The Pittsburgh Penguins got a dose of reality on Wednesday night, losing the season and opening 6-0 at home against the reigning Presidents' Trophy winners, the New York Rangers.
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Last year, the Penguins failed to make the playoffs and seemed to be no match for New York, which was just a few wins away from the Stanley Cup Final.
Despite a busy off-season, including the acquisition of Rutger McGroarty, the Penguins were exposed in the first game and even though it is one game, they are not in the same class as the Rangers.
Let's discuss some takeaways from the worst season-opening loss of the Sidney Crosby era.
Tristan Jarry will make and break the Penguins' season
It's only one game, but Tristan Jarry was hung out to dry and didn't do himself any favors, limping along with an .854 SV% while stopping 35 shots in 41 attempts.
Even though the final score was 6-0, the weakened Penguins number one goalie conceded seven goals, one of which was called back for offside. When thinking about Pittsburgh's game, performance and chances of qualifying for the playoffs, their top goaltender can't give up six or seven goals, no matter how strong the opponent is.
The 29-year-old appears to be ready because, just like at the start of the pre-season, teams are targeting and finding the net on his blocking side. This seems to be an area of concern and if he doesn't work on preventing goals from this team, it will be a long season.
Now it wasn't so bad. Jarry made several saves to keep the score intact. But Igor Shesterkin, who had just shot down rumors of an $11 million contract extension, outplayed Jarry and finished the night with 29 saves. If the Penguins had a Vezina-caliber goaltender, they would have laughed all the way to the championship. Instead, defeats like Wednesday night raise more questions about the future.
The lone highlight of the evening in the Penguins' third line
It's a safe bet that no one had Jesse Puljujarvi, Lars Eller and Rutger McGroarty as top lines for the Penguins on opening night on their bingo cards.
On a special night like home opener, superstars like Crosby and Evgeni Malkin should put on a show and remind fans who haven't seen them in a few months how special it is to watch them.
While the Pittsburgh legends were noticeable in their 19th season opener together, they combined for three shots and did nothing to help their team snap out of its regular-season power play slump. After finishing 30th overall with the man advantage, the Penguins picked up right where they left off, going 0-for-3.
Despite the lack of star firepower, Pittsburgh's best skaters were undoubtedly the new third line of Puljujarvi, Eller and McGroarty. The trio combined for eight shots and their score was only minus 3, meaning each player scored a goal.
Whether they were shooting on target, creating chances or playing responsible hockey, the third line was vibrant for most of the evening and was noticeable whenever both players jumped over the boards together.
Even though no one from the line found the back of the net, it's a positive sign that good things are coming, which could help offset the pressure from the top two lines to create the overall offense.
It's only one game, but it was a disaster
The Penguins are the second-oldest team in the NHL and seemed to be a step behind New York throughout the competition. Whether he was giving up or not maintaining enough puck possession to create opportunities, the team looked like they were in a different league than the Rangers.
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Pittsburgh was outshot and outplayed in overtime, two of the main reasons for the terrible loss in front of their hometown fans. As a Stanley Cup contender for the second year in a row, New York proved its lineup was complete, facing attacks from all four lines.
Fortunately, the Penguins don't have to play teams like the Rangers for 81 games, but if the organization is serious about returning to the playoffs, they can't compete in such high-profile matchups. The veterans, who are the second oldest team in the league, must draw on their collective experience and overcome slumps and bad nights.
It will be interesting to see how they respond to tonight's matchup against the Detroit Red Wings.
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