OTTAWA, Ontario – Early in this young season, two special teams trends have emerged.
The Penguins entered Saturday night with the NHL’s best penalty kill (93.3%) ... and the second-worst power play (10%).
During a 6-3 loss at Canadian Tire Centre, one of those stats continued along its current trajectory, while the other special teams unit snapped a streak. Unfortunately for the Penguins, it wasn’t the way they would have hoped.
A Penguins’ penalty kill that had allowed just two goals all season gave up two in the second period alone. Meanwhile, an 0-for-4 night on the power play extended the Penguins’ scoreless slump to six games.
The special teams’ shortcomings began late in the first period with a 5-on-3 power play. However, the best chance during that stretch actually came from the short-handed Senators, when Logan Shaw raced ahead on a partial breakaway. Kris Letang, playing in just his fifth game since a symptomatic case of COVID-19, zoomed back in transition to catch Shaw and avoid a major power play meltdown.
Then, early in the second period, it appeared Penguins big center Jeff Carter may have snapped the power-play slump. He briefly barked at the referee after a shot from point-blank range bounced off the cage. But, evidently, it hit the crossbar to extend the power play skid.
The Penguins awaited a whistle where the play could have possibly been reviewed or overturned. As it turned out, the next stoppage of play came when the puck was in the back of Pittsburgh’s own net, after Zach Sanford beat Casey DeSmith.
Midway through the second period, the Senators extended their lead to 3-0 with a pair of goals scored just 27 seconds apart, including one on the power play.
The Penguins have enjoyed some of their penalty-killing success thanks to improved stats in the faceoff circle. But this time, with PK mainstay Brian Boyle in the circle, the Senators power play unit won the faceoff back to Michael Del Zotto at the point. He rifled the puck through traffic to make it 2-0.
Moments later, another shot from the point led to offense. This time, Lassi Thomson’s shot from the blue line hit bodies in front. The Senators retrieved the puck and Parker Kelly buried it.
The Penguins penalty kill faltered again with 2:11 left in the second period. Tim Stutzle beat DeSmith on the short side with a wrist shot.
By the time Drake Batherson scored midway through the third period to extend the lead to 5-0, the game appeared already well in-hand.
However, the Penguins made things interesting over the final 10 minutes. Kasperi Kapanen and Evan Rodrigues scored to spoil the shutout for Penguins 2016 second-round pick Filip Gustavsson, who started because former Penguin goalie Matt Murray is in the COVID-19 protocol. Then, with the Penguins net empty and an extra attacker on the ice, Rodrigues recorded his second tally to make it 5-3 with just over four minutes left.
The Senators hit the empty net to seal the game and settle the score at 6-3.
DeSmith entered Saturday night with subpar stats that included a .878 save percentage and .878 goals-against average in two appearances. While all the goals weren’t totally on DeSmith, five is too many.
The lopsided result wasn’t great on its own. In context, it’s tougher to stomach.
The Senators are already a team that was prepared to take its lumps this season, as they are in the midst of a rebuild. They entered Saturday as the Eastern Conference’s worst team, tallying just three wings and seven points in their first 13 games. Adding illness to insult, seven Senators were in the COVID-19 protocol and two injured.
The Penguins brief road trip continues on Sunday when the club visits the Washington Capitals on the second half of a back-to-back.
