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Crosby shut down, power play frigid, and more: 3 reasons why Pittsburgh Penguins lost against Carolina Hurricanes
The Pittsburgh Penguins' struggles continued with a 5-1 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes on Thursday at PNC Arena.
The Canes got a pair of goals from Jack Roslovic, with Jordan Martinook, Jaccob Slaving and Eric Robinson each adding tallies to give Carolina its eighth straight win. Blake Lizotte had the Pittsburgh Penguins’ lone goal five minutes into the third period.
Here are three key reasons why the Pittsburgh Penguins fell to the Carolina Hurricanes on Thursday night.
3 reasons why Pittsburgh Penguins lost against Carolina Hurricanes
#1. Penguins’ power play went ice cold
The Penguins' power play went 0-for-4 on the night. Entering the game, the Pens’ power play was a respectable 22.5%, good for 10th in the league. However, they failed to convert any opportunities against the Hurricane, despite 10 shots with the man advantage,
They failed to generate high-danger chances, resulting in a power play that didn't pressure Carolina's defense.
#2. Nedeljkovic fell short
Pittsburgh Penguins starting netminder Alex Nedeljkovic underperformed on Thursday night, giving up five goals on 18 shots. The Penguins did a good job limiting the number of shots the Canes got on goal. However, Nedeljkovic struggled to make key saves.
One notable goal came on Jaccob Slavin’s shot from the point, which went past Nedeljkovic stick-side, marking his first conversion of the year. Although two Pittsburgh players screened him, a goalie with better positioning might have had a chance to make the save. Instead, the puck floated through the zone and beat the Pens’ netminder to put the game out of reach.
#3. Crosby was shut down
Sidney Crosby had been on a recent tear, with back-to-back two-goal games against the Anaheim Ducks and Montreal Canadiens. He also added another tally in his last game against the New York Islanders.
However, the Canes did a great job of neutralizing him on Thursday night. While Crosby got four shots on goal, he was unable to convert any. His lack of offensive output was a key difference, as the Pens struggled to get their offense rolling against the Canes.
The Penguins won’t have much time to regroup as they play on back-to-back nights. The Pens face the Washington Capitals on Friday night at the Capital One Arena.
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