Mark Madden: Sidney Crosby shines, goaltending doesn't in Penguins' return from break

If the 4 Nations Face-Off was “best on best,” what was Sunday’s game between the Penguins and New York Rangers? Find the answer and much more in this edition of refreshing Penguins notes!

• Sidney Crosby played hard and exceptionally at the 4 Nations Face-Off, then did the same in the Penguins’ first two games after. Got a goal against Washington on Saturday, an assist vs. the New York Rangers on Sunday. He played injured at the 4 Nations and is doubtless still hurt. The Penguins are dead rubber. For Crosby to play 36 hours after the 4 Nations final and be as relentless as always for two straight games says a ton about his nonstop accountability and his dedication to the Penguins.

• Not that it did much good. The Penguins lost both of those games thanks to bad goaltending. It’s their biggest weakness. Analytics say the Penguins’ total expected goals against in those two games was 5.37. They allowed 12, and it seemed like each goal was worse than the last. Alex Nedeljkovic conceded five goals on 14 shots Saturday. Rookie goalie Joel Blomqvist surrendered four goals on 15 shots Sunday. If the Penguins had even average netminding, they would be a lot closer than seven points out of the Eastern Conference’s last wild card. The goaltending is demoralizing. It makes you flinch on every shot.

• The Penguins should send Blomqvist to their Wilkes-Barre/Scranton farm team. Those Penguins are second in the American Hockey League’s Atlantic Division and capable of a playoff run. Let Blomqvist experience that with his fellow prospects. Bring Tristan Jarry back to Pittsburgh. If he gets hot, maybe he gets traded later. If not, what’s the difference? More losses = more balls in the draft lottery.

• The Penguins’ defeat to the Rangers was galling. At one point, the Penguins were outshooting the Rangers, 29-5, and had the first 17 shots of the second period. But the Penguins had trouble finishing — except for defenseman Ryan Shea, who tripled his career total for goals by scoring twice — and their goaltending killed them. But it wasn’t a game the Penguins should have won. It was a game that a bad team loses.

• The usual suspects want Crosby traded. The theme: “He deserves better, let him win another Cup somewhere else, blah, blah, blah.” But Crosby can decide his own priorities. He’s often stated his commitment to the logo. Why isn’t there more concern about Connor McDavid winning his first Cup? Maybe McDavid needs to leave Edmonton to have a better shot. The Oilers made the final last year, but that seems like the last gasp of an aging roster. The Oilers have done worse by McDavid than the Penguins have done by Crosby. Crosby has three Cups and six gold medals. His legacy is set in stone. Crosby wants to win more but doesn’t need to. McDavid needs to. Worry about McDavid.

• Erik Karlsson played well and fundamentally sound for Sweden at the 4 Nations, then returned to the Penguins and reignited his cavalcade of blunders. That says a lot about his accountability, too.

• Evgeni Malkin says he will only play professionally with the Penguins, that he will be back next season to honor the final year of his contract. That’s despite currently skating on a line with Danton Heinen (eight goals) and Cody Glass (three goals). If that doesn’t chase you back to Vladimir Putin, nothing will.

• ESPN’s P.K. Subban did a masterful job of analysis during the 4 Nations, not least while appearing on ESPN’s mid-day yell-and-mug shows with hockey know-nothings like Stephen A. Smith. But he has since accused Penguins GM Kyle Dubas of letting Crosby down. Of lacking a plan. But Dubas has a plan. The Penguins have 15 picks in the first three rounds over the next three drafts. Their system was rated near the NHL’s bottom a year ago. Now it’s mid-table. It takes time. You can’t purge the old guys because they have no-movement clauses and nobody will take their contracts. But the organization is moving forward.

• Dubas’ grandmother responded thusly on Twitter: “It’s time P.K. Subban grew up. He wasn’t much of a hockey player. Now he is messing up commentating.” Love it. Makes me miss my grandma.

• Dubas has made mistakes, most notably the big contracts given to Jarry and defenseman Ryan Graves. Trading for Karlsson hasn’t worked out, but nobody thought that was a bad get when it was made. Karlsson was the reigning Norris Trophy winner as the NHL’s best defenseman and seen as a big addition to the Penguins’ core three. Every GM errs. Craig Patrick is the most important executive in franchise history. But he traded Markus Naslund (395 career goals) for Alek Stojanov (two career goals). Patrick also dealt Hall of Famer Sergei Zubov for the grotesquely overrated Kevin Hatcher.

• The Penguins shouldn’t swap winger Rickard Rakell before the March 7 trade deadline. Rakell is on Crosby’s line, and Crosby is going for his 20th straight season averaging a point per game or better. That can’t be sabotaged. If Crosby is expected to stick it out through lean times, certain concessions must be made. Besides, Rakell’s contract runs through 2028 at a $5 million salary cap hit. He’s got 25 goals this year. That’s an acceptable rate at an acceptable salary, especially with the cap going up.

• It’s difficult watching NHL hockey after watching the 4 Nations. Even fast NHL hockey looks slow by comparison. The Penguins and Rangers looked like they were skating in molasses Sunday.

• This space will later feature my expanded thoughts on the great Mike Lange. But for now, suffice it to say the Penguins organization did a great job honoring Lange on Saturday. It was brief, poignant, emotional and energetic. That fit Lange. He never made it about him. Lange was always about the game, about hockey. I’m glad his Jurassic-era headset was on display. I’m amazed that thing never disintegrated.

• Crosby’s constant drive and brilliance at 37 can be simply explained: He’s an alien. Parents Troy and Trina are akin to Pa and Ma Kent.