Pittsburgh Penguins: 5 Lessons from Loss to Winnipeg Jets

The Pittsburgh Penguins failed to win again without their star center Evgeni Malkin. They fell to the Winnipeg Jets 2-1 at the MTS Centre as the Jets picked up their first win in Winnipeg. 

From the beginning, the Jets set the momentum with a goal in the first seven seconds of the game. The crowd was exuberant and goaltender Ondrej Pavelec was stellar. The Penguins struggles continue as they head to Minnesota to take on the Wild. 

Here are five lessons learned from the loss on Monday night. 

Ondrej Pavelec Is Extremely Underrated

When a goaltender plays for a terrible team, it's really hard to stand out. Because of a leaky defense, the numbers might not be there for the goaltender, but sometimes when the team is hot, the goalie finally has a chance to shine.

This is what happened to Ondrej Pavelec of the Winnipeg Jets today. He stepped up huge in a game the Jets wanted to win for their fans on their home ice. Pavelec made some sprawling saves in a 28 save performance and was huge in the clutch for the Jets. 

Pavelec entered the game with an 0-7-0 record, 4.68 GAA and .854 save percentage against the Penguins lifetime. However, this is most likely because Crosby and Malkin absolutely had owned the Thrashers back when they were in Atlanta and they succeeded at the expense of Pavelec.

Despite that poor lifetime record against Pittsburgh, Pavelec is actually a very underrated goaltender. Having played in small markets his whole life, he never really got the pub he deserved after posting four shutouts last season along with a 21-23-9 record for a dismal Atlanta team. He had a 2.73 GAA last season and his save percentage was solid at .914. 

These numbers could be even better if he played for a decent team. When his team plays well like they did tonight, Pavelec can really show what he really has up his sleeves and it's scary for opponents. 

MTS Centre and Winnipeg Are Electric

The atmosphere at the MTS Centre was electric, and that's an understatement. From puck drop to the final horn, the crowd was revved up and on numerous occasions, serenaded Marc-Andre Fleury like it was a playoff game.

It certainly felt like it was a spring game in Winnipeg. It seems like the NHL made the right choice in moving the franchise from Atlanta to Winnipeg. The Penguins played the Thrashers in their last ever game at the Phillips Arena and according to Penguins analyst Bob Errey, there were around 5,000 fans at the arena that night. 

Even though the MTS Centre is the smallest arena in the league with just over 15,000 seats, it sounded like there were 30,000 tonight because the fans are right on top of the ice and they are loud and crazy.

The fact that the Jets are back in Winnipeg is great for the city and it was evidenced by the great jubilation they exuded during Monday night's game. Even on television it really sounded like the fans were having a great time and ready for a new era of Jets hockey. 

The Penguins Need Geno

The Penguins fell to 1-2-1 without Malkin. Although they have enough firepower to make the playoffs without Crosby and Malkin, the Penguins pretty much have the same problems as last year.

On the powerplay, the Penguins have struggled immensely without Malkin. With Malkin on the powerplay the Penguins are 5-for-13 on the season. Without him, they're a dreadful 1-for-17. Success on the powerplay can be the difference of the game in a one-goal game.

The Pens three losses have all been decided by one goal and if Malkin was healthy, the outcomes may have been different.

It just goes to show how valuable he is to the Penguins. With him, they are suited for the Stanley Cup. Without him, they're probably a first round exit. Imagine if the team gets Crosby and Malkin back. It's hard to imagine anybody stopping them. 

Penguins PK Will Keep Them in Games

The Penguins improved their penalty kill to 21-for-22 on the season after killing four Jets powerplays. Even without Malkin or Crosby in their lineup, the Pens penalty killing unit will always keep them in games and give them a chance to win.

Their best penalty killer, Marc-Andre Fleury, will also keep games close and make it possible for the Pens to win every game possible. 

This team won't get blown out much this season, even if Crosby and Malkin aren't healthy. They have a strong defensive team and gritty players who are experienced and know how to win. Just with that, the Pens can make the playoffs.

That being said, they need a healthy Crosby and Malkin to win the Cup. 

The Pens Need a Break

The schedule makers weren't kind to the Pens when they made their schedules this year. 

The Penguins have already played seven games this season and will be playing their eighth game tomorrow night in Minnesota. In contrast, the Sharks only will have played a total of four games by the time the Penguins are done tomorrow in Minnesota.

They've also had a brutal travel schedule traveling to Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Pittsburgh, Winnipeg and now Minnesota. 

It doesn't get easier. The Penguins play again on Thursday and Saturday. In fact, they don't get their first stretch of two days off until this weekend. Even with that, they continue to play more hockey next week up until a stretch where they play just two games in 12 nights in early November.  

That being said, it's kind of good that the Penguins are getting the brutal part of their schedule out of the way early on rather than in March.