Mark Madden: Penguins overcame Islanders, officiating in Game 3, but can they really keep up this pace?

“Penguins ill-equipped for heavy hockey” — my column’s headline two days ago.

So it was written. So it did come to pass.

Don’t be blinded by Thursday’s result, as impressive as the Pittsburgh Penguins’ gutsy 5-4 win on Long Island was. That farce of a game displayed much that’s bad about the NHL’s current trend and the weakness of the Penguins roster as that trend continues to warp hockey.

For a team supposedly so well-coached by Barry Trotz, the Islanders’ gameplan showed zero nuance. Run goalie Tristan Jarry. Rough up the Penguins’ stars, especially Sidney Crosby. Repeat as needed. (Trotz’s teams always take gratuitous liberties with Crosby.)

The meathead circus hit critical mass at 5 minutes, 35 seconds of the third period when yet another Islanders poke at Jarry led to a lengthy scrum that saw Crosby cross-checked in the back of the head and put every skater on the ice in the penalty box.

The Penguins penalized were Crosby, Brian Dumoulin, Jake Guentzel, Kris Letang and Bryan Rust. The Islanders sent to the box were Nick Leddy, Scott Mayfield, J-G Pageau, Kyle Palmieri and Oliver Wahlstrom.

The Islanders had to be thrilled with that trade.

It’s only two minutes, true. But Guentzel somehow got an extra penalty and, of course, the Islanders scored on the power play to tie the score at 3-3.

The Penguins are tough in spirit, if not in bulk. They ultimately won when Brandon Tanev netted with 3:36 remaining. Tanev isn’t big, but he can weather any storm.

Until Tanev gets hurt, that is. The Islanders are going for a cumulative effect. It’s hard to believe Guentzel hasn’t already been broken in half.

The Islanders also know not much will get called. Things get evened out. The NHL and its referees absorb most of the blame for hockey’s sad direction.

On Thursday, the Penguins overcame the Islanders and the officiating. But can they do it again Saturday? If they eliminate the Islanders, can they do it vs. Washington or Boston? Those games will be exactly the same — even worse if the foe is the Capitals and war criminal Tom Wilson.

Even if the Penguins win the Stanley Cup, their roster must get bigger and heavier. GM Ron Hextall and president of hockey ops Brian Burke might make trades today if they could.

The Penguins can’t weather this continuously. They have to repel it and give some back. It’s too easy to abuse the Penguins and get away with it.

Hextall and especially Burke must be going insane as they watch the same distressing scenario play out again and again.

Jared McCann gave the Islanders a power play when he violently cross-checked Noah Dobson into his own net with the Penguins up 4-3 at the 8:39 mark of the third period. But the Islanders didn’t score with the man advantage, and it’s good that somebody did something.

If nasty play is going to proliferate, no team can allow it to be one-way traffic. There has to be give and take. The Penguins mostly take.

Too many people love it when hockey gets stupid. Too many of those people run the NHL or speak into microphones.

Those who can’t see the forest for the trees cite the Penguins’ Stanley Cups in 2016 and ’17 as proof that “playing the right way” can win out. This isn’t that team, and it’s not that time.

The Penguins showed courage, resilience and fortitude in winning Thursday. But you can give some back and still win. The Penguins must get better equipped to do that.

The early going of these playoffs provided an interesting microcosm when it comes to hockey’s top stars.

Edmonton’s Connor McDavid had 105 points in 56 games in the Canadian Minor Professional Hockey League, aka the North division. His highlights filled the NHL Network. (Not “SportsCenter;” ESPN doesn’t care.) McDavid’s speed and skill got him labeled a “cheat code.”

McDavid’s playoffs started Wednesday. Winnipeg beat Edmonton, 4-1. The “cheat code” had no points, two shots and was minus-2. The Jets clogged the neutral zone. Ms. Pac-Man got eaten.

Crosby isn’t dominating these playoffs statistically: one goal in three games.

But, just 34 seconds after Tanev’s goal, the Islanders’ Brock Nelson had a chance to put a rebound into an empty net. Crosby sprawled, got his stick blade on the puck, and it flew harmlessly over the glass.

McDavid doesn’t make that play. He’d never try to make that play.