Penguins Report Card: Sullivan Shuffles Lines, Drops Kapanen, Squeak Past Devils 3-2 (+)

The Pittsburgh Penguins won their seventh in a row, but it’s hard to determine which team deserved to lose more. Turnovers, haphazard play, and a lack of urgency highlighted a game in which the teams combined for just 25 shots after two periods and 41 shots total. Tristan Jarry stuffed Andreas Johnsson on a breakaway with one second remaining in the Penguins 3-2 win at Prudential Center.

Credit Jarry for not giving an interview, “I was thinking–Oh sht, Oh sht.”

Perhaps one day, Jarry will get 500 wins like the unnamed goalie above.

The Penguins didn’t have their best game. Actually, it was one of their worst games. A bad opponent was an early gift under the tree. The Penguins escaped with their seventh straight win. New Jersey slumped to their sixth straight loss.

“I don’t think we had our best and you know, we were pretty good at times, but just seemed like there wasn’t a whole lot of rhythm, especially offensively for us,” Teddy Blueger said. “I was kind of digging in deep and finding a way to get it done.”

Danton Heinen sniped his ninth goal of the season, and Teddy Blueger scored the Penguins first short-handed goal this season. Mike Matheson capitalized on the Pittsburgh Penguins best shift of the game midway through the third period to account for the scoring.

The Penguins slumber was a carry-over from the Buffalo game, and not even David Puddy facepaint could inject life. Teddy Blueger had four of the Penguins first 12 shots through two periods and seven of the Penguins’ 22 shots.

The report card will not be for the faint of heart, and feelings won’t be spared, but we’ll do it anyway.