Some nights, the hockey game looks more like a scripted product from the trashbin of the WWE writers’ room. The Pittsburgh Penguins lost their cool Thursday and will likely lose future Hall of Famer Evgeni Malkin for a few games as emotion got the better of everyone in a 5-1 loss to the Buffalo Sabres at PPG Paints Arena.

The bad news multiplied throughout the night. The compounding interest of the Penguins’ loss and yet another Columbus Blue Jackets win (4-2 over Florida), shrank the Penguins’ playoff cushion to just three points.

And Malkin is likely facing suspension for becoming unhinged. In the first minute of the second period, Malkin slashed Buffalo defenseman Rasmus Dahlin once before taking a second whack–an overhand chop that hit Dahlin’s helmet and shoulder.

For his transgressions, Malkin earned a minor, a five-minute major, and a game misconduct. The Sabres took a 2-1 lead on the resulting power play, but the visceral frustration was just beginning.

The Penguins were clearly on the wrong side of the referees on Thursday as yet another goaltender interference call went against them. Coach Dan Muse challenged Buffalo’s second goal because Buffalo forward Josh Doan went to the crease, contacting goalie Arturs Silovs without prior contact.

Yet again, and almost inexplicably, Muse’s challenge was unsuccessful. But not only did he lose his seventh goaltender interference challenge of the season, but the delay of game penalty gave Buffalo a 5v3 advantage.

However, Muse was unapologetic.

“My view is on this goalie interference because their player skated into the blue paint, made contact with our goalie, which affected the play, which is the rule. He came in, and he made contact,” Muse said with the utmost clarity. “Afterwards, there’s a little bit of push. (Doan) initiated the contact in there. So, by the rules, that’s goalie interference. I still feel like it’s goal interference, and it seems like it changes day to day right now.

“And so people can maybe question some of the challenges I’ve made, there’s been some that have been lower percentage. This one, I thought was pretty clear.”

All of the Penguins who spoke to the media ripped the review and the totality of the calls this season, which have exclusively gone against them, as forcefully as they could without emptying their wallets.

Silovs called it out.

“Oh, he touched already, prior to (Letang’s) push. So I don’t know what they’re not seeing. Like, yeah, I have no idea. It always goes against us,” said Silovs. “Like, we challenge, we lose. We (get) challenges for our goals. It doesn’t matter. Yeah, I feel like too many PKs. I don’t know, they just give them too much. Like, everything. So, it’s hard when they change the momentum of the game.”

Just as the crowd and the Penguins bench were working into a frothy lather, referees Furman South and Brandon Blandina called a few more penalties in rapid succession, including one on Buffalo center Ryan McLeod, which negated the two-man advantage. But then, seconds later, a delayed call on Ben Kindel negated the Penguins’ power play.

On the delayed call that took away the Penguins’ ever-so-brief power play a few minutes into the second period, Buffalo’s Alex Tuch scored–technically a shorthander–for a 3-1 lead.

The course had been set. The Penguins had lost their composure.

“Yeah, maybe a little bit. You know, we disagreed heavily with (the call). It is what it is,” said Karlsson. “You know, we were sour for a bit. And unfortunately, we just couldn’t hang in there after that. We dug ourselves a little bit too deep a hole to get back in the game.”

Penguins game operations needed only put the referees on the video board, and the paying crowd rained boos and anger upon them.

TV cameras caught Penguins defenseman Kris Letang yelling at the orange bands, “What are you guys watching?” Of course, Letang inserted more colorful language, too.

So, the game operations showed them a couple more times for fans to vent, while the Penguins’ bench had direct access to voice their displeasure. Following the failed coach’s challenge, Muse showed more anger than he’s shown all season, turning red.

The emotion in the building stopped just short of wadded-up beer cups being tossed in the ring as Rowdy Roddy Piper or Jake Paul did their villainous best.

Like Karlsson, Muse also admitted the team let the situation get to them, but also said the team regained its emotional footing.

“Yeah, I think shortly after, there could have been some of that. I mean, if that’s what (the players) are saying, and that’s how they’re feeling. I thought, as you got to the end of the second period, though, there was some good there, too, in terms of the way the guys were working,” Muse said. “I didn’t think there was quit. I thought we created some opportunities at the end of the second … It’s a different field going into the third period.”

The wild game even featured three shorthanded goals, two by Buffalo and one by Penguins’ winger Bryan Rust, who tied the game 1-1 in the first period.

Though it was too late. Buffalo, which is increasingly a buzzsaw this season, not only protected their two-goal lead but also continued to outplay the Penguins for most of the game.

Without Sidney Crosby, who remains out for another few weeks with a lower-body injury, and without Malkin, who was tossed in the first minute of the second period for his Paul Bunyon routine, the Penguins just didn’t have enough to overcome the power plays, several posts, and the frustration that enveloped them.

There’s little to no question that Malkin is facing a suspension. His only saving grace might be the lack of heavy impact or injury to Dahlin.

Of course, Karlsson’s joke in the locker room was funny because it was true.

“Maybe Kyle (Dubas) will help us out,” Karlsson said before making sure we knew he was joking.

Friday is trade deadline day.

Penguins Report Card

Team: F

It wasn’t necessarily a bad start. Nor did the Penguins play terribly in the first period, but the game got away from them, and they became too volatile. For the first time, coach Dan Muse lost his temper on the bench.

“We played 61 games right now, and I think overall, we haven’t had many of these,” Karlsson said. “So we’ve just got to wash it over, look it over, and move forward. We got a big game again on Saturday.”

The Penguins also won only 19 of 46 faceoffs (40%) Thursday. Once again, only Noel Acciari (5-4) had a winning record. Some puck possession without fighting for it would do the Penguins a world of good.

The Penguins are now 2-2-1 without Crosby. They’re probably going to be without Malkin for multiple games, too. Defenseman Kris Letang isn’t playing well, either.

It’s a bad moon rising.

Arturs Silovs: B+

Buffalo scored four goals on 25 shots against Silovs, but none were particularly his fault, including Josh Doan’s unprompted contact.

He made the saves he needed to make to keep the Penguins competitive, even as the team unraveled.

Egor Chinakhov: C

Chinakhov was one of the few Penguins visibly pushing in the offensive zone. He clanged the crossbar on one shot and fought through the Sabres’ stick checks for additional attempts.

However, he was also a minus-4. He was turned around in the defensive zone, which allowed Owen Power to step into the left circle with more time than a defensive should ever have to score Buffalo’s fourth goal.

Ben Kindel: C

Kindel’s presumptive pass back to the point on the Penguins’ first-period power play was essentially a turnover and led directly Buffalo’s first shorthanded goal. Kindel did not have a shot on net.

It feels wrong to lay any criticism on the rookie, but he’s in the NHL for a reason. The Penguins needed him Thursday, but he had only one shot attempt.

Tommy Novak: F

The game Thursday was a moment in which Novak could have asserted his bonafides as a No. 2 center, and someone to be relied upon. He had only two shot attempts, none on net, and was not a factor.

Toronto Situation Room: F

Did Letang contact Doan on the goalie interference? Not really. Doan went to the crease, unfettered. No help, no force. He contacted Silovs before Letang made contact.

In this case, the overhead view was a little bit misleading, as it showed Letang’s forearm in contact with Doan. The ice views showed Letang applied only light pressure, but it was after the disputed contact.

Simply incredible.

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