PITTSBURGH _ It's probably not time to push the panic button yet.
The hope for a three-peat is still very much alive.
That the Penguins suffered a 5-4 overtime loss to the St. Louis Blues in their home-opener at PPG Paints Arena on Wednesday should not cause any significant concern long-term. Fixable, all of it.
What Wednesday's loss came down to was honestly a matter of inches: missed opportunities on offense, shaky gaps on defense, a few coverages that could have been tightened, the kind of stuff a few good practices can remedy.
This one was decided when Blues defenseman Alex Pietrangelo toe-dragged his way into open ice and scored at 1:15 of overtime, the fifth goal in the game by a defenseman. But all in all, there's was arguably more good than bad.
The return of Kris Letang after seven months due to surgery for a herniated disc in neck. Not only that, there was Letang looking like ... well, Letang. Creating time and space for teammates. Skating like few can. Playing in every situation.
You also had Greg McKegg, picked off the scrap heap on July 1, nailing down the position of third-line center.
McKegg looked good, too. His nose for the puck was evident, his legs very much an asset for the Penguins. You can see why the Penguins chose McKegg over Jay McClement, Teddy Blueger and Adam Johnson to center their third line.
Good timing for a strong performance, too, as general manager Jim Rutherford continues to survey the trade market in hopes of upgrading that position.
It looked like Blues center Paul Stastny put the nail in the coffin with a goal from the high slot at 3:38 of the third period, beating a screened Matt Murray for a 4-2 lead.
That followed Pietrangelo scoring to give St. Louis a 3-2 lead at 15:37 of the second period. Pietrangelo picked up a puck above the circle, cut into the slot and ripped a shot past Murray.
Down 4-2 and seemingly headed for an opening-night defeat, the Penguins found life. Sidney Crosby knocked in a power-play rebound during a five-on-three advantage at 13:46 of the third to cut the deficit to 4-3.
Sheary finished a feed from McKegg for an even-strength goal and a 4-4 tie at 14:40 of the third period.
Chasing a 2-1 deficit, the Penguins came within inches of tying the score several times during the first half of the second period.
There was Crosby's shot pass to Jake Guentzel. A Carter Rowney rebound attempt of Ryan Reaves' shot. McKegg's beautiful, backhand dish to Phil Kessel. Another chance that Sheary created for Guentzel that sailed just wide.
Strong efforts by the forwards, sure, but a defenseman _ Olli Maatta _ scored to make it 2-2 at 12:37 of the middle period.
Maatta's blast from the left circle was hard for Blues goaltender Jake Allen to see because of a Bryan Rust jump screen, and it beat Allen over his shoulder.
After scoring two goals in the preseason, Maatta continued to flash some offense to his game, a welcome development for someone who produced just one goal in 55 regular-season games in 2016-17.
The advantage turned out to be short-lived, however, as Pietrangelo's goal came exactly 3 minutes later.
The Penguins' first lead of the 2017-18 season came courtesy of Justin Schultz, and it started with some serious corner work from Crosby, who maintained possession of the puck and zipped a pass to Schultz.
St. Louis right wing Tage Thompson got his stick on Schultz's shot. The puck fluttered and sailed over Allen's glove at 6:37 of the opening period for a 1-0 Penguins lead.
Blues right wing Dmitrij Jaskin missed a chance at open night before center Brayden Schenn atoned for the missed opportunity with a goal off his right skate at 8:31 of the first.
It followed a short review _ there was no distinct kicking motion, so said the NHL's situation room _ and was made possible by some slick passing by the Blues in the Penguins' zone.
The penalty kill _ a legitimate concern given the losses of Nick Bonino and Matt Cullen _ looked OK for much of the night but faltered on its second assignment.
With the puck tied up along the boards, Thompson won a battle and slid a puck out to Blues defenseman Colton Parayko. Scott Wilson gave a valiant effort, diving headfirst to try and block the shot.
However, Parayko has a powerful blast and was granted a ton of time and space. He beat Murray for a 2-1 Blues lead at 17:45 of the opening period.
Evidence of Letang's comfort was available early. He had a scoring chance from the high slot early and made a nifty space play to produce a shorthanded chance for
His timing was absolutely back early. Letang enjoyed a scoring chance early and set up Rowney for a short-handed opportunity that hit the post a few minutes later.
