The Pittsburgh Penguins have faced a significant setback during their current road trip, suffering three consecutive losses, including a narrow defeat to the struggling San Jose Sharks. The team's performance against non-playoff teams has been disappointing, culminating in a goal differential of 11-3 over these games. This downturn has led to the Penguins holding one of the worst points percentages in the NHL.

Despite some promising moments, critical errors have cost the Penguins in close games, as highlighted by a crucial turnover by Marcus Pettersson that led to the game-winning goal against the Sharks. Goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic expressed frustration over the team's inability to find the urgency needed to compete consistently.