Penguins Postgame: UNACCEPTABLE. Who to Blame for 5 goal 3rd period meltdown

What in the world do you call that? The Pittsburgh Penguins had a comfy, easy, coasting 5 to1 lead deep into the third period and they lose 6 to5 in overtime to the San Jose Sharks. I am Dan Kurski on the Pittsburgh Hockey Now platforms. No, believe it. It’s right there in print. The score sheet I should have had autographed by a few people because never again should anybody have to witness what the Penguins did on Saturday. They played extremely well for just about oh, I’d say 50 minutes and then they gave up four unanswered goals in less than 11 minutes, including two against the extra attacker. their six on five bugaboo with the empty net bit them with all the teeth of a great white Saturday. Now I have so many thoughts it’s going to be difficult to compose them all without a running teleprompter or a script. The same players continue to be at the center of the storm especially recently. Let’s start with goalie Er’s Sheiloffs. One win in his last 10 starts. Okay, a slump is one thing. Six of those have gone to extra time, including Saturday. And the Penguins have won zero of them. His save percentage is dropping like a stone. There were three pretty bad goals Saturday. They lost the goalending battle pretty pretty easily. There was the first goal, a 59 ft wrist shot by Tyler Tofoley. You’ll forgive me, some of these goals have blended together. And then as things began to get tense, San Jose made it five to three. Mlin Celabbrini from 45t away blasts it. Yeah. No. I’m sorry. That made it 54. Regardless, we’ll and we’ll get back to that Celabbrini goal. A guy shouldn’t score uncontested from 45 feet away. And the tying goal at 1832 of the third period. The first shot was a solid 35 maybe 40 ft from the back of the right circle behind me. Sheiloff served a pizza right into the slot and then sort of got scrambly, lost all position and technique trying to, you know, changed from left to right and just flailed at the uh the tying goal once again by Tyler to Foley. And then u yeah, as is custom around these parts, the Penguins lost in overtime. You can almost set your watch buy at death taxes. Penguins lose when it goes to extra time. At least it didn’t go to a shootout, right? So, we’ve probably laid a good bit of blame on Sheiloffs. There are a couple of players now, and it’s I’m going to put maybe the the bigger umbrella of blame on this one on coach Dan Muse. and he took the blame as well. Not specifically for the defense pairing I’m going to talk about, but he put uh some heavyduty blame on himself because it keeps happening again again and again. Four times in the last five games, the Penguins have indeed yielded a goal to the extra attacker. Now, the Tampa Bay goal five games ago was overturned. for the purpose of this discussion it becomes entirely relevant and germanine because it happened then as as well. So, if you want to just talk pure records and on paper, three of the last four games. Now, in the last two games, would you care to guess which defense pair was badly victimized and it’s not one of the regular pairings what Dan Muse has been doing, and it makes good sense. Scotty Bowman did, you know, did this. And lot a lot of coaches like to begin to mix and match their lines and defense pairings in the final minutes for defensive purposes. Except I’m not sure you can call pairing Chris Latang and Eric Carlson for defense. Um, you check out the Pittsburgh Hockey Now report card. Uh, I know some of you just catch me on YouTube. Go to PHN, Pittsburgh hockeyow.com, read uh the report card because we’ve got these screen stills. And in fact, I should probably insert those right now. You can see photo one, Latang and Carlson are to the side of the net. San Jose is around the perimeter. That’s where you want everybody to be. You’re fine. You’re set. Within a second and a half, however, one pass, two pass, back to the point. Carlson and Latang haven’t budged from their position, you know, two and three feet beyond the posts while two San Jose Sharks have come right to the crease. Whether they took away Sheilav’s eyes or Sheil simply missed that Celabbrini blast that made it 54 is probably immaterial. they the the two Sharks forwards can’t be allowed that kind of access that easy and yet uh the the Penguin star defenseman uh literally didn’t move their feet. One pass, two pass shot two Sharks right there. If there was a rebound, it clearly was also going right into the net. Now, Dan Muse, and I’ve talked about him not being encumbered by the past, and that’s a good thing in a lot of instances, giving a lot of players a lot more latitude to grow, expand, and really progress in their game. In this case, maybe uh being encumbered by the past might be a a good thing. understanding exactly that maybe those two shouldn’t be uh together because they’ve been paired three times this season. given up a goal in two of the three and nearly gave up a game tying goal in the third. In the second game of the season or I guess it was the third second win uh same thing happened and Jarry makes the save. They were on the ice for that Anaheim tying goal with 0.1 seconds where both made terrible defensive stands. and again on um Saturday. So when you’ve got a goalender giving up 60 ft goals, 45 ft goals that are just breezing by and giving up uh juicy rebounds, you’ve got a problem. When you’ve got defensemen who aren’t defending in the most crucial part of the game, you’ve got a problem. But there are bigger problems or or other problems as well. The Penguin’s inability to hit an empty net. the Penguins inability to close out a game in which they lead five to one. Uh at this point you can’t tweak a system at this point. You can’t say, “Okay, let’s try this.” Because we’ve talked structurally how Dan Muse has, you know, the manto man down low and the zone up top with the empty net. Uh the players are playing it whether it’s execution or schematic. a very loose soft we’re talking 10 ply charan soft zone once again take a look at the picture of the 54 goal which again you know happened with the extra attacker Penguins gave up two if I didn’t say that before so all of this and the Penguins yeah sure they they’ve got points in eight of their last 10 games but They keep losing and a loss is a loss is a loss. I talked to Brian Rust before the television cameras uh got there. Credit to Brian Rust and and I want to kind of go out of my way to praise the players uh courage uh integrity. Look, he he talked to a few media people. His media scrum was over, but I was over talking in the media in the Sydney Crosby media scrum. There was like three simultaneously. And so I after, you know, Sid was done, I kind of walked over to to Brian Rustin and said, “Hey, are you talked out?” He’s like, “Well, if you ask me questions, I’ll answer.” So I I did get, you know, ask a couple questions. And and he’s it’s embarrassing. And I said, “Well, you know, what what is going on?” He’s like, “Honestly, don’t know or I have no idea, but we have to figure it out.” When Dan Muse was asked pretty much the same version of of that question by someone else, his moment to gather himself and think about an answer became a longer moment. Became somewhat of a powerful silence by the Penguins head coach. A deafening silence. He didn’t rip anybody but himself. Boy, he sure could have. and and at this point they need to go to the drawing board. They absolutely need to figure out who and what and make some hard decisions because on several of these goals, the defenseman were spectators. They’re going to spectate. They can do that from the bench. And that’s my final word here in the uh snowy Pittsburgh. I drove to the game. I don’t know what I was thinking. I was running late, but uh anyway, maybe Stuart Skinner and Brett Kulak will be in uniform on Sunday against the Utah Mammoth. Maybe not. A lot of flights in and out of Pittsburgh Saturday evening are just being scrubbed off the board. So, even if they get their visas, you wonder I I don’t know if they’re in Pittsburgh or not. And I apologize if they’re already here just waiting for the paperwork or I if um they were in Toronto with the Edmonton Oilers just kind of waiting for the for the stamp there. And uh we’ll see what happens Sunday. This really can’t happen again or um heads might roll prematurely. So all right, that’s it from PPG Paints Arena on the Pittsburgh Hockey Now platforms. I’m Dan Kerki. Like, subscribe, and and comment away. In the meantime, have fun.

