Penguins Struggle with Faceoffs, Defensive Lapses in Loss to Bruins

Pittsburgh falls 2-1 to Boston despite strong goaltending from Stuart Skinner

Published on Mar. 4, 2026

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The Pittsburgh Penguins struggled with faceoffs and defensive breakdowns, leading to a frustrating 2-1 loss to the Boston Bruins on Tuesday night. The Penguins gave up two quick goals in the first period and were unable to mount a sustained offensive attack, despite hitting three posts and having a few breakaway chances. Coach Dan Muse was critical of his team's lack of support and poor positioning in the defensive zone.

Why it matters

The loss is a setback for the Penguins, who are dealing with injuries to key players like Sidney Crosby and Blake Lizotte. The team's struggles in the faceoff circle and defensive lapses highlight areas that need improvement as they push for a playoff spot.

The details

The Penguins gave up a pair of goals just 50 seconds apart early in the first period, with Marat Khusnutdinov and Casey Mittlestadt scoring for the Bruins. Coach Muse called a timeout after the second goal, but the Penguins were unable to mount a comeback despite outshooting the Bruins 35-23. The Penguins won just 33% of faceoffs, with Evgeni Malkin, Ben Kindel, and Kevin Hayes all struggling in the circle. Defenseman Erik Karlsson was a bright spot for the Penguins, generating several scoring chances.

  • The Bruins scored their two goals in the first 6 minutes of the game.
  • The Penguins hit three posts throughout the game.

The players

Dan Muse

The Pittsburgh Penguins head coach who was critical of his team's performance and called a timeout early in the game.

Marat Khusnutdinov

The Boston Bruins player who scored the first goal of the game just 10 seconds in.

Casey Mittlestadt

The Boston Bruins player who scored the second goal of the game, giving the Bruins a 2-0 lead.

Erik Karlsson

The Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman who was a bright spot, generating several scoring chances.

Rickard Rakell

The Pittsburgh Penguins forward who discussed the team's need to find different ways to win games with key players out.

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What they’re saying

“We had the looks to score more goals. It was there for us, but we just couldn't seem to find it. But obviously, we're going to work really hard, but it's going to be some ugly games where we have to score all the goals; we have some injured players, so we have to find different ways to win games.”

— Rickard Rakell (pittsburghhockeynow.com)

“Yeah, we just had to reset and get to work. (The message was) we can't change it now. But, we have to play a much better brand of hockey. I thought we were just disjointed. (We lacked) support defensively. I thought we were giving them–I think on both goals, they're just breakdowns and (we were) just not in the right spot, or we end up doubling up on one.”

— Dan Muse, Pittsburgh Penguins Head Coach (pittsburghhockeynow.com)

What’s next

The Penguins will need to address their struggles in the faceoff circle and defensive lapses as they continue to deal with injuries to key players. They may consider recalling a center from their AHL affiliate in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton to provide more depth at the position.

The takeaway

The Penguins' loss to the Bruins highlighted the team's need to find different ways to win games without their top players. While they generated scoring chances, the Penguins struggled with the basics of the game, including faceoffs and defensive positioning, which ultimately led to their downfall. As they push for a playoff spot, the Penguins will need to shore up these areas and demonstrate more resilience in the face of adversity.