The Penguins have lost all four games they’ve played since the Christmas break. In one of those games, they were ambushed in an embarrassing fashion by the Islanders. In another, they blew a 4-0 lead at home to the very ordinary Red Wings. Then, there was that pesky 0-for-9 power-play performance against the Devils. For good measure, the Penguins blew yet another lead, this one in the Winter Classic against Boston.

It would be reasonable to point toward the Penguins’ inability to maintain leads as their biggest current problem. And yes, the power play has been as predictable as March weather in Pittsburgh.

Here’s the nugget that sticks out to me: Sidney Crosby doesn’t have a point in any of those four games. Not one.

Evgeni Malkin did have one memorable breakaway goal against New Jersey in that stretch, but he’s been fairly ineffective in recent games, also.

These Penguins, you see, aren’t equipped to win when Crosby and Malkin aren’t scoring. Same as it ever was, but perhaps even more now. There’s no Phil Kessel on the third line on this team. There’s not much depth at all. It’s about the big guys, who are a decade older than most of the NHL’s best players.

But it gets worse.

• Tristan Jarry got hurt at Fenway Park on Monday.

While the Penguins haven’t announced anything about his health just yet, they have recalled goaltender Dustin Tokarski from Wilkes-Barre. That’s not a particularly encouraging sign.

Casey DeSmith is a good backup, but I don’t know that he’s going to carry the Penguins for a significant period of time.

•  Kris Letang is banged up and dealing with the death of his father.