3 Takeaways From Penguins Heartbreaking 4-3 Shootout Loss To Flames

The Pittsburgh Penguins stay winless on their highway journey by way of Western Canada, dropping 4-3 to the Calgary Flames on the Scotiabank Saddledome.

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Regardless of the sport going to additional time and a nine-round shootout, the Penguins did not rating the ultimate objective on a rookie netminder, Dustin Wolf, whereas their backstopper, Alex Nedeljkovic, could not make the final save.

To this point on this four-game journey, the Penguins have been outscored 10-6 and are on the season’s first three-game dropping streak.

There are in all probability 50 issues to debate from their newest setback, however let’s give attention to three for now.

A Damaged Document of Blown Leads

The Penguins have been shut out within the first sport of the season, so the primary time they’d an opportunity to get a lead and keep it got here in sport two towards the Detroit Purple Wings. After falling behind 1-0, they rallied for 4 straight objectives en path to a 6-3 win.

On Tuesday night time in Calgary, the Penguins had 2-1 and 3-2 leads and blew each of them, operating their new streak of blowing leads sooner or later to 6 video games.

This is a take a look at the numbers:

• Oct. 12 v. TOR: Blew 1-0 lead, misplaced 4-2

• Oct. 14 v. MTL: Blew 2-0 lead, gained 6-3

• Oct. 16 v. BUF: Blew 4-3 lead, gained 6-5 in OT

• Oct. 18 v. CAR: Blew 1-0 lead, misplaced 4-1

• Oct. 20 v. WIN: Blew 2-0 lead, misplaced 6-3

• Oct. 22 v. CAL: Blew 2-1, 3-2 leads, misplaced 4-3 in SO

In the end, when enjoying sports activities, the target is to outscore your opponents. Often, grabbing a lead early within the contest offers a workforce an edge, however within the Penguin’s case this 12 months, they’re nearly higher off rallying again towards the tip of the sport and attempting to get a game-winner with no time on the clock.

Followers will blame the teaching, the forwards, the defensemen, and the goalies, but it surely takes a complete workforce effort to get forward, keep forward, and keep away from letting opponents again into the sport. Sadly, it isn’t simply one among these excuses however a set that has led to a 3-4-1 report.

As Common, Subpar Goaltending

The fanbase rejoiced when Nedeljkovic got here again from his harm. Nonetheless, as the brand new man between the pipes, relieving Tristan Jarry and Joel Blomqvist from their duties, Nedeljkovic is not getting the job finished both.

All three goalies have made some nice saves to maintain the Penguins in video games, however proper now, solely Blomqvist has an SV% above .900. Nedeljkovic is enjoying catchup at .869 by way of two video games, and Jarry is attempting to upsell his commerce worth with a .836 SV%.

Nedeljkovic carried Pittsburgh by way of 9 rounds of the shootout on Tuesday, however he nonetheless had just a few holes by way of which the Flames obtained pucks previous residence. Irrespective of the way you slice it, the Penguins nonetheless lead the NHL in objectives towards, which might be one of many worst statistics any workforce ever needs to be related to.

Inform Me You Need the Coach Fired, With out Telling Me You Need the Coach Fired

The Penguins misplaced within the shootout, blew a few leads, and managed to outshot the second-best workforce within the Western Convention by a substantial margin, 38-25. Nonetheless, they did not register a single shot on objective till six minutes into the sport.

Sure, Pittsburgh utilized loads of strain on the teen Wolf and made him work for his shootout victory tonight. However the Penguins got here out flat once more and regarded lifeless to start out the competition, permitting the Flames to bop across the offensive zone.

As on-line hypothesis a couple of doable teaching change runs rampant, the Penguins regarded disinterested at first of the sport, taking ill-advised penalties and letting the opponent dictate the sport circulation.

Different opponents are going to destroy them sooner or later, kinda just like the Rangers did on opening night time, so both the Penguins must step up their sport and cease saying issues like, “Our aggressive degree was there,” or “We appreciated our vitality tonight” as a result of they’re sending everybody missed alerts.

Both they imagine in Mike Sullivan or are enjoying simply adequate to keep away from embarrassment and hope one other domino falls, resulting in a change. In the end, if administration finally pulls the set off, the blame will not be positioned squarely on the gamers as they proceed to development on a tremendous line.

Penguins & Flames Trivia Solutions

How did you rating in our Game Day Trivia quiz? Listed below are the solutions.

1. Marc-Andre Fleury, Johan Hedberg

2. Sidney Crosby

3. Mario Lemieux

4. Tom Barrasso

5. Joe Mullen, Jiri Hrdina

6. Al McDonough

7. Kenny Agostino, Ben Hanowski

8. Troy Loney

9. Ken Wregget

10. Three (Mullen, Jagr, Iginla)

Related: At What Point Do Penguins Replace Sullivan?

Related: Where is Tristan Jarry?