The Pittsburgh Penguins are playing for their playoff lives and they acted like it on Thursday night. They put four goals past Marc-Andre Fleury and propelled themselves to a 4-1 victory. It was a necessary victory. Anything short of two points might have been a season finisher. The Florida Panthers blew out the Ottawa Senators despite being outshot 58 to 30. The Islanders defeated the Tampa Bay Lightning 6-1. A loss by Pittsburgh and they would have been trailing by three points to each team with only three games left. A likely nail in the coffin. They remain one point back with games against Detroit, Chicago, and Columbus. Win all three and they’ll have a puncher’s chance. It will be tough and the odds bear that out
Playoff odds as of Friday. https://t.co/RbnckCLHNP pic.twitter.com/nxCHyUF1Ml
— MoneyPuck.com (@MoneyPuckdotcom) April 7, 2023
The Penguins played a very strong first period against the Wild. They’ve had those kinds of periods lately with nothing to show for it. Things were looking like they could come up empty again, but Kris Letang slithered through on the boards and caught his buddy Fleury cheating off his post and snuck the puck in high short side.
Fun fact: Kris Letang has recorded a point in his last seven games against Minnesota (3G-5A). pic.twitter.com/BD3u8P94gf
— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) April 6, 2023
The Penguins power play still has more than enough talent to be dangerous, yet finds itself underwhelming on most nights. Lots of perimeter passing and not enough willingness to attack. Something that has been missing on the Penguins power play for a long time has been the ability to get a huge one-timer from the left side. A complement to what Evgeni Malkin can do on the right side. They have the ability to implement such an attack. Last night they did. Rickard Rakell hammered home a beautiful one-timer on the power play over the glove off the far post.
A ROCKET FROM RAKELL! 🚀 pic.twitter.com/yyxchrdh9Z
— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) April 7, 2023
Imagine utilizing the Rakell shot more often which would open up Malkin on the far side. I’m here for a one-timer party from both sides with Crosby and Guentzel cleaning up in front. If you get the PK group to over extend on the shooters then you have those two in front with more space. you can’t cover everyone.
The Penguins are not in action tonight because no NHL team is in action tonight for some reason. No games on a Friday night, weird league.
Pittsburgh will face the Detroit Red Wings at 1PM on Saturday. They will play first among the teams fighting for the wild card and can put some pressure on Florida and New York. The Panthers will face the Capitals and the Islanders will face the lowly Flyers. Win and live to fight another day. Lose and... it might be over.
Thanks for reading!