Penguins One-Timers: Shots, Awful Special Teams, Common Themes (+)

NEW YORK — The series is tied 1-1. The Pittsburgh Penguins looked like the slower team but were not without chances. The New York Rangers were a blur of color whizzing around the offensive zone. Ultimately, the difference wasn’t speed but special teams, a fluky goal off a Penguins defenseman, and a few mistakes that allowed the Rangers to pull away.

On Thursday night, the Penguins zipped 41 shots at Igor Shesterkin yet lost 5-2 at Madison Square Garden.

The Penguin also gave up 40 shots in front of Louis Domingue, making his first NHL Stanley Cup playoffs start. If the Penguins are expecting Domingue to be the equal of Shesterkin, that seems to be a bad strategy. The same goes for Casey DeSmith, and even Tristan Jarry.

After two games, it seems the series will settle into several battles and several patterns. The Penguins have every bit the chance to win, as does New York, which is something not many predicted before the series. However, the Penguins can’t continue on several trajectories that emerged. The good, bad (special teams), and where is the offense beyond the top line?