Ottawa’s Erik Karlsson had a Game 2 against Pittsburgh he’d like to forget. He played just 15:37, the fewest minutes he’s seen in the playoffs in his short career, and was abused by Sidney Crosby as he cruised to a hat trick.
For Karlsson, however, he’s eager to improve how he’s playing. Erin Nicks of NHL.com hears it from the man himself.
“I’m not playing the way I want to,” Karlsson said. “I [have to] play a little bit more poised with the puck and a little bit faster in our own zone. I can’t doubt myself.”
This is one of those situations where Ottawa fans hope Karlsson has a short memory because of how forgettable Game 2 was for him. It’s easy to forget that his comeback from a torn Achilles tendon was the feel-good story at the end of the season and into the first-round of the playoffs, but you wonder if that’s hampering his ability to keep up with the talent of the Penguins.