Penguins Roll Snake Eyes, Crap Out in Vegas

Playing a high-stakes, on-ice version of craps last night at T-Mobile Arena in Sin City, our Penguins did well on the first few rolls of the dice before tossing snake eyes and crapping out in the third period. In fact “crap” is an all-too appropriate metaphor for how we played during a desultory final 20 minutes.

Although we didn’t slay any dragons (or knights for that matter) in the first period, we played well enough. After finding our sea legs following a four-day layoff, we took control in the second.

Just past the nine-minute mark Ryan Graves took a short pass from defense partner Erik Karlsson and drove through the vacated left circle. After selling shot, the rangy defender appeared to be going for a wraparound, but instead flicked the puck off the back of goalie Logan Thompson’s leg and in.

Nice, heads-up play by Graves, resulting in his third goal of the season and a 1-0 lead.

The locals continued to push the play and were rewarded five minutes later. On the heels of an extended cycle, Sidney Crosby fired off a bullet from the slot. Thompson made the save, but the rebound took a fortuitous foray out to Marcus Pettersson at the right point. The Dragon moved the puck to Sid on the half wall and our captain immediately fed sidekick Jake Guentzel. Jake beat Thompson with a wicked snipe from the top of the right circle to make it 2-zip.

With our guys pretty much in complete control, I confess I had a repeat of our 3-0 victory over the Kraken dancing in my head. Alas, never count your two points before they hatch, especially with this bunch.

And so the Vegas comeback (or more appropriately, black-and-gold collapse) began at 5:18 of the third period. With Pettersson and Guentzel crumbling like a couple of dynamited old casinos at the edge of the crease, Jonathan Marchessault jabbed the puck past Tristan Jarry.

The goal had barely been announced on the PA system when Vegas struck again 94 seconds later. Making like Graves a period earlier, Chandler Stephenson skirted Pens defender Kris Letang and slipped a centering pass in the direction of the net. Paddle down, Jarry angled the puck into the slot and onto the waiting blade of Pavel Dorofeyev. With Pettersson once again flailing in front to no avail, the Golden Knights’ forward ripped the puck home.

Just that like, our seemingly secure two-goal lead went pffft.

With our Pens taking on water faster than the Titanic after the Royal Mail Ship struck the berg, you knew it was just a matter of time. Aided, of course, by the requisite dumb slashing penalty issued to Malkin a short time later. Although our foes didn’t convert with Geno in the box, they did a mere nine seconds after he was released from the sin bin on rookie Brendan Brisson’s first career goal.

We still had 10 minutes and change to mount a comeback, but managed just four shots on goal in what can best be described as a dissolute half period.

To have two points virtually in the bag, only to fritter them away?

Let’s face it…this one stings.

Puckpourri

Stats-wise, it was a rare game where the opposition had the high ground, according to Natural Stat Trick. Vegas had the edge in shots on goal (29-25), scoring chances (28-25) and high-danger chances (10-7). Shots attempts? Even at 58-apiece.

Tough to fault Jarry on the first two Vegas goals. But Brisson’s game-winner? You need your goalie to make a big save there and staunch the bleeding. Something Jarry doesn’t seem to do often enough at crunch time.

Although Crosby, Guentzel and Malkin each collected a point, our stars did not shine in Vegas. In keeping with the nautical theme, Sid’s line was underwater (44.83 Corsi, 20.63 xGF%). So was Geno’s (42.86 and 27.20 respectively).

Speaking of forward lines, in a typical case of Sully-itis our third line of Lars Eller, Colin White and Valtteri Puustinen was our most effective…and the least used. Sullivan’s unwillingness to allow players ice time to develop, in this case Puustinen, has hurt the team in more than one instance.

Need proof? Sam Lafferty (10 goals, 20 points) has developed into a bottom-six stud in Vancouver. Sam was averaging 8:43 of ice time and mired deep in Sully’s doghouse when the Pens traded him in 2022. With the Canucks this season, he’s averaging a comparatively robust 12:36.

If a young player isn’t exactly what Sullivan wants, our coach seems to have little use for them.

The fact that the Golden Knights were missing key players Jack Eichel, William Karlsson, Shea Theodore and starting goalie Adin Hill only serves to pour salt into the wound.

As for rubbing the salt in deeper? With the Flyers, Devils and Capitals all losers in regulation, we flubbed a golden (pun intended) opportunity to gain ground.

On Deck

The Pens (21-16-6, 48 points) travel to the Grand Canyon State to take on the Coyotes (22-19-3, 47 points) and old friends Nick Bjugstad and Jason Zucker on Monday.

Still miss “Zucks”…a lot. So does our team.

We’re three points out of the Eastern Conference second wild-card spot. Despite our 10-4-3 record since December 12, we’ve virtually made up no ground. It just doesn’t pay to dig yourself an early hole (ditch) like we did with our 3-6 start.