Ottawa Senators center Tim Stutzle (18) shoots on Pittsburgh Penguins goalie Arturs Silovs (37) in the first period at the Canadian Tire Centre. Mandatory Credit: Marc DesRosiers-IMAGN Images

Penguins’ Penalty Killing & Goaltending Issues Remain With Playoffs Approaching

Originally posted on The Hockey Writers
By Sylvie McCarthy | Last updated Mar 31, 2026 1:55 PM ET

The Pittsburgh Penguins have surpassed everyone’s expectations this season and have a good chance of qualifying for the postseason, sitting second in the Metropolitan Division. However, they have had some issues with the penalty kill recently and with inconsistent goaltending. With eight games left in the regular season, the Penguins need to get back to playing simple, consistent hockey.

Penguins Need To Stop Beating Themselves

The Penguins have lost some recent games that they could have won if not for some careless mistakes. On March 24, they lost to the Colorado Avalanche 6-2. Pittsburgh started well, creating good scoring chances and they were dictating the pace of play.

However, the Penguins’ goaltending has been inconsistent, and it hurt them in this game. Arturs Silovs allowed five goals on 29 shots. On March 12, the Penguins also lost 6-2, this time to the Vegas Golden Knights, when Silvos allowed five goals on 16 shots. To be fair, he has played well all season overall, but the Penguins will need a more consistent effort in the postseason.

Starting with the loss to the Avalanche, the Penguins have given up 48 goals in their last 11 games. Poor goaltending is partly to blame, but their defense has also been struggling for awhile now, and the problem has intensified at the worst time of year. The team has not been defending well in their own zone, and defense in front of the net has been nonexistent.

Pittsburgh’s penalty kill (PK) is a crack in the team’s foundation. On March 22, the team lost 5-1 to the Carolina Hurricanes after giving up three power-play goals. On March 28, in their 6-3 loss to the Dallas Stars, the PK allowed two goals. Since that game, the penalty kill has given up a goal in seven of 15 opportunities.

Blake Lizotte, Pittsburgh’s best penalty killer, was injured on March 14 against the Utah Mammoth. Even without him in the lineup, the PK should be better. The Penguins are leaving wide-open lanes and giving opposing power plays too much time. The unit has to get back on track and they are going to have to do it without Lizotte, who will not return before the playoffs.

Penguins Need to Get Back to the Basics

The Penguins have played poorly. They have been holding their own in the neutral zone, and they have been good on the forecheck and at creating scoring chances in the offensive zone. They outplayed the Stars at even strength and were prepared for their game plan. They controlled possession at the beginning of the game and scored the first goal. However, they took four penalties and allowed two power-play goals.

The Penguins have to get back to playing disciplined hockey and making smart decisions with the puck. They need to simplify play in their own zone, which means clean breakouts and clean transitions.

The Penguins defeated the New York Islanders 8-3 on Monday night, which put them back in second place in the Metropolitan. But they are only one point ahead of the Islanders and two points ahead of the Columbus Blue Jackets (who are in the second wild-card spot). With eight games left in the regular season, the Penguins must fix their issues on defense, the PK and goaltending if they want a successful postseason run.