There are some defeats that hurt and others that take your breath away. This is obviously the case for Pittsburgh Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan, who was at a loss for words Monday night.
At home, his men lost 7 to 1 against the Dallas Stars, Mason Marchment collecting five points. The “Pens” allowed no less than six goals in the first period.
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“I don’t know if I have a valid answer,” the pilot first indicated at a press conference.
“I’m not going to sit here and say I’m frustrated, because I’m not him,” Sullivan continued. I am determined to move this team forward and steer us in the right direction more consistently. I know we are a much better team than what we showed today.”
Already, nasty rumors are reporting that the Penguins could be the first to part ways with their coach this season. Sullivan, who took office in December 2015, is the second-longest reigning active instructor.
Guardians in crisis
Let’s say that the 55-year-old man is not helped by his goalkeepers during this first quarter of the campaign. Tristan Jarry had to be transferred to the American League to get back on track and the starts have since been shared between Alex Nedeljkovic and rookie Joel Blomqvist.
Fortunately, Jarry is back with the Penguins and could bring a breath of fresh air. On Monday, he saw poor Blomqvist give up three times in just eight throws.
“Obviously, the first few goals, I’m pretty sure Joel would like to see them again. That’s how it is,” said a disappointed Sullivan.
Despite this third loss in four games, Pittsburgh is not completely in the red. On Friday, the Pens defeated the surprising Washington Capitals 4-2, proving they could respond to their 5-1 loss the day before at the hands of the Carolina Hurricanes.
“We have to give ourselves chances to win,” pleaded Sullivan. I think the most important thing is to understand what it looks like. We have evidence throughout the season that we have shown that we are a competitive team.”
The Penguins will host the Detroit Red Wings on Wednesday.
