The Pittsburgh Penguins this week headed out for the West Coast portion of their season-long road trip with, at least at first, mixed results. A win that could serve as a template for how to play. Then a loss that left the Penguins perhaps wanting to throw away the game tape.

The Pittsburgh Penguins might hold their breath a little while longer regarding the status of winger Bryan Rust. Rust left the Penguins’ 5-1 loss to the Anaheim Ducks later in the second period after defenseman Radko Gudas delivered a heavy check along the boards.

SAN JOSE -- Macklin Celebrini scored the go-ahead goal early in the third period, and the San Jose Sharks ended a six-game losing streak with a 2-1 win against the Pittsburgh Penguins at SAP Center on Monday.

The Penguins looked lethargic and disinterested most of the night in a 2-1 loss to the lowly Sharks in San Jose.

Crosby tied the game 1-1 just 24 seconds into the third period. Bryan Rust drove the net and had his pass broken up by Cody Ceci, but the puck bounced right to Crosby, who scored five-hole from a sharp angle.

With forward Evgeni Malkin sidelined due to an undisclosed injury, the Pittsburgh Penguins fell to the San Jose Sharks, 2-1, at the SAP Center in San Jose, Calif. on Monday. Earlier in the day, the team placed Malkin on injured reserve.

The lifeless loss against a team they should have beaten, and everyone else has, was the window into a team losing its belief in the mission.

San Jose stabilizes for the rest of the period, get Hayes to go to the box for a power play of their own but don’t get a goal. Shots are 10-9 Pens, Natural Stat Trick has 5v5 scoring chances at 12-5 Pittsburgh which feels more indicative of the play on the ice.

You mean the Biz stuff? Yeah, Sid’s not going anywhere.” Over the past week, outlets in Montreal lobbied for the Montreal Canadiens to take a run at acquiring Sidney Crosby, and one of the most influential hockey personalities in the game,

The symbolism could not be more appropriate Monday as the sinking Pittsburgh Penguins (20-23-8) are in the shark tank to face the rebuilding San Jose Sharks (14-32-6), who boast the 2024 first-overall pick Macklin Celebrini at SAP Arena.

Even if the Penguins go on an outrageous hot streak, I still fully anticipate Dubas to sell at the deadline. He knows what he has to do. He’s not in this to grab the second wild card and lose in the first round. Dubas’ vision is much more grand than that. The problem is that fans might need to find some patience.

The Pittsburgh Penguins entered the Christmas break as one of the hottest teams in the NHL. Riding a 9-3-1 stretch, the Penguins were briefly holding down a spo