Mario Lemieux and his Pittsburgh Penguins warmed up for the playoffs Thursday night. The Blackhawks remained in a deep freeze.
After being held without a goal in the previous four games, Lemieux scored two in the final 3 minutes 44 seconds. But in this game he was merely the best supporting actor.
Jaromir Jagr was the star, striking for goals in the first and second periods and assisting on Lemieux’s to send the Hawks to a 5-2 defeat and extend their losing streak to six games (0-5-1).
“It’s very difficult to defend those guys,” said Hawks coach Denis Savard, who knows all too well from his Hall of Fame playing career the damage Lemieux and Jagr can do. “When you give them time and space, that’s what’s going to happen.”
Savard and his players saw some positives in the Hawks’ second loss in as many nights since he and fellow assistant coach Al MacAdam took over the team from Alpo Suhonen, who began a medical leave of absence Tuesday because of a heart condition.
“We faced two very good teams and we battled hard until the end,” goaltender Jocelyn Thibault said. “I hope we won’t get discouraged.
“It’s no fun playing Pittsburgh. They have a lot of Europeans and they’re a control-the-puck kind of team. I wouldn’t like to face them in the playoffs.”
No need to worry. The Hawks won’t be in the playoffs for the fourth straight year.
As for the Penguins, they have a playoff spot locked up. They’re sixth in the Eastern Conference and still have a chance of overtaking Buffalo, Philadelphia and Washington.
“There’s only five games left,” said Lemieux, who has scored 33 goals and assisted on 35, including on Jagr’s two Thursday. “We have to use them to get ready for the playoffs.”
Mario magic: The sellout crowd of 17,148 was the Penguins’ 22nd straight since Lemieux came out of retirement Dec. 27. Before Lemieux came back, the Penguins had a 17-14-6-1 record. Since his return the bottom line is 22-13-3-1, including a loss in which he sat out to rest his back. Although Lemieux didn’t get a goal his four preceding games, he picked up three assists.
Famine ends: Steve Sullivan snapped out of a 12-game slump by scoring his eighth short-handed goal and 32nd goal of the season.
“Does it really matter?” asked Sullivan. “Tonight you score and you lose so you don’t feel any better. I’d rather not score another goal this year and win every game.”
The other Hawks goal was scored by Michael Nylander on a power-play shot that cut the Penguins’ lead to 3-2 midway through the third period. Playing his second straight game with Nylander and Sullivan on the second line, Eric Daze set up both goals.
