It's only one game, but the Pittsburgh Penguins could not have picked a worse way to start their 2023-24 season than this. In a marquee matchup against Connor Bedard and the Chicago Blackhawks, the Pens blew a two-goal lead in their first game of the campaign.
The Bedard vs. Sidney Crosby storyline ended the minute the puck was dropped, as both teams were off to the races. Pittsburgh made several key changes this offseason, specifically acquiring Erik Karlsson and rebuilding their third and fourth lines. Yet, Mike Sullivan's group fell into some familiar traps late in the game, allowing the Blackhawks to overcome a 2-0 deficit and eventually leave Pittsburgh with a 4-2 victory in Bedard's first game.
Pittsburgh Penguins to blame: Mike Sullivan
Sullivan's team continues to blow late leads. I'm not sure I have an answer as to the why. Perhaps some of it's mental. Sullivan seems to be one of the best coaches in hockey. His bottom lines are better on paper. Tristan Jarry is back and healthy. The defense added Erik Karlsson, and the new pairing should eventually take.
Look, it's early. Any first-game take is bounds to include an overreaction or two. Yet, there isn't a worse way this could have ended. Pittsburgh jumped out to a 2-0 lead, and some saves from Tyler Mrazek kept Chicago in the game. Yet, some early third-period power plays for the Hawks painted a familiar picture for Pens fans -- this game was in danger.
The Penguins would go on to lose, 4-2, as they did so many times last season. Pittsburgh struggled holding onto leads come the third period last year, and it eventually led to them missing the playoffs in shocking fashion. To lose to Chicago -- the same team which kept Pittsburgh out of the postseason last year -- on opening night is deflating.
Pittsburgh Penguins to blame: Tristan Jarry
Tristan Jarry will be asked to do a lot this season. Both Karlsson and Kris Letang aren't elite defensive players on the back end, which will force Jarry into some difficult situations. On Tuesday night, he was not up to the task. Jarry allowed three goals on 35 shots, good for a .914 save percentage. That does not look bad on paper, but some of those goals frankly should have been stopped.
There is no question that Jarry has the physical ability to be one of the best goalies in the sport. The Penguins sure pay him as if he's already accomplished that. Yet, what separates Jarry from the greats is his mental makeup, and his late-game save percentage, which shrinks in big moments.
The Pens defense did not put him in a position to succeed, and we'll get to that. It's something the Pens will have to work on moving forward. But, Jarry signed on for this challenge. It's a long season, and Jarry should have time to redeem himself. Tuesday was another breakdown, and Pittsburgh isn't young nor talented enough to afford those in a postseason chase that technically started today.
Pittsburgh Penguins to blame: Defensive pairings
Familiarity is a problem for this Pens team. It's the first game of the season, hence my overreactions. Karlsson and Letang leave a lot to be desired defensively at times, despite the name of their literal position. Their defensive partners -- Ryan Graves and Marcus Petterson respectively -- have a lot on their shoulders.
Pittsburgh's new defensive pairings will take time to adjust on the fly. The Penguins changed a lot this offseason thanks to Kyle Dubas. They needed to, and one can only hope its for the better as the Penguins try to hold off father time. Yet, the average age of this Pens team is over 30 years old. They are the only team in the NHL that has such a stat to their name.
Karlsson and Letang are elite. They will eventually find a way to coexist. For now, Karlsson is on the first power play unit, with Letang taking a backseat. That is another adjustment the Pens must get used to after a decade-plus of Letang taking the lead.
It's important not to overreact over one game. It's tough not to, frankly, but Pittsburgh has postseason aspirations in 2023-24. If they're to make those aspirations a reality, they'll need to clean up the mess they made on Tuesday night.
