Flaccid Penguins Blow Lead in Finale, Bow to Blue Jackets in OT

Pathetic!

That was the single adjective I used in my game notes to describe our galling 3-2 come-from-in-front overtime loss to Columbus last night. My reaction to watching Sidney Crosby, Jake Guentzel and Kris Letang lollygag off the ice on as lazy a line change as you’d ever want to see, in the process virtually ceding the entire Nationwide Arena ice surface to Johnny Gaudreau and his teammates.

Taking full advantage of our largesse, “Johnny Hockey” crept up the ice like a thief in the night, snagged a home run pass from Adam Boqvist and beat Tristan Jarry for the OT winner. Plunging the final dagger into perhaps the most disappointing season (and team) in Penguins history.

I realize our guys had nothing to play for and were probably suffering from a king-sized letdown (of their own making), but talk about going through the motions. SHEESH! You’d think pride alone would’ve spurred our guys to a greater effort. After all, they are professionals. But no…

Make no mistake, this is a bad hockey team. I wrote in a comment the other day that our problems are pathological and they are. It’s the same pattern…the same mistakes…played out over and over and over again with metronomic precision. Like a never-ending nightmare.

Last night’s fiasco perfectly followed the script as surely as if it were etched in cement. We grabbed the early lead on Letang’s power-play goal at 4:28 of the first period. The Jackets countered early in the second period on an imminently stoppable long-range shot by defenseman Andrew Peete. The Pens retook the lead at 3:53 of the third period on Guentzel’s power-play goal.

And then we hit the self-destruct button.

Dmitry Kulikov (hooking), Mikael Granlund (holding) and Alex Nylander (high sticking) went to the sin bin in a virtual parade of careless penalties, handing the Blue Jackets chance after chance. Emil Bemstrom cashed in on a back-door play with Nylander in the box to knot the score at 2-2 with 3:25 left in regulation. Setting the stage for the overtime debacle.

Let’s review. Penguins take lead. Penguins blow lead. Penguins fritter away points.

Check. Check. Check.

That’s Penguins hockey, folks, vintage 2022-23. It’s enough to make your eyes bleed.

I couldn’t wait to change the channel and watch the Pirates game. At least those guys give a darn.

In closing, the Pens need more than a transfusion of new blood. They need a heart transplant.

Puckpourri

The Jackets had the edge in shot attempts (62-58), scoring chances (35-27) and high-danger chances (17-14). We somehow had the better of the shots on goal (36-34).

No fewer than four Blue Jackets made their pro debuts last night.

Marcus Pettersson and Drew O’Connor returned to our lineup. Josh Archibald and Jan Rutta sat out. Bryan Rust exited after the second period.

Speaking of ailments, Jarry revealed afterward that he’s been playing through multiple injuries, which explains a lot.

Letang (1+1) reached the 40-point mark for the 10^th time in his career. He finished with 41 points. Rickard Rakell tallied his 60^th point of the campaign with an assist on Tanger’s goal. Guentzel finished with a team-leading 36 goals, including 20 in third periods.

Ryan Poehling flashed his world-class speed, but failed to score on two wraparound attempts, one with a wide-open net. Can you say clank? Shades of Rico Fata and Konstantin Koltsov. Until his hands catch up with his feet, he’ll remain a question mark in my book.

On the OT winner, you could see the shock register on Boqvist’s face as he looked up and saw nary a Penguin between him and Gaudreau.

According to an article by Dan Kingerski on Pittsburgh Hockey Now, both Letang and Jason Zucker were angry following the loss. Nice to know at least someone besides me was po’d.

On Tap

Nothing, thank the Lord. Yesterday I felt badly for our guys for missing the playoffs. But after last night’s dog of an effort?

We deserved what we got. Or in this case, didn’t get.