Next up: Thursday's season finale at the United Center.
PITTSBURGH -- Buddy Robinson and Andres Athanasiou scored 26 seconds apart in the third period and the Blackhawks dealt the Penguins' playoff chances a significant blow in a 5-2 win on Tuesday night.
The Florida Panthers clinched one of the two wild-card spots in the Eastern Conference with losses by the Pens and Buffalo. The New York Islanders can eliminate the Penguins with a win or an overtime loss against Montreal on Wednesday. Robinson corralled a bouncing puck in the slot and knuckled it by Tristan Jarry to put the Hawks up 2-1 with 9:38 remaining. Athanasiou found himself behind the Pittsburgh net moments later and flicked a shot at Jarry that somehow bounced off the goaltender and eventually made its way across the goal line.
The Penguins haven't won a playoff series since 2018. Rather than hit the reset button last summer, they brought back Malkin and Kris Letang on long-term deals. While Sidney Crosby, Malkin and Letang -- who has dealt with a stroke and the passing of his father this season -- have been their usually excellent selves, it hasn't stopped Pittsburgh from enduring an uneven at best season by the franchise's lofty standards.
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