When the Pittsburgh Penguins made the playoffs, they embraced the motto “Flip the Script.” It was all about proving the doubters wrong. But the situation feels different now.
It’s been a rough start. The Penguins need a major turnaround, especially after their first two games against the Philadelphia Flyers. So far, it’s been like a nightmare they can’t wake up from.
It’s a classic matchup: young players on the rise versus a veteran team in decline. The Flyers are outplaying the Penguins, who scored 293 goals in the regular season, ranking third in the NHL. Philadelphia has effectively shut down the Penguins’ attack. Coach Rick Tocchet has been smart, matching his top defenders against Sidney Crosby’s line.
Crosby and his teammates have struggled, particularly during power plays. Despite being one of the best in the league, the power play produced only two shots in five attempts in their last game, even allowing a short-handed goal.
This series has stripped the Penguins’ star power. Their fourth line, made up of Noel Acciari, Connor Dewar, and Blake Lizotte, has often been their best performers. It’s a compliment but also a worrying sign for a team with so much talent.
It reminds me of the 2013 Eastern Conference finals, where the Penguins faced a similar fate against Boston. They had players who could score, but the opportunities just didn’t materialize.
The Penguins are at a crossroads. They began the season focused on rebuilding, but after a promising start of 8-2-2 in October, they shifted gears to prioritize immediate wins. Young players like Ben Kindel have earned their spots, yet others like Ville Koivunen seem to have fallen off the radar as the team pursued the playoffs.
This isn’t a knock on the management. General Manager Kyle Dubas and Coach Dan Muse have navigated a tricky season well. But if they lose this series, questions will arise about whether they did enough.
The team is aging. Currently, only two players are under 25, and the average age is 29. This raises concerns about the future. If they can’t pull through, we might face some significant changes ahead. Evgeni Malkin could be playing his last home game as a Penguin.
The Penguins have two games left to make a difference. Muse rearranged the top lines to find a better combination: Crosby with Rickard Rakell and Bryan Rust, and Malkin with Egor Chinakov and Tommy Novak. The adjustments showed promise but still didn’t result in goals.
Interestingly, during the regular season, the Penguins performed slightly better on the road, with a record of 21-12-8, compared to 20-13-8 at home. They even managed to hold their own against the Flyers in Philadelphia earlier. But, at this point, it feels like grasping at straws. They haven’t been competitive in the first two matchups.
This season, the Penguins won 41 games but lost just as many. If they bow out early in the playoffs, they’ll finish with more losses than wins. Predictions had them finishing near the bottom, which may lead to a higher draft pick in an upcoming draft rich in talent.
Should they lose this series, we might witness a significant shift for the franchise. They could take a step back to pave the way for growth. However, there’s also a chance they stick with their current roster, reminiscent of the Steelers’ approach.
But if the Penguins manage to turn things around, they’ll have a lot to celebrate and could very well prove the critics wrong.
