Sputtering Penguins Can’t Hold Lead, Fall to Islanders 4-2

Another game. Another loss to a Metro rival and with it a missed opportunity to secure some much needed points, to say nothing of momentum.

Wholly appropriate, since I feel like I’m documenting our death spiral.

For whom the bell tolls? It tolls for thee, Penguins playoff hopes. But I digress.

If our execution was lacking as it almost always is these days, there was nothing wrong with our effort during last night’s come-from-in-front 4-2 loss to the Islanders. A cookie-cutter defeat that perfectly bookended our third-straight regulation loss to a Metro foe.

Indeed, we started like a house afire, piling up a 19-7 edge in first-period shots on goal and continued to pour it on, launching 46 shots in all against the Isles all-world netminder Ilya Sorokin. We skated, we hustled. Heck, we even showed some fight.

We did everything but win. An all-too-common theme these days.

Our central issues remain the same. Way too many unforced errors. And while not for a lack of sweat equity on everyone’s part, too few guys hauling the freight.

How few? Since Brock McGinn last scored against Carolina on December 22, a span of two months and 23 games, the eight players who most frequently populate our third and fourth lines have combined for a paltry 12 goals out of the team total of 66. That’s roughly a goal every other game.

Five of those goals came from players who are frequent scratches (Danton Heinen and Drew O’Connor). McGinn, Josh Archibald and Teddy Blueger have combined for zero, zip, nada goals during that time.

Nor are we getting any help from our defense, which has combined for only 17 goals all season. You know when Brian Dumoulin, Marcus Pettersson and Chad Ruhwedel shoot the puck, it’s not going in (no goals combined). I’ll bet our opponents know that, too.

For the record, the Islanders aren’t what they used to be, either. But with three regulation wins in three tries, they’re more than a match for our Pens. Seems everyone is these days.

If there was a lone silver lining to last night’s loss, it was the return of Tristan Jarry. He made a number of big saves to keep us in the game, including a 10-beller on Zach Parise at the second period horn. Given the number of breakaways and odd-man breaks we allowed, the score could’ve easily been 6-2 had a goalie of inferior pedigree been stationed between the pipes.

Any hope we have on making the playoffs would seem to rest on Tristan’s shoulders, not to mention delicate health.

I hate to suggest this. But could our 15-3-2 run back in November and December represent the last golden stretch for a dying black-and-gold dynasty?

It’s beginning to look that way.

The Goals

The Pens drew first blood at 6:12 of the first period on a pretty tic-tac-toe passing play off the rush by the top line, culminating in Jake Guentzel’s 24^th goal of the season. Nemesis Brock Nelson knotted the score for the Isles at 5:19 of the second period off a 2-on-1.

We regained the lead seven minutes later on a power-play tally by Jason Zucker. Digging like a coal miner, the feisty winger batted home a Jeff Petry missile off the iron.

After Sorokin stopped Blueger on a breakaway to open the final period, goal-scoring machine Bo Horvat tied the game at 2-2 for the Isles at 8:34 with a sharp-angle snipe. Following a costly giveaway by Jarry, Anders Lee scored off a goal-mouth scramble two minutes later. Nelson tacked on an empty-netter in the final minute.

Puckpourri

The Pens had the edge in shot attempts (76-66), shots on goal (46-32) and high-danger chances (19-16). The Isles had more scoring chances (39-35).

It was a spirited game befitting a key divisional matchup, culminating in a wild 5-on-5 scrum at 17:15 of the second period. Zucker tangled with Matt Martin and engaged Isles heavyweight Ross Johnston in a heated verbal exchange. Evgeni Malkin battled Johnston and Ryan Pulock.

Zucker also laid a huge hit on Adam Pellech in the first period. Again, wish we had 10 more guys like him.

Size Matters

Over the weekend I engaged a commenter on another site in a lengthy debate about the virtue of size and physicality. While he pooh-poohed the notion that brawn and aggression are important elements, I insisted they are.

Interesting to note that two Islanders horses, Lee (6’3” 235) and Nelson (6’4” 210), have eaten us for lunch this season. The former has tallied five goals against us, the latter four.

Nelson has eight career goals against Jarry, the most of any player.

On Tap

The Pens (27-20-9, 63 points) host Connor McDavid and streaking Edmonton (30-19-8, 68 points) on Thursday night. Good luck with that.

We’re presently in fifth place in the Metro, one point out of the last wildcard spot.