The Pittsburgh Penguins were almost the Loser on One more Saturday Night. Holding the lead the Penguins tried tried to Not Fade Away in the third period with the Sharks making a push. While the Sharks were able to tie the game the Penguins were able to outlast them as Evgeni Malkin’s shootout goal was the deciding factor and sent the fans Dancing in the Street.
As has been the case this year the Penguins gave up a multiple goal lead because they sometimes live in no particular way but their own. It has been a season long theme and it almost cost them against one of the worst teams in the league.
That said, there might be Help On the Way with Owen Pickering. He had a tremendous debut. He registered his first career point with an assist and was dominant in driving play. You really couldn’t ask more from him in his first ever game. He finished the game with CF 19 CA 7 for a CF% of 73.08. He had an xGF% of 64.59. His game score was tops among all Penguins players
#NHL GameScore Impact Card for Pittsburgh Penguins on 2024-11-16:
#LetsGoPens
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— HockeyStatCards (@hockeystatcards.com) November 16, 2024 at 10:24 PM
I’m hoping he is right back in the lineup on Tuesday before He’s Gone and back in the AHL. The reality is he is waiver eligible and the team has Pettersson, Grzcelyk, Graves, and Shea for the left side. I think when Letang comes back he will be Truckin’ back to WB/S.
Given the Penguins struggles a lot of people have been Throwing Stones at Mike Sullivan as the season is going to Hell in a Bucket. Regardless, I still see no point in firing him. The team is losing, which in my opinion is winning. You have players like Anthony Beauvillier on pace for a career high in goals which is great considering he was signed to be included in a deadline Deal. Rickard Rakell is currently in a cold stretch, but looks way better than he did last year and might play himself into some trade interest. Sidney Crosby clearly likes him and if he was willing to sign on for a rebuild he can have the coach he wants while the team is designed to lose. For now, Mike Sullivan will have to continue looking in the mirror while muttering I will get by, I will survive.
Sidney Crosby scored from long distance to get on the scoreboard with his goal in the second period. It was his 599th career goal and if not for Mackenzie Blackwood's stellar play throughout the later stages of the game he would have earned goal #600. You don’t get in the neighborhood of 600 goals unless you’ve been at it for a while which is why it is no surprise Sid has a Touch of Grey going on in his hair these days.
Evgeni Malkin continues to Not Fade Away. He had an assist last night and he is up to 19 points in 20 games this season. If not for an offside call he would have added another goal last night. He’s playing great for a 38 year old making 6.1M. In a season of hardships once in a while you get shown in the light, in the strangest of places if you look at it right
The new reality is it is a struggle against the lowly teams of the league. The rebuild is here and the first days are the hardest days, don’t you worry anymore. You can’t stay at the top forever because it is such a long, long time to be gone and a short time to be there.
This core has been at it for a while. What a long strange trip its been.
Thanks for reading!
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