Penguins React to Costly Defeat Against Islanders, Losing Crucial Points

It was a brutal loss at this time of year, and according to captain Sidney Crosby, it was the Penguins mistakes that cost them the game, and in a Stanley Cup Playoffs push, you simply can't beat good times by beating yourself.

"We just beat ourselves. We made some mistakes. Obviously, they're going to push... but there just wasn't a lot of pushback (from us)."

That sentiment was echoed by Head Coach Mike Sullivan, who noted the early goal in the third period sparked the Islanders, and in a moment that Pittsburgh needed to respond too, they simply didn't, and that's what may have changed the game.

"They win the faceoff at center ice, and it turns into a 2-on-0 down the other end. It's just playing a game with not a whole lot of purpose. So, we give up an easy goal to start the third period, and it gives them life, it gives them juice.

"It's still a 2-1 game. We still have a lead. We've got to respond. We got to respond and play the right way, and we didn't. We gave up odd-man rushes. We didn't stay on the right side of people. We weren't physical enough in all three zones. We didn't close on people in the defensive zone. We just didn't play hard enough."

While Sullivan praised goaltender Tristan Jarry, the veteran goaltender instead praised the Islanders for their even keel play throughout the night, stating that this style was what helped them fight back and ultimately come out on top.

"They were even-keeled the whole game. They were defending hard, and I think they were just putting a lot of pucks on net. Their game never really changed. And I think they just stuck to it longer than we did."

On the theme of the night, Rickard Rakell once again lamented miss chances and poor mistakes from Pittsburgh, as the team should have won this game but ultimately fell short on the back of some big mishaps.

"That, was bad. I think we got too passive and just made too many mistakes'

Ultimately, the Penguins had their chances to win, but unfortunately they simply couldn't put away a resilient Islanders team, and with their games remaining growing shorter and shorter, if they have too many of these games, they'll ultimately fall short of a playoff berth in 2025.