Penguins 4-0 loss to Oilers is just more of the same frustrating hockey

If Pittsburgh Penguins hockey were a scripted television show, fans would know exactly how the plot unfolds. Though the 2024-2025 NHL season is only nine games old, it has been the same old hockey from the Penguins. Fans are frustrated and want to see better.

The Penguins took the ice Friday night, riding a nearly five-year losing streak in Edmonton. What happened? The team got behind and once again asked the goaltender to do more than he should to keep the Penguins in the game. In this case, that was defending 50 shots at goal.

Joel Blomqvist made 46 saves, and 19 were in the first period. The Penguins were constantly on the defensive so it was only a matter of time before Connor McDavid and company would figure out a way to overcome the offensive woes they have experienced early in this season. The result was a 4-0 loss dropping the Penguins to 3-5-1 and sixth place in the Metropolitan Division with only Columbus and Philadephia behind them and everyone else in front of them.

Time to 'Shake It Up'

Borrowing a lyric from a Taylor Swift song, the Penguins need to "Shake It Up." Doing the same thing game after game is producing the same result, getting behind, not capitalizing on the power plays, and being on their heels in defense.

The Penguins have not won a game in 10 days. That was a come from behind win in overtime to the Buffalo Sabres when Evgeni Malkin and Sidney Crosby achieved career milestones.

This team is talented, but lacks fire and confidence to get a win. Perhaps they have been thinking too much about it and just need to play so a Saturday game 24 hours later in Vancouver may be just what the doctor ordered.

One thing is clear. The Penguins cannot ask any more out of their goalies, Blomqvist and Alex Nedeljkovic cannot do much more. It is time for the rest of the team to step up.

Hoping to resume their winning ways, the Penguins take on the 3-1-2 Vancouver Canucks Saturday, October 26, 2024. Puck drop is at10 PM ET.