Scoring struggles linger for Penguins 2nd line
Evgeni Malkin and David Perron nearly took over Game 3 against the New York Rangers in the third period.
Playoff hockey is all about results, however, and the duo ultimately fired blanks again in the Rangers' 2-1 victory Monday at Consol Energy Center.
“It's very frustrating for us right now,” Perron said. “Geno and I know we need to be a factor in this series. We know it. And we were so close.”
Dating back to the regular season, Malkin has gone a career-long 13 games without a goal and a career-long eight games without a point.
Malkin is a minus-9 during that stretch.
He didn't record a shot on goal for only the third time this season, and one of those games without a shot came March 15 when Malkin left early after suffering an injury against the Boston Bruins.
He hasn't been the same player since and is dealing with back discomfort.
“Geno had some looks,” coach Mike Johnston said. “Some speed, the work ethic.”
Through two periods, though, the Penguins' second line was ineffective, failing to muster a shot.
Malkin and Perron were guilty of gruesome giveaways in the early going, something that has been a problem all series.
Perron looked particularly lost, and his recent numbers are no better than Malkin's. In Perron's past 15 games, he has produced zero goals, two assists and is a minus-9.
Malkin and Perron were on the ice for the first Rangers' goal, which was partially the result of a sloppy line change.
The third period, though, saw the Penguins' second line spring to life.
Malkin skated with more authority than he had all series, and Perron twice found himself with glorious opportunities to even the game. Perron believes he had Rangers goalie Henrik Lundqvist beaten on a shot from the slot late in the game.
“Their defensemen are just jumping in front of every shot we take,” Perron said. “I had a chance to tie it. I saw the hole in behind Lundqvist. If it goes by, it's in. But (defenseman Dan) Girardi just got a piece of it. It was definitely going in. Would I do something different? Probably not. I liked the way I shot the puck tonight. I have to keep doing that.”
Right wing Blake Comeau was placed on the second line — alongside Malkin and Perron — in the third period. That trio is expected to remain intact.
“I thought Comeau helped when he was with them,” Johnston said. “That combination was so good down the stretch.”
Perron and Malkin started playing together April 10 against the Islanders. They're still looking for their first goal together.
“We were flying in the end of that game,” Perron said. “You know, I think we found something. It didn't materialize in any goals, but we were clicking, flying together out there.”
Malkin predicted before Game 3 that he would score a goal.
That prediction didn't work out, but no one could dismiss how good that line looked in the latter stages Monday night. And Johnston offered a prediction of his own moving forward.
“It's going to come for that line,” he said.
Josh Yohe is a staff writer for Trib Total Media. Reach him at jyohe@tribweb.com or via Twitter @JoshYohe_Trib.
