Penguins Goaltenders Have Vanished Down Stretch
The Pittsburgh Penguins aren't getting the same kind of support from their goalies that they used to.
PITTSBURGH – What was once the Pittsburgh Penguins' strong suit, goaltending, has been a complete non-factor in recent weeks. The Penguins have seen their playoff odds dwindle to next to nothing since the calendar flipped to March, just as Tristan Jarry and Alex Nedeljkovic both took a turn for the worse.
In March, the Penguins hold a 3-8-1 record and have been outscored 52-31. Jarry has notched two of those wins but has also been pulled from duty in three of his last seven starts.
Jarry was putting together a great bounce-back campaign for most of the season. His record never really indicated it, but his .912 save percentage and six shutouts showed he could play with some of the NHL's best goalies.
However, March has been a completely different story for Jarry. He’s gone 2-6-1 with a horrendous .871 save percentage and 35 goals against. He’s been pulled from two of his last three starts, giving up 15 goals in the meantime.
At certain points in the season, it looked like Nedeljkovic could argue that a goalie controversy was brewing in Pittsburgh. Nedeljkovic was having his own bounce-back season and put up good battles with Jarry.
Through his first 19 games, Nedeljkovic had a 9-4-4 record with a .915 save percentage. Once again, March has felt like the kiss of death. Nedeljkovic has played six games but is credited with a 1-2-0 record and a .843 save percentage.
Head coach Mike Sullivan has stated before that it’s hard to judge the goaltending recently because the defense in front of them has been lack luster, but there’s something wrong.
Penguins defense has been spotty all season, but Jarry and Nedeljkovic were able to bail them out and were one of the main reasons the playoffs felt possible. Now that the defense remains suspect and the goaltending hasn’t held up, the Penguins are allowing a new level of goals against.
Goaltending has completely vanished at the worst possible time as the Penguins playoff odds continue to slip away. Reaching the postseason is still technically feasible, but it would take a quick and complete turnaround by everyone on the roster, especially the netminders.
Make sure you bookmark Inside the Penguins for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more.
- Subscribe to Inside the Penguins on YouTube
- Follow Inside the Penguins on Twitter: @InsidePenguins