Neither the Pittsburgh Penguins nor the Chicago Blackhawks got what they wanted on Tuesday.
The end of the 2022-23 NHL regular season is nigh and the Stanley Cup Playoffs are right around the corner. The Penguins are in the hunt for their 17th playoff appearance in a row, the longest active streak currently in the NHL. The Blackhawks, on the other hand, are looking to have the best odds possible to draft high in the upcoming NHL Entry Draft this summer.
Unfortunately for both teams, the Blackhawks bested the Penguins 5-2 on Tuesday. The Penguins came into the game in control of their playoff destiny, with winnable games left against the Blackhawks and Blue Jackets that would have given them a postseason berth. The loss now means the Penguins have to rely on the New York Islanders to trip at the finish line or their season will end.
The Blackhawks, on the other hand, went from having the best lottery odds to the second-best with one victory. And with the chance to draft Connor Bedard as the prize for winning the lottery, Chicago fans are really kicking themselves as well for this win.
It’s really been some time since we’ve seen this level of self-sabotage from two teams in one game. Truly epic levels of catastrophe out of these two teams, that’s for sure.
NHL fans were quick to point out the unfortunate reality the Blackhawks and Penguins are now living in thanks to Tuesday’s result.