Watch Nedeljkovic Meltdown; Slams Stick, Yells at Coaches

Pittsburgh Penguins goalie Alex Nedeljkovic was the unwilling recipient of lethargic team defense during the first half of Thursday’s game against the Philadelphia Flyers.

He wasn’t around for the second half of the game. Despite making several good saves, after the Flyers’ third goal Penguins coach Mike Sullivan called for Nedeljkovic, replacing him with Joel Blomqvist.

It was easily the biggest show of emotion or passion to that point in the game for the Penguins, who trailed 3-0 after Matvei Michkov was left alone for not one but two shots near the Penguins net at 7:24 of the second period.

First, Nedeljkovic raised his stick over his head and smashed it on the crossbar. He unbuckled his mask and threw his blocker on the way to the bench, where he slammed the bench door so hard it popped open, yelled at coaches, and stored down the tunnel toward the locker room.

He got his money’s worth.

Perhaps not coincidentally, the Penguins scored three goals in the second half of the second period, including a pair of goals almost immediately after Nedeljkovic’s outburst and trailed 4-3 after two periods.