Penguins hope unscheduled practice time will pay off taken in Cranberry, Pa. (Penguins)

Penguins

Kris Letang

CRANBERRY, Pa. -- Four weeks into the 2020-21 season, the Penguins have 11 points in the East Division standings.

And almost that many significant issues with which to deal.

Their go-to goalie is stopping less than 86 percent of the shots thrown at him.

Their world-class centers, Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, have been more likely to win the Powerball lottery than to score an even-strength goal.

Their power play, so imposing on paper, is 0-for-19 on the ice in the past six games.

Their cornerstone defenseman has continually broken new ground when it comes to exercising poor judgment.

And their total of victories earned in regulation matches the number of five-on-five goals Crosby and Malkin have contributed in the first 11 games.

Don't bother trying to count them on one hand. You'll have four fingers left over.

So, which concern is their most pressing?

That's tough to say, if only because there are so many viable candidates.

The power play has a prominent place on that list -- "It's hard to say what's wrong," Malkin said -- which explains why it was the focus of about half of Tuesday's practice at the UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex.

"It's a work-in-progress, for sure," said assistant coach Todd Reirden, who runs the power play. 

Kris Letang generally works on the No. 1 power play, so he bears some responsibility for its recent struggles. But some of his suspect decision-making since the earliest days of the season likely is a greater concern for his coaches.

"Certainly, minimizing the risk (of his actions) and reading situations correctly are at the top of the list, so we can ultimately maximize what he brings to the table," said Reirden, who also works with the defensemen.

That means eliminated mental lapses like the one that led to the New York Islanders' third goal in their 4-3 victory last Saturday, when Letang went behind the goal line, even though P.O Joseph was responsible for defending New York center Casey Cizikas there.

Letang leaving the front of the net led to Cal Clutterbuck being uncovered, and he beat Tristan Jarry from close range to tie the game, 3-3.

"We'll continue to try to eliminate some things that are in (Letang's) game right now that I don't think give him the best chance to have success," Reirden said. 

Jarry wasn't particularly at fault for Clutterbuck's goal, but there have been several this season that he could reasonably be expected to stop. And will have to in the future if the Penguins are to have a successful season.

Jarry and his teammates have an unplanned break in their schedule because the game they were supposed to play in New Jersey Tuesday night was postponed due to the Devils' COVID-19 issues.

That's given the Penguins some practice time they weren't anticipating.

"It's good for us," Jarry said. "We don't have a lot of time to practice this year, so I think it's good when we do get time like this and are able to work out some kinks."

MORE FROM PRACTICE

• Forward Jared McCann, who was injured on Long Island Saturday, missed his second consecutive practice and is considered day-to-day, Reirden said.

• Defenseman Mike Matheson, shaken up in a collision during practice Monday, participated in the workout with no apparent problem.

• The Penguins practiced with wooden sticks, something many of them hadn't used in years. "We're always looking for things to do to make practice more entertaining," Reirden said. "Actually, players came up with the idea."

• The personnel combinations:

Guentzel-Crosby-Rust
Zucker-Malkin-Kapanen
Aston-Reese-Blueger-Tanev
O'Connor-Jankowski-Lafferty/Sceviour

Joseph-Letang
Matheson-Marino
Ruhwedel-Ceci
Czucaman-Weber

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