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.

Shootout Woes Continue

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%.

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.

Penguins Lose First Contest Without Malkin

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.