Oh, it’s the obvious headline I suppose to call what happened last night at the Igloo Coyote Ugly. But since the obvious is not really worth talking about I think I will tell the truth. Last night’s performance (a 3-0 loss) was worse than that. It was much worse – it was Penguin Ugly.

From the start the Penguins looked lost on the ice as if since last Saturday when they played and beat the Islanders that they had forgotten how to even play hockey. Excessive and needless penalties as well as Malkin and Crosby being silenced leave no good impressions from last night’s game. Even the third line of Staal, Cooke and Kennedy, normally reliable for energy and a boost looked flat most of the game. Brent Johnson starting in goal could not hold down the fort even though his effort was certainly admirable.

The Penguins just plain got beat by an inferior team and did not much seem to care. Well, they better get an attitude adjustment quick because there is no rest as they turn around and head into Philly tonight against a beefy, brawl ready Flyers team that will draw blood all night long if allowed to.

With as tight as the Eastern Conference is, blowing two points and getting only one is not a good thing. While the Penguins will certainly take a point, they had the opportunity for two as they took a 3-1 lead into the third against Ottawa only to allow the Senators to not only come back but also win the game in a shoot out. Had the Penguins held on to win they would have vaulted over Montreal and into 5th place in the East. Instead, they are sitting in 6th and are not very secure in that spot heading into today’s game against the Conference leading Boston Bruins.

Perhaps it was karma. In the previous game the Penguins had to score three goals in the third against Columbus to take the game into overtime and then a shootout and salvage a point they probably should not have gotten. Then against Ottawa they lost a point they should have had and even wasted a rare goal by tough man Eric Godard.

Today, Pittsburgh must play well against Boston (5-4-1 in their last 10) to gain two points and help solidify their hold on a playoff position.

Last night I watched what I can only call a pathetic performance from a pathetic team. Now, you might think that the team I am referring to is the renarkably bad one from Nashville. Well, you would be wrong!

After storming out to a 3-0 lead, the Penguins fell appart in a display of half-hearted play that made them look like they should be wearing uniforms emblazoned with “Islanders” across them. But it is completely typical of their poor work ethic as of late.

They wound up loosing 5-3 and I am seriously considering wearing a paper bag over my head when I attend the next home game against Washington if they do not show some sign of life between now and then.

I’m tired of stating the obvious reasons for continued losses.

Kostitsyn’s hat trick sealed the Penguins fate as they fell 3-2 to the Canadiens Saturday night at the Igloo.  Despite achieving 34 shots against Carey Price and the Penguins only allowing 19 shots on Fleury, Pittsburgh could not find a way to put the puck into the net more than the visiting squad despite seven or eight times when they had the Canadien netminder dead to rights.

The game was everything the Penguins needed it to be – except a win.  For a team that has been struggling to find the cage however, the match proved one thing that the Penguins have seemed to forgotten; shooting the puck more leads to chances.

While they failed to capitalize against Montreal Pens fans can only hope that they tasted what can happen when they push pucks towards the net and generate chances.  The Pens did however suffer from a lack of physicality.  Even when they did hit Montreal players for the most part the hits were weak and unimpressive.  Such weak play lead to the Canadiens scoring with just 1.6 seconds remaining in the first to put the Penguins in a 2-1 hole.

Pittsburgh is off until December 30th when they host the Boston Bruins who are the best in the East at 26-5-4 (56 pts).  By the looks of things the Penguins will have their work cut out for them as they hope to finish a dismal December on a positive note.