3 least impressive Pittsburgh Penguins players from 5-4 OT loss to St. Louis Blues feat. Tristan Jarry

The Pittsburgh Penguins rallied from a two-goal deficit to force overtime, eventually dropping a 5-4 decision to the St. Louis Blues at the Enterprise Center on Thursday night. With the win, the Blues extended their current winning streak to 11 games, while the Penguins fell to 5-3-2 in their last 10.

Bryan Rust, Connor Dewar, Rickard Rakell (PPG), and Rutger McGroarty scored for the Pittsburgh Penguins. McGroarty’s first career goal was the equalizer with 25 seconds to go in the third period. Meanwhile, Robert Thomas got the game-winner for the Blues on the power play in overtime, with Jake Neighbours scoring twice. Pavel Buchnevich and Jordan Kyrou got the other goals for the Blues.

With that in mind, here’s a look at the three least impressive Pittsburgh Penguins players from their overtime loss to the St. Louis Blues on Thursday night.

3 least impressive Pittsburgh Penguins from OT loss to St. Louis Blues

#3 Kevin Hayes

Kevin Hayes’ role with the Pittsburgh Penguins has diminished to the point where he played 7:44 on Thursday night over 11 shifts. He did not register a shot on a goal.

Hayes, who was once a top-six forward, has now seen his role dwindle to a fourth-line grinder. Hayes, along with Danton Heinen and Phillip Tomasino all played under 10 minutes against the Blues as the Pens shortened their bench down the stretch.

#2 Kris Letang

Kris Letang skated in a team-high 24:39 of ice time over 31 shifts against the Blues. However, Letang wasn’t as effective as the Pittsburgh Penguins would have liked.

Letang notched three shots on goal, failing to generate high-danger scoring chances. Moreover, Letang ended the night on a minus 2 with two penalty minutes. Those two minutes were the backbreaker for the Pens as they came in overtime. In the ensuing power play, Robert Thomas ended the game, getting his 20th of the season.

#1 Tristan Jarry

Tristan Jarry, who was coming off a brilliant 31-save performance against the Ottawa Senators for his first shutout of the season on March 30, could not reprise his season-best performance.

Against the Blues, Jarry surrendered five goals on 19 shots, including the game-winner in overtime. While it’s hard to pin the loss on Jarry given how the Penguins played defensively, it’s worth pointing out that Jarry has struggled all season long.

However, Jarry could not bail his teammates out in the extra frame. Thomas’ overtime goal spoiled the Penguins’ comeback bid, leaving them with a loser point for their efforts.

The Penguins will be back in action on Saturday afternoon as they take on the Dallas Stars at the American Airlines Center.

About the author

Nestor is an NHL and MLB writer at Sportskeeda with over 10 years of experience. Growing up in Toronto, he became an avid Maple Leafs and Blue Jays fan, but also admires the New York Islanders and Los Angeles Dodgers for their dominance in the 80s. Holding an Economics and Education major, Nestor’s passion for writing and sporting events led him to take up reporting about the sport professionally.

Nestor credits the Leafs’ playoff runs in the early '90s as having a lasting impact on him. His favorite players are Doug Gilmour and Mike Bossy, as he feels they were tough, talented leaders, while Pat Burns is his favorite coach of all time for always preaching a fast-paced game.

Growing up in Canada, it was natural for Nestor to become interested in ice hockey and he played Minor Hockey as a teenager, which has given him a unique perspective on the sport. Nestor has mastered the art of how to best present facts and he also has a knack for knowing which sources can be trusted, and which can't for stories.

When he is not writing about Canada’s national passion, Nestor enjoys running and hiking.

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Edited by Debasish