37 comments

  2. At 14 minutes into the third period I was thinking what a strong game Letang is having. Then he did a blind pass up the middle to a Sharks player, and they ended up scoring.
    That last goal saw the usual two on one with Letang not committing to either player. As usual, they skate past him, pass, shoot and score.
    As you say, at least he saved them going to the shoot out.

  3. Seemed to fall apart after the 5 on 3, team never settled down to regroup and just tried to hold on and pray… Sure Muse coulda used their timeout much earlier (instead used it to give San Jose a rest right at the end). But felt like he was overplaying the veterans in the 3rd, they were just tired… he could be relying more on the 3rd/4th line guys to close the game… First 2 periods let the veterans play with fresh legs, get those early goals, then allow the younger players to play the 3rd and close out the game for them… Seemed like the top lines got over-used too much towards the end.

  7. Only loser hockey teams give out so many points to bad or average teams. Nearly a third of their points are LOSER points. At this rate they will post a crappy 27-26-27 record. Mike Tomlin will be proud. Congratulations Pittsburgh, all three “professional “ teams will achieve mediocrity. If they are lucky. Ownership is the issue with all three. Welcome to the purgatory of some old, rich codger’s tax shelter. It’s all about greed.

  9. Much desperation and confusion if pairing Letang and Karlsson. Would be different if the Pens hadn't outplayed other teams in all these games only to completely fold and the end.

  11. Muse's coaching flaw is situational hockey. I thought he'd quickly adjust after that Ducks game disaster. You absolutely cannot be mixing up D pairs when defending a lead let alone pairing LETANG and EK together – two OFFENSIVE defensemen. He never uses a timeout either when the this team starts blowing their lead. Unacceptable at this level

  13. Trash is why you call it.. STOP ANALYZING THAT!! It’s sickening .. most importantly Crosby gave pussy effort in final goal.. blow this team up!! DO NOT BUY TICKETS TO THIS TRASH.. this is fraud.. they are stealing from fans

  14. I absolutely hate the post game where they say we played great for 45 minutes screw that.. DO NOT SUPPORT THIS FRAUDULENT ORGANIZATION.. do not buy tickets for this

    Crosby needs to go just as bad as Letang … Malkin also.. now get rid of this trash… I’m sick so sick of soft bullshit.. Crosby hurting his legacy

  16. It is very shortsighted to blame the goalkeepers.
    First of all, how many goals were the goalkeeper's fault yesterday?
    Secondly, you can bring in young or new goalkeepers, they not fix a problem. Probably others goalies just get are mentally hurt and humiliated as Silovs yesterday
    The Problem is core player age and also moodiness and lack of hunger for the game. Maybe we can't say that about Geno , Geno always hunger but Geno just allready old and slow for this fast and technical game.There's a good saying that "you have to know how to finish on top".
    The fish starts to rot from the head, and with Pittsburgh's problems, we have to look beyond the players, even beyond the coaches, to the management, where decisions are made.

