It was a better game, and the Penguins were able to accept the overtime loss because they dominated the third period, but they had some bad luck before their 3v3 overtime struggles reappeared in a 3-2 overtime loss to Detroit Red Wings at PPG Paints Arena on Wednesday.

The final score indicated a relatively even game and a fair result, considering the Penguins trailed Detroit 2-0 in the first six minutes of the second period. The point was also earned on a comeback sparked by Bryan Rust’s vintage speed around the left side for a short breakaway goal and dominance in the third period.

After playing cautiously – essentially timidly – ​​in the first half, the Penguins at least fought through their fears, which they won in a 7-1 embarrassment. loss to the Dallas Stars on monday.

“A loss is a loss,” Rust said. “But I think the way we responded was a lot better than the way we responded last night. Obviously, Rome wasn’t built in a day. We are trying to get this going in the right direction as quickly as we can. It was a good step.”

By the end of the night, even with the shortened point, the team felt a little better about itself.

“It’s like a great night for the team because this is a little step forward — a better game for us,” Evgeni Malkin said. “It’s hard to explain, but I think if we play the same, we’ll have a better chance to win (more games) … with more luck.”

The penguins’ biggest problem

The Penguins’ biggest problem was front and center as they shut down Detroit for most of the third period and more so in the second period as well. Problem? The Penguins lack enough talent to score.

Plain and simple. Sullivan tried to hide players across the board: Anthony Beauvillier on the top line, Valtteri Puustinen on the third or fourth line, and the same goes for Jesse Puljujarvi, Noel Acciari and Blake Lizotte.

Most are good players in their own way, but none will lose much ink on the score sheet. However, Sullivan was forced to place Beauviller alongside Sidney Crosby and Rickard Rakell. Lizotte started the game as a center on the third line. Acciari notoriously plays a serious, tenacious game on the wing, but a conservative game in the middle.

“(When he’s on the wing) I think he can be a little bit more aggressive, especially in the offensive zone in the forecheck. I think maybe he feels the burden of responsibility that centers have defensively,” Sullivan said of Acciari. “He and I had that conversation about playing wing versus playing center, and he’s such a conscientious player defensively. When he plays center, he’s always aware of that (responsibility), even when he’s in the offensive zone.”

So unless Crosby, Malkin, Rust or Rakell score, the Penguins are in deep trouble.

Also, the ability to create extended pressure or connect plays from somewhere because eventually the puck will go through one of the less talented players placed a position or two above their natural station, the fourth line interspersed by formation.

Has Sullivan found a solution?

We think Sullivan has hit upon a solution, but whether he has the courage to abandon his convictions is another matter.

The potential solution is right there — and maybe it was the work of assistant coach David Quinn, or at least Quinn planted the seeds last May while coaching Team USA when he used the tough, 6-foot-3 skate. Drew O’Connor in the center. O’Connor scored three goals with five assists in 10 games during international play, mostly as a pivot, but Sullivan used him almost exclusively on the wing during his NHL career. In fact, Sullivan answered a PHN question last season that he much preferred O’Connor on the wing.

Hey, necessity is the mother of invention…or buckling principles.

“Yes, it is (a consideration). We know we can play (O’Connor) there. He played a lot in the center. He did it in college. He did it at the American League level in (Wilkes-Barre/Scranton). So we know that’s an option, and that’s certainly a consideration right now, given that we got down to three early in the game when (Blake Lizotte) went out… We’ll see where it goes, but this it’s definitely an option for us. of course.”

To steal Phil Knight’s marketing slogan, do it.

Lizotte, who played center on the Penguins’ third line Wednesday after Lars Eller tradehe was injured in the first period when he was hit in front of a puck. Lizotte did not return, creating an 11 forward rotation.

However, the largely overlooked aspect of the game was the line juggling of Drew O’Connor and coach Mike Sullivan. Sullivan stumbled on something late in the first period, though curiously it didn’t stick as the Perfection board kept popping up before settling on his favored lines.

Sullivan put O’Connor as the second-line center in the first period when he brought together Malkin and Sidney Crosby. After a period of restraint, the team finally found a spark. The Malkin-Crosby-Rickard Rakell line immediately created several dangerous scoring opportunities, followed by O’Connor and Bryan Rust putting the puck in the net and forcing Detroit goaltender Cam Talbot into another quality save .

O’Connor, 26, has won three of his four bouts. Later in the game, he was sometimes placed as a third-line center, although it seemed like Acciari had the bulk of those duties.

O’Connor’s airs rotated as quickly as the rest of the lines, but it also worked. It kept the team on its toes, just like the success they had in rallying from a six-minute stretch against the Vancouver Canucks earlier this season in which they allowed three goals in 65 seconds and a fourth goal not long after that.

Moving Malkin to Crosby’s wing gives the team a legitimate top line. That simply cannot be argued. Putting O’Connor in the middle could give the team a passable second line playing Rust and Michael Bunting.

A little bird told us O’Connor likes to play center, but he’ll never say so publicly.

Maybe it should. Sullivan should definitely follow Quinn’s lead and see where it goes.

The record of the Penguins

Team: B

We’re being a little generous. It was more like a C+, but it looked like their first walk in the park after being robbed. Once Rust scored in the second period, everyone relaxed and started playing hockey again. It wasn’t intense – maybe it should have been – and it wasn’t physical – it definitely should have been – but it was an acceptable effort that would allow them to sleep tonight.

Kris Letang: B

It wasn’t vintage Letang, but it was pretty good. He had five shots on goal and stood out for the right reasons.

Sidney Crosby: A

No matter who was on Crosby’s line, they had scoring chances. Crosby had seven shots on goal and his lines combined for 13 scoring opportunities. The rest of the lines combined for six.

Bryan Rust: A+

Here’s the post-match quote that tells you everything you need to know about Rust. His goal was extremely important and also beautiful.

“I expect a lot from myself and I’ve been in this league for a long time, obviously in the team for a long time. I like to put things on my shoulders when things are not going well and I hope to try to help the team get out of it as best as I can.”