Losing Streaks Becoming New Normal for Penguins

Losing five straight games is now nothing new for the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Oct 26, 2024; Vancouver, British Columbia, CAN; Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Kris Letang (58) and forward Evgeni Malkin (71) react after losing to the Vancouver Canucks at Rogers Arena. / Bob Frid-Imagn Images

The Pittsburgh Penguins return home from their latest road trip seeking answers. They went 0-3-1 in Western Canada and have lost their last five games while being outscored 22-10.

The Penguins latest defeat, 4-3 to the Vancouver Canucks, was an uninspired performance. The Penguins built a 2-0 lead before allowing four unanswered goals in the second period, three coming within 65 seconds.

From that point, it seemed like the Penguins packed it in. Evgeni Malkin capitalized on the team's only great opportunity in the third to pull the Penguins within one, but that's as close as they would get.

This stretch marks the 12th losing streak of three or more games in the past three seasons and the third streak of at least five straight losses. In the previous three seasons (2019-2022), the Penguins lost three or more consecutive games just seven times and five or more once. With 72 games left this season, those numbers will likely increase.

In the previous two seasons, many pointed to the bottom six, or the power play, or to goaltending to blame for the Penguins' struggles. This season, the brunt of the struggles has been on team defense and the performance of their star players.

The Penguins have allowed three or more goals in all ten games to begin this season. That hasn't happened since Sidney Crosby's rookie year in 2005-06, when the Penguins won 22 games.

Crosby has struggled early this season, scoring three points at 5v5 and just one assist during this losing streak. Defensemen Kris Letang and Erik Karlsson have been outshot 213-184 and outscored 23-16 at 5v5 this season.

These issues are not a recipe for making the postseason. They align more with a team aiming for a top draft pick.

The Penguins will try to end their first five-game skid of the season against Marc-Andre Fleury and the Minnesota Wild, but recent history suggests it won't be their last.

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