The second line of the Pittsburgh Penguins has fallen flat and are in desperate need of a resurgence.

Things are not going well for the Pittsburgh Penguins as they sit well out of the playoff race and need to find consistency in multiple areas to find wins.

While many of the same problems from last season continue to plague the Penguins, there is a new point of concern in the lineup.

The second line of Evgeni Malkin, Reilly Smith, and normally Rickard Rakell has fallen extremely flat.

Rakell is currently on long-term injured reserve with an upper-body injury, but was yet to record a goal before hitting the shelf.

As for Malkin and Smith, their early chemistry has lost its touch; there is still an obvious connection, but they’ve lost their ability to finish.

Malkin’s only point in the last five games was an empty net goal against the Vegas Golden Knights; that game was also the Penguins only win since their five-game winning streak.

Smith has struggled a bit more with no goals in nine games and no points in his last six.

This line showed immediate chemistry when the puck dropped on the season, but things haven’t been the same as of late.

Alex Nylander has been filling in for Rakell, and he definitely has NHL talent, but not a ton of finishing ability, which is exactly what that line is missing.

The Penguins don’t have a strong enough depth for both Malkin and Sidney Crosby to be off their game.

Crosby is holding up his end of the bargain and hovering right around the leaders in the NHL in goal scoring.

Malkin had a hot start, but has simmered off substantially; if the Penguins want their chance at the playoffs, they’ll need him and his line to wake up in a big way.

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