The Pittsburgh Penguins did not have fun on the road in Winnipeg on Sunday. Winnipeg Jets fans trolled the Penguins in the third period as the team fell 6-3 to the hosting Jets. Pittsburgh lost by three goals to the Carolina Hurricanes their last time out. And they have allowed four goals or more in five of their first seven games. However, Sidney Crosby is not pointing fingers at the team’s goaltending.
Tristan Jarry has sought to prove himself as the starting goaltender early on. Additionally, Joel Blomqvist saw his first taste of NHL action early on. On Sunday, though, Pittsburgh saw the return of Alex Nedeljkovic from injury. Nedeljkovic impressed down the stretch last season but allowed five goals to Winnipeg in his first start in 2024-25.
After the game, Crosby shouldered some of the blame for this loss. “We’re giving up odd-man rushes,” he said, via The Athletic. “We’re not getting clears. “Look at the game winner. I lose the faceoff. Then I don’t get my guy. And it ends up in the back of the net. “It’s not our goalies. It’s on us to play better in front of them.”
Sidney Crosby, Penguins take heat off goaltending following Jets loss
Sidney Crosby was not alone in identifying the defensive issues prevalent with the Penguins early on. Pittsburgh goalies have had their work cut out for them through these first few games of the 2024-25 campaign. It does not matter who is in goal, the team in front of the puck-stopper has to give them a fighting chance to stop the puck.
“That 100 percent was the problem,” forward Drew O’Connor said, via The Athletic. “We have to help our goalies way more than we have. They’re keeping us in games. We are giving up so many Grade-A chances. It’s tough to win games like that.”
The consensus inside Pittsburgh’s locker room was that Nedeljkovic had a solid game. And to be fair, he did make 31 saves in the game on the road against the Jets. Until things improve in front of goal, though, the Penguins are going to struggle to win games “It’s not just one thing,” veteran defenseman Kris Letang said, via The Athletic. “But we aren’t doing any of the little things well right now. That’s a problem.”
It’s unclear who will get the net on Tuesday night when the Penguins continue their Western Canadian road trip against the red-hot Calgary Flames. In any event, the message sent by Pittsburgh on Sunday is clear. Improving the defensive structure in front of whoever takes the net is crucial to this team’s chances of winning games this season.
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