Was Pittsburgh’ 5-2 loss to the tanking Chicago Blackhawks Tuesday night the worst loss of the Sidney Crosby era?
Absolutely it is, unless the Penguins receive another gift from the New York Islanders Wednesday night and stave off elimination and go on to lose to the Columbus Blue Jackets in the season finale…………That would be something.
Let’s hold off for a day on writing the Penguins obituary until the team is officially eliminated, but as all of the criticism and out-rage is on Ron Hextall as it should be in a number of cases, we’ve reached the point where it’s utterly ridiculous that Mike Sullivan goes unscathed. Said it prior to the trade deadline, the Penguins have a roster and a system problem. Instead or prioritizing
Sullivan has become so stubborn in his ways that there is evidence for months now he is just not the right guy for the next phase of this organization in trying to be as competitive as you can in Sidney Crosby’s final years and toeing the line of embracing younger players.
The Penguins in their 5-2 loss to the Blackhawks can again pat themselves on the back for dominating shot-attempts, possession time, ect, but here we are again where the team can’t finish. There’s a reason for that. And that always comes to the style of forward Sullivan believes in to play his rush system the best. The Penguins just don’t have enough blue-paint forwards and the system is so predicated on the d-men being #2 and #3 options off the rush.
How the coaching staff has never adapted systematically through now 80+ games remains’ a great mystery. Not to sound like a broken record but the organization in wide agreement made a decision last summer to get heavier on the backend. Yet, they’re running the same system as if they acquired two more Mike Matheson’s instead of the reality of having a cone on the ice in Jan Rutta. It’s insanity.
The Blackhawks sunk the Penguins in the third period by scoring twice in a 26 second span as the game quickly went from 1-1 to 3-1. The Andreas Athanasiou bank in goal felt like a season-ender. The leadup to the goal was everything that has held the Penguins back this despite the glaring holes they have.
System and Goaltending.
- In a classic rinse and repeat of the Penguins system, three forwards are deep on the forecheck and of course Brian Dumoulin pinches on less than a 50-50 puck and the Blackhawks are off to the races for a 2-on-1 led by the speedster Athanasiou.
- Tristan Jarry makes initial save than stumbles and gives up a crushing goal in a situation that what his Penguins career has become. He’ll get you .920 save percentage and a few All-Star appearances but when you really need him in high pressure situations, he’s just not the guy.
Hextall Out, Sullivan to mutually Exit?
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Defense- Move 1 sign UFA defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov LHD 27 making $2.8 million…give him Dumoulin’s money at $4.1 He is strong, physical, good skater, good first outlet pass, always has a good stick and in the passing lanes , and will stick up for his teammates Move 2 Trade Jeff Petry and sign Matt Dumba RHD 28 and give him Petry’s contract and maybe a little more. These two moves your getting better playing for talmost the same cap space. you still have a lot of cap space becuase Dumba will want $6.5 $ 7 million moving Petry clears $6.25… Read more »
The Penguins have over $ 21 million in cap space and the actual cap goes up $ 1 million so with good decisions. moves, and trades the Penguins will be right back…this is a great wake up call..missing the playoffs Hextall needs to go along with Burke. Sullivan is still one of the top 5 coaches in the NHL. You can’t teach Talent or heart with the Penguins lacked severely this year. Inconsistent goaltending that 3rd goal Jarry gave up vs the Blackhawks typical. You don’t have a 3rd or 4th line all year…that is a problem…no system can fix… Read more »
Penguins were trying to make playoffs at the trade deadline
Hextall got #7 #64 and#13. U get these players for help yet they were all injured at some point. And how many games #13 and #7 played. Good job hextall
Trade everybody but crosby and letang
Honestly i don’t feel bad at all for the penguins they deserve not to make the playoffs
With garbage goalies
They had games in hand in playoff position they drop them
They lost vs habs 3 times. Hawks 2 times sharks canucks ducks there is more
And probably they will lose tomorrow too
Don’t forget Detroit twice as well….LOL
at least sid won’t have to suffer another concussion
How are pens doing since fleury left
Lol. The saint was a backup when he left the pens, he accomplished nothing after he left the pens, and he’s backing up currently. Who cares about a backup goalie who is like 40 years old. Hahaha
That backup goalie made sure penguins were in the playoffs every year. That back up goalie made sure murray looked good while he carried the team in the playoffs
How is fraud Murray doing?
The only goalie that is a bigger fraud than murray is dipietro. Thats still getting paid till 2028-29
Didn’t they just beat Fluery like a week ago..LOL
I Agree 100 percent!!!! Hextall should be fired by the morning an Burke. An Sullivan right behind him. This organization needs to make major changes this off-season. The defense, the goaltending is horrible. The bottom 6 is horrendous. They need to add some youth to the lineup also. But praying they make some big changes. Maybe them missing the playoffs was a Good thing an force some serious changes
Hextall should go tomorrow! Sullivan right behind him.
Don’t forget Burke…
Id love penguins go after galand
40 mins left at the habs vs islanders game
Looks like penguins will be golfing soon
Fire Hextall an Sullivan thanks