The margin for error is razor thin for the Pittsburgh Penguins. Coming into the night, they held onto the final playoff spot in the Metropolitan division but the difference between a playoff spot and being on the outside is just a point or two.
In a back-and-forth affair with the Ottawa Senators, it seemed like the Penguins were ready to pull away a few times. It took extra time – and a shootout after that – to get the job done, but the Penguins got the win and a critical two points with a 4-3 shootout victory over the Senators.
Stick Taps to Rickard Rakell
Before we get into it, Erik Karlsson deserves some love for his three-point effort, including a pair of assists. That said, the difference-maker for the Penguins on the night was Rickard Rakell with his two goals and an assist.
Rakell was buzzing all night long, creating opportunities that ultimately paid off. It looked like he would be the hero with a power play goal early in the third period as well. About the only other thing he could have done is score in the shootout, but it is hard to ask for more than he did.
Rakell continues to be red-hot in March, registering a point in 10 of 13 games (14 points). The Penguins need their most important players to step up, and Rakell has answered the bell down the stretch.
Sidney Crosby: Exit Stage Left
While it was nice to grab the additional point in the standings, it wasn’t all sunshine and roses for the Penguins as they left Ottawa. Sidney Crosby, who had been back in the lineup for four games since returning from injury, left early with an apparent injury.
Related: NHL Playoff Bubble Spotlight: Who Will Survive the Eastern Conference Gautlet
Dan Muse gave a brief comment after the game that it was a lower-body injury, but not much more than that. Crosby dealt with a Grade 2 MCL injury during the Olympics that kept him on the shelf for roughly a month.
While it certainly could be something else, it seems more than likely that he tweaked the MCL again. We will have to wait and see what the update is but this could not have come at a worse time for the Penguins.
Team Defense is Still a Problem
Goaltending remains an issue but regardless of how you feel about Stuart Skinner, there is little arguing that team defense has been bad this season. On Thursday night against the Senators, Skinner was done no favors by his defense.
All three goals involved someone standing in the goal mouth or nearby with no defender to account for them. Drake Batherson scored twice from virtually on the goal line because he was unaccounted for.
The Penguins certainly need more out of their goaltending duo, but it is hard to fault them with performances like that. Team defense needs to be tighter, particularly around the crease area or the Penguins can be absolutely exploited.
A Big Two Points
At the end of the day, a win is a win and the extra point the Penguins earned definitely came in handy. The Columbus Blue Jackets lost to the Montreal Canadiens in regulation, allowing the Penguins to leapfrog them into second place in the Metropolitan.
A point here or there can and will absolutely be the difference for someone. The Ottawa Senators and Detroit Red Wings seem like they could be the odd teams out, though the Senators have been hot lately. The Penguins will need to keep pace with them, the New York Islanders, Boston Bruins, and the Blue Jackets if they want to hold on to their playoff positioning.
