No one saw the Pittsburgh Penguins coming. On March 26, they beat the Carolina Hurricanes 4-1. That game proved to be the turning point of their season. Currently, they have 84 points, sit in fifth place in the Metro and are only one point behind the Washington Capitals. In the last couple weeks, they have looked like a different team. Several players have stepped up in a big way, but there is no doubt that Pittsburgh’s aging core has been leading the charge.
Penguins Are Humming
The Penguins have turned a corner in the last couple weeks and captain Sidney Crosby is largely to thank. On Monday, April 1, Bryan Rust opened the scoring against the New York Rangers 18 seconds into the game, and he was assisted by none other than Crosby. The captain scored two more goals in that game, making this his 19th straight point-per-game season.
In Pittsburgh’s four straight wins over the Rangers, New Jersey Devils, Capitals and Tampa Bay Lightning, Crosby scored five goals and had one assist for a total of six points. He was just named the NHL’s second star of the week and has found himself back in the MVP conversation. Despite having another amazing season, the fact remains that he is not Superman. At 36 years old, there is no doubt he is a bit slower than he used to be, however, his mind is always one step ahead of everyone. He can read the game better than anyone and always seems to get to where he needs to be a couple seconds early.
Crosby’s counterparts have also been doing their part to help with Pittsburgh’s recent surge. On April 6 in the Penguins’ 5-4 win over the Lightning, Evgeni Malkin netted two goals and had one assist. Defenseman Kris Letang also found the back of the net against Tampa Bay. This season, there has been some scrutiny surrounding the core and whether or not they could still produce at a high level. Malkin has played in 78 games this season and scored 25 goals for a total of 63 points. Letang has also played in 78 games and has scored nine goals with 40 assists.
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Another player who has been actively involved in getting the Penguins to this point is Michael Bunting. He was acquired from the Hurricanes in exchange for Jake Guentzel, and he didn’t exactly receive the warmest welcome in Pittsburgh. However, he has proved to be everything the Penguins needed and much more. He is so good at playing in the dirty areas and making life extremely difficult for opposing goaltenders. He is also thriving on the second line and seems to have made Malkin’s game better. He is not the type of player who is there to wow you with his skill or speed, he is there to pull defensemen off the scorers and shift the tide of the game.
Will the Penguins Get In?
Pittsburgh has been able to do something in the last couple weeks that they have struggled with all season. They have been playing a full team game for a full 60 minutes. In the game against the Capitals on April 4, Ryan Shea, P.O. Joseph and Lars Eller scored goals. Alex Nedeljkovic has also been on fire going 6-0-2 in his last eight starts. He was particularly good in the win over the Devils on April 2 making 23 saves on 26 total shots. New Jersey had so many good chances in that game and if it had not been for Nedeljkovic, the Penguins probably would not have won. Pittsburgh’s next test comes tonight against the Detroit Red Wings in a battle for two crucial points.
