5-Minute PHN Postgame: Penguins Shuffles, DeSmith Great in SO Loss

PHN Editor-in-Chief Dan Kingerski gives the five-minute postgame wrap. The Pittsburgh Penguins overcame a sluggish start and outplayed the Detroit Red Wings. Backup Casey DeSmith was very good, too, but the Penguins lost 3-2 in the shootout on Friday night.

The game was the Penguins sixth in nine days. Following the long six-game road trip and compressed schedule, the Penguins have limped to their week-long break beginning Feb. 2. The team has lost the last two games in OT and SO to inferior opponents.

Detroit had lost 13 of their previous 18 games.

The Penguins were lifeless for the first 25 minutes, but head coach Mike Sullivan juggled the lines, including Evan Rodrigues with Evgeni Malkin and Kasperi Kapanen on the fourth line with Brian Boyle. Both new assignments sparked the players, but only Jake Guentzel scored for the Penguins.

Casey DeSmith was very good, and the newly constructed Penguins lines came to life, but they still didn’t get enough Grade A chances. The Pittsburgh Penguins’ point put them in first place in the Metro Division, one point ahead of the Carolina Hurricanes, but Carolina has four games in hand.