PITTSBURGH — Let’s start with the good news: The Penguins are displaying a knack for clawing back late in games. They’ve certainly had a lot of practice the last two weeks.
Unfortunately, it is difficult to stack wins playing that way, something they were reminded of again Sunday, when they lost, 4-3, to the Los Angeles Kings.
For the fourth time in five games, the Penguins overcame a third-period deficit, with two goals from Bryan Rust getting them back even with the Kings. But they lost track of Trevor Moore, who scored the winner on a breakaway with 6:39 left.
After winning 17 of 19 games, the Penguins have now dropped three straight.
Rust scored on a spinning shot 6:17 into the third period to get the Penguins back within a goal. Less than four minutes later, his pass attempt bounced in off a Kings defender to tie the score at 3. The fans, handed yellow towels when they walked through the gates, briefly made PPG Paints Arena look like Heinz Field.
But the lead and the good vibes didn’t last long. The Penguins, too reliant on their big guns to power them to victory, couldn’t pump another puck past Cal Petersen.
Just a few days ago, Ron Hextall raved about Pittsburgh’s depth up front. Speaking with reporters Thursday, the Penguins general manager mentioned that first when listing all the things he liked about his team’s recent play.
Toward the end of their recent run of 17 victories in 19 games, the Penguins got goals from up and down the lineup. Dominik Simon scored against Ottawa. Kasperi Kapanen and Jeff Carter helped them come back to beat Winnipeg. Big Brian Boyle buried one from between his legs to cap off a win over Arizona.
That secondary scoring has disappeared since Hextall hyped up that group.
So Mike Sullivan shook up his lines Sunday after the Penguins, in their back-to-back losses, netted just three goals — all from the top line or on the power play. Evan Rodrigues replaced Kapanen on the second line. Kapanen dropped to the fourth. Carter had two new linemates: Radim Zohorna and Zach Aston-Reese.
But it was another scoreless first for the Penguins, making it five games in a row. That was not for a lack of good looks. Rust streaked down the wing but couldn’t beat Petersen. Zohorna went wide with a point-blank whack. Brock McGinn barged in on a breakaway. But they haven’t gotten a first-period goal since Jan. 21.
Kings forward Alex Iafallo got the game’s first goal 77 seconds into the second period when he ripped a one-timer from a sharp angle over the left shoulder of Tristan Jarry.
After Crosby sniped Petersen on the power play for his 498th career goal, the Kings cashed in twice more before the end of the second period. Trevor Moore roofed a backhand on Jarry from in tight, then Drew Doughty scored during a 4-on-4.
Kris Letang, who’s been so good the last several weeks, was on the ice for all four Kings goals.
On the last one, Letang and the Penguins somehow let another stretch pass get through to Moore, who snapped a shot over Jarry’s glove for the winner.
It was the second time this month that the Penguins lost to the up-and-coming Kings.
The Penguins had an injury scare left in the first period when top-pair defenseman Brian Dumoulin headed to the dressing room while wincing in pain.
While killing a penalty, Dumoulin stood in front of a heavy shot from Kings rookie Arthur Kaliyev, and when the puck cracked the inside of his right ankle, he toppled like a Jenga tower. Unable to put any weight on that leg, Dumoulin needed two teammates to help him off the ice. But he was somehow back for the start of the second.
We will see if he skates Monday, when the Penguins practice in Cranberry.
The Penguins will wrap up their six-game homestand Tuesday, when they host the Washington Capitals. It’s their last game before the NHL all-star break.
