I don't write this as a criticism. It's more of a wondering.
Can any of us enjoy the Penguins anymore, even for a night? Even for an hour?
This team delivered the greatest comeback in its current arena's history Tuesday night, its best comeback since 2006 and one of the best in the NHL this season. It scored five straight goals after falling behind 4-0 against the Columbus Blue Jackets, who are having a horrible season, yes, but who had recently beaten Edmonton, Dallas, Winnipeg, Toronto and Buffalo.
The Penguins directed 98 shots toward the Columbus net, a figure Penguins historian Bob Grove tells me is their highest total since the NHL began tracking all forms of shots, including blocked shots, 16 years ago (previous high was 93 on March 9, 2015, against San Jose). Evgeni Malkin and Sidney Crosby combined on a vintage winning goal. Either Malkin and Crosby, in fact, had a hand in all five goals.
That should be a game to revel in. A game to remember. And yet all I heard Wednesday morning was how this was a "bad win," and how the Penguins narrowly averted a humiliating loss — a long way of saying they won — and how this was another sign of their pending demise and how maybe we should all just quit watching.
OK, I didn't hear the last part. But that's the overwhelming vibe.
We can't even enjoy the good nights anymore.
It reminded me of the 7-6 overtime win over the Florida Panthers in late January, when Crosby, Malkin and Kris Letang combined for the game-winner. I swear I heard more breakdowns of the goals allowed than the goals scored that night. Maybe people just like to complain.
You do realize that by all rights there's no way Crosby, Malkin and Letang should all still be playing, right? All three have been devastated by injuries, yet here they are, a combined 106 years old and still making magic.
I pine for games that hearken to the 1980s, especially in the darkness of January, but all I got after 7-6 was people calling it a travesty and saying things like, "You can't play like that if you want to win the Cup," as if we're all defense-obsessed coaches.
I believe there's a name for this condition, by the way. It's called Penguins Dissatisfaction Syndrome (PDS) — the inability to enjoy anything Penguins-related, even 7-6 overtime wins and historic comebacks.
People will misunderstand the point here, I'm sure. They'll twist it to their version of reality and take it as a blanket defense of the Penguins, as if I'm rationalizing everything they do, when that is emphatically not the case.
Nobody's saying fans shouldn't be angry at several developments around here. General manager Ron Hextall, as an example, deserves all the scrutiny he gets. I spent about 800 words last week breaking down some of his regrettable moves. And does anyone know what Brian Burke does?
Also, Fenway Sports Group feels emotionally removed from the team, and I can't help but wonder if that group somehow alienated Mario Lemieux, who has been nowhere to be seen this season. Several players have underperformed, notably goalie Tristan Jarry of late.
There is plenty of time and room for legitimate critique. But let me ask you: Is it a surprise that a team that once fought for Cups now fights for a playoff spot? The Penguins are aging out, and their drafts have been hideous. That's not a good combination.
I'm pretty sure you and I and everybody in the building Tuesday — not to mention every single person in the hockey world — knows the Penguins are running on fumes these days. At best, they might have one or two more runs in them, and nothing Hextall did at the deadline was going to change that fact.
Nobody believes this team will last beyond a round of the playoffs, and even that would be a surprise. So how do we live in that reality? How do we live with PDS?
Are we still able to enjoy this team for a night, or even an hour?
Can we revel in a five-goal comeback?
If not, I suggest abstinence. Do yourself a favor and quit watching.
Find something else to complain about.
