Penguins Fumble Finale, Fall to Islanders, 5-4

In many ways, last night’s 5-4 season-ending loss to the Islanders was an all-too-fitting microcosm of the 2023-24 campaign. One that began with great hopes and expectations but ultimately ended in disappointment.

Following a sluggish start, our Penguins skated circles around our hosts and were…to my eyes…the much better team. However, staying true to form, we took the lead on two separate occasions but couldn’t sustain them due to defensive gaffes and lapses in judgment that would make a pee-wee team blush.

For good measure, we had a would-be goal overturned (albeit legitimately) and lost a subsequent coach’s challenge that led to an Islanders power-play goal.

In other words, business as usual. Or Penguins hockey, if you prefer.

As I’d mentioned, we somewhat predictably and understandably slogged out of the starting gate and quickly fell behind on a goal by Islanders horse Brock Nelson. By my unofficial count, our hosts racked up a 12-5 edge in shots on goal over the first dozen minutes or so. But Alex Nedeljkovic, looking poised and sharp, kept us in the game with a number of big saves and we gradually took control.

Ninety-one ticks before the first-intermission horn, Michael Bunting collected a brilliant short chip off the boards from Evgeni Malkin and fed Rickard Rakell on the rush. RikRak lasered it past Ilya Sorokin for his 15^th goal of the season.

Juices flowing, the Pens snagged the lead at 6:14 of the second period on a power-play goal. After walking the line, Erik Karlsson fed a sharp diagonal pass through Bunting’s legs to Sidney Crosby at the left circle. Sid took a couple of strides and wired a hard pass to Malkin stationed at the back door. Geno adroitly steered the puck in with his skate.

We appeared to take a 3-1 lead moments later when Valtteri Puustinen burst behind old friend Robert Bortuzzo and torched Sorokin. Alas, Puusti was about a mile offside on the play. Daniel Briere-in-the-2012-playoffs offside.

Granted a reprieve, the Isles knotted the score at 2-apiece on a Casey Cizikas redirect at 13:19. The goal had scarcely been announced when Puustinen picked Mike Reilly’s pocket in the slot and buried it for his fifth goal of the campaign.

Again, we had a lead. Again, we couldn’t hold. While killing a penalty late in the period, Bryan Rust botched an attempted outlet pass to Jeff Carter who was flying the zone. The Isles pounced, culminating in a marker by Kyle Palmieri.

Adding misery to our misfortune, our coaching staff challenged, claiming Bo Horvat played the puck with a high stick prior to the tally. Upon review, the goal stood and we were issued a bench minor. On the ensuing power play early in third period, the puck bonked off the left skate of penalty-killer Ryan Shea and in.

Four-three Isles.

The stage was set for the most heart-warming moment of the contest. While working on a mid-period power play, Crosby spotted Carter at the edge of the crease and hit him with yet another back-door pass. Big Jeff directed it home for his 11^th goal of the season and the final tally of his illustrious career.

Predictably, the big guy was mobbed by his teammates in celebration.

As they say, all good things must come to an end. The Isles buckled our d-zone coverage once again, leading to the game-winner by Simon Holmstrom at 14:27. Leaving us wanting once again.

Perhaps an appropriate way to end our star-crossed season.

Puckpourri

We dominated the shot-based stats according to Natural Stat Trick, enjoying a decided edge in shot attempts (87-60), shots on goal (44-32), scoring chances (45-36) and high-danger chances (20-13).

Crosby collected two assists to finish with 94 points. In the process, tying him with former Rangers and Bruins great Jean Ratelle and Teemu Selanne for the most points ever by a 36-year-old.

I’ve run out of superlatives to describe Sid. Only wish his super-human efforts could’ve been rewarded with a playoff berth.

Malkin collected a goal and an assist, giving him 27 goals and 67 points for the season. Highly respectable output for a 37-year-old. Finishing strong, Geno tallied nine goals and 19 points over his last 19 games. A point-per-game clip.

For his career, No. 71 sits just two goals shy of 500 and two helpers short of 800 assists.

The wheels might not be what they once were. But Geno still has the hands.

LOVE the way Bunting plays and what he brings to our team. The scrappy winger’s always around the net and he’s more skilled than anyone gives him credit for, as his 19 points in 21 games with the black-and-gold will attest.

Karlsson and Kris Letang each played a full 82-game slate (as did Sid and Geno) and compiled Sergei Gonchar-type numbers. EK65…11 goals and 56 points…Tanger 10 goals and 51 points.

My goodness can Puustinen shoot the puck. I’m hoping for more of that next season.

Shout-outs to Rust (28 goals, 56 points), Drew O’Connor and Marcus Pettersson (plus-28) on their terrific seasons. Lars Eller, too.

I was a little surprised to see Ned get the nod in goal. Anyone looking at his stats…five goals allowed on 32 shots, an .844 save percentage…would think he played poorly, but that’s not the case at all. Man, do we need to shore up our team defense. Better decision-making would help, too.

Carter announced his retirement. Count me among those who were dead wrong about Jeff and what he could contribute. The aforementioned 11 goals, 62.5 percent on faceoffs, and team bests in shorties (two) and game-winners (four) all speak to his effectiveness in a reduced role.

Bon voyage, big fella.

It rankled me that Islanders heavyweight Matt Martin tried to engage rookie Jack St. Ivany, while Bortuzzo and Cal Clutterbuck repeatedly roughed and cross-checked Eller midway through the third period with zero retribution. (It’s good we didn’t retaliate…Carter scored on the ensuing man-advantage.)

I know it didn’t have the slightest bearing on the outcome and I’m a dinosaur for thinking the way I do, but I wish we had a guy to handle that kind of stuff. (Sign Jagger Joshua plug.)

We finished fifth in the Metro with a record of 38-32-12 and 88 points. League-wide, we placed 19^th overall. Our end of the season hot streak, while valiant, cost us our first-round pick in the upcoming draft. (Do you know the way to San Jose?)

Speaking of end-of-the-season runs, I predicted we’d go 3-17 in our last 20. We went 10-6-4.

It’s going to be an interesting summer.

A special thanks to the players and staff for providing an entertaining season of hockey and for giving their all in ways that none of us can fully appreciate or comprehend.

Win, lose or draw, our Pens are never boring.