Penguins Offense Falls Flat in Loss to Kraken
The Pittsburgh Penguins' winning streak came to an end in tough fashion against the Seattle Kraken.
PITTSBURGH – The Pittsburgh Penguins entered their battle with the Seattle Kraken riding a three-game winning streak and looking to keep their playoff hopes alive. Coming off a massive win over the Vancouver Canucks, the Penguins arrived in Seattle with an unchanged lineup.
With under 30 games remaining and seven points out of a playoff spot, every game for the Penguins will be a must-win. One big issue for the Penguins in Seattle is that the Kraken were bringing their best as they were in a similar must-win situation.
First Period
The Penguins got off to a solid start, taking an early 7-1 lead in shots and dominating the early portion of play. Despite the early onslaught, the Kraken found the back of the net first.
A shot from a Kraken blue liner ricocheted straight up in front of Tristan Jarry, but Oliver Bjorkstrand was the first to find the loose puck. The Penguins were playing in desperation mode and were dominating play but had to play from behind.
The Penguins failed to capitalize on a power play chance near the end of the first period, forcing them to enter the second period down by a goal.
Second Period
No goals were scored by either team in the second period, but it felt like much of the same game. The Penguins dominated in shots on goal and carried much of the pace of play but couldn’t capitalize.
The Penguins couldn’t find the net at even strength but also let two more power play opportunities slip away. Entering the third frame, the Penguins were behind but just one shot away from making things interesting.
Third Period
The Penguins have shown plenty of fight in their recent games, and they would need it again in Seattle. Reilly Smith started the game on the first line next to Sidney Crosby but was bumped off in place of Drew O'Connor to start the third period.
The third period passed the midway point, with the Kraken finally capturing their own momentum. Jarry held strong, however, keeping the Penguins within quick striking distance.
Lars Eller took a penalty with just over six minutes remaining to give the Kraken a late power play chance and possibly seal a loss for the Penguins. The Kraken took advantage of the opportunity and took a late 2-0 lead.
The Penguins had their chances of offense but could not finish all night. They pulled Jarry for the extra attacker in hopes the offense still had a pair of tricks up their sleeves.
No conversions were had and the Kraken sealed a shutout win over the Penguins ending their winning streak. The Penguins playoff dreams are still alive, but each loss makes things so much more difficult.
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