Sound the alarm. Our slip-sliding Penguins are in a peck of trouble, and there doesn’t appear to be any easy solutions.
Yesterday, we built a seemingly insurmountable 5-1 third-period lead on the strength of three power-play goals, then watched it evaporate as the visiting Sharks pounded four goals past Arturs Silovs in a little over 10 minutes to send the game to overtime.
The inevitable collapse reached its nadir roughly three minutes into the extra stanza. Veteran defenseman John Klingberg eluded Sidney Crosby at our blue line and worked a give-and-go with Macklin Celebrini. With Sid totally out of the play, pretty much by his own accord, and two other frequent culprits on the defensive end, Kris Letang and Bryan Rust, offering scant resistance, Klingberg beat Silovs from point-blank range.
In the process, touching off a chorus of well-deserved boos from the 17,059 hearty souls who braved a snow storm to witness the debacle.
Somewhere, Rangers coach Mike Sullivan must be smiling a knowing smile. And we thought we had grave difficulty protecting leads under Sully! Child’s play compared to the near nightly collapses under the new regime.
Not to state the obvious, but hockey’s a team sport. There isn’t one single culprit in the team’s abject inability to play with and hold a lead, but myriad issues factoring in.
However, it starts with Dan Muse and the coaching staff, something he readily acknowledged yesterday in his post-game comments. I listened to the game on radio, and after Klingberg scored on the power-play to close the gap to 5-2, color analyst Phil Bourque suggested our rookie coach call a timeout to refocus his troops. Like a shark smelling blood in the water, no pun intended, the Ol’ Two-Niner sensed a disturbing shift in momentum.
Muse finally did call a time out after the Sharks made it a one-goal game, but by then the tide had irretrievably shifted in San Jose’s favor.
Puckpourri
The Pens’ shocking collapse obscured some positives. Rickard Rakell made his long awaited return, rejoining Crosby and Rust on the top line and sending Danton Heinen to the press box.
RikRak’s return had a trickle-down effect on the other lines as well. Tommy Novak centered for Anthony Mantha and Ville Koivunen. Justin Brazeau joined the no-longer “Kid Line” with Rutger McGroarty and Ben Kindel. Kevin Hayes dropped to the fourth line between Connor Dewar and Noel Acciari.
Crosby, McGroarty, Hayes, Rust and Mantha scored for the black-and-gold. Following a recent lull, the power-play converted on three of five opportunities.
Mantha and Rust paced the team with three-point efforts (1+2). Sid had a goal and a helper to close to within two points of Mario Lemieux for the all-time club record.
Acciari, Dewar and Kindel collected assists, as did Letang and Erik Karlsson.
Now for the bad, and there was plenty of that. Sid and Rusty each finished a minus-three, as did Parker Wotherspoon. His partner, Karlsson, a minus-two.
With 2:49 left to play and the Pens clinging to a two-goal lead, Rust stoved an empty-net attempt off the right post. He had converted, we likely would’ve prevailed.
Maybe.
He’s not an All-Star by any stretch, but newcomer Brett Kulak (hung up in customs) can’t arrive fast enough. Based on another porous outing by Silovs (.813 save percentage), ditto Stuart Skinner.
Where have you gone, Tristan Jarry?
In the meantime, Sergei Murashov has been recalled from the Baby Pens. He’s expected to start today against the Mammoth. Not to put too much pressure on the kid, but here’s hoping he can apply the brakes to our 0-1-3 slide.
Speaking of Wilkes, Matt Dumba cleared waivers and has been re-assigned to the Baby Pens.
In the “somewhere Sully must be smiling, Part Two” department, the Pens (14-8-8, 36 points) have tumbled into a sixth-place tie in the Metro with his Rangers, one point out of a wild-card slot.
Does Celebrini (three points including a goal) remind anyone else of a young Sid? He’s a special player.