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Pittsburgh Penguins' playoff hopes weaken as defensive breakdowns continue in March
Photo credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
Sidney Crosby watched Carolina hammer Pittsburgh 5 to 1, and the bigger hit was this, the Penguins are only one point above Columbus now.
Dejan Kovacevic framed it as hard lessons. Dave Molinari called it March sadness. Both landed because this was more than one ugly afternoon.
The Penguins are 35-19-16 with 86 points. Carolina is 45-19-6 with 96, and that gap felt even wider on the ice.
The cleanest lesson sat on special teams. The Hurricanes scored three power-play goals, and Pittsburgh never regained the pace after Sebastian Aho struck 47 seconds in.
That is the roster-construction problem in plain terms. This group can still score, but it does not kill enough chaos when the game turns fast and mean.
You could see the mood turn from frustration to resignation.
The second post cut even sharper because it matched the room. Molinari's longer note fits here too.
Sidney Crosby and Pittsburgh Penguins need cleaner structure
Fans are right to be tired of seeing the same movie.
Crosby still created the lone goal, feeding Egor Chinakhov for Pittsburgh's only finish, and he sits on 28-35-63 after fighting through an injury-hit stretch.
But one smart touch from Crosby does not fix a broken penalty kill or loose coverage off the rush. Carolina punished both, again.
That is the real report from this loss. The Penguins' top-six can trade chances, but their support game still cracks under pressure.
That matters right now because Columbus is at 85 points. The margin for one more sleepy effort is almost gone.
If Pittsburgh wants this season to hold, the next step is simple. Defend first, keep the box clean, and stop asking Crosby to cover every leak.
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Erik Karlsson calling Carolina elite confirms Penguins still chase contenders
Erik Karlsson calling Carolina elite confirms Penguins still chase contenders
| POLL | ||
MARS 23|82 ANSWERS Pittsburgh Penguins' playoff hopes weaken as defensive breakdowns continue in March Did this loss prove the Penguins still are not built for playoff hockey? | ||
| Yes | 37 | 45.1 % |
| No | 45 | 54.9 % |
| List of polls | ||