The Calgary Flames came into Pittsburgh Saturday afternoon on a seven game losing streak, 1-9-1 in their last 11 games and were starting a goaltender in Joni Ortio who is more of an ECHL caliber goaltender than an NHL level netminder.
As Ortio looked lost in giving up a fluke goal 30 seconds into the game, this one looked like it would play out as a blowout win by the Penguins.
Yet, things didn’t play out that way. The Penguins held leads of 1-0, 2-1 but could never carry the play. Sidney Crosby scored 30 seconds into the game, Calgary would tie the game at 1-1, a 1:28 later.
Sidney Crosby would put the Penguins up 2-1 in the second period with his second goal of the game and 28th of the season, Calgary would tie the game again, a 1:29 later.
When Mark Giordano netted his 16th of the season at 6:53 of the second period in making it a 2-2 game, Pittsburgh could never get control of the game.
The Penguins mustered just 14 shots through two periods and there was just no urgency from the club all game.
“For whatever reason, we didn’t have the desperation and the urgency that you need,” Sidney Crosby said. “Sometimes that happens, but there’s no excuse for that because we need points. We’re in a huge playoff race right now. We can’t accept that. We’ve got to be better.”
Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan called it a missed opportunity in failing to gets two points against a bad hockey club.
“We missed an opportunity today. I think if we’re going to climb in the standings like we want to, we have to string some in a row. Today was disappointing because I think our team is better than that,” said Sullivan.
What played out in this one was the Flames playing the type of game that gives the Penguins trouble. They were very physical with Pittsburgh below the dots and along the wall and forced the Penguins to take a lot of outside shots.
Calgary had 24 blocked shots.
Management sure feels the Penguins were being pushed around or have been pushed around at times with the call up of Tom Sestito this morning who is with the team in New Jersey.
The Penguins now enter a nine game stretch against Metropolitan Division opponents. Despite the Flyers pulling within three points of Pittsburgh for the final wildcard spot, the competition is so average below the Penguins, the Penguins are really going to have to implode down the stretch to miss the post-season. It’s difficult to imagine that happening.
But, what continues to stand out with this hockey club is the same trajectory they’ve been on all season when it comes to their winning percentage. It’s very rare that a team hovers all season around the seventh or eighth seed in the conference( which is where the Penguins have been), finishes there, and somehow starts knocking out many of the top teams in the post-season.
The Penguins in the 2008-2009 season went from 11th in the East to finishing fourth in the conference in a matter of seven weeks by going 18-3-3 in their final 24 games. You have to peak at some point.
Yes, the advance analytics crowd that seems to pumping the Penguins up as a serious threat in the East might be on to something, but I’d leave it as the Penguins being a potential dangerous team that can cause a scare if the stars shine than a legitimate threat to win multiple rounds that some are making them out to be.
There’s no proof with this hockey club that they have the consistency in them to go out and win four out of seven games against the top teams in the Metropolitan or even in the Atlantic Division where going in as the top wildcard would likely have the Penguins having to go through the surging Lightning in round 1.
Not all but a few select players in that room seem to be seeing it, notably Patric Hornqvist who was again very critical of the Penguins performance on Saturday.
The final month of the season will be telling for Pittsburgh. To read this insider news, subscribe to get “Inside Access”!
wow, sestito is calling out dubinsky now. it’s about time somebody is going to stick up for letang and crosby. you guys know nothing of the psychology of playing hockey. i guess it was a bad idea when dave semenko played with gretzky too.
Farnham.
I guess neither do the 30 NHL Gm’s that deem him an AHL player. Oh, and Farnham.
Why does everybody think Sestito is smart enough to goad Tootoo into the fight? Sestito sticked Tootoo in the balls and wanted to fight. Tootoo is 5’9″ compared to 6’5″ Sestito. He didn’t want to give Sestito 1 second to square up and get his gloves off. Tootoo accomplished exactly what he wanted to, Sestito didn’t outsmart anybody.
