With Canucks On the Rise As The Penguins Falter, Pittsburgh Fans Can

Sidney Crosby is under contract for two additional years at his traditional good-value cap hit of just $8.7 million. But that’s about the only good-news story for the Pittsburgh Penguins this season. They’re now heading home from their four-game road trip through Western Canada with just one of a possible eight points to show for their efforts.

Three years removed from their last playoff appearance, the Penguins are now 3-6-1 through 10 games. They lead the NHL with 42 goals allowed and are tied with the Detroit Red Wings for the most shots allowed per game, at 35.

Pittsburgh was also outscored 18-9 on the road against Winnipeg, Calgary, Edmonton and Vancouver — after starter Tristan Jarry was sent home from the road trip following a shaky start to the season.

Jarry hasn’t seen NHL action since Oct. 16 and is now in the AHL on a conditioning assignment. And while raw 22-year-old rookie Joel Blomqvist has looked impressive with 3.7 goals saved above expected in his first five NHL games, he’s not getting much help from the skaters in front of him.

It’s not too often that you see a losing goaltender named third star in a 4-0 defeat. But that was the case for Blomqvist on Friday night in Edmonton, after he became the first stopper to see 50 shots in the NHL this season. With just four starts and five appearances, Blomqvist is already sixth in shots faced this year. Not exactly an optimal way to ease a young goalie into hockey’s top league.

Blomqvist got the night off in Pittsburgh’s 4-3 loss to the Canucks in Vancouver on Saturday, with Alex Nedeljkovic handling goaltending duties. On a back-to-back against a Canucks team that had just enjoyed three days of rest, Pittsburgh did well to build a 2-0 lead while Vancouver got off to a sluggish start. But once Elias Pettersson ignited the crowd at Rogers Arena with his first of the year, that sparked a four-goal outburst in the second period that finished…