OTTAWA, Ontario -- The Penguins have been one of the NHL's most staunch defensive teams for much of 2021-22.
Still are, actually.
They enter their game against the Senators Thursday at 7:08 p.m. at Canadian Tire Centre allowing an average of 2.57 goals per game, tying the Rangers for the third-lowest mark in the league. Only Carolina (2.41) and Calgary (2.48) have been tougher on opposing offenses.
Lately, however, the Penguins' commitment to sound defense has wavered and, not surprisingly, that has been reflected in their 1-3-1 record over the past five games.
They have given up an average of 36.75 shots during the past four games, well above their average of 30.4 for the season. (Even though that latter figure is inflated by the numbers from those past four games.)
The Penguins gave up no fewer than 45 during a 4-2 victory Tuesday night at TD Garden in Boston, where the brilliance of Tristan Jarry was the primary reason they were able to pull out of a four-game skid.
And while four games is only a tiny slice of an 82-game schedule, addressing their defensive flaws figures to be a priority in the immediate future.
"I definitely think we can be better," Bryan Rust said after the Penguins' practice Wednesday at TD Garden in Boston. "It hasn't been that great, as of late. Obviously, it's a long season and it can't be phenomenal all of the time, but you have to try to limit these stretches where things may not go well in certain aspects of the game.
"Defensively, we just have to focus on little detail things. Obviously, Coach (Mike Sullivan) harps on puck-management a lot, but that kind of hits the nail on the head. We have a group in our locker room that can understand that we can't win consistently this way. We have to find a way to be better as quickly as possible."
Their defensive lapses of late hardly have left the Penguins facing an existential crisis -- they're one point out of first place in the Metropolitan Division -- because the other facets of their game have been solid. Or better.
They are scoring an average of 3.32 goals per game, which is ninth-best in the league, and their special teams have been more than adequate.
Injuries, such as the one to Teddy Blueger, have hurt the penalty-kill, but it still is ranked second in the NHL, with a success rate of 87 percent.
And after a disappointing start, the power play has risen to 11th in the rankings. It has converted 22.1 percent of its chances and has generated at least one goal in nine of the past 10 games, including the past six in a row.
"Once we got a full complement of players (on the No. 1 unit), we started to get comfortable with each other and roll a little bit," Rust said. "That breeds a little bit of confidence, and anytime you've got confidence on the power play, you're playing on your toes and you're making plays. And you're, hopefully, scoring goals, too."
Losing Blueger has had an obvious impact on the Penguins' effectiveness while shorthanded; they've given up a power-play goal in five of the past seven games. Although the penalty-killers can't accelerate Blueger's recovery from a broken jaw, they can be a bit more diligent about tending to the finer points of their duty,
"It kind of goes hand-in-hand with our defensive game," Rust said. "Just little puck-management things and detail-oriented things.We have a group that will be able to recognize that and work toward making it better."
MORE FROM THE PRACTICE
• Sullivan said it is "my understanding" that Evgeni Malkin has tested out of the Covid protocol. Malkin will not play against the Senators but, assuming Sullivan's information is confirmed, will be cleared to get back on the ice in Pittsburgh and is expected to rejoin the lineup in New Jersey Sunday afternoon. Skills coach Ty Hennes and injured center Teddy Blueger returned to Pittsburgh to work out with Malkin.
• Ottawa is 14-11-3 in its past 28 games, and usually gives the Penguins fits at Canadian Tire Center. "They're a good young team, and they're getting better with every game that they play," Sullivan said. "They play with a lot of energy. They play with a lot of enthusiasm and they've got a lot of good young players. They're a hungry team and every time we play those guys, it's a battle. And that's what we would expect tomorrow night."
• Personnel combinations:
Jake Guentzel-Sidney Crosby-Bryan Rust
Brock McGinn-Jeff Carter-Kasperi Kapanen
Radim Zohorna-Evan Rodrigues-Danton Heinen
Zach Aston-Reese-Brian Boyle-Dominik Simon
Drew O'Connor-Michael Chaput-Valtteri Puustinen
Brian Dumoulin-Kris Letang
Marcus Pettersson-John Marino
Mike Matheson-Chad Ruhwedel
Mark Friedman
