Fly(er) By Night Power Play Costs Penguins Again in 4-3 Shootout Loss
Blow it up.
No, make that BLOW IT UP.
That was my reaction as the Penguins’ power play sank to new levels of ineptitude while contributing in as negative a way as possible to our disappointing 4-3 shootout loss to the blood-rival Flyers last night at PPG Paints Arena.
How bad was it? When Erik Karlsson was whistled off for interference at 12:10 of the third period to abort a nascent power play, I actually cheered. That’s because the unit (0-for-5 on the night) had yielded a game-tying shorthanded breakaway goal to Scott Laughton only minutes earlier. Never mind that Karlsson’s penalty led to a go-ahead power-play goal by Tyson Foerster. I’d much rather take my chances with our penalty killers.
It’s gotten to the point that should an opposing player take a penalty, one of our guys should immediately commit a retaliatory infraction. Better to play 4-on-4 hockey than risk our momentum being hijacked.
I’m only half joking. That’s how self-destructive our power play’s become. An outright abomination.
As for the game itself, it appeared as if our Pens were trying to recreate the dynamic that had led to our rousing victory over the Lightning on Thursday.