The Penguins were trying to snap a five-game losing streak but their desperate effort to break the slump took a back seat to Marc-Andre Fleury, who started in goal for the Minnesota Wild on an emotional night at PPG Paints Arena.
Paul Steigerwald has the story of Fleury’s last game in Pittsburgh.
Fleury made 26 saves while Penguins’ goaltender Joel Blomqvist stopped 34 of 38 shots. The Penguins’ goals were scored by Valtteri Puustinen and Rickard Rakell, who had two goals while playing on a newly-formed top line with Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin. Crosby assisted on all three Penguins goals.
Penguins coach Mike Sullivan says the Penguins are not playing good defense and it’s affecting the whole team game.
Sullivan was especially angry with the first period goal scored by former Penguin Freddie Gaudreau, which he said was another example of the Penguins trying to play offense in the defensive zone.
Crosby says the defensive effort has been terrible during the slump.
Crosby and Kris Letang stayed on the ice after the game to embrace Fleury. Crosby says “The Flower” means a lot to Penguins fans and it showed last night.
Penguins rookie goaltender Joel Blomqvist was proud to share the ice with the iconic Fleury.
Rickard Rakell has been one of the few bright spots for the Penguins this season. He enjoyed playing on the high-powered top line with Crosby and Malkin.
After the game, the Penguins put forward Bryan Rust on injured reserve. The veteran was hurt in a collision along the boards in Vancouver on Saturday. Sullivan said Rust can be termed “week to week.”
The Penguins welcome Anaheim to PPG Paints Arena tomorrow night.
NHL
If the Penguins had been thinking about getting some help for their blue line, those plans will not include former Pens defenseman Olli Maatta, who was traded yesterday from Detroit to Utah, where he will help fill the gap created by the injury absence of another former Penguin, defenseman John Marino.
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