The view from Pittsburgh

PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE

Shelly Anderson: Penguins fall to Los Angeles, 3-2, for third loss in a row

It was the Penguins’ third loss in a row, and, while this game had a fresher smell to them — “There was certainly a response by our team in this game,” coach Dan Bylsma said — there was a glaring reason for the loss.

Los Angeles served up seven power plays to the Penguins, including four tripping minors by the Kings. The Penguins produced 11 shots with the man-advantage, but no goals.

“One of those would have been nice,” said winger Chris Kunitz, who scored the Penguins’ first goal as they came back from a 2-0 deficit and tied the score, 2-2, on Taylor Pyatt’s second goal in as many games.

Seth Rorabaugh: Kings at Penguins – 03-27-14

After the game, Dan Bylsma expressed a desire to make plays like that subject to review. That’s certainly a fair idea but until that time comes, the NHL applied its rules correctly in this situation.

Frankly, the Penguins probably can’t complain about the officiating too much. They were given seven power plays while the Kings only got three. The Penguins had ample opportunity to generate more offense.

PITTSBURGH TRIBUNE-REVIEW

Rob Rossi: Penguins suffer yet another injury in loss to Kings

The absence of Goc would leave the Penguins with Crosby, the captain and top center, and Sutter, elevated to No. 2 because of Malkin’s injury, and not a lot of other preferable options.

Winger Jussi Jokinen can play center. So, too, can forward Craig Adams, as he did on the fourth line against Los Angeles. Coaches prefer both on the wing.

The Penguins are at 455 man-games lost to injury and on a 6-7-2 slide since the Olympic break.

Dejan Kovacevic: Penguins lugging ‘heavy’ load

As it was, the Penguins did get going. A few minutes after Drew Doughty put the Kings back up 3-2 early in the third, Sutter battled to ram a puck past Jones. But even after the refs initially saw it exactly that way, they huddled and overturned the goal on the grounds that Sutter interfered with Jones. Which, of course, he did if you ignore that, one, Doughty lumberjacked him to the ice and, two, a shooter has every right to go at a loose puck even if his stick makes contact with the goaltender. It’s called the act of shooting.

It was a badly butchered call, but it at least lit a fire. The Penguins suddenly began spraying the Los Angeles net. They even had a bodycheck — look it up yourself, thanks — when Deryk Engelland flattened Willie Mitchell.

SB Nation: PENSBURGH

Hooks Orpik: Pens vs. Kings Recap: More of the same for Pittsburgh

Because as mentioned the Penguins had seven power play chances, which added up to a total of 13:00 minutes. They didn’t score and other than the Sutter goal-not-a-goal, they weren’t really even close to scoring.

For their part, the Kings showed once again they were comfortable in a close, low-scoring, tight game. The Penguins may not have gotten the result of a win, but they at least got another taste of “the right way to play”. Hopefully that carries over.

THE PENSBLOG

The PensBlog Staff: RECAP: Game 73. Kings beat Penguins 3-2

It seems downright illogical to be doom-and-gloom about a team that is essentially the number-2 seed in the East and who will have home-ice advantage through the first two rounds of the playoffs. But there are problems creeping up as the games have gotten tighter since the Olympic break.

1. Injuries. Nothing anyone can do. In this game, Marcel Goc’s ankle turned upward at a right angle. Not a good time.

2. An organizational failure to identify depth at forward. The scouting department should be gutted after the season. Also, the Pens’ most promising forward in the bottom six, Megna, apparently hasn’t done enough to get a free pass like Gibbons and Vitale.

3. Unwillingness to adjust a game plan. With the Penguins’ opening-night roster, Dan Bylsma’s system was effective. With half a roster of AHL-caliber players and then Brian Gibbons, no, it doesn’t work. With opposing teams playing tighter, no, it doesn’t work.

Rich Miller: Explanation and Effect of the Overturned Goal

So basically this rule makes sense, but like many things with the NHL it’s left incomplete. Perhaps the league should reconsider revising the rule without omitting the very real possibility that a goaltender can be pushed into the net together with the puck after making a save on account of a teammate assaulting a member of the other team.

The call had a major effect on the flow of the game. After controlling possession the beginning half of the third period, the Pens flat-lined in unblocked shot attempts the rest of the way. The Sutter play occurred with 10:19 remaining.