Goaltender Arturs Silovs pulled again as Penguins routed by Maple Leafs

The Pittsburgh Penguins have been one of the NHL’s best outfits in preventing goals this season. Entering Saturday, their overall goals-against average of 2.61 was the fourth-best figure in the 32-team league.

On Saturday, that tabulation was torn asunder by the Toronto Maple Leafs, who pillaged their way to a 7-2 victory at PPG Paints Arena.

Rookie goaltender Arturs Silovs was pulled early for the second consecutive game he has started. Unofficially making six saves on 10 shots in only 24 minutes, 37 seconds of ice time, his record was leveled at 4-4-4.

In his most recent previous appearance, Silovs lasted a mere 21:06 of ice time after also stopping six of 10 shots in a 5-0 home loss to the Minnesota Wild on Nov. 21.

Veteran goaltender Tristan Jarry finished the contest and made 10 saves on 13 shots over 34:43 of ice time.

Through the bulk of the campaign, team defense and goaltending had been a strength of the Penguins. But it’s far from a finished product (particularly after Saturday’s rout).

“It’s something that we’re talking about a lot as a group,” Muse said prior to the game. “We practice it. I still think it’s an area there that we need to improve. It’s an area that we’re continuing to look at.”

Maple Leafs defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson’s fourth goal of the season opened the scoring 6:46 into regulation when he cleaned up a rebound off his own pass attempt that was blocked by Penguins defenseman Parker Wotherspoon.

The hosts tied the score less than two minutes later at 8:14 of the first period during a power-play sequence via rookie forward Ben Kindel’s sixth goal.

Off the left half wall of Toronto’s zone, Penguins forward Bryan Rust forced a backhand pass attempt for linemate Sidney Crosby, but Maple Leafs forward Scott Laughton broke up the sequence with a poke check in the near circle.

Crosby and Maple Leafs forward Steven Lorentz jabbed at the puck, causing it to hop up in the air and strike the crook of Laughton’s right arm. With the puck still airborne, Kindel, stationed low in the circle, swiped an opposite field single that fluttered past rookie goaltender Dennis Hildeby’s blocker on the far side.

Crosby and Rust racked up assists.

Rookie forward Easton Cowan’s third goal restored a lead for the Maple Leafs at 11:06 of the opening frame.

Off a give-and-go sequence with linemate William Nylander, Easton swiped a one-timer from the Penguins’ right circle past a sluggish Silovs. The puck glanced off of Wotherspoon’s stick before entering the cage.

The visitors took a 3-1 lead 2:24 into the second period with forward Bobby McMann’s sixth goal.

From the center point of the offensive zone, Maple Leafs defenseman Morgan Rielly lobbed a wrister. McMann established position in the slot and deflected it down to the ice, causing it to glance off the right skate of Penguins defenseman Matt Dumba’s right skate and past Silovs’ right leg.

Maple Leafs forward Dakota Joshua’s third goal chased Silovs at 4:53 of the second frame.

Taking a pass at the right point of the offensive zone, Maple Leafs defenseman Troy Stetcher lifted a wrister toward the cage. In the near circle, Penguins defenseman Kris Letang blocked the puck but was unable to play the rebound, allowing Maple Leafs forward Nicolas Roy to tap it forward to Joshua. Spinning to his right, Joshua fired a wrister through Silovs’ legs.

Jarry didn’t fare much better as Roy scored his second goal during a power-play opportunity at 13:58 of the middle period.

Crosby’s team-leading 16th goal 4:37 into the third period restored false hope for a brief, fleeting moment.

But any notion of a comeback attempt was euthanized at 7:14 of the final frame when forward Auston Matthews scored his 10th goal. That was followed up at the 13:16 mark by forward Nicolas Robertson’s sixth goal.