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PHN Postgame: Penguins Outplayed Rangers, Loss Invites Big Changes

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NEW YORK — The Pittsburgh Penguins outplayed the New York Rangers in Game 7. They badly outshot them, 43-27 in regulation. The Penguins had 13 high-danger chances compared to just five for the Rangers.

Stats according to Natural Stat Trick. Squashing a team and allowing only five HDSC is usually an excellent recipe for success, but the Penguins found bad luck, bad bounces, a crucial non-call went against them, and their penalty kill was atrocious.

The 5v5 domination wasn’t enough. The Pittsburgh Penguins lost 4-3 in OT.

Penguins goalie Tristan Jarry played on an injured ankle. He was almost the hero. You can see his heavily wrapped ankle as he limped away from the media area on Sunday night–closeup video (at the end).

Jarry played well, but a couple of shots, including the OT game-winner, deflected off Penguins defensemen near the net.

The non-call that could change league rules occurred with less than six minutes in regulation. The Penguins were properly defending a one-goal lead until Alexis Lafreniere grabbed Penguins defenseman Marcus Pettersson. Lafreniere pulled at Pettersson’s helmet until it came off, and Pettersson had to replace the helmet or leave the ice surface.

In going to the bench, the Penguins’ structure broke down, and Mika Zbinejad whipped a perfect shot top-shelf from the right-wing dot.

“It stinks,” head coach Mike Sullivan said of the NHL helmet rule.

Sidney Crosby called the rule “terrible.”

The Rangers tied the game, and the Penguins’ generous PK, which allowed New York chances and goals throughout the seven-game series, again hung on for dear life. The Penguins PK could not hang on, and when the red lights behind Tristan Jarry, it was over.

The Penguins felt they deserved better. They probably did. But the loss is sure to invite significant changes. Evgeni Malkin, Kris Letang, and Bryan Rust are free agents, and despite GM Ron Hextall placing a priority on their contract status last summer, the team apparently didn’t like the numbers it heard, and the trio remains unsigned.

Rumors abound that one or both of Malkin and Letang will depart via free agency, and it seems that’s a foregone conclusion for Bryan Rust, too.

The Penguins did score a pair of beautiful goals. Jake Guentzel kicked a bouncing into the air and then whacked it past New York goalie Igor Shesterkin. Evan Rodrigues disrupted the New York power play for an unassisted breakaway goal. He scored with a one-handed backhander that he elevated despite wearing a defenseman.

It’s been a pleasure covering this team. PHN works 365, 24/7. We will continue to cover the team with daily stories, analyses, and opinions. We also plan to cover the 2022 NHL Draft, which could be significant for the Penguins.

The photo is courtesy of 93-7 the Fan’s Jeff Hatthorn. We were tossed out of MSG at 12:30 a.m., so we had to finish writing back at the hotel and film the video outside. Here’s what filming the standup looked like. A pretty nice backdrop, eh?