Keys to Penguins' Success Down the Stretch

Story by Yinzer Crazy Contributor Kuljit Parmar

With the potential of the 2023 NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs looming, fans are in for a tight-raced treat that will define the heart and resilience of a Pittsburgh Penguins team looking to keep their respective playoff streak alive for the seventeenth year.

The season so far has had more ups than downs than the phantom’s revenge. Even though the Pens had lost to the Boston Bruins by a score of 4-3, the lineup has occasionally proved they could play against the elite and perform at an advanced level, in games against the Lightning and Avalanche earlier this winter.

After a painful loss to the Devils last night, the Penguins need to do more than a few things right to sneak their way into the playoffs. 

The first is that the team will need to maintain their composure through this frustration and not take careless penalties, which will cost them the advantage.

The Pens are playing a tight-knitted game against their opponents where they do not want to exert too much energy and create turnovers with a high-pressure approach. Maybe it’s time to change that up, and take the brakes off.

At the moment the Pens team is currently using a fast-break approach as well, which means that the opportunities they are generating are coming off turnovers and breakaways with up to 3 players dominating the play, as opposed to the two defenders on the opposing team in the offensive zone.

Trusting each other at this point will help prime the mood and most importantly the growth in chemistry needed to combat the next wave of opponents, where the need is to collect at least three wins, maybe four, you would think.

The defense at this point will have to be good in all aspects of coverage in the defensive zone and not rely on the offense to put up numbers, in case they are playing close games in the next week and a half.

The momentum can be generated by playing one great game, and the Penguins will have to take it up another notch to combat the woes and injuries that have plagued them.

This is a well-rounded team with plenty of depth that could carry the shift into the post-season and from what has been seen, this team has no quit in it.

Being tenacious with the battles will not hurt the team from time to time depending on who they play, but the aggressive approach with the scoring ability is the strongest feat of the team, and coach Mike Sullivan has done a brilliant job executing the plays and delivering good outings from the top line players. Will the bottom lines step up? To be determined.