The Pittsburgh Penguins suffered their third consecutive defeat since November 11, falling 6-2 to the Columbus Blue Jackets. Despite moments of resilience, especially in the second period, the Penguins couldn’t overcome their defensive lapses. After the game, head coach Mike Sullivan didn’t hold back, admitting that key mistakes cost them the game.
“Obviously the biggest point in the third period was we didn’t defend our netfront,” Sullivan acknowledged. “You look at a couple of the goals they score, they’re outside shots where the rebound lays there. We’re either puck watching or we don’t get into people. We got to be harder at our netfront, and we got to make ‘em work harder for those types of goals.”
The Penguins trailed 2-1 at the end of the first period but managed to tie it early in the second with a goal from Michael Bunting. However, the Blue Jackets quickly regained the lead with a goal from Mathieu Olivier, and Pittsburgh couldn’t find a response in the third period as Columbus scored three unanswered goals.
Despite the loss, Sullivan praised his team’s effort. “I thought they were terrific all night,” he said. “They did virtually everything but put it in the net.” He also highlighted Anthony Beauvillier’s contribution, who scored a goal in the game. “I hope he can continue to help us there because certainly, we’re going to need it. Those are the reasons we’ve tried him with Sid or the top six. Regardless of where we play him in the lineup, he’s going to bring that element.”
Marcus Pettersson on Defensive Struggles
Defenseman Marcus Pettersson echoed Sullivan’s concerns, noting that the Blue Jackets’ aggressive forecheck caused problems for the Penguins’ breakout game.
“I think they got in on us, they got in on the forecheck,” Pettersson said. “We didn’t break out the puck well, and from there, they spent some time down there… those second opportunities, we got to clean up way better than that.”
Tristan Jarry on Facing Pressure in His Return
Goaltender Tristan Jarry, making his first NHL start since mid-October after a conditioning stint in the AHL, admitted that Columbus’s relentless pressure made it difficult for Pittsburgh to recover.
“Obviously, their game plan was to get a lot of pucks to the net, get a lot of bodies to the net, and just battle,” Jarry explained. “I think they got to a lot of pucks before we did, and it was tough to recover. I think they kept the pressure on throughout most of the game. We got some momentum back in the second, but they just kept pressing, and it was hard for us to defend.”