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Getting that 2015-16 feeling |
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Earlier in the season the Penguins were struggling with their back to back games. Not a great thing when your team is scheduled to play the most of those kinds of games than any other team in the league. This weekend was a success. The team went 2-0 and if you can believe it they now lead the Metropolitan Division. The Capitals have three games in hand, but for right now the Penguins are going to occupy that first place slot. This is a great turnaround for the Penguins who were in real danger of missing the playoffs if they didn’t get their act together. They have and things are starting to go their way.
The Penguins have the sixth best score-adjusted mark in the league for shot attempts at 52.04%. This is a step up from last year when they were middle of the pack. The horrendous shooting and save percentages that plagued this year’s Penguins are starting to remedy themselves. The structure of the team is starting to look like 2015-16 with Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Phil Kessel all playing on their own lines at 5v5. Spreading the wealth has really helped some of the depth players that were struggling earlier in the year.
Whoever plays with Evgeni Malkin is going to reap the benefits of that situation. Malkin is having a Hart caliber season. His production this year has been tremendous
Carl Hagelin has been the recipient of Malkin’s great play. He has shown an offensive pulse for the first time this year in the past month or so.
He’s even getting some things done without Geno
Riley Sheahan is having a great stretch of play since getting Phil Kessel and Jake Guentzel on his wing. This is creating similar matchup problems that HBK did a couple of years ago. With a points per 60 at 1.65 Sheahan is giving the Penguins good value at their third line center spot. If Sidney Crosby can continue to produce with whichever WB/S player they stick there then this three “first line” approach can work. This should also damper the desperation that Jim Rutherford was probably feeling when things weren’t going great earlier in the year. Perhaps adding a winger at the deadline makes more sense than a center at this point. If the winger depth is improved then the likelihood of Sheahan’s success in his role should be a reasonable risk/reward decision.
Defensively the Penguins should be find if their top four remain healthy. Kris Letang is actually having another fine season. He and Dumoulin are among the best pairings in the league this year.
Players that handle the puck more and play the most are going to have moments that aren’t great. Sometimes the good things these players do get taken for granted. Kris Letang is a prime example of this.
Goaltending wasn’t a strength for the first portion of the season. Lately Matt Murray has played better and Tristan Jarry hasn’t shown that he isn’t capable of playing in the backup role.
With all these things coming together you can start to get more of a 2015-16 vibe than the 2016-17 one and that is a good thing. Given what a mess the Metropolitan Division has become things are starting to fall the Penguins way for the first time all year.
Thanks for reading!
Pittsburgh Penguins Blogger • 
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