Tim Benz: Repeated blown leads against the Islanders could prove fatal for Penguins

If you really want, you can try to rationalize away the Pittsburgh Penguins’ disastrous results against the New York Islanders this season.

You can try to convince yourself that if both teams qualify as the Eastern Conference wild cards, there’s not much difference between being seventh or eighth anyway.

That it would take a monumental surprise to upset either the Carolina Hurricanes or Boston Bruins as division winners, regardless of how those matchups align.

You can dilute the pain of four losses in four tries to the Islanders (76 points) by way of assuring yourself that the Pens (74 points), in all likelihood, won’t see their nemesis from Long Island in the playoffs unless somehow they both miraculously manage to make the Eastern Conference Final.

Or you could look at it realistically.

You could realize the Penguins forfeited seven of a possible eight points to their division rival, when six of those points were well within their reach — blowing three third-period leads in the four-game season series.

Forget trying to track down the Islanders for at least fourth place in the Metropolitan Division and seventh in the conference. Think about what those fumbled opportunities could mean when it comes to attempting to secure eighth place and the final playoff spot.

The Penguins got slapped around 5-1 when the teams first met Dec. 27 on Long Island. Since then, the Pens blew a two-goal advantage and a third-period lead Feb. 17, a 2-1 third-period lead Feb. 20 and a 3-1 third-period lead with five and a half minutes to go on Thursday.

Brock Nelson capped off the Islanders comeback with an overtime game-winner.

Brock Nelson completes the comeback for the @NYIslanders with his @Energizer overtime winner! pic.twitter.com/8Qctd9UIMH

— NHL (@NHL) March 10, 2023

“It’s little instances when we don’t make the read or make the play that we need to. Big plays that need to be made,” forward Bryan Rust said of the third-period miscues against the Islanders. “A wall play. Or a blocked shot. It doesn’t matter what it is. They just aren’t being made right now.”

In a strange way, Thursday night’s calamity hurts the most of the bunch, even though it’s the only game of the four between the teams in which the Pens got a point. At least this one got to overtime so the Penguins had something to show for their efforts through 40 minutes.

Efforts that head coach Mike Sullivan said should be appreciated.

“It’s tough to swallow. It stings. I feel badly for the players because I thought, for the majority of the night, we were the better team. We had some momentary lapses in the third. They got back in the game,” Sullivan said.

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Yet how Sullivan’s team let the extra point slip away has to burn even more because it was the third time in a row that it happened.

It was Nelson and fellow Penguins-killer Anders Lee who tortured them yet again. Nelson had the game-winner (plus an assist), and Lee scored twice.

It was Jeff Carter’s mistake of touching a puck that was batted down with a high stick that cost the Penguins time and territory on the ensuing faceoff.

It was goaltender Tristan Jarry bouncing back for the better part of 55 minutes after getting pulled Tuesday, only to allow three goals from the 14:31 mark on to lose the game.

“We just have to manage the puck a little bit better and play a full 60 minutes. I think that’s the biggest key for us, and I think that we can beat anyone,” Jarry said.

Too bad the NHL doesn’t end Penguins-Islanders games after 40 minutes, I guess.

The best positive one can drum up for this result is that at least the Penguins are done with the Islanders for this year. However, they have three games coming up against New York’s other team between now and March 18.

As you may recall, blowing leads against the Rangers was a bit of an issue during the playoffs last year as well.

If the Pens want to hold onto that final Eastern Conference playoff spot, they best change their New York state of mind while playing with the lead beyond the second intermission.

Otherwise, they may not be playing beyond the regular season for the first time since 2006.

Tim Benz and Seth Rorabaugh discuss the Penguins’ latest blown lead to the New York Islanders, and upcoming games this weekend against the Flyers and Rangers.

Listen: Tim Benz and Seth Rorabaugh talk Penguins