Before we break everything down and get into the thick of things, an obvious caveat needs to be stated — it was the Penguins’ season opener. Flopping in Game 1 is by no means a cause to smash the panic button and set PPG Paints Arena on fire.
That being said, the Penguins did not look very good at all against the Buffalo Sabres last night, and given everything this team has gone through in the past three months, there is a legitimate cause to be concerned.
Apart from Evgeni Malkin’s showstopping, revenge tour-esque debut performance and Matt Murray’s excellent play between the pipes, the Penguins looked deflated, uninterested, and as if they didn’t really have a cohesive direction.