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Takeaways: Another Game Blown Late Calls For Changes As Penguins Fall To Vegas, 3-2
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- Takeaways: Another Game Blown Late Calls For Changes As Penguins Fall To Vegas, 3-2
If this movie seems familiar, well, that's probably because something similar just happened three days ago.
For the third consecutive game, the Pittsburgh Penguins controlled play late only to fall short, losing 3-2 in regulation to the Vegas Golden Knights when Tomas Hertl scored a power play goal with 32.8 seconds remaining on the clock.
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Hertl's power play goal - his second of the evening - came after the Penguins had a five-on-three power play opportunity for a minute and 22 seconds and failed to convert. They were 0-for-6 on the power play, while Vegas was 2-for-4.
Special teams was the difference in this one. But just like they fell short to the Montreal Canadiens Saturday in a back-and-forth affair , and just like they blew a lead in the literal last second against the Utah Mammoth Thursday before losing in overtime, the late losses - however they're happening - are becoming a bit too much of a theme as of late for the Penguins.
"We've got to get the job done," head coach Dan Muse said. "Taking a penalty right after that power play, that's tough timing, but we've got to get the job done, whether it's situations like that, whether it's five-on-six, whether it's five-on-five. Those are big moments defensively where we have to find a way.
"Sometimes it's just getting the puck out, sometimes it's getting stops, sometimes it's getting the clears, sometimes it's getting a block. I don't think it's something [that's] the exact same thing every time. But, the bottom line is we have to be resilient in those situations. And, so far this year, it's been too many times where we haven't been."
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Despite play being pretty even for the first 40 minutes, Hertil converted on a first-period power play opportunity to make the game 1-0, and the score remained that way until the third and final frame.
And, all things considered, the Penguins were the much better team for the final 20 minutes.
They came out flying to begin the period, and they were rewarded early on when they won an offensive zone faceoff - something that's been an issue for the Penguins as a whole - and Spencer Stastney dished it to his defensive partner, former Golden Knight Kaedan Korczak. Korczak threw the puck toward the net, it hit a skate, and Tommy Novak was there to pick up the loose change and tie the game at 1-1 for the Penguins.
Pittsburgh continued to pressure in the minutes that followed, and they finally got the go-ahead goal when Novak passed the puck to Rickard Rakell, who was making his way across the net-front. He put a nice finish on his fifth tally of the season and fourth game in a row with a goal to give the Penguins a well-deserved lead.
The Penguins kept coming after the go-ahead goal, but as they have done time and time again, they blew their lead less than a minute and a half later. While pressuring in the offensive zone, Ben Kindel faked a shot and allowed a puck to squirt back to Kris Letang, who whiffed on a one-timer. The puck, as a result, went right to the tape of the speedy Trevor Connelly, who took it all the way back down the other way on a breakaway and beat Arturs Silovs in highlight-reel fashion to tie things back up at 2-2.
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Still, the Penguins kept the pressure on, leading to a power play with a little more than four minutes remaining. During the kill for Vegas, defenseman Brayden McNabb got nabbed for high-sticking, which gave the Penguins the two-man advantage for nearly a minute and a half.
And, well, the rest was history. The Penguins failed to convert, and Vegas did not when they were rewarded a late power play on a Novak tripping call. Again, special teams was the difference, but the Penguins know they need to lock down late in games to turn what are close losses into close wins.
"I think, it's like... the game is there," said Silovs, who was solid again with 20 saves on 23 shots, none of which he could have stopped. "I think there's a lot to like. The game can go either way, and it went the opposite way.
"But, I think we're really close to breaking through."
Takeaways: Spooky Defensive Zone Play Dooms Penguins In 5-4 Loss To Canadiens
Here are a few takeaways after another tough loss:
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- It's getting tough to keep beating the very dead horse, so to speak. But, once again, Declan Carlile was at the epicenter of blown defensive coverage that led to goals against. And, as was the case against Montreal on Saturday , that happened twice and led directly to goals against.