LMMFAO… yes jackhole… lets reference a goon from 30 years ago when the game was far different and there were no shackles on players policing themselves… just before scoring on the rush disappeared. I had no issue with Sestito last night… he did well in goading Tootoos stupid ass into a fight and we responded. That said it may have also been coincidental. As long as he can do those things without hurting the team I am fine with him in but we could miss some scoring punch and he could hurt us with a silly move here and there…… Read more »
Didn’t get to watch the game today. How did Schultz look? Borque said he played solid. No big defensive breakdowns, which is more than I can say for most of our defensemen on most nights. You’d think that if he looks decent and we sign him, there’s no way Pouliot ends up in our organization next year.
Gayjoy will be gone
I actually think Schultz looked decent, but Cole looked like he struggled some today. As far as his future, $4 mill is a big cap hit for a 5/6 defenseman. They only gave up a 3rd which is a reasonable price to give up on a rental imo.
Schultz was alright. Made some good plays despite some obvious jitters… I was pleasantly surprised with him engaging the Devils physically at points. It’s only one game but I think with the pressure off he can go out and work on his game. I would love to see how he responds vs a team that gets ugly right away before I hand him a permanent spot in the line up.
why hasn’t sestito been on this team all season?
Because he’s not good.
Sestito and Farnham. That’s where this team went wrong.
Sestito looked like garbage and got his face beat in when he challenged tootoo for a fight and never got his gloves off.
You really don’t understand the game do you Dustin? You mean when Seistito got Tootoo to take an extra penalty and the pens scored on the PP? 1-0 early lead on the road. Ya, guy was worthless tonight.
Straight garbage
I like how being slow and incompetent now equates to “drawing a penalty.” Him drawing a penalty in this instance is the equivalent of Maatta high sticking his teammate and the referee mistaking it for the forward’s stick. What a “role!”
Stanch, your take confirms once and for all you dont actually watch the games you only read the box score. “Crosby didnt score, he sucks.”
Yeah – sure. Whatever you want to go with. I’m sure me and everyone else was waiting with baited breath for the oncoming opinion of the “Fleury is the problem” guy. We get it – Fleury holds the team back,and they need more cement heads. Noted. Thanks for the input. Now go suck another dick.
he may not be a good hockey player, but he was excellent in his role. he crushed a defenseman on his 1st shift which is actually very important in hockey and as wmal said below, he did get tootoo to take and extra penalty and the pens scored on the PP. it’s the NHL. you NEED a goof.
He didn’t get Tootoo to take an extra penalty. Since he’s roughly a 300 lb gorilla, he merely couldn’t get his gloves off fast enough because, as you’d think only his skating was uncoordinated, his entire being is uncoordinated, and thus, he got his ass kicked by someone half his size. So, if that’s to be rewarded, hey – keep up the good work. The beauty part of guys like this mongrel is that it takes them longer to put their uniform on than the amount of playing time that they get. Hardly seems worth it.
Stanch didn’t realize you were a Pussy too
Surprised Babcock didn’t ask for Sestito when he fleeced the Pens
babcock got rutherford to take that absurd cap hit off his hands. babcock won that deal.
Did anyone tell Shanny and Lou that Babcock is making deals behind their backs?!?!
Why does Sam call himself chubby? Thats weird
And then pretend he plays for the team. Talk about delusions of grandeur. Ball hockey tricks!
I like the wildcard, becaue it protects from a shitty 4th place team making it over a more deserving 5th place team in the othwr division…..but the situation we have now is what I don’t like. Pitt would play TB, while Det would play Wash. The NHL should do something about this to protect the inter divisional playoff series if 4 from each division makes it.
Whats wrong with playing a team from another division?
Nothing if you have a 1-8 seeding…i think if you’re going to have a format that is designed to have teams from the same division play itself, and you have 4 from each division make it, you do it.
