Evgeni Malkin said the Pittsburgh Penguins most recent OTL is fully on him. PITTSBURGH - It’s safe to assume that no one has been pleased with the Pittsburgh Penguins since coming out of the Christmas break. Back-to-back games that weren’t just losses for the Penguins, but embarrassing defeats that has the fans begging for answers and looking around at changes. The players in the room understand they need to utilize their experience and close out games, but they also are aware of the fans feelings. “We’re not young, we understand we need to play right,” Evgeni Malkin said after blowing a 4-0 lead to the Detroit Red Wings. “Huge mistake for everybody.” Malkin continued to note that he and the other veterans knows what it takes to win and they have to play a full 60-minute game. “it’s not just one guy, or two, it’s whole group,” Malkin said. “We have great experience here. Great leadership. It’s a tough loss the last two games. We need to play smarter.” As a fan, it’s hard to look at the last two games and see any positives, and Malkin recognizes that. “The fans, I hope, hate us right now.” It’s a harsh statement, but Malkin feels like the team needs to be much better, especially when playing with the lead. The Penguins got up 4-0 after the first period, but just couldn’t keep the foot on the gas enough to close out a win. “We can’t play second or third period like this,” Malkin said. “We need to understand it’s not over when you play just 20 minutes.” The Penguins know they can be better, and the fans know that too, but it’s going to take a team effort to get back to their winning ways. Make sure you bookmark Inside the Penguins [http://insidethepenguins.com/]for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns and so much more! Penguins Embarrassing Showing Out of Break [https://www.si.com/nhl/penguins/podcasts/pittsburgh-penguins-embarrassing-showing-after-break] Penguins Struggles in Overtime Becoming Historically Bad [https://www.si.com/nhl/penguins/news/pittsburgh-penguins-overtime-struggles-nearing-historical-lows] Mike Sullivan Takes Heat, Aims To Be Better Coach For Penguins [https://www.si.com/nhl/penguins/news/pittsburgh-penguins-mike-sullivan-takes-heat-aims-be-better-coach] Penguins Let 4-0 Lead Slip Away in OTL To Red Wings [https://www.si.com/nhl/penguins/news/pittsburgh-penguins-blow-four-goal-lead-otl-red-wings] Ty Smith, Drake Caggiula Scratched, Mark Friedman Makes Season Debut With Penguins [https://www.si.com/nhl/penguins/news/pittsburgh-penguins-scratch-ty-smith-drake-caggiula-season-debut-mark-friedman] * undefined * undefined
