Jason Zucker reacted to his fight against Brenden Dillon and how to get up for Carolina. The Pittsburgh Penguins have struggled in second halves of back-to-backs, and heading to Carolina with a hurting lineup was only going to make things more difficult. With Casey DeSmith slotting in as the starting goalie and Marcus Pettersson still out with illness, the Penguins were looking to avoid a season sweep against the Hurricanes. Following the loss to the Winnipeg Jets, Jason Zucker said that they’ve struggled to find success against the Hurricanes, and he helped drive play early in the most recent meeting. Zucker hit a pair of posts in the opening frame giving the Penguins a couple of good chances, but the Hurricanes found their way on top for a 1-0 lead after one period. The Penguins couldn’t put much of anything together in the second frame by only picking up eight shots and giving up another goal. The Hurricanes entered the third period up 2-0 and were able to kill off a crucial 5-on-3, but it was the Penguins who finally got the ice to tilt in their favor. Rickard Rakell picked up a power play goal on a sequence Hurricanes’ goalie Frederik Andersen would like to have back. While attempting to bat the puck out of the zone, Rakell knocked it out of the air into a wide open net. With time winding down in the third period the Penguins finally put the pedal to the floor but it was too little too late. The Penguins showed to have some fight but it was another one-goal loss to the top team in the Metropolitan Division. The goal differential may have been slim between the two teams, but the Penguins came up on the losing end each time. With the Penguins loss and a New York Islanders win over the Montreal Canadiens, the Pens are again outside of a playoff spot looking in. Make sure you bookmark Inside the Penguins [http://insidethepenguins.com/]for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns and so much more! Marcus Pettersson Out Again, Casey DeSmith Starting Goalie for Penguins [https://www.si.com/nhl/penguins/news/marcus-pettersson-out-casey-desmith-starting-goalie-pittsburgh-penguins] Danton Heinen Has Become Unplayable Option for Penguins [https://www.si.com/nhl/penguins/news/danton-heinen-unplayable-option-pittsburgh-penguins] Drew O'Connor Earning More Chances with Penguins [https://www.si.com/nhl/penguins/news/drew-oconnor-earning-chances-pittsburgh-penguins] Jason Zucker Continues To Prove Worth in Penguins Lineup [https://www.si.com/nhl/penguins/news/jason-zucker-prove-worth-pittsburgh-penguins-lineup] Penguins First Half Takeaway: Third Line Center Most Pressing Need [https://www.si.com/nhl/penguins/pens-talk/pittsburgh-penguins-first-half-takeaway-third-center-need] * undefined * undefined
