clock menu more-arrow no yes mobile

Filed under:

Penguins vs. Flames Recap: Pittsburgh drops a disappointing game

The Penguins start hot with a goal 30 seconds in, but then fall apart and lose 4-2 to the Calgary Flames

By Hooks Orpik
Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

afdjll

The Goals

The game starts with a bang for the Pens, Sidney Crosby shoots it on net, the puck eludes the goalie and Patric Hornqvist is there to slam it home. 1-0 just 30 seconds into the game.

The lead wouldn't last long due to Joe Colborne using a foot to deflect in a Sam Bennett shot past Marc-Andre Fleury just 1:27 later.

The Pens would take a 2-1 lead with a nice redirect by Sidney Crosby in front of the net.

It would be downhill from there just 1:29 later with Flames captain Mark Giordano found some space and blew a puck by Fleury to tie it up.

Mikael Backlund would put Calgary up to stay later in the second with a nice redirection of a Dougie Hamilton pass.

The Flames salted the win away with Lance Bouma 's second goal of the season to make it the 4-2 final.

Some Thoughts

  • Very choppy first period with 23 faceoffs. Lots of starts and stoppages in an afternoon game.
  • Carl Hagelin left the game bloodied in the first period after getting lined up with a big check from Josh Jooris and wouldn't return. This would mark the second straight game the Pens had to play a forward short due to an in-game injury, though Hagelin would return halfway through the second.
  • Sullivan tried to press the buttons when Hagelin came back, putting Chris Kunitz on the Evgeni Malkin - Phil Kessel line and bumping Hagelin up with Crosby and Patric Hornqvist.
  • Disappointing game for the Pens, it almost seemed like after scoring so early against a non-playoff team they would coast to victory. Not so much.
  • Scary penalty with Tom Kuhnhackl high-sticking on what what looked like the eye area of a Flame. He didn't return, hopefully is ok.
  • Josh Archibald got 5:02 in his first NHL game, showed some nice speed but otherwise wasn't that noticeable.
  • Bad job by the Pens standing around on a couple goals against. Wasn't on Fleury to give up 4 and that's what makes it frustrating. This game was probably in the "should win" category, and they laid an egg, so the playoff positioning suffers.

/checks schedule

Oh gosh, a New Jersey game is next. On the second end of a back-to-back. Is a 2-1 loss ahead in a boring game, or will they spring to life and salvage the weekend? Time will tell.

More From PensBurgh