Crosby, Rakell blanked in SO, comeback falls short, and more: 3 reasons why Pittsburgh Penguins lost 3-2 in SO against Florida Panthers

The Pittsburgh Penguins dropped a tough 3-2 decision in a shootout against the Florida Panthers on Friday night at Amerant Bank Arena. Anton Lundell scored the decisive goal in the shootout, giving the Panthers the win and two points.

Sidney Crosby and Rickard Rakell scored power-play goals for the Penguins in regulation, while Gustav Forsling and Matthew Tkachuk (PPG) tallied for the Panthers.

Rakell tied the game with less than a minute remaining in the third period, sending it to overtime. After a scoreless overtime, the contest was decided in the shootout.

Here’s a look at three reasons why the Pittsburgh Penguins lost to the Florida Panthers in the shootout.

3 reasons why Pittsburgh Penguins lost to Florida Panthers in SO

#1. The comeback fell short

With the game tied at one heading into the third period, Tkachuk gave the Panthers a 2-1 lead with his 14th goal of the season, a power-play tally that appeared to be the game-winner. However, Rakell took advantage of a late power-play opportunity to tie the game.

The Pittsburgh Penguins showed resilience in rescuing a point, but they couldn’t complete the comeback. Spencer Knight was instrumental for the Panthers, particularly in the shootout round.

#2. The Penguins’ power play wasn’t good enough

The Pittsburgh Penguins had seven power-play opportunities in a penalty-filled game but managed to convert only twice. While their power play was efficient enough to tie the game, the team’s inability to capitalize on additional chances ultimately hurt them.

Had the Penguins been more effective on the man advantage, they might have secured a regulation or overtime win instead of falling short in the shootout.

#3. Crosby, Rakell blanked in the shootout

Despite scoring in regulation, Crosby and Rakell were unable to beat Knight in the shootout. Knight made two critical saves — first on Rakell and then on Crosby — shutting down the Penguins. The Panthers outscored the Penguins 2-0 in the shootout to secure the victory.

Friday night’s game marked Pittsburgh’s third shootout loss this season. Their lone shootout win came on Nov. 16, when they defeated the San Jose Sharks 4-3 to earn two points.

The Penguins will look to regroup on Saturday before facing division rivals, the Carolina Hurricanes, in a Sunday evening matchup at PNC Arena. Pittsburgh is chasing Carolina and aiming to close the eight-point gap between the two teams.