Penguins Get Beat At Buzzer; Flaws Being Exposed?

There have been times during the 2009-10 season when the Pittsburgh Penguins have looked like the team that hoisted the Stanley Cup last June.

There have also been times when they've looked nothing like that team, particularly during their their past six games, a stretch that has seen them lose four, including a 3-2 overtime decision on Saturday against Carolina, as Jamie McBain scored the first goal of his career with less than a second to play in the extra period.

Give the rookie credit for being composed with the puck as time was ticking away, and getting a good shot on net to help lead the 'Canes to their 20th win in their last 31 games.

As for the Penguins ... man. These are points they can't afford to let slip away as they continue their quest for the Atlantic Division title. They've lost two games in overtime to Carolina in the past week, and have dropped four of six overall. Of the five teams that are ahead of them in the league standings (Washington, San Jose, Chicago, Vancouver, Phoenix) Pittsburgh is 0-4-2, and managed to drop all six games of its season series with New Jersey, getting outscored 22-5 in the process. Not a good sign.

What's the problem? Well, this team just doesn't appear to be as sound defensively as last year's group, even though the numbers are almost identical. Aside from the sketchy coverage on McBain's goal -- and the two great scoring chances Carolina had prior to it -- take a look at what was happening when Joni Pitkanen scored the game-tying goal with four minutes to play in the third period.

Let's look at that again, this time frame-by-frame:

Look at all of that open ice Pitkanen has to work with once Eric Staal sets him up, after Staal was set up by Ray Whitney. That's not supposed to happen.

Obviously, that gives Pitkanen all of the time and space he needs to casually stroll to the top of the circle and get off an uncontested shot from a pretty decent scoring area. You can't give NHL players -- especially good ones -- that much room to work with.

But there's one more mistake to come, this time from goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury.

Ruslan Fedotenko does his best to get in Pitkanen's way and put himself in position to block the shot. But take a look behind him; Fleury is already down on his knees, leaving the top of the net wide open for Pitkanen's shot. He's down too soon, when he didn't need to be, as Fedotenko had already taken away the low shot.

Everything the Penguins could have done wrong on this play, they did, and there's been too many times this season where we've seen this sort of coverage. Makes you wonder what former head coach Michel Therrien would have had to say about that sort of defense.