Costly Mistakes, Sloppy Play Continue to Plague Penguins in 4-3 Loss to the Islanders

There’s an old saying…close but no cigar. Well, that pretty much sums up another mistake-riddled Penguins’ effort last night during a 4-3 loss to the Islanders in Uniondale. Ditto during our recent 1-3-1 slide. We’re playing just well enough to lose. And shooting ourselves in the foot, but plenty, in the process.

Even the return of defensemen Kris Letang and Mike Matheson failed to stem the tide. If anything, they may have contributed to our misery. More on that in a bit.

The Islanders grabbed the lead midway through the first period on a goal by Penguin-killer Jordan Eberle, courtesy of a turnover in the neutral zone by rookie Drew O’Connor…a no-no against the opportunistic Isles. Eberle walked around defenseman Cody Ceci and beat Tristan Jarry, deep in his net, with a top-shelf backhander.

The Pens responded at 13:43 courtesy of a great bit of work by Pierre-Olivier Joseph. The rookie rearguard started and ended the play, head-manning the puck to Jake Guentzel before gathering in a return pass and ripping a shot past Semyon Varlamov from the left faceoff dot for his first NHL goal.

However, our guys continued to turn the puck over and the Islanders continued to pounce. This time Jason Zucker coughed up the rubber, again in the neutral zone. Again Eberle did the honors, this time from the doorstep as neither Matheson nor John Marino deigned to cover him.

Jarry had no chance.

Both goalies stiffened through an entertaining second period that saw the Pens outshoot their hosts, 14-10. With time ticking down Evgeni Malkin, playing like the “Geno” of old, forced a turnover at the Islanders’ line and worked a give-and-go with Kasperi Kapanen. Malkin rifled the puck past his countryman Varlamov from the left faceoff dot to draw the Pens even at 2-2. It was his first 5v5 goal of the season.

The Pens took their first and only lead of the night at 3:19 of the third period. With the top line cycling down low, Guentzel finished off a nifty backhand pass from Sidney Crosby.

Alas, our advantage was short-lived. Five minutes later Casey Cizikas skated behind the Pens’ net with Joseph defending. Letang inexplicably left his man, Cal Clutterbuck, to join in the pursuit, a bonehead decision even for a pee-wee. Left unattended in the slot, Clutterbuck took a pass from Cizikas and rammed it home to knot the score at 3-all.

Another back-and-gold blunder handed the Islanders the game on a silver platter. Teddy Blueger did the honors, shooting the puck into the seats at 16:15 to give the New Yorkers the only power play of the contest.

Once again, our watery penalty kill (72.2 percent) failed to hold up. Ryan Pulock fired a hard shot from the top of the left circle that trickled through Jarry’s pads. Anders Lee, uncovered by Letang and Chad Ruhwedel, knocked the puck home and our Pens out.

Puckpourri

The Pens outshot the Islanders, 31-26, and outhit them, 29-20. But New York won 54 percent of the faceoffs, including a critical draw that lead to the game-winning goal.

Our top line was a collective plus-five, with five points and 14 shots on goal. Bryan Rust led the way with eight shots on goal. Crosby is still without a 5v5 goal 11 games into the season. The “Two-Headed Monster” (Sid and Geno) have only one 5v5 goal between them.

Jarry stopped 22 of 26 shots. His overall save percentage of .857 is tied for second-worst in the league among qualifying goalies.

Jared McCann departed in the first period with a lower-body injury.

Opinyinz

Apparently I’m not the only one who thinks Joseph is already the Pens’ best defenseman. The “Old Two-Niner,” radio color man Phil Bourque, echoed those sentiments last night following P-O’s tally.

Joseph’s stats are glowing…a goal, five points, a plus-five, 11 hits, 13 shots, three blocks in seven games.

Let’s hope playing alongside Letang doesn’t ruin the kid. Despite his lofty status as one of the league’s elite defensemen, No. 58 continues to make decisions after 15 seasons that defy logic and fry the imagination.

The Bruins, Flyers and Capitals are gaining separation from the rest of the MassMutual East Division, leaving the Pens to slug it out with the Islanders, Rangers, Sabres and Devils for the final playoff spot.

Just my humble opinion. But if our future GM doesn’t step in and make some meaningful changes, we don’t make the playoffs. Our core is slipping and there isn’t enough production among the support players to make up the deficit.

And the defense… Don’t get me started.