It’s a disturbing pattern, but it’s become the norm for the Penguins to blow multi-goal leads this season, and they did it again last night, falling, 3-2, in overtime to Tampa Bay. Paul Steigerwald has the story.
A frustrated Mike Sullivan says the Penguins’ problems when playing with the lead are obvious.
Sullivan was less than enthusiastic about Tristan Jarry’s performance in goal.
The coach praised the effort of Jesse Puljujarvi, who scored his third goal of the season and second in as many games.
Defenseman Marcus Pettersson is angry that the Penguins can’t hold leads.
Pettersson says the Penguins aren’t taking advantage of their opportunities when they have the lead.
Tristan Jarry was booed in the pregame, during the game, and after the overtime loss. He says he has to keep his head up and be positive.
Jarry has been trying to play at the top of the crease more often. He says that’s when he’s at his best.
Kris Letang missed his third straight game with an undisclosed illness. He was on the ice with his teammates for the morning skate. Injured forward Kevin Hayes also skated.
The Penguins welcome the Winnipeg jets to PPG Paints Arena on Friday night.
NHL
The Boston Bruins shocked the NHL world yesterday when they fired coach Jim Montgomery, the 2023 Jack Adams Award winner as coach of the year. The Bruins are 8-9-3 this season and are fourth in the Atlantic Division. In two-plus seasons, he was 120-41-23 and his team set the NHL record for most points in a regular season with 135 in 2022-23. Associate coach Joe Sacco has been named interim head coach.
Capitals forward Alex Ovechkin is week-to-week after suffering a lower leg injury in a collision on Monday in a game against Utah. That puts a pause on his pursuit of Wayne Gretzky’s all-time goal-scoring record. He’s 27 goals shy of The Great One and has 15 goals this season.
