Penguins' latest showing draws rare criticism from NHL insider
Photo credit: Edit from Times Observer
NHL insider Josh Yohe said he has covered the Penguins for 16 years, and last night's game vs. the Wild was the worst game he has ever seen from them.
The Pittsburgh Penguins returned to PPG Paints Arena Friday night looking exactly like they did a week ago in Sweden, but this time, there was no Nashville collapse to bail them out.
The Penguins delivered a full-on no-show against a surging Minnesota Wild team, losing 5-0. Falling behind early, they never found a pulse.
Matt Boldy opened the scoring just 3:57 into the first period after Sidney Crosby and Kris Letang drifted into the same corner, leaving the middle of the ice wide open.
From there, the Wild piled on with goals from Joel Eriksson Ek, Kirill Kaprizov, Marcus Johansson, and another from Boldy.
What the Penguins did completely wrong
Even the basic fundamentals abandoned Pittsburgh on Tuesday. Simple passes bounced off sticks, execution was off, and effort seemed optional.
It wasn't just a bad night; it was easily their worst of the season, according to NHL insider Josh Yohe, the kind of game that would make a paying fan consider writing a strongly worded letter.
"If I had paid money to witness this game, I'd have considered a strongly written letter to the Penguins about this performance.
It was easily the Penguins' worst performance of the season. They literally couldn't do anything right. Even completing the simplest of passes was a challenge. Making matters worse, I thought the collective effort was very much lacking. There was a concerning number of players who weren't exactly exerting themselves."
- Josh Yohe
It was easily the Penguins' worst performance of the season. They literally couldn't do anything right. Even completing the simplest of passes was a challenge. Making matters worse, I thought the collective effort was very much lacking. There was a concerning number of players who weren't exactly exerting themselves."
- Josh Yohe
Why Dan Muse appeared frustrated after the game
Coach Dan Muse didn't sugarcoat his frustration afterwards. Usually measured after losses, he looked genuinely irate. Asked if the issue was effort, he didn't deny it, only calling the loss "a bit of everything." That alone spoke volumes.
The Penguins don't get time to stew. They'll be back on home ice Saturday night against the Seattle Kraken, and at least they won't have to wait long for a chance to fix what went wrong.
Clunkers happen in an 82-game season, but no excuses apply here: This was a rotten performance, plain and simple; the only response now is to show up.
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