Sullivan determined to move Penguins forward after disastrous loss against Stars
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Longtime Pittsburgh Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan says he's not frustrated with the current state of his team after their slow start to the season, which reached a low point Monday night with a 7-1 drubbing by the Dallas Stars on home ice.
“I’m not going to sit here and say I’m frustrated because I’m not,” Sullivan told NHL.com after the game. “I’m determined to move this team forward and get us going in the right direction more consistently. I know we’re a way better hockey team than what we displayed out there today.”
The Penguins were outshot 40-21 in the loss to the Stars and allowed six first period goals.
Joel Blomqvist got the start in net and allowed three goals on eight shots before being relieved by Alex Nedeljkovic, who let in four goals on 32 shots the rest of the way, including the first two shots he faced.
“Well, obviously, the first couple of goals, I’m sure if you asked Joel, he would’ve liked to have had them back,” Sullivan said. “So, you know, that is what it is.”
Goaltending has been an issue all season for the Penguins as they've allowed 66 goals against and own a goal differential of minus-21. Both figures are tied for worst in the league with the basement-dwelling Montreal Canadiens.
“It’s tough, it’s hard,” Nedeljkovic told NHL.com. “Obviously, it can get away from you quick. Things kind of snowball from there. It’s unfortunate. We had one of those nights tonight. But tomorrow is a new day. Wake up, move on from it. I’m sure we’ll watch video. It ain’t going to be fun for anybody.”
Two-time All-Star Tristan Jarry began the 2024-25 season as the team's No. 1 goalie, but was sent down to the American Hockey League on a conditioning assignment last month after posting a 5.47 goals-against average and a .836 save percentage in his first three stars. Jarry was recalled to the NHL on Saturday.
Sullivan, 55, was hired by the Penguins in 2015 and won the Stanley Cup in each of his first two seasons, making the playoffs in his first sevens campaigns in Pittsburgh. However, the Pens have finished fifth in the Metropolitan Division the last two seasons, missing the postseason entirely and seem to be following a similar path in 2024-25 unless they can turn things around.
“The message is: ‘We’ve got to dig in. Control what we can, and we’ve got to dig in,’” Sullivan said. “We’ve got to give ourselves a chance to win. I think the most important thing is understanding what that looks like. We have evidence, through the course of this season, where we’ve shown that we’re a competitive team.
“We need to repeat that over and over again. ... We need more consistent commitment in playing the game a certain way. I think it boils down to a lot of details and diligence and, quite honestly, a certain discipline to stay the course.”
The Penguins are 6-9-2 on the season and sit second last in their division. They host the Detroit Red Wings on Wednesday.