We can blame the defensemen.

I've done that.

We can blame the team as a whole for its defensive inattention or lack of focus.

But listen to me clearly when I say this.

If the same thing keeps occurring again and

again and again, and there isn't an adjustment made to account for it, it's time to stop

wondering what's going wrong. Good morning to you. Good.

Wednesday morning, I'm Dan Kovachvich of D.K. Pittsburgh Sports.

This is Daily Shot of Penguins. It comes your way bright and early every weekday.

If you're into football and or baseball, I also offer daily shots of Steelers and Pirates,

where you found this.

Islanders 4, Penguins 3 via shootout, which is not the story. Rather, it's that Mike Sullivan's Penguins yet again blew not just a lead, but another two-goal lead. This one

in the third period, the Penguins had actually put together a pretty nice road game.

Probably deserved better for the offense they were creating if Elias Sampsohnov hadn't been as sharp as he was.

For the most part, limited the Islanders attack, got themselves a nice 3-1 lead on a terrific insurance goal,

actually a great overall play between Chris LaTang,

Yesi, Pliu, Yardv, and then Michael Bunting with the finish for his first goal.

It should have been the kind of thing that stuck a dagger in the opponent, except all that ever does with this group is...

It's a self-stab wound.

Penguins have now played 15 games.

They've blown a lead in five of their losses, and they've blown a two-goal lead in four

of their past eight games overall.

...