That’s It, Penguins Wave White Flag in Dispirited Loss

PHILADELPHIA — And that is just about it for the Pittsburgh Penguins (23-28-9). With just 22 games remaining on the NHL schedule and the NHL trade deadline approaching like a scythe-wielding cloaked monster, the Penguins looked every bit like a team that has accepted its ignominious fate.

Their surrender was painfully obvious when they allowed a pair of goals within 10 seconds late in the second period to the no-better-off Philadelphia Flyers (26-26-7) in a 5-1 loss at Wells Fargo Center Tuesday.

The Penguins have lost four in a row, including the first three out of the break, allowing 19 goals in the process.

“It’s hard to win when you don’t manage the puck, you turn it over in the wrong areas of the rink, and you don’t win a puck battle in any zone,” said coach Mike Sullivan. “For me, it makes it hard to win.”

Even Penguins captain Sidney Crosby played a little bit of casual defense on the Flyers’ fifth goal as the Penguins could keep up the facade of believing no longer.

There was a little something not in the air. The normally angry Philadelphia crowd that greets the Pittsburgh Penguins and Sidney Crosby lacked a little hate. Even the NHL’s No. 1 anthemist, Lauren Hart, didn’t seem to have the same spark.

Never fear, the Penguins’ old habit of allowing a goal on the first shot of the game reappeared for the first time in weeks as starter Alex Nedeljkovic let Philadelphia defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen’s (4) one-timer from the left circle sneak through the five-hole at 3:56 of the first period.

“The guys in front of us are playing really well. I mean, it wasn’t a 6-1 game. You put anybody else in the net tonight and it’s probably–I don’t know if we win, but it wasn’t 6-1, I tell you that,” said Nedeljkovic. “So, I don’t know. We’ve got to find a way to be better than that.”

With the echo of the overamplified music echoing in the arena, not even the unhinged mascot, Gritty, could inject life into the building. Fortunately for Philadelphia and unfortunately for the Penguins, a dejected effort spotted the Flyers a couple of early goals, which were more than enough.

It was the 10th time this season the Penguins have given up a goal on the first shot against.

Philadelphia claimed a 2-0 lead on another terrible Penguins sequence. The Flyers transitioned out of the defensive zone, but the Penguins’ forwards lagged behind.

A three-on-two became a two-on-one when Penguins defenseman P.O Joseph confronted Flyers puck carrier Jacob Pelletier in the neutral zone but didn’t stop the play. Two quick passes later, Noah Cates (11) beat Nedeljkovic from the left circle.

The Penguins found a little spirit in the second period. At 6:09, Michael Bunting completed the alley-oop pass to Philip Tomasino, rushing toward the net. Tomasino (8) quickly settled the arching pass in stride as it landed some 15 feet from the net and swooped past Flyers goalie Samuel Ersson with a backhand goal.

However, with a better Penguins effort came more mistakes. The Penguins allowed a few rush chances midway through the second period. After one big miss by defenseman Jamie Drysdale from the right circle, the Flyers regrouped and counterattacked again. This time, the scrambled Penguins forwards and defenders watched helplessly as Tyson Foerster (16) blasted another goal past Nedeljkovic from the left circle for a 3-1 lead at 11:55.

The downtrodden Penguins could neither keep up their elevated effort nor hide their crumbling mental state. Philadelphia scored a pair of goals 10 seconds apart late in the second period.

“I don’t think that we played particularly good today right from the start, and it obviously wasn’t our best night out there,” said defenseman Erik Karlsson. “It’s unfortunate. Hopefully, it takes a long time before it happens again. You know, it’s one of those nights where we didn’t feel like we had much of anything.”

Chaotic defensive zone coverage, which left winger Michael Bunting as the net-front defender, led to an easy rebound goal by Cates (17), his second of the game at 18:55.

However, 10 seconds later, the Flyers salted the game and the Penguins season when the Penguins offered nary a challenge to any of the Flyers’ touches, leading to an easy zone entry by Cates ahead of Crosby. His hard net-front front pass hit Bobby Brink (8), who was battling Joseph in the crease.

The Flyers stepped it up a notch in the third period. Owen Tippet (17) converted a short tap-in for the sixth goal at 6:06 of the third. Flyers fans were increasingly excited by embarrassing the Penguins, as “we want seven” chants broke out.

The Penguins mustered only 23 shots. Ersson stopped 22 of 23.

Penguins Notes

Tough Penguins forward Boko Imama was the only player not available Tuesday. Imama participated in the full morning skate, but it was his first team activity since suffering an injury before the season break.

Sullivan made a few lineup changes in the second period, moving Cody Glass from fourth-line center to second-line RW and switching his D pairs to include Joseph with Erik Karlsson and Matt Grzelcyk with Kris Letang.

Nedeljkovic stayed in the game. He stopped 32 of 38 shots.

Brink had a career-high four points (1-3-4).

Joseph was a minus-4. Danton Heinen and Erik Karlsson were minus-3.

(Starting) Penguins Lines

Rickard Rakell-Sidney Crosby-Bryan Rust

Anthony Beauvillier-Evgeni Malkin-Danton Heinen

Michael Bunting-Kevin Hayes-Philip Tomasino

Blake Lizotte-Cody Glass-Noel Acciari

Defense

P.O Joseph-Kris Letang

Matt Grzelcyk-Erik Karlsson

Ryan Shea-Vincent Desharnais