PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – Dallas ripped off four goals in the second period including a pair within 26 seconds beating the Pens 6-3 at PPG Paints Arena. The Islanders won, but Columbus lost so the Pens are in third place in the Metro, a point ahead of the Blue Jackets.
Outstanding in the first period, the Pens penalty kill struggled in the second as a Jason Robertson power play goal tied it and Mikko Rantanen’s tally gave Dallas the lead.
“I think at times we are not on the same page,” said forward Bryan Rust. “That gives them the half-second to make the play that they need to make.”
“It’s easy when it’s one thing, it’s some of the details,” said Pens head coach Dan Muse. “We’ve been a little late on some assignments. Some of the seam plays that teams have found on us, we got to be there. We got to sharpen up some of the details.”
“I have a lot of confidence in our penalty kill. Our body of work over the entire season, they’ve been a huge part of helping us have success and winning hockey games. They will get back on track.”
More shots
Pens had only 12 shots in the game, four in the first period, five in the second and only three in the third. It’s the lowest shot total of the season, previously they only had 16 shots in a game, twice.
“Being in the box a lot didn’t help,” Rust said, adding the team overthought opportunities. “Against a team like that who plays hard defensively, I think we passed up too many opportunities to shoot. When we did shoot, they did a really good job of getting in shooting lanes.”
“Moving forward against a lot of really good teams that are going to be hungry to play playoff hockey, that’s what you got to do because there won’t be a lot of space.”
How did they miss that?
The goal that hurt was at 3-2 in the second period, Stars Lian Bichsel and Erik Karlsson were battling down the slot and as they came around behind goalie Stuart Skinner, Bichsel grabbed Karlsson stick, dropped it on the ice, turned, and now with Karlsson without a stick, floated out to center and slapped a shot past Skinner to make it 4-2 at 11:38.
“I think we saw what happened,” Karlsson said. “I don’t think it does me any good or us any good by standing here and having excuses and pointing fingers. It was a winnable game for us today.”
After the score, Karlsson immediately skated toward the ref to complain and at the next media timeout spent nearly all of that 90 seconds letting the officials have it. Did he ever get an explanation?
“You don’t get that usually, from certain guys at least,” Karlsson said.
There is no challenge for a lack of a grabbing the stick penalty.
Skinner play
The Pens goalie said it was a nice surprise to start back-to-back games. He gave up five goals on 25 shots, saying he’s learned in this league some times how you think you play is different than the goals allowed. Skinner has allowed 20 goals in his last five starts.
“I thought I was good tonight,” Skinner said. “I thought as a team we were good tonight. Dallas was really good.”
“I thought Stu battled,” Muse said. The Pens head coach said they didn’t play well as a team in the second period.
Karlsson hot
Defenseman Erik Karlsson continues his big month, his goal in the second period was his 13th of the season and ninth in March. He has eight multi-point games in his last 11 and 16 points in his last eight games. It’s the 35-year-old’s most points as a Penguin (60, 2nd on the team) and most overall since 101 in 2022-23 with San Jose.
Standings in Metro (top 3 get in)
- Carolina-98 points
- Islanders-89 points, 8 games left
- Pens-88 points, 9 games left
- Columbus-87 points, 9 games left
Sid and Geno out
Pens played again without Evgeni Malkin, upper-body injury, and for a first game since he came back five games ago, Sidney Crosby. The Pens captain suffered a lower-body injury in the game Thursday at Ottawa and is listed as day-to-day.
Up Next
March ends with back-to-back games, Monday night at the New York Islanders and then Tuesday home to Detroit.
“We got to focus in on what we can control,” Muse said. “I don’t think any of us is walking out of here feeling good about our game.”
LISTEN to postgame reaction & what’s next as Pens remain in playoff position
