What the Penguins coach said was inaudible from the stands at UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex, where five banners celebrating Stanley Cup championships hang above the far end. But the discussion finished with a stick tap and 23 minutes of mostly normal work.
"We're not out of the playoffs until we're out of the playoffs," Sullivan said. "We have to operate under the assumption today that we still have meaningful hockey in front of us. We have to have a substantive practice and get something out of it."
Pittsburgh (40-31-10) lost 5-2 to the Chicago Blackhawks on Tuesday, remaining one point behind the New York Islanders for the second wild card into the Stanley Cup Playoffs from the Eastern Conference.
If the Islanders get a point at home against the Montreal Canadiens on Wednesday, the Penguins will be eliminated from playoff contention. That would end a steak of 16 straight postseason appearances, the longest active streak in major North American professional sports.
"We're all disappointed that we missed an opportunity last night," Sullivan said. "So from that standpoint, we're all human, we all have emotions. We have to live with those."
To make the playoffs, Pittsburgh would need New York to lose in regulation Wednesday. It would then have to defeat the Columbus Blue Jackets at Nationwide Arena on Thursday (7 p.m. ET; BSOH, ATTSN-PT, ESPN+, SN NOW).
Sidney Crosby has missed the playoffs just once in his NHL career, as a rookie in 2005-06. The Penguins captain has never played an NHL game without playoff consequence since fellow center Evgeni Malkin and defenseman Kris Letang joined the roster in 2006-07.
"It's not always upbeat and perfect. I wouldn't say it was that today," Crosby said of practice. "It wasn't gloomy or terrible either. I think every guy in here knows the situation. I think we went out there and tried to be as productive as we could and prepare as if we're going to play a meaningful game tomorrow."
If they play Thursday, Crosby and Malkin would dress together in all 82 games of a season for the first time in 17 seasons as teammates.
"I didn't even know that," Crosby said. "It's nice. I'd take 81 and a playoff spot, to be honest with you."
Crosby, at 35 years old, leads Pittsburgh with 91 points (33 goals, 58 assists) in 81 games. He became the 15th player in NHL history to reach 1,500 points with two goals and one assist in a 5-1 win against the Detroit Red Wings on April 8.
That win, coupled with the Islanders' 5-2 loss to the Washington Capitals on Monday, gave the Penguins an opportunity to make the postseason by winning their final two games.
Against the Blackhawks, Crosby seemed primed to lead again. He had eight shots on goal, including a few high-quality chances in the first two periods, but was denied by goalie Petr Mrazek each time.
Malkin tied it 1-1 on a power play at 5:28 of the third. Pittsburgh then allowed two goals in 26 seconds, one from Buddy Robinson at 10:22 and another from Andreas Athanasiou at 10:48.
"You just have to move by it and hope we get another opportunity here," Crosby said. "It's one of those things where you have to just mentally prepare as if you're going to get that opportunity."
There is uncertainty, though, for a group that hasn't faced much the past 16 seasons.
The Penguins have won the Stanley Cup three times with Crosby, Malkin and Letang (2009, 2016, 2017). The latter two championships came in Sullivan's first two seasons as coach.
Recent seasons haven't been as kind. Pittsburgh last won a playoff series in 2018, defeating the Philadelphia Flyers in the Eastern Conference First Round. It's lost five straight since.
And now, one day before their season finale, the Penguins wait and wonder.
"It's not a great feeling," Crosby said. "It's a situation where you just have to make the best of it. Like I said, prepare the same way today and hope we get another chance."
