The conversations around the Pittsburgh Penguins third line won't stop until somethings changes.
PITTSBURGH - The Pittsburgh Penguins are slipping below mediocre status with each passing game, as they drop their eighth straight to a Metropolitan Division opponent.
Overall, the Penguins looked limp in their 5-2 defeat to the New Jersey Devils, but the third line once again looked horrid.
How many times can we talk about how bad the third line has gotten? As many times as we need to until something changes.
Head coach Mike Sullivan is displeased with the idea of discussing the lines performances every game, but they’ve become appalling to watch play hockey.
“You guys ask me that question every day,” Sullivan said. “My answer is the same. They have moments when they’ve been good. They have some when they haven’t been.”
But, why is it Sullivan gets asked about the Jeff Carter line every day? Because every day, they look like the three worst players on the team.
The ‘good’ games keep getting further in the rearview mirror and the loss to the Devils was no different.
Carter was a minus-one and took a pair of penalties; Kasperi Kapanen, also a minus-one and recorded two shots; Brock McGinn was bumped to the fourth line for Drew O’Connor, but it was McGinn who played more minutes.
O’Connor, despite being on the third line, logged the least amount of ice time on the Penguins at 10:10 and played the fewest shifts with 14.
It’s been clear since before Christmas that the bottom six need a massive overhaul; Carter has one point in his last 16 games, McGinn hasn’t seen the scoresheet since December 22, and Kapanen has somehow emerged as the best of the three.
Kapanen may look like the best, but that’s purely by comparison because only six points since returning from the Christmas break isn’t good enough.
So, where does the change come from? Sullivan can only do so much with the personnel he’s given.
If Ryan Poehling hadn’t gotten injured, O’Connor wouldn’t even be in the lineup; and if you take someone else out, who are you putting in? Danton Heinen?
The trade deadline is two weeks away; time is running out for Ron Hextall to make something happen.
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