  17. this team is simply crap ! this game was lost when dewar and karlson took stupid penalties in the 3rd period that greatly helped a shark team well on their way to defeat down in the score 5 to 1 with time running against them . rust stopped skating after missing an empty net when he might have been able to put in the rebound, then rust didnt make a play on the guy who scored the o.t. winning goal ! no good team ever gives up 4 goals in the 3rd period . karlson and letang should never be on the ice when protecting a lead , both are horrible defenders ! silovs should be dfa"d he is terrible , its musharov time ,he certainly cant be ANY worse than silovs !

  20. Heads should roll! All the talk about a horrible goalie again, all the talk about Letang and Karlsson is justified, but it’s every game. Same issues same problem. But no one wants to mention Crosby and Rust should not be on the line together, five on five these two do not work. Last year they were -30, every time the game is on the line and they’re on the ice together, they are fishing the puck out of the net. I understand, Sid is God, but the unwillingness to call out Brian Rust is absolutely crazy.

  25. people are going to talk about goaltending, but is it not embarrassing for the skaters? they also share a responsibility in all of this. you cant just let a game get away from you like that, bonkers

  26. I couldnt agree with you more Dan!! but lets have another conversation when Geno returns, Skinner and Kulak get here, and Lizotte and Hallander, and Caleb Jones get back into the line up, and Sid and Geno and Karlsson link up on the PP and get that look in their eyes. Praying for no injuries and that they find the correct order to assemble all the pieces so a very good team comes out of the grinder. I believe the potential is there……On a side note: If 58 plays today, the way he has the last two games, you may have to sit him…What say you?? . Ive always loved Kris so it pains me to say that.

  28. We dont expect Muse to "rip" anybody. He doest have to, just sit them down. Will he do that? Also notice this ugly streak is in direct correspondence to Lizzos loss. At least the last three games, last minute breakdowns.

  29. People should be losing jobs after that complete embarrassment but it's gonna get worse with the now trainwreck goaltender tandem of Silovs/Skinner. Dubas sold the fans magic beans trading Jarry for a goalie the two time SC finalists couldn't wait to rid themselves of. Only the Pirates could screw up a trade worse but not by much.

  31. As a sharks fan, I have to say: it's not about individuals doing this or not doing that, it's about karma, after the pens caused us to put a 0 on the board on the Oct 18th game in San Jose…. It's the way the world works.

  32. Don't forget to mention that Crosby and Rust had a combined 5 pts in the game but both were a combined -5 in the game. You have to play defense no matter who you are. The core should be held accountable also.

  34. Sports are out of politics!!! The team that will become the Olympic champion in hockey in 2026 will not be considered a real champion, especially since NHL players will participate in this championship! Why? Because the team that became the champion of these Olympic Games is only capable of sucking a big bitter lollipop from the Russian national team! Why? Because even during the Cold War, the Russian national team played against Canada and the United States, both in the USSR in Moscow and in North America. Why won't the winning team be considered a true champion in 2026? Because Alexander Ovechkin is the best of the best, Evgeny Malkin is the best, Sergey Bobrovsky is the best, Andrey Vasilevsky is the best, Nikita Kucherov is the best, Kirill Kaprizov is the best and the most expensive, Mikhail Sergachev is the best, Artem Zub is the best, Kirill Marchenko is the best, Matvey Myachkov is the best, Arseniy Gritsuk is the best, Vasily Podkolzin is the best, Valery Nichushkin is the best, Nikita Zadorov is the best, Ilya Sorokin is the best, Artemy Panarin is the best, Vladimir Tarasenko is the best, Pavel Buchnevich is the best, Alexey Toropchenko is the best, Andrey Svechnikov is the best, Dmitry Voronkov is the best, Ivan Barbashev is the best, Igor Shesterkin is the best, Pavel Dorofeev is the best, Ivan Demidov is the best, and many other Russian hockey players, they all play in the NHL. And when the time comes and the player of the winning team says: I am the Olympic champion in hockey in 2026 and shows the gold medal, everyone will know that he has a big, bitter, Russian lollipop in his mouth. Russia will survive, and the winner will be forever in this Spanish shame. There will be no Russian NHL players at the Olympic Games in 2026, which means that whoever wins is not the real champion. Remember this!!! Sports are out of politics!!!

  35. I hate that the losing team gets a point if they lose after regulation. The team point total should NEVER be inflated by a loss. I can only imagine the mental-health condition of hockey fans in Pittsburgh. Either blow the team up entirely, or move the franchise to some other sucker fan base.

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