PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – It’s come down to one point for the making the postseason. Think of the games where the Pens could have had a point and would go into Long Island on Wednesday controlling their fate.
Instead, the Pens will watch Tuesday night needing the Flyers to beat Washington in Philly and host Montreal to beat Detroit. It’s possible, but it didn’t have to be this way.
You can look at the most recent loss to Boston, but that wasn’t really a bad loss, just bad timing for it. Giving up a point in an overtime loss to Columbus, blowing a four-goal lead at Colorado are a pair of games where they could have had a point during their 10-game point streak. There were more before that and here they are.
Bad Pens losses
Opening Night at home to Chicago 4-2
· It was a loose, high-event game that lacked concentration. or playing the way the Pens needed to play. Pens gave up 4 straight goals, three of those in the third period
October 28 at home a 5-2 loss to Ottawa
· Sens had lost 3 straight and Tristan Jarry allowed 3 goals on 9 shots before being pulled. Jake Guentzel scored the second goal with 34 seconds left.
December 2 & 4 back-to-back OT losses to Philadelphia
· Win one of those games and Philly has no chance and you are in control of your postseason
December 23 5-4 overtime loss at Ottawa
· Didn’t come with urgency, trailed 4-2 after 40 minutes. Sullivan said they didn’t play right way, only played hard in the third period before Christmas break
January 21 3-2 loss at Las Vegas
· Stopped playing defense with a lack of effort blowing a 2-0 lead
January 23 5-2 loss at the Coyotes
· It was the night of the own goal, Kris Letang’s drop pass eluded Evgeni Malkin with the goalie pulled on a power play, making it 4-2 Arizona at 4:10 of the 3rd period. Pens started slow and never had full focus
March 12 lost to Ottawa at home 2-1 in overtime
· It culminated a streak of losing seven of eight games and scoring one or fewer goals in six of the seven losses. It was a game of no net-front traffic and made it way too easy on the Sens goalie.
March 20 lost 5-2 at New Jersey
· Devils played with more urgency and gave up three straight goals in the third period
“I tell you before, this team is amazing,” said Evgeni Malkin after the 4-2 win over Nashville on Monday. “If we could play like this whole year, probably we clinch playoffs. But (Tuesday) a big day for us, and we hope. We have great potential here and we know that, but we start a little bit late, probably.”
What really hurts, it didn’t have to be that way.