move to correct the outlook of this team. 50% roster turnover but the same problems exist.
Unfortunately the current team leadership still thinks that the Pens (core) is still capable of performing like they did ten years ago. Pens have four of the 30 oldest players in the NHL and a lot had changes in last decade. 1) Tell Carter to retire or be a healthy scratch for the rest of the year. 2) If/when the Penguins or not strong playoff contenders near the trade deadline, trade Malkin and Letang to team(s) desperate enough to give up draft picks to obtain these players. Dubas will have to deal with the no trade clauses that should not… Read more »
Retirement does no good, still a cap hit due to 35+ contract. Just feed him nachos.
The beauty of hockey is there are a few different ways the game can be played to get a favorable outcome, this coaching staff only sees 1 way if any. Players, at times, during the game, unconscious of what they are doing will resort to different styles of play some working and some not. For a coach when a goal is scored for his or her team the observation should be made if the goal was scored by calculated effort or pure fluke as so much of hockey scoring is (consciously or unconsciously competent). Unfortunately Sully was delt a winning… Read more »