Saturday night’s 3-2 overtime loss in Carolina marked the halfway point of the season for Pittsburgh, as it was Game 41 of 82.
The Penguins are in the mix for a playoff spot with a 20-15-6 record, currently battling with several other teams for Wild Card positioning. As of Sunday afternoon, just three points separated Pittsburgh from Tampa Bay, who is currently in the first berth, with the Islanders, Devils, Red Wings, and Capitals between them – all with different numbers of games played.
When asked to assess the 2023-24 campaign to this point, Head Coach Mike Sullivan said, “I think we've had our moments where we look like the team that we intend and hope to become. Then there's been others where we haven't, I don't think anybody’s satisfied with where we're at. We have aspirations to make the playoffs and challenge for a Stanley Cup, and we're not there yet. We're gonna push one another to get there. I think there's a lot of room for growth with our team.
“I think we’ve played a lot of good hockey. In some instances. I feel like we've played better than what our record indicates. But we are what we are. So, we've got to make sure that we stay hungry and we continue to grow and develop as a group.”
Pittsburgh recovered from a difficult start to the season where they lost six of their first nine, going on a five-game win streak to begin November. The Penguins were up and down from there until about mid-December, picking up points in 12 of their last 15 games (9-3-3). Since this stretch began on Dec. 12, only six teams have accumulated more points than the Penguins.
The Penguins have been one of the best teams defensively this season thanks to both their goaltending tandem of Tristan Jarry and Alex Nedeljkovic and defensive corps. They have given up the second-fewest amount of goals among Eastern Conference teams this season, and the fifth-fewest goals against in the entire league. Additionally, Pittsburgh’s .911 save percentage this season is fourth best in the league, while the team’s goals-against average is the seventh-best.
“I think probably the second half of I guess game 25 to 40 or something like that, we've been a little bit better and given up less overall,” Sidney Crosby said. “I mean, last night wasn't a great indication of how we played for most of that span. So, I think if we continue to improve like we have in that part, I think that we'll get results.”
It helped that their power play got back on track for a while there, finding the back of the net on Dec. 12 – a win over Arizona – to end a month-long slump, and their penalty kill has been strong all season. As Kris Letang has said numerous times, when a team has personnel changes on different special teams units – like working in reigning Norris Trophy winner Erik Karlsson on the man-advantage – there's an adjustment process. It's been well-documented how the roster got an overhaul under Penguins President of Hockey Operations and GM Kyle Dubas, and patience is key when it comes to getting everybody assimilated.
“Now I feel that our season is going up,” Letang said. “It's not (up and down). It's just climbing. But sometimes you just take time to get adjusted and get some chemistries. But I think we've established the way we want to play and what gives us success.”
Letang described that style as “north-south hockey, speed, relentless pursuit on the puck… obviously we have a lot of guys are dedicated to their craft. They work on details, and our power play and PK has to keep going up and get better. That’s the Penguins.”
The Penguins did give up a lot of odd-man rushes and quality chances to the Hurricanes, with Bryan Rust feeling that the group wasn’t quite on the same page, and that’s what happens when guys are thinking different things. The winger had said only the day before that when the Penguins are playing as a unit and doing the little things right as a group, they play good hockey.
“I think the problem is the consistency of that,” Rust said. “It's tough, obviously, that's kind of everybody's goal is to be as consistent as they can be. I think for us, there might even be a little bit of a wider margin between our good play and our not-so-good play. I think the more we can get to it consistently, we're going to be way better.”
