Facing the Pittsburgh Penguins (17-15-3), the Toronto Maple Leafs (13-15-7) came into Consol Energy Center looking to lift themselves out of the basement of the Atlantic Division. Missed opportunities and defensive breakdowns on the power play led to this evening’s game going into a shootout where the Penguins would lose, 3-2.
The Penguins had 20 shots on net in just the second period, and finished the game with 41. Sidney Crosby (8) shot a beauty to the top shelf in the second period, and Evgeni Malkin had an assist on an early Chris Kunitz power play goal. However, unable to capitalize on a scurrying Toronto goalie, Pittsburgh failed to pick up its third win under Head Coach Mike Sullivan.
Murray! Murray!
Matt Murray, one of the Penguins’ most coveted prospects, has fared remarkably well for his first action in the NHL. This evening Murray put together a performance that earned him the second star of the night where he saved 36 shots and allowed only two goals.
Murray bailed out the defense multiple times, but couldn’t finish the shootout allowing a goal by Toronto’s Peter Holland and Pierre-Alexandre Parenteau. The six foot four goalie was able to use his height to his advantage in limiting the Maple Leafs’ scoring.
Setting the Pace
Including tonight Sullivan has gone 2-6 since his introduction. Unimpressively, there has been a clear difference in the way Pittsburgh takes care of their business. The offense has worked better together, and they have been able to generate more offensive confidence.
This isn’t to say everything is perfect, they continue to miss opportunities deep in opponent’s zones. Several times tonight the Penguins had Toronto’s goalie Jonathan Bernier on his back hoping to freeze the puck.
It appears Pittsburgh is its own worst enemy. It had more than enough opportunities to send Toronto away with a loss, but failed numerous times in getting anything in the net. Granted, Bernier had a solid game; these are games the Penguins need to win games like these in order to have any hopes of climbing their way back up the standings.
Final Words
There is still hope on the horizon, but with lack of execution, and the ability to finish games, the window is closing for the team to make any type of run for the playoffs. The Penguins are still in the experimental stages, with a lot of mistakes, and growing pains to be expected.
Pittsburgh has looked more serious, and have added zip to their skating. Fans see players working harder for the puck, and a more mature attitude from all players. It may be frustrating, but there is real progress being made compared to what the Penguins looked like just a few weeks ago.
What’s Next?
Pittsburgh will travel on the road to Detroit to face the Red Wings tomorrow night at 6 p.m. The Red Wings are 3-4-3 in their last ten and sit in fourth place behind the Boston Bruins in the Atlantic Division
Photo Credit: Getty Images
