Penguins Lose Winnable Game to Struggling Sharks Squad
It was a game the Pittsburgh Penguins needed to win, but somehow head into their bye week on the losing end.
The Pittsburgh Penguins entered their final game before their bye week with no real reason to come up with a loss.
Taking on the San Jose Sharks for the first time this season, even in their current state the Penguins are the far superior team.
The Sharks are in the hunt for the first overall pick in the upcoming draft and playing their second game in as many nights.
With all of that in mind, it’s becoming the Penguins way to give up the game’s first goal no matter the opponent.
That’s exactly how it started when the Sharks got on the board first just about a minute and a half into the contest.
Despite a struggling Penguins power play and a surprisingly good Sharks penalty kill, the Pens knotted the game.
Just eight seconds into the man advantage, Evgeni Malkin banked home a feed from Jake Guetnzel on his knees.
Sidney Crosby featured as the secondary assist on the goal to surpass Stan Mikita for 15th all-time in NHL scoring.
This spurred the Penguins along to swing the momentum into their favor and it helped lead to their second power play goal of the game.
This time it was Crosby from Malkin again eight seconds into the power play.
The Penguins lead didn’t last long enough, however, as in the closing seconds of the first period Erik Karlsson continued his dominant season by finding the back of the net to tie the game.
Goals in closing seconds are almost always paralyzing, and it proved to be as the Sharks took the lead again early in the second period.
It was an evenly matched affair as the second frame ticked away, and it really shouldn’t have been.
The Penguins had an answer for a moment, when Ryan Poehling continued to be a solid addition to the team with a short handed goal.
With the game tied at three the Penguins were hoping to start pulling away in a must-win contest.
The Sharks weren’t having any part of it as they scored late in the period to go up 4-3; they carried that lead into the second intermission.
It was yet another back-and-forth affair for the Penguins on home ice when Malkin notched his second of the night to tie the game at four.
The Sharks wouldn't go away as Logan Couture potted a gritty goal after catching the Penguins on a line change.
At this point even i the Penguins were able to come back for a win, would it be deserved?
It wouldn't matter as the Sharks held off the Penguins and were even able to slam home an empty netter.
To be blunt, the Penguins are in trouble.
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