Going, Going, Gone: Penguins all but Kiss Their Playoff Hopes Goodbye with Hideous Loss to Hawks

During the War Between the States, a Union private came across a package of three cigars wrapped in paper out in an open field. That innocuous piece of paper turned out to be a copy of Special Order 191, detailing Confederate General Robert E. Lee’s plans for his first invasion of the North.

The orders made their way to George B. McClellan, commanding general of the Union Army of the Potomac. “Here is a paper with which, if I cannot whip Bobby Lee, I will be willing to go home,” McClellan gushed.

Although he knew every move Lee planned to make and enjoyed a near 2-1 advantage in manpower, McClellan could do no better than fight the Rebels to a bloody stalemate during the ensuing battle of Antietam.

Well, our Penguins were handed their own version of Special Order 191 on Monday night when their closest competition for a wild-card spot, the Islanders and Panthers, lost. All our guys had to do was win their final two games against bottom-feeders Chicago and Columbus and they were in.

With a 17th consecutive postseason appearance all but stashed in their hip pocket, the Pens let last night’s game against the Blackhawks slip through their fingers, resulting in a 5-2 loss that was as disheartening as it was disturbing.

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