The Pittsburgh Penguins have dug a pretty deep hole for themselves early in the season. Everything that could go wrong in October went wrong. After posting a .836 save percentage (SV%) in three games, starting goaltender Tristan Jarry was sent down to the American Hockey League (AHL). In his absence, Alex Nedeljkovic and Joel Blomqvist have stepped up; however, neither player is ready to carry the load of an NHL starting goaltender. The Penguins have also been struggling on defense, but the most concerning thing about their season has been their inability to protect leads.
Penguins Still Struggling With Consistency
Old habits die hard, and no one knows that better than the Penguins. They’ve been giving up leads late in games for the last couple of seasons, and it hasn’t improved. In the last two seasons combined, they lost 14 games after leading by two or more goals. This season, Pittsburgh has lost four games after leading by two goals.
In their 4-3 shootout loss to the New York Islanders on Nov. 5, Pittsburgh was the better team through 50 minutes. They were playing consistent hockey and defending well in their own zone. They were making smart decisions with the puck and had good offensive zone time.
However, in true Penguins fashion, they self-destructed in the final ten minutes of regulation against an Islanders team that was missing some of their best players, including Adam Pelech, Anthony Duclair and Matt Barzal. New York struggled to capitalize on their chances for much of the game and were not good in the offensive zone, but the Penguins still found a way to lose.
Towards the end of the game, they started chasing the puck, and they completely fell apart in the defensive zone. They took their foot off the gas and did not know how to reset after the Islanders scored late in the third period.
On Nov. 8, the Penguins looked like a different team in their 4-2 victory over the Washington Capitals. Washington tied the game 2-2 in the second period, but Pittsburgh held the Capitals to only six shots in the third period while also scoring the final two goals of the game. They played a solid defensive system and reaped the benefits.
Penguins Seem To Have a Mental Block
In the Capitals game, the score was tied going into the third period. The Penguins knew they had to score if they wanted to win – had they been leading the game going into the third, there’s a good chance they would have lost. More often than not, when Pittsburgh enters the final frame with a lead, they abandon their system and coast. They sit back and let their opponent back in.
Related: Penguins Trade Lars Eller to the Capitals for Draft Picks
At this point, it shouldn’t be about making changes on defense or shaking up the forward lines. The players simply have to play more responsibly. Deserting a system that has worked through the first 50 minutes and trying to bleed out the clock is not smart. The Penguins will face the division rival Columbus Blue Jackets on Friday and a struggling San Jose Sharks team the following night. The season is already looking bleak for Pittsburgh, and if they can’t fix this problem, they can kiss any glimmer of playoff hopes goodbye.
