Sidney Crosby isn’t reaching for the panic button, and neither are the Penguins.
That’s the reality in Pittsburgh after a 5-2 loss to the Avalanche on Friday night dropped the team to 3-4 on the season and handed it a second straight defeat to open a three-game western road trip. It’s a different kind of start from last year, when the Penguins went 5-2 out of the gate, but the message from the room was clear: this is not the time to spiral.
Pittsburgh did come out with some bite, striking for two goals in the first period. But the energy didn’t carry. From there, the Penguins couldn’t maintain control, and the mistakes piled up against a Colorado team Crosby described as a difficult opponent.
“We knew it was going to be tough coming in here,” Crosby said via The Athletic. “We handled it really well early.
We just made some mistakes. And right now, we just need to clean up those mistakes.
That’s the game.”
Crosby’s own place in the record book added a notable wrinkle to the night, as he moved into seventh on the NHL’s all-time assists list. Even with that milestone, the focus stayed on the group effort and the places Pittsburgh can tighten up, whether that means finishing chances or cutting down on turnovers.
There are still pieces here that give the Penguins something to work with. Erik Karlsson has eight assists and eight points, while Evgeni Malkin has four goals. Bryan Rust has chipped in three goals and three assists, and he didn’t sound interested in sounding alarms this early.
“No,” Rust said when asked if it was time to panic. “It’s eight games into the season.
There are areas where we quickly need to get better. But I wouldn’t say the red light is flashing.
We just need to be better.”
The Penguins made the playoffs last season for the first time since 2021-22, and while this opening stretch has been rougher than hoped, the broader goal hasn’t changed. Pittsburgh still wants playoff hockey again this year.
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The Penguins cashed in on four power-play chances while Cleveland answered with three of its own, turning the night into a back-and-forth special teams battle. Ilyins impact stood out in the mix, and performances like this are the kind that can start to matter quickly when a young forward is trying to build momentum. [Read more 🡒]