The Pittsburgh Penguins are falling out of contention for the NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs due to their recent slump which has dropped them to sixth place in the Metro Division. As the Pens are in urgent need of a winning streak, star Evgeni Malkin has sent teammates, included Sidney Crosby, a very strong statement.
It’s getting ugly in Steel City, the race for the postseason in the NHL‘s Eastern Conference is turning out into a full-on battlefield, and the Penguins have lost much of their ground.
Crosby continues to lead the team in points and assists, as he tallies 36 apples and 48 total points in 46 games this season. Sid the Kid continues to defy Father Time and puts on impressive numbers at 37 years old.
However, Crosby’s magnificent production doesn’t translate to a great year for the Penguins. Pittsburgh is mired in a fierce battle for the wild card spots in the East, and due to their recent lackluster form, they are on the outside looking in. Malkin, who tallies 33 points (8 G, 25 A) through 42 games, is not ready to let their season’s hopes slip away and has made a very loud message clear to Crosby and the rest of the locker room.
Evgeni Malkin #71 of the Pittsburgh Penguins looks on against the Washington Capitals during the first period at Capital One Arena on February 23, 2021 in Washington, DC.
“We see [the] standings,” Malkin opened his statement after the 4-2 loss against Seattle, via NHL.com. “I think we understand we’d miss (the) playoffs. And half the season is gone. Yeah, we understand everything.
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“If we want to play in the playoffs, we need to play so much better in every zone, every moment, every detail,. I think everybody understands what’s going on. And the last two years, we’ve missed (the) playoffs. I don’t like to miss again. It’s not good enough. I hope we look in the mirror tonight, and tomorrow, and start to play better.”
Crosby makes big admission, with reminder to the team
Crosby was held off the scoresheet for the second time in his last three outings during the Pens’ 4-2 loss to the Seattle Kraken. After the Penguins blew a 2-1 lead in the third period, the team’s captain made something clear to his teammates and coach Mike Sullivan.
“We’ve got to close up games,” captain Sidney Crosby said. “However we need to do it, whatever it looks like, we need to find ways to get two points.”
Sullivan’s concerning statement
Losing three games in a row is always a sign of trouble for any team. It’s even more distressing when it happens while an organization is fighting for a playoff spot. But when the coach cannot identify the cause of the shortcomings, it becomes a major concern. That’s the case for the Penguins amid their losing skid.
Sidney Crosby of the Pittsburgh Penguins arrives at the 2019 NHL Awards at the Mandalay Bay Events Center on June 19, 2019 in Las Vegas, Nevada.
“If I had the answer, I’d fix it,” coach Mike Sullivan stated, per NHL.com. “We simply have to do a better job defending in our end zone. That falls on me. I’ve got to do a better job coaching these guys on our play in our own end, defending away from the puck and making sure that we’re on the same page there. What needs to change is a commitment to play defense. That’s what I think. We weren’t willing to play defense.”
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The Penguins will get back on the ice on January 17 as they will take on the Buffalo Sabres at KeyBank Center.