Trevor Daley Special Assistant to the President of Hockey Operations and GM | Official Website
Trevor Daley Special Assistant to the President of Hockey Operations and GM | Official Website
The Pittsburgh Penguins began their 2024-25 season with a disappointing 6-0 loss to the New York Rangers at PPG Paints Arena. The team, hoping to build on last season's strong finish, faced an uphill battle from the start. They now head to Detroit for a game against the Red Wings.
Evgeni Malkin commented on the team's performance, saying, “We wait, long offseason and long break, and we think we are ready to play, but we need to play better... It’s a tough loss and I hope tomorrow we play better."
Tristan Jarry started as goalie due to Alex Nedeljkovic's injury. Despite allowing two goals in quick succession during the first period, Jarry managed 35 saves out of 41 shots. Reflecting on his performance, he said, “I think if I make a save on that second one I think it at least helps guys stay in it.”
Rutger McGroarty made his NHL debut during this game. He became the ninth-youngest player in the Sidney Crosby era to debut for the Penguins.
Head Coach Mike Sullivan addressed questions about potential changes following the loss: “I think it's probably premature... We just didn't seem to grab a hold of it from there.”
When asked about Jarry's confidence after conceding early goals, Sullivan responded, “I don't think so. I thought he responded really well after the first.”
Discussing the power play's struggles, Sullivan noted that it was indicative of broader issues within their overall game: “As I said, I think the power play’s done a lot of really good things throughout training camp... it just unraveled on us.”
Sullivan also praised McGroarty's debut performance: “I thought Rutger played well... We’re excited about Rutger’s game.”
On whether missed opportunities affected team morale, Sullivan explained: “Hockey's such a game of momentum... you have to try to maximize the opportunities when you have it.”
Finally, addressing lineup changes due to Bryan Rust's absence and pairing Malkin with Crosby for an offensive boost, Sullivan remarked: "Geno is a pretty dynamic offensive player... We may try to do again."
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