The Pittsburgh Penguins are heating up
Do not look now, but the Pittsburgh Penguins are closing in on a playoff spot.
Just weeks removed from fans calling for the firing of head coach Mike Sullivan, the team has reeled off back-to-back wins, and has distanced themselves from the bottom of the Metropolitan Division.
With the presence of future Hall-of-Famers Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang, the Penguins want to continue to be a team that makes the postseason, and vies for a deep playoff push.
However, things were looking bleak after they lost five of six following American Thanksgiving, forcing general manager Kyle Dubas to publicly defend Sullivan. Yet, the team has shown some spark in wins against the Arizona Coyotes and Montreal Canadiens, winning a 12-round shootout over the Habs on Wednesday night.
While they are still seventh in the Metro, the Penguins (13-12-3) are within two points of a Wild Card spot, and are four back of the Philadelphia Flyers for third in the division.
On Thursday’s edition of Daily Faceoff LIVE, Frank Seravalli and Tyler Yaremchuk talked about how the Penguins are not a team to be messed with, especially for a power play that is picking up the pace.
Frank Seravalli: It just shows how much of a difference it can be in the game, it can deliver that extra goal, or get you tied up again. If it’s not going, which it wasn’t for the Pittsburgh Penguins so long this season, then you’re really at a significant disadvantage. To see the way it’s clicked over these last two games…it’s a shot in the arm for a team, for the most part at even-strength, has played pretty fine hockey this season.
If they can just get a little more from the power play, I think you’re seeing the Penguins make the playoffs.
Tyler Yaremchuk: Even in November, they weren’t terrible. At 5-on-5, they’re good. Sidney Crosby nearly scoring at a 50-goal pace, Tristan Jarry has been incredible in stretches this season. The power play waking up, for me, takes their playoff chances from somewhere in the 40s to the 60s.
You can watch the full segment, and entire episode here…
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