Penguins Room: Letang Says They ‘Kind of Lose Our Mojo’ (+)

The Pittsburgh Penguins have lost three of their past four games, all in regulation.

Those setbacks have prevented them from taking a more secure grip on an Eastern Conference playoff berth, but with a rematch coming up Monday with one of the teams with which they’re fighting for a spot in the postseason, they have to try to generate some positive momentum quickly.

“You have to find a way to turn the page quick, and focus on what’s ahead of you,” Kris Letang said after the Penguins’ 5-2 loss to New Jersey at PPG Paints Arena Saturday. “You just need to focus and grab the points we need to have.”

The Penguins started strong against the Devils, and took a 1-0 lead 3:33 into the first period on an Evgeni Malkin goal. New Jersey pulled even just 80 seconds later, however, and the Penguins seemed to lose momentum as the game progressed beyond the opening period.

“It looks like sometimes when it doesn’t go our way, we kind of get discouraged,” Letang said. “Kind of lose our mojo, or whatever you call it. It’s tough to lose when you start well and you’re playing well.”

The loss to the Devils was the Penguins’ eighth in a row inside the Metropolitan Division; they are 0-5-3 there since beating the New York Rangers Dec. 20.