It’s been a long way down for the Pittsburgh Penguins.
The Penguins appeared to be the class of the Eastern Conference through most of the regular season, before injuries and inconsistencies had them fighting for a playoff berth in the final weeks. It all caught up to them in their first-round series versus the New York Rangers.
STANLEY CUP PLAYOFFS: | Broadcast Schedule
Rogers NHL GameCentre LIVE | Stanley Cup Playoffs Fantasy Hockey
New Sportsnet app: iTunes | Google Play
Penguins superstar Evgeni Malkin put it rather bluntly in speaking to the media following his club’s 2-1 overtime loss Friday.
Via Josh Yohe of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review:
“If we lose, we’re not a championship team,” Malkin said. “We’re not (the) team to win it. It’s the first round, 4-to-1. It’s not good enough.”
Malkin was held pointless in the series and managed just 11 shots in five games. It was just the second time Malkin went pointless in a playoff series. The Boston Bruins held both Malkin and Sidney Crosby off the score sheet in a four-game sweep in the 2013 Eastern Conference final.
Sportsnet Magazine: An all-access pass to the Stanley Cup Playoffs, including a behind-the-scenes look at Coach’s Corner and exclusive camera angles in Montreal. Download it right now on your iOS or Android device, free to Sportsnet ONE subscribers.
The 28-year-old two-time Art Ross Trophy winner was clearly banged up, but he downplayed the severity of his injuries.
“I have a couple of small injuries, but it’s not a big one,” Malkin said.
In the end, a depleted blue line sunk the Penguins’ post-season hopes. The losses of Kris Letang (concussion), Christan Ehrhoff (upper-body), and Olli Maataa (shoulder) forced the Penguins to lean on the likes of Rob Scuderi, Ben Lovejoy, and Ian Cole for major minutes.
Malkin was correct in his assessment. The Penguins were not good enough. It’s a shame for a club that looked primed to contend for the franchise’s fourth Stanley Cup just a couple of months ago.