Penguins Miss Playoffs, Carter Scores in Last NHL Game

For the second consecutive year, the Pittsburgh Penguins were eliminated from playoff contention as they sat idle. For the second consecutive year, they played a meaningless game 82. In many ways, this team deserves their fate.

This Penguins team was heavily flawed, top to bottom. For the majority of the year, they struggled to score when it mattered. The bottom six never overcame those struggles. Then, there were all the blown leads— thirteen in fact; seven of those resulting in losses, six of which came in regulation. And, of course, the Penguins sported the second worst power play in the league with a pathetic 14.6% success rate.

There’s plenty of blame to go around.

To an outsider, it may look like the regulation loss against Boston was the dagger on Pittsburgh’s season. It wasn’t. Let’s look back at the games that will be remembered as some of the worst losses of the year:

10/10/23, 4-2 Chicago:

Really, we should’ve known. The Penguins’ season kicked off with a blown multi-goal lead to a bottom feeder team. After going up 2-0 with goals from Rust and Crosby, the Penguins allowed four consecutive goals against to the likes of Ryan Donato, Cole Guttman, and Jason Dickinson. They went 0/2 on the power play. They had eight giveaways, including one on Dickinson’s game winner.

10/30/23, 4-3 Anaheim:

In a game where the Penguins struck twice on the power play, they also showcased their power play woes. They went 2/7, including a failed 5-on-3 that lasted almost two full minutes. The game ended in heartbreak when Adam Henrique knocked down Erik Karlsson’s pass intended for Evgeni Malkin, and sprung Mason McTavish on a shorthanded breakaway for the game winner with just 12 seconds left in the game.

11/24/2023, 3-2 Buffalo:

All season, the Penguins struggled to put together a full 60 minutes. They allowed three consecutive goals in the third period, all three because of defensive lapses. On the first, Jeff Skinner was left alone in front of the net on the power play. The second deflected in off of Erik Karlsson’s stick. On the third, when both Kris Letang and Marcus Pettersson chased Jeff Skinner behind the net, Skinner found an unmarked Alex Tuch who chipped it home.

1/20/2024, 3-2 Vegas:

Once again, the Penguins blew a two goal lead. Vegas stormed back in the third, scoring three times in 4:32 and holding on to win. The first goal came off of an uncoordinated defensive scramble in front of the net. On the second, Pettersson failed to clear. On the third, Brendan Brisson simply beat Tristan Jarry blocker side for his first NHL goal.

1/22/2024, 5-2 Arizona:

C’mon. You knew this one was coming. This loss didn’t come off of a blown lead; instead, the self-inflicted wound… well, it really was self-inflicted. The Penguins didn’t have a lead all game, and were about to go on the power play down 3-2. On the delayed penalty, Letang circled back into the Penguins’ zone. He was pressured by Clayton Keller, and backhanded the puck to Malkin. It was too much for Malkin to handle, and the puck rolled back into the vacant net for an own goal.

3/2/2024, 4-3 Calgary:

Ha. In this game, the Penguins blew a two goal lead twice, and wasted not one but two bottom six goals… and a power play goal. All of their flaws were on full display. They allowed goals in quick succession— two in 32 seconds— and surrendered a goal with just 50 seconds left in the game. And what a bad goal to allow. There was an atrocious read by Graves, Letang had his pocket picked, and Jarry barely reacted to the shot. Letang broke his stick over the crossbar; I couldn’t fault him.

3/24/2024, 5-4 Colorado:

It was 4-0. Sidney Crosby had a goal and three assists. And then the Penguins got in their own way. They allowed a response goal 25 seconds after scoring. They allowed a goal with 30 seconds left in the second period. They left dangerous players unguarded. They got taken behind the woodshed in overtime. At least they got a point in this one.

3/30/2024, 4-3 Columbus:

This game had it all. The Penguins surrendered a shorthanded goal in the first period. They took a two goal lead and allowed a response goal nine seconds later. The entire defense let Zach Werenski walk right in for the tying goal. And, of course, they couldn’t get it done in overtime, and fell in a shootout.

Here are some takeaways on the season:

There were other bad games. And, of course, not all of the blame falls on defense. The Penguins failed to score more than two goals in 30 of their 44 losses. For a team that’s stacked with offensive talent, that’s… not great.

The Penguins fell to the Islanders tonight, 5-4. Jeff Carter played in his last NHL game. He took the opening face off, with Sidney Crosby lining up on wing. He played on the top power play unit, and you could tell Pittsburgh was trying to get him one last goal. He scored this backdoor tally, courtesy of a pass from Sidney Crosby— a fitting final goal, since Carter was a net front presence for his entire career. Carter was named third star of the game. The entire Penguins team stayed out on the benches to watch him walk out, and the New York Islanders all lined up to congratulate him after the game. Very, very classy move. Following the game, it was officially announced that Carter will be retiring.

What a career it’s been for Jeff Carter. He’s played 19 seasons, and skated in 1,321 games. He won the Calder Cup with the Philadelphia Phantoms. He won two Stanley Cups with the Los Angeles Kings. He won an Olympic gold medal in 2014, playing for Team Canada alongside Sidney Crosby; the two also took home a World Junior gold medal together in 2005. He scored 442 goals, which is good for 71st all time.

In a poetic twist of fate, the Washington Capitals clinched the last Eastern Conference playoff spot last night with a 2-1 victory over Philadelphia. For their entire careers, Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin have been tied together, tangled in a constant, never-ending struggle. Sid. Ovi. Ovi. Sid. Round and round they go. 

Last year, for the first time in the Sid—Ovi era, both teams missed the playoffs. This year, there is a new first: the Washington Capitals make it to the postseason, and the Pittsburgh Penguins have missed the cut. Next year… we shall see.