The Penguins’ Chances of Securing a Playoff Spot
The Pittsburgh Penguins’ hopes of reaching the postseason are still alive, according to goalie Casey DeSmith, despite a crushing 7-4 defeat against the Detroit Red Wings on Tuesday night. The Penguins are currently holding onto the second wild-card position with 82 points.
However, the team’s chances have been jeopardized by missed opportunities throughout the season. The Penguins’ seven-game losing streak in November and six-game losing streak in December hurt their playoff chances, as did several blown third-period leads.
Despite this, DeSmith believes that there’s no single reason that will determine the team’s fate come playoff time. When asked about Tuesday’s loss against the Red Wings, DeSmith admitted that he could have played better but refused to shoulder all the blame.
Lackluster Defensive Performance Leads to Loss Against Detroit
The game against the Red Wings was a crucial one for the Penguins, who needed to win to keep their playoff hopes alive. However, they were unable to overcome an inspired Red Wings team and a lackluster defensive performance.
Head coach Mike Sullivan stated that they win as a team and lose as a team, but there were several areas where they fell short. In particular, the Penguins’ defense was unable to shut down David Perron, who scored three goals in the third period alone for his eighth career hat trick.
Lalonde’s Controversial Outburst Leads to Ejection
At the center of controversy during Tuesday’s game was a no-call by referees related to a play midway through the game where Penguins tried to score a goal by prying the puck into the net. Red Wings’ goalie Alex Nedeljkovic was unaware of the puck’s position under his pads when Penguins’ Jason Zucker pushed him into the net while trying to score.
Detroit Red Wings head coach Derek Lalonde wanted a coach’s challenge to see if goalie interference was made, but referees determined there was no goalie interference, which made Lalonde furious. Lalonde was given a game misconduct and ejected from the game.
Inspired Performance Leads to Victory for Detroit
Despite Lalonde’s outburst, the Red Wings went on to secure a crucial victory against a team fighting for a playoff spot. Bob Boughner, the Red Wings’ associate coach, was surprised by the win and joked that they couldn’t find the keys for Lalonde after his ejection.
David Perron’s hat trick was his ninth career hat trick and ended his offensive slump. Dylan Larkin also scored a goal for the Red Wings, who grabbed a 3-0 lead in the first period.
Red Wings goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic made 35 saves to help secure the win, which will undoubtedly boost morale in a team looking to rebuild for next season.
What’s Next for Pittsburgh?
The Penguins have upcoming games against Nashville Predators and Philadelphia Flyers, with an intimidating matchup against the Boston Bruins in between. These games will be crucial if they want to keep their playoff hopes alive.
The team will need to put in a solid defensive performance and capitalize on their opportunities if they’re going to secure these all-important victories. If not, their chances of reaching the postseason could be left on very thin ice.
In conclusion, Tuesday’s game against Detroit Red Wings highlighted some of the key issues facing Pittsburgh Penguins as they fight for a playoff spot. With only eight games left in the season, they’ll need to step up their game if they’re going to secure a place in this year’s playoffs – something that seemed almost certain at one point earlier this season. The pressure is now on the Penguins to deliver in these upcoming games, or face the prospect of an early offseason.
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