On Vegas's second goal, Letang was already pinching, and understandably so. He was gearing up to take a one-timer that he, ultimately, whiffed on. But there should have been coverage at the top of the zone, right?
Nope.
Instead of remaining high in the zone with Letang pinching, Carlile chose to chase Connelly, who did a 180 the other way much faster than Carlile was able to get back and recover on. Boom, a goal against.
On the power play goal at the end? Yes, it was a power play goal, but Carlile's man was Hertl at the net front, and he let him just walk behind him and get set up to redirect the puck into the back of the net uncontested. Boom, another goal against.
Unfortunately, it's becoming a nightly occurrence at this point where Carlile's lapse in defensive coverage is leading to goals against. He is a team-worst minus-10, and it's a completely earned minus-10.
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Left defenseman Jake Livanavage was just recalled from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (WBS) Tuesday , and the 22-year-old has done a pretty darn good job so far in the AHL and earned his opportunity to get a look. Quite frankly, he should absolutely be in the lineup when the puck drops against the Boston Bruins on Thursday.
Even if Livanavage isn't a defensive stalwart - he's alright in his own zone, but nothing special - the Penguins are at a point where it's probably better to watch a young guy with promise figure it out at the NHL level, even if there are a few blunders.
Their current blue line is costing them hockey games, and even though it's not all on one singular guy, he's been a little too largely responsible lately.
Penguins Recall Young Defenseman After Hot AHL Start
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- Egor Chinakhov is getting chances. He's helping generate chances. He's playing a 200-foot game. He's covering high for defensemen. He's getting some looks.
But, at some point, he needs to start producing.
Chinakhov has two goals and four points in 11 games this season. He just signed a three-year extension worth $6.25 million annually. Yet he has the same amount of points as Blake Lizotte and less points than Hendrix Lapierre, Nick Robertson, and Connor Dewar, all of whom have played mostly bottom-six roles this season. Carlile, Letang, Korczak, and Sam Girard all have more points than him, too.
He's missing the net far too much on the shots he does take, and he's taking less shots than he did last season. It's not as if Chinakhov is playing poorly because he's not.
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But the Penguins paid him to score goals. If they're going to turn things around, it's not just the defense that has to step up. They need some of their regular producers to do their part, too. Rakell has found his game, so it's Chinakhov's turn to find the back of the net.
- Speaking of Rakell , what a turnaround it has been for him in the last six games.
He went from having no goals and two points in his first nine games to five goals and seven points in his last six games. And three of those goals have been game-tying goals, while the one Tuesday was the go-ahead goal.
It's safe to say he's found his form again, and he and Sidney Crosby seem to have found that long-lost chemistry that they were missing to start the year. Novak has begun to gel nicely on that line in the past couple of games, too.
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It's big news that the first line is finally getting going. And Rakell has been, arguably, the biggest reason for that in recent games. And the crazy thing is that he's still missing the net with frequency, meaning he and Crosby could have even more points.
It's good to see he's found his game again. If things don't turn around quickly for Pittsburgh, I suspect he'll be getting interest on the trade market.
'I'm Still Learning So Much': Rakell Continues Growth As Leader, Player Later In Career
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- Again, the Penguins play Boston Thursday, and this is a team that continues to surprise.
A year after they were expected, like the Penguins, to be a lottery team and made the playoffs instead. Now, they're leading the formidable Atlantic Division at 11-4-1 with 23 points.
The Penguins are 5-8-2 with 12 points and are tied with the Philadelphia Flyers and Columbus Blue Jackets in the basement of the East.
These teams are about as far apart as can be right now. A win Thursday could do wonders for team morale.
If there is a such thing as a must-win game this early in the season, Thursday is it. The Penguins hit the road for another Western swing after that, so they need to go into that on a high note if they have any hopes of turning their season around.
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- The Penguins wore their new Hometown Remix jerseys for the first time Tuesday.
I like them a lot. And they looked even better in action.
Reactions: Penguins Reveal Hometown Remix Jerseys
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