3 Takeaways From Penguins Shootout Loss To Devils
The Pittsburgh Penguins (22-24-9) wrapped up their home stand before the 4 Nations Face-off break, dropping a thrilling contest to the New Jersey Devils in a seven-round shootout 3-2.
The loss drops the Penguins to 3-8-3 against Metro Division opponents, one of the main reasons why the club is second to last within the division, just one point ahead of the Philadelphia Flyers, their opponent on Saturday.
However, before a showdown in the City of Brotherly Love, Pittsburgh will play the New York Rangers in the Big Apple on Friday night.
Let's discuss their latest setback.
Tuesday night marked the sixth time the Penguins went to a shootout. After losing to the Devils, they are now 1-5. They have six goals in 25 attempts, which equals a shooting percentage of 24%.
Alex Nedeljkovic following tonight's 3-2 shootout loss:'The guys are doing an unbelievable job of putting the puck in the net. I think I had two chances to shut 'em down tonight and win. I'm just not getting the job done right now in that span.' pic.twitter.com/9syweC90ad
— SportsNet Pittsburgh (@SNPittsburgh) February 5, 2025
Meanwhile, opponents continue to succeed against Alex Nedeljkovic and Tristan Jarry. The duo has given up 13 goals on 28 shots, leaving them with a .452 Sv%.
Despite going seven rounds with a top team in the Metro Division, the Penguins can't find a save when they need it most.
Evgeni Malkin got hurt in the first period of the Penguins' game against the San Jose Sharks. Even though they lost that night to the NHL's 32nd-ranked team, Pittsburgh bounced back with an overtime win over the Utah Hockey Club and then shut out the Nashville Predators.
'I thought we played hard against a real good team. … There's a lot to like about our game. It's unfortunate we didn't get the two points, but it's a hard-fought one point that's for sure.'Head Coach Mike Sullivan reflects on tonight's loss pic.twitter.com/9mLVzV9p1d
— SportsNet Pittsburgh (@SNPittsburgh) February 5, 2025
Earlier in the campaign, Malkin missed four games, and the Penguins went 1-2-1 in his absence. Before the loss to the Devils on Tuesday, the club was 2-0-0 during his second stint on the IR and is now 2-0-1.
Without Malkin, Pittsburgh is now 2-2-2 in six games. Considering the 38-year-old likely won't play before the 4 Nations Face-off break, the Penguins have two crucial matchups left against the New York Rangers and Philadelphia Flyers.
The Penguins dropped another contest to a Metro Division rival. Their record within the division is now 3-7-4, and after a Philadelphia Flyers overtime loss, Pittsburgh is tied for last place in the Metro.
Next, the Penguins play another divisional heavyweight, the New York Rangers, against whom they are 0-2-0. They then play the Flyers on the second night of a back-to-back.
Pittsburgh may have ten points against its rivals, but it has given up 14, which is one of the main reasons why it has just 53, the exact total as Philadelphia. Moreover, it is only four points ahead of the Buffalo Sabres, the bottom team in the Eastern Conference.
Unfortunately, it appears the Penguins have a mental block against Metro opponents this season. Their upcoming schedule won't do them any favors, so many of these losses are hard to digest.
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Fox Sports
30 minutes ago
- Fox Sports
It didn't take DK Metcalf long to show the Steelers what they're getting in their new wide receiver
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Yahoo
33 minutes ago
- Yahoo
It didn't take DK Metcalf long to show the Steelers what they're getting in their new wide receiver
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Associated Press
38 minutes ago
- Associated Press
It didn't take DK Metcalf long to show the Steelers what they're getting in their new wide receiver
PITTSBURGH (AP) — The scene looked familiar. Maybe that's because it was. A defender racing downfield, ball in hand. DK Metcalf in relentless — and remarkably fast — pursuit. Five years ago, it was Metcalf memorably tracking down Arizona's Budda Baker 90 yards from the line of scrimmage to prevent a touchdown, a play that would be in the NFL GIF Hall of Fame, if such a thing existed (give it time, it might). On Tuesday, in Metcalf's first official practice with the Pittsburgh Steelers after being acquired in a trade with the Seahawks in March, he nearly caught new teammate Minkah Fitzpatrick as Fitzpatrick dashed toward the end zone with a turnover. This time, the whistle blew before Metcalf's white No. 4 jersey reached Fitzpatrick's No. 39. Nobody was robbed of a score. Nobody was mic'ed up. And no video evidence of the sequence will ever reach the internet. Still, the max effort from a two-time Pro Bowler during a time of year coach Mike Tomlin describes as 'football lite' was noticeable. 'I mean, that's just football,' Metcalf said with a shrug on Wednesday. 'If you see a turnover, I'm not just going to walk and let him return the ball. Like I'm going to go get his (butt).' It's the way Metcalf is wired, one of the many reasons the Steelers made the aggressive move to swing a deal for the 27-year-old, then immediately sign him to a massive extension. While Pittsburgh has a knack for finding talented wide receivers in the draft — from Antonio Brown to Martavis Bryant to JuJu Smith-Schuster to Diontae Johnson to George Pickens — the one thing it has struggled with is finding a pass catcher who can be a difference-maker on the field without being a headline-maker off it. Metcalf will have the chance to check that box and perhaps rewrite the narrative that surrounds his career in the process. He spent six seasons with the Seahawks as an imposing (6-foot-4) and dynamic downfield threat who also happens to be a willing blocker. The fire that runs through him, however, would sometimes singe teammates and coaches in Seattle, while also occasionally drawing attention from officials. Metcalf's challenge in Pittsburgh will be channeling things properly on a team that is in flux at quarterback. Yes, Aaron Rodgers — who famously met up with Metcalf in California during the offseason for a throwing session not long after Metcalf was acquired by Pittsburgh — will have the ball this season. What happens after that, however, is uncertain. Metcalf is committed to the long haul, and that includes providing leadership to a room that is largely lacking outside of 12-year veteran Robert Woods, signed in May. While Metcalf is still in the 'getting to know you' stage in Pittsburgh, he understands the standing that his resume and his contract command. 'I'm more of a lead by example-type guy,' he said. 'I'm not a big rah-rah guy or walk up to you and say something to you on the spot (guy).' He would rather pull someone off to the side for a quick chat rather than 'blast' them in front of the whole team. That might be a step in the right direction for a group that's spent the past few years trying to weather Pickens' petulant behavior. Pittsburgh opted to move on, shipping the talented but mercurial 24-year-old to Dallas last month. While it might feel like addition by subtraction in a locker room that was over his antics, on the field, it also could create a void. Metcalf, however, cautioned against the idea that the unit can't be productive. He pledged to be an 'open book' to Calvin Austin III and Roman Wilson, both of whom Metcalf called 'special.' 'I'm going to be asking them questions as well and how they see the game,' he said. 'So just piggybacking off of what they do and just bouncing ideas off each other.' He also plans to continue to bounce things off Rodgers, whose quick release combined with Metcalf's innate ability to beat defenders off the line of scrimmage could create the kind of opportunities that didn't come enough last season, when Metcalf only turned 35 of his 66 receptions into first downs, a career low. Rodgers and Metcalf have quickly hit it off and even spent some of their downtime together challenging each other by playing a trivia game. Metcalf called Rodgers 'a fun person' and believes there's an opportunity for both of them to turn the chemistry they're building into something special come late fall. 'Hopefully,' he said, 'we can put a product on the field that you know can last a lifetime.' ___ AP NFL: