Penguins, penalty kill implode in 5-1 loss to Hurricanes
This article originally appeared on PGHHockeyNOW . For the third time in 13 days, the Pittsburgh Penguins (35-19-16) and Carolina Hurricanes (45-19-6) clashed in a battle of the two top teams in the Metropolitan Division, but this one was all Carolina. The Penguins’ top-ranked penalty kill failed them on Sunday afternoon, allowing three Hurricanes power play goals in route to a 5-1 loss.
It was the Penguins’ first regulation loss against a Metropolitan Division opponent since October 25 and broke an 18-game points streak against division foes. The Penguins’ record against the Metropolitan Division now sits at a still-impressive 11-2-9. Just 25 seconds into the game, Pittsburgh defenseman Ryan Graves , slotting in for the injured Ryan Shea, took a tripping penalty and the Hurricanes wasted no time converting.
At the 47 second mark of the first, Sebastian Aho (25) wristed a puck from just above the top of the left circle that deflected off Connor Dewar’s stick, bounced between the legs of teammate Jordan Staal in front, and past Penguins’ netminder Stuart Skinner to give Carolina the early 1-0 lead. While the Penguins were thoroughly outplayed in the first and outshot 9-5, they escaped only being down by one. They would not be so lucky in the second period.
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