Mark Madden's Hot Take: Many to blame for Penguins' 0-2 start

It’s only two games, but…

• Tristan Jarry has been brutal. He’s too deep in his net, his stick isn’t busy, his rebound control is rotten and his vaunted puck handling has been a non-factor. Some goaltenders can’t handle being labeled No. 1. Is Jarry one of those? We figure to find out quickly. Jarry gave the Penguins zero reasonable chance to win either game at Philadelphia.

• Kris Letang is minus-5 and was on the ice for all five Flyers goals Friday. Evgeni Malkin has zero points and has been invisible. There’s every reason to believe that both shake that off and do much better. If they don’t, there’s no reason to believe the Penguins will finish over .500. Letang is trying to do too much. It looks like Malkin is barely trying to do anything.

• Jake Guentzel used to play determined hockey. Right now, he’s playing like he’s determined to not get injured again: One point, minus-3 and avoiding contact like it’s covid.

• Mark Jankowski, Jared McCann and Brandon Tanev have been speedy, collisional and productive. They’ve been the Penguins’ best line. That’s how you start 0-2.

• Evan Rodrigues has had a fistful of legit chances and four shots on goal while deputizing for the unavailable Kasperi Kapanen on Sidney Crosby’s line. That’s because the foe isn’t concerned about him, as evidenced by zero points. I never thought I’d miss Dominik Simon.

• If Teddy Blueger is going to win 18.2% of his faceoffs, he shouldn’t take any. That especially goes for short-handed draws in the Penguins’ end.

• After he played horribly in the first game, Twitter crowned defenseman Mike Matheson the scapegoat for the entire season, the new Jack Johnson, and the latest piece of evidence that GM Jim Rutherford has ruined the franchise. When Matheson played better in the second game, Twitter backed off. Even Twitter can’t muster any consistency.

• The Penguins need to work down low more and attack off the rush less. Their absolute commitment to speed is likely to be their undoing, not their salvation.

• When there’s a two-on-one, the Penguins always look to pass. They never shoot. The opposition has long since figured that out.

• The Penguins’ defenseman got frequently beat on the pinch, especially in the first game. They must play the body more in case the puck gets past them cleanly. But the forwards need to anticipate and cover better. The forwards have been more at fault for the odd-man breaks conceded.

• If the Penguins get swept two games at home by Washington, they won’t make the playoffs. Starting 0-4 would be a death sentence. They won’t ever run off 6-7 wins in a row. They are unlikely to develop that sort of consistency. To wit: The Penguins are 4-13 in their last 17 games. Jarry has lost seven straight decisions.