It was the latest loss to a team they can’t beat. The Pens have already come into our building twice and owned us. Dating back to last year, Pittsburgh’s won six in a row against your Blueshirts. All they needed was an early Evgeni Malkin goal over a minute in to get healthier. The Pens haven’t exactly been lighting it up. See the Rangers on the schedule and that changes.

It doesn’t matter who’s missing. You can’t chalk it up to convenient excuses Joe Micheletti makes on MSG. The effort wasn’t good enough. Between the lack of cohesion and the undisciplined penalties that continue to be a problematic sign, the Rangers aren’t good right now. What we’re getting is predictable results. The team has yet to put a 60-minute effort forward. Even in the three wins over the Bruins, Leafs and Flyers, there were inconsistencies.

No team is perfect. I get all that. But it’s high time they started lending Henrik Lundqvist a helping hand. It can’t be him saving our bacon every night. Tonight, he played like he knew one goal was enough to beat our team. It puts way too much pressure on the King Of Manhattan. He’s not the problem. The shaky start is over. He’s back to being our best player.

Our penalty kill more often than not bails us out. But if they keep taking penalties, eventually it’s going to bite them in the ass. This time, it was a bench minor (too many men) that ended any comeback hopes. After killing off consecutive penalties, including a lazy interference call on Carl Hagelin, they got caught with too many men on the ice again. It was the fourth time this team has been whistled for one of the most asinine penalties you can take. That’s three straight games if you’re keeping track.

It came late in the second period and carried over to the third. Inexplicably, they came out flat for the third allowing the Pens to go up two 28 seconds in. Malkin started it by passing for crown prince Sidney Crosby who skated in untouched and passed for James Neal, who tipped in his fifth. A beautiful goal for Pens fans to celebrate. An awful one for the Rangers to give up. Where was the defense? The game was over right there.

Moments later, Marc Staal hit the post. Anton Stralman also rang the bar on a power play. He was the only one willing to shoot. Unfortunately, the shot led to Simon Despres scoring out of the penalty box. Staal’s weak attempt at a clear allowed Pascal Dupuis to intercept the puck and headman Despres for a clean breakaway. Unlike Crosby, who Lundqvist denied he went to the backhand and scored upstairs.

How did our team respond? By taking another penalty. Fourth liner Jeff Halpern was the victim. I liked adding him for faceoffs. Now that our coach refuses to trust him, what was the point of signing him? Oh btw…John Mitchell has two goals tonight for the Avs. That’s four for the season. Four more than Derek Stepan, who has one goal in his last 32, including playoffs. I know it’s early. But he’s our second line center. Sooner or later, he has to find a way to score because he has nobody to pass to. Hagelin has no points this year.

As for the power play, it remains hideous. They went 0-for-4 tonight and only have connected three times. Two by Ryan Callahan who’s out and once by Taylor Pyatt, who’s one of the few to get his jersey dirty. The Islanders matched that output in their 5-4 overtime win over the Devils. Sickening.

It isn’t a knock on Rick Nash. This isn’t about him. He’s trying very hard. But if he, Brad Richards and Marian Gaborik can’t score, our team is in trouble.

BONY 3 Stars:

3rd Star-Evgeni Malkin, Pit (goal, assist)
2nd Star-Kris Letang, Pit (assist, 3 blocked shots, plus-two-flawless performance)
1st Star-Simon Despres, Pit (breakaway goal for 3-0, primary assist on Malkin GW)