The Pittsburgh Penguins did everything they could to get a win against the best team in the league, the Washington Capitals, on Saturday.
It just wasn’t enough.
Despite 56 shot attempts, the Penguins lost 4-1 to the Capitals in a well-played game. They were down 2-0 at the start of the third period and had control of the game for much of the evening.
Bryan Rust scored midway through the third period to make it 2-1 and the Penguins had some momentum. But Kris Letang took a penalty with just over four minutes left in regulation, and Pierre-Luc Dubois scored on the resulting power play for the Caps.
Brandon Duhaime scored an unanswered goal to seal the victory.
Even though the Penguins came up short, there are still plenty of positives to take from the game – including the performance of their new goaltender.
Joel Blomqvist conceded three goals on 31 shots – none of them bad goals – and he made many big saves to keep the Penguins in the game, including one on a shorthanded Tom Wilson breakaway in the third period.
“He was great,” Rust said. “He kept us there until the end of the game. He made some big saves in some crucial moments. Obviously he’s a really good goalkeeper so I’m sure he’ll continue to build on that.”
On the other hand, Logan Thompson played well and Rust’s goal ended a shutout streak that had spanned over 160 minutes at that point. The Penguins managed 19 shots on Thompson, but the Capitals blocked 18 more attempts and thwarted all second-chance opportunities, making it difficult for the Penguins to get too many prime looks.
“They play hard,” head coach Mike Sullivan said. “They play a straightforward game. They are big and strong. They defend hard. It’s a tough game when you play against them. They are a good team.”
Here are some thoughts and observations about Saturday’s loss:
– The Penguins’ penalty kill continues to be a major problem right now.
Sullivan said there were some contested faceoffs where they could have done a better job, including one that led to Dubois’ goal. I also don’t see the same level of aggressiveness in their killings that was evident when the unit was in full swing.
They constantly give in. Clearings are missing. They don’t box out opponents in the soft areas of the ice.
They have conceded 10 power play goals in their 12 games since the holiday break. Their PK has plummeted from seventh in the league to 14th in a short amount of time, and the unit’s personnel simply can’t get the job done.
It’s easy to scapegoat a man, but it’s not that simple. Defenders and strikers are currently equally responsible for the unit’s deficiencies.
– The Capitals are such a good defensive team. This loss wasn’t due to a lack of effort from the Penguins.
The Caps simply don’t give up anything in their own zone. The Penguins controlled the game for most of the evening. The Capitals had periods where they restricted the Penguins in their own zone, but Pittsburgh probably deserved a better fate.
They have great defensive structure and clog up the passing and shooting lanes. They rave about their own net front and allow very few second chances. They have great support in their breakouts and the speed at which they get from end to end.
I’m still not convinced this team is as good as their previous results suggest. But they’re a really good hockey team, and when you look at their goaltending tandem and their defensive play, it’s not hard to see why they’re at the top of the league.
– Letang and Anthony Beauvillier both received inexcusable penalties in this game.
Letang’s final penalty came in the offensive zone, and it’s simply not a penalty a veteran player should take when trailing with four minutes left in regulation. He pinched unnecessarily and to get back into the game he received a tripping penalty.
As for Beauvillier, he passed Matt Roy from behind in the final seconds of the second period, and the resulting scrum ended with the Penguins on the PK early in the third period, trailing by two at that point. To be fair, things should have been more even – as Michael Bunting was awarded a rough penalty that for some reason went unmatched – but it was still a poor penalty to take at a crucial moment in the game.
Bunting and Fehervary start roughing. Beauvillier to stumble.
With 16.8 seconds remaining in the second minute, the Caps face the power play. The #LetsGoPens Trailing, 2-0. This kill is a must.
Beauvillier can’t take that penalty there. https://t.co/1pUvkKKkxq
— Kelsey Surmacz (@kelsey_surmacz4) January 19, 2025
Given their PK issues, this team needs to play smarter and more disciplined if they want to win hockey games.
– Still, I thought the second line would fly tonight. Evgeni Malkin had his canter and his skating on show all night long. Bunting was just as committed as Beauvillier, despite the ill-advised penalty. Beauvillier set up Malkin wonderfully from deep in the second period and gave him a great chance, which was thwarted by Thompson.
I think this line should stay together. But I have to say that sooner or later Malkin will have to back up his strong play by putting pucks in the net.
– Something is wrong with Sidney Crosby.
During the Penguins’ loss to the Seattle Kraken on Tuesday, he took a strong cross-check from Adam Larsson and left the ice for a while in response. He also took care of his wrist on the bench at one point during Friday’s win against the Buffalo Sabers.
I’m not here to suggest or speculate anything regarding Crosby and injury. I don’t have any more information than the average person. But he just seemed a little off tonight, which may or may not be related.
– Although Rust has struggled defensively this season, he is having a wonderful season offensively.
He has now scored 19 goals and 37 points in 41 games, which equates to one point per game. I talk about Rickard Rakell a lot – and with good reason – but Rust has been as reliable as can be offensively this season.
And what a drag that was, stripping John Carlson.
– I won’t spend much time on this, but I think Matt Grzelcyk should be out in place of Erik Karlsson in six-on-five situations. I see the value in having Karlsson out there as he is excellent at holding down the offensive blue line and has excellent vision.
But Grzelcyk’s determination, simplicity, quick passing and ability to move the puck on the power play make me wonder if he would excel in those situations as well.
– The Penguins will likely need to win at least three, preferably four, of these final five games on the long road trip to stay right in the thick of the playoff race.
The Los Angeles Kings – who they play on Monday – are an extremely good team on home ice, going 14-2-1 in their building. They then have four very winnable games against the Anaheim Ducks, the Kraken, the San Jose Sharks and the Utah Hockey Club.
You have to give your best in all these encounters. If they play like they did against the Capitals, good things should happen to them.