The Penguins have been swept out of the playoffs in the first round again, and for the second time in the last three years, the culprit was the New York Islanders, who have been a villain for the Pens going all the way back to 1975.
The Islanders blasted befuddled Penguins goaltender Tristan Jarry with three goals in the second period, then shut down the Penguins offense the rest of the way for a 5-3 win, and a 4-2 win in the series.
The Penguins led the game three times, 1-0 on a goal by Jeff Carter early in the first period, then 2-1 on a power play goal by Jake Guentzel later in the first, and finally 3-2 early in the second on a tip-in by Jason Zucker. But the Islanders scored three straight goals in the span of five minutes, by Brock Nelson, at 8:35, then by Ryan Pulock on a slap shot from the blue line 13 seconds later, and finally at 13:34 by Nelson again.
Jarry was already beleaguered because of poor play in the playoffs, and after allowing allowed five goals on only 24 shots, he will certainly be scrutinized in the offseason, as will some of the team’s veterans…even the core three of Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Kris Letang.
Coach Mike Sullivan says despite the loss, he is proud of his team.
Sullivan says the Penguins could have won the series.
Crosby was beaten badly on two of the Islanders’ goals, and said afterward he was disappointed because this Penguins team could have contended for the Stanley Cup.
Crosby knows there will be offseason changes, but he has faith that he, Malkin and Letang, who have won three Stanley Cups together, can still do the job.
Crosby says he has never tried to tell the Penguins’ front office what to do with the roster, and he is not about to start now.
Forward Jeff Carter, who led the Penguins with four goals in the series, says he still sees the hunger for the Cup in the Pens’ locker room.
Carter says the Penguins are deep, talented, and focused, and he thinks they can be right back in the race next year.
The team’s front office, led by Ron Hextall and Brian Burke, will have to address the core group either this season or next. Malkin will be 35 when the new season begins, Crosby 34, and Letang 33. Malkin and Letang will be entering the final year of their contracts. Carter, who was acquired at the trade deadline and played perhaps the best hockey of all of the Penguins, will be 37 next New Year’s Day, and is also entering the final year of his contract.
Since winning the Cup in 2017, the Penguins have lost 13 of their last 16 playoff games.
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