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Patchwork Penguins limp into 2-week break with loss to Flyers | TribLIVE.com
Penguins/NHL

Patchwork Penguins limp into 2-week break with loss to Flyers

Seth Rorabaugh
Seth Rorabaugh
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NHLI
Penguins defenseman Erik Karlsson is mobbed by teammates following his second-period goal against the Philadelphia Flyers on Saturday.
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NHLI
Penguins defenseman Erik Karlsson celebrates his second-period goal with teammates on the bench against the Philadelphia Flyers on Saturday.

With a lineup that was more congruent with the gravity of a preseason contest, the Pittsburgh Penguins lost to the Philadelphia Flyers, 3-2, on Saturday at Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia.

Already absent the skills of superstar centers Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, the Penguins entered Saturday’s entanglement minus top-line winger Bryan Rust and fourth-line banger-and-crasher Boko Imama.

The precise nature of their ailments isn’t publicly known, and Rust was placed on injured reserve before Saturday’s game.

In his place, the team recalled promising rookie forward Vasily Ponomarev, who opened the contest as the third-line center.

Crosby was scratched for a second consecutive game with a suspected left arm injury, and Malkin, currently designated to injured reserve, was absent for a sixth straight contest.

Coupled with the departure of mainstay defenseman Marcus Pettersson and forward Drew O’Connor via a trade just over a week ago Jan. 31, the Penguins dressed a threadbare lineup Saturday as they approached a nearly two-week break for the NHL’s 4 Nations Face-Off tournament between Canada, Finland, Sweden and the United States.

Almost immediately after the game, Ponomarev as well as rookie goaltender Joel Blomqvist and veteran forward Emil Bemstrom were assigned to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. In a corresponding transaction, veteran goaltender Tristan Jarry was recalled to the NHL roster.

“The expectations haven’t changed, and it’s a next-man-up mindset,” coach Mike Sullivan said Thursday in Cranberry. “Guys are always looking for more ice time and want to play a more significant role. Here’s your opportunity. That’s the world we live in. That’s the NHL. When injuries occur, it provides opportunities for others. Players need to look at it like that. (Some players) may be playing more significant roles than they otherwise would be, and they’ve got an opportunity to make an impact. It’s a huge opportunity for guys in those types of situations.”

Flyers forward Scott Laughton took the opportunity to open the scoring on Saturday with his 11th goal only 104 seconds into regulation.

Gaining the Penguins’ blue line at the center point, Flyers forward Travis Konecny dished a pass to his left by the stick of Penguins forward Blake Lizotte to Laughton. Mostly unimpeded en route to the cage, Laughton approached the crease from the left circle and tucked a clever backhander through Blomqvist’s five hole. Konecny and linemate Andrei Kuzmenko had assists.

The Penguins tied the contest at 4:19 of the second period via defenseman Erik Karlsson’s sixth goal.

Off a cycle on the Flyers’ left wing boards, Penguins defenseman Matt Grzelcyk accepted a pass at the right point. Considering his options for a moment, Grzelcyk offloaded the puck to Karlsson low in the near circle. As Flyers rookie defenseman Emil Andrae slid down in hopes of a block, Karlsson elevated a near-side wrister from a bad angle that glanced off of goaltender Samuel Ersson and entered the cage on the near side. Grzelcyk and forward Rickard Rakell registered assists.

Flyers forward Garnet Hathaway’s eighth goal was achieved through some charity offered by the visitors at 12:26 of the second frame.

Going deep into the Flyers’ zone on the left wing, Penguins defenseman P.O Joseph forced a centering pass that was deflected by the stick of Flyers rookie forward Jacob Gaucher. The puck hit off the boards in front of the Penguins’ bench and deflected toward the Penguins’ blue line. Hathaway hit the nitro and outraced Penguins defenseman Kris Letang. That prompted Blomqvist to make the daring decision to scurry out of his cage in hopes of playing the puck away. His intention went catawampus, however, as his clearing attempt from the slot hit off of Hathaway’s left leg and caromed into the vacant cage. There were no assists.

“It was kind of a 50/50 situation, if I should go out or if I should not,” Blomqvist said to reporters in Philadelphia via audio provided by the team’s media relations staff. “And I chose to go out.”

Konecny’s 22nd goal came 4:27 into the third period and proved to be the winning score.

Settling a loose puck at the left point of the offensive zone, Flyers defenseman Travis Sanheim slid a cross-ice pass to the opposite point for defensive partner Cam York, who then set up up a one-timer opportunity at the center point. Racing off the bench during a delayed penalty, Konecny stepped into the shot that struck off the stick of Penguins forward Noel Acciari – stationed in the slot – then bounced off the ice, hopping by Blomqvist’s glove. Assists went to York and Sanheim.

Penguins forward Anthony Beauvillier, scored his 12th goal only 75 seconds later.

Off fierce battling from the Flyers’ end boards, Beauvillier drove the puck from the right corner to the net. Penguins forwards Kevin Hayes and Danton Heinen each chopped at the puck through a mass of humanity in the crease. Hayes jabbed it off the left side of the cage into the blue paint where Ersson was in a prone position. As the puck sat free between Ersson’s legs, Hayes and Beauvillier each took pokes at the puck which crossed the goal line just as referee Morgan MacPhee blew his whistle to halt play. Officials initially ruled no goal on the basis of goaltender interference, but a coach’s challenge by the Penguins overturned that decision. Hayes was initially credited with the goal but a scoring change overnight gave it to Beauvillier. Hayes and Heinen had assists.

Blomqvist, making his first start since Jan. 25, stopped 17 of 20 shots as his record tumbled to 3-8-0.

“Obviously, we’re disappointed we didn’t get the result,” Sullivan said to reporters in Philadelphia. “But I thought we competed all night long.”

Notes:

• The Penguins attempted 92 shots and the Flyers recorded 34 blocked shots.

• Heinen recorded his first point as a member of the Penguins since scoring a goal during a 5-2 home loss to the Chicago Blackhawks on April 11, 2023.

• Penguins forward Matt Nieto returned to the lineup after being a healthy scratch the previous four games.

• Defenseman Ryan Shea was the Penguins’ lone healthy scratch.

• The Flyers are still paying $3,571,429 of Kevin Hayes’ contract, which has a total salary cap hit of $7,142,857 through the 2025-26 season.

• The Penguins had a three-game winning streak against the Flyers snapped.

• The Penguins do not resume play until a home contest against the rival Washington Capitals on Feb. 22.

• Kuzmenko made his Flyers debut.

Seth Rorabaugh is a TribLive reporter covering the Pittsburgh Penguins. A North Huntingdon native, he joined the Trib in 2019 and has covered the Penguins since 2007. He can be reached at srorabaugh@triblive.com.

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