Maroon and mcginn suckss guys
Those are 2 guys I would’ve love to have on pens top 2 lines instead of that chubby with his big fat stolen paycheck
I doubt your paycheck is that big, chubby
Maroon has 28 goals in 208 games and Mcginn has yet to put up 20 in a season and you relentlessly complain about Kessel who has 20 already this season. Your streak for idiotic posts has been accumulating for years now.
Wow typical clown that gets hypnotized by numbers put by Kessel. Maroon and mcginn don’t need to score 30 40 goals. All u need is those bodies gives the big hit and take them and play the dirty area something that can be useful for thi team in the playoffs something that chubby can never provide even in his wildest dreams
You guys think shero will get his BJ from TK tonight
I bet youre twisting your nlpples to the thought of it.
No need to know what you do when you are exited slob
I stay inside when twisting my nlpples. No need to leave.
By far Rust was the best player out there really liking this guy every game he is present and gives his all deserves to play on second line. Take that thief chubby off that 2nd line already
America.
Man. Everyone is gone. Is this the Prudential Center or Le Mausolee Bell?!
Consol Retirement Center.
No national article pointing out 2 for 1 deals in Pittsburgh that I can find. Let me check again….nope.
http://www.cbc.ca/m/sports/hockey/nhl/canadiens-poor-play-bell-centre-1.3432921
You are a typical brainwashed media sheep. I told you clown that day Montreal had a huge freezing rain how possible is people leave game after first whistle you dumb certified clown
Was it rain or was it frozen?
Another typical bandwagon making excuses for his bandwagon fan base.
Is chubby even at the game today?
Probably in San Diego with Sid and Maloni looking to give more blow jobs.
Maybe he was with npl since npl just joined here.
Greater % of scoring chances start in the defensive zone… The rush is dead 😉
What a bad call on mattaa
Are the pens tired yet?
Remember you asked if the Pens were tired of todays game? Instead of tired for todays game. Then went back and edited it because you function on a preschool level. Classic same. Dumbshit.
Finally bonino the fraud shows up vs a shitt team let’s see when is chubby ‘s turn
Pens are stupid if they don keep Cullen next season wanted this guy since 10-11 season when he first signed with wilds
You wanted John Cullen.Big difference. And I’m still waiting on answers to these trade questions. Why won’t you tell us where Zatkoff got traded? And I thought Malkin is supposed to be in Russia?
I am sure gaydogg is In his living room jerking off over TK
Why would I be doing that? I’ve never been a fan of TK, not surprised you’re to dumb to follow along though.
I’m also not the one who can’t hold his load while talking about another man.
This game is as quiet as a funeral home. I am sure if npl that fat fuckk farts he can make more noise than this Jersey crowd
A lot of buildings go quiet when the home team is down early you fucken jackass
Such as the Consol Retirement Center
2 for 1 sale at Le Mausolee Bell!
Malkin finally scored oh wait another power play goal. Trade crosby and letang. For stan and trade fleury. For Yoda.
Ya… You know how they went 1 for 14 on the PP while he was out. We needed him back dipshit
That one was five on five jerk face
What did Time say? Malkin clowns. score stupidd bandwagons
I think kingpuck just blew it in his pants.
I guess same was right about sid scoring 2 goals yesterday
Who didn’t see that coming? Sid always shows up against the bad teams, the good teams are a different story.
I’m still wondering who Zatkoff got traded to. Same must have the inside dish.
Heard he joined Ladd Hudler in Florida.
Good for you, we lost… To a shit team. It’s almost irrelevant. Wanna see him shoot and score vs good teams down the stretch here
Hagelin out today
Riveting
http://www.cbc.ca/m/sports/hockey/nhl/canadiens-poor-play-bell-centre-1.3432921
I like how the scalpers have to seel tickets 2 for 1 just to get people in there. Bunch of bandwagons.
Penguins suck again. Thanks D!