Scrappy but decimated Penguins lose heartbreaker

PHILADELPHIA — This article originally appeared on PGHHockeyNOW.com.

The Pittsburgh Penguins’ degree of difficulty climbed further on Saturday. The team managed a hard-working 3-2 win over the New York Rangers on Friday without top centers Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, but on Saturday, they were also without top-line winger Bryan Rust.

Just like Friday, an egregious defensive mistake allowed their opponents to score. Defenseman Vincent Desharnais’s bad pinch on the offensive wall launched the Philadelphia Flyers odd-man rush and Scott Laughton’s goal a mere 44 seconds into the game.

It was an omen of hard work undone by bad decisions, and Philadelphia (24-26-7) beat the Penguins (23-25-9) 3-2 at the Wells Fargo Center Saturday.

The NHL is now on a 13-day break for the Four Nations Face-Off. The Penguins captured seven of the last 10 available points but badly needed the win despite their decimated lineup.

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