Penguins defensemen Erik Karlsson, Kris Letang reunited on top power-play unit

At this rate, no alteration with the Penguins’ enervated top power-play unit can be dismissed.

Put a big guy in front of the crease? Sure.

A left-hand shot on the left flank? Absolutely.

Let adroit goaltender Tristan Jarry airmail a few pucks from his own crease? Why not?

On Sunday, the Penguins unveiled perhaps their most pragmatic alteration to that beleaguered squad during practice in Cranberry.

They used two defensemen, Erik Karlsson and Kris Letang.

On the surface, it might seem like a minor tweak. But considering the franchise largely has deployed four forwards and one defenseman with both of their power-play squads for the better part of a decade, seeing two blue-liners on the ice at the same time for a power-play drill was notable.

It might look different. But is it really that different?

“There’s nothing different,” Letang said. “It’s just a different look right now of who’s where and different types of players in different spots.”

In addition to Karlsson and Letang, the top unit included forwards Sidney Crosby, Jake Guentzel and Evgeni Malkin. The most notable detail of their deployment was that Letang manned the center point, a role Karlsson largely has inhabited since the start of the season. That left Karlsson, a right-handed shot, to open each drill on the left flank while rotating with Crosby, Guentzel and Malkin.

This latest augmentation came on the heels of a 4-3 shootout loss at home to the Flyers in which the team was an unappetizing 0 for 5 with the power play and gave up a short-handed goal in the third period.

Saturday’s performance marked the 10th consecutive game the team has failed to convert on a power-play opportunity, an obscene stretch of futility for a squad that includes a handful of future Hall of Famers.

Overall this season, the Penguins have scored seven goals on 64 power-play opportunities, equating to a success rate of 10.9%, ranked 29th in the 32-team NHL entering Sunday.

To amplify their woes, they have given up four short-handed goals, tied for third most in the league.

To be succinct, their power play has been bad.

But not that bad in Letang’s eyes.

“We’re right there,” Letang implored. “If you (look) at the power play as a whole, the only thing that is missing is a goal. We’re trying a different look.”

If nothing else, the look of a pair of defensemen ideally would limit short-handed chances for the opponents.

“The fact that we’ve got two (defensemen) out there, we don’t want to be giving up goals,” Crosby said. “Obviously, we want to be getting momentum. … Hopefully, that gives us a little bit more peace of mind and more confidence to make plays knowing that we’ve got two defensemen back there. If anything, it probably simplifies it. Those are guys who both have good shots. At this point, it’s probably the most important thing that we simplify it and find ways to get pucks through.”

The Penguins briefly experimented with Letang and Karlsson in the preseason and the early stages of the regular season. The only difference was Letang manned the left flank while Karlsson was at the center point. And Letang has largely manned the center point of the Penguins’ power play throughout most of his dazzling existence with the franchise.

Either way, both of them are right-handed shots, an ideal attribute for firing one-timers from that geography of the ice.

“Right now, we’re trying a little bit more of a one-timer lineup,” Karlsson said. “Obviously (Letang) has been up (at the center point) for a long time. And let’s say he ends up in the spot that I’m designated, or I’m up top — it doesn’t really change that much. We’re both righties. It just gives us maybe a little bit more of an opportunity to shoot some quality shots when we get in positions to. We’re going to try it out.

“Obviously, it hasn’t gone the way that we wanted. So, we’re going to keep trying. We’re going to keep trying until we get it right.”

There has been an obvious deficit of goals during the Penguins’ power-play opportunities this season (excluding those scored by the opposing penalty killers).

But there has been a surplus of patience, at least for those on the ice.

“Sometimes, it takes time,” Letang said. “It doesn’t matter what names you have on the (ice). It’s just a question of getting it together.

“I don’t think we’re that far out.”

Notes: Penguins forward Matt Nieto was designated to injured reserve after he missed Saturday’s game with an undisclosed malady. On Sunday, coach Mike Sullivan did not provide a substantive update on Nieto or linemate Noel Acciari, who also missed Saturday’s game because of an undisclosed ailment. Per Sullivan, both players are still being evaluated. … Forward Alex Nylander was recalled from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. … Injured forward Rickard Rakell and defenseman Chad Ruhwedel skated before practice.