With 80 games down, the success of the Penguins’ 2023-24 season will come down to their last two games – and a whole lot of luck.
After a trade deadline where Pittsburgh seemed to accept their non-playoff fate and look to the future, shipping star winger Jake Guentzel to Carolina, the Penguins have gone 9-6-4, with a recent 10-game point streak (7-0-3) putting them back in the postseason hunt. They entered Saturday, when they’d host the Boston Bruins, on that streak, in a wild card spot and in control of their own destiny.
Saturday, though, couldn’t have gone more wrong for the Penguins’ playoff hopes.
The New York Islanders got a point against the New York Rangers, strengthening the Isles’ hopes for a third-place Metro Division finish with 90 points. Washington, Detroit and Philadelphia all won and were tied with 87 points for the East’s second wild card. With no outside help, Pittsburgh, with 86 points, needed to take care of business by beating Boston.
They didn’t.
Goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic, who’s started 11 straight games during the Penguins’ surge, allowed three second-period goals in just 3:27. Presumed starter Tristan Jarry, who hasn’t actually started since March 22, came in cold, allowed two goals and, with Pittsburgh trying to battle back, ultimately took the 6-4 loss.
“I thought I felt fine today; I felt better than I did Thursday night [against the Red Wings],” Nedeljkovic said, responding to the idea that his recent workload could be wearing on him. “I don’t really know how to explain that one.”
“It’s a discussion we’ve had and we certainly communicate with Ned; it’s not something we’re oblivious to,” said head coach Mike Sullivan. “He’s reassuring us that he feels good and he has energy, and we feel he’s been giving us the opportunity to win games and is deserving of the net.”
The goalies are only the last line of defense, however, and the defensive flaws that have been on display all season for the Penguins were front and center in Saturday’s contest. Natural Stat Trick credited the Bruins with nearly twice the high-danger scoring chances (17) as the Penguins generated (9) – not entirely a surprise just one game after Pittsburgh squandered a comfortable lead to Detroit, then rallied to win in overtime.
“I thought we gave them some pretty high-quality looks,” Sullivan said.
In just one example, the first shot Jarry faced, resulting in a shorthanded goal, came partly from his own bad decision behind the net, but partly from poor defensive choices from his teammates.
Just Shorty King doing Shorty King things 👑 pic.twitter.com/TGuq6KjsKJ
— x – Boston Bruins (@NHLBruins) April 14, 2024
The Penguins are tied for a league-worst 12 shorthanded goals against this season.
“It’s happened a million different ways,” Sullivan said. “But at the end of the day it boils down to diligence and being committed to defend.”
If the Penguins do manage to make the playoffs, they will make history for overcoming the largest deficit of any team within its last 11 games to qualify. Captain Sidney Crosby has led the way with 13 points (8G, 6A) during the 10-game point streak, at 36 practically willing his club into one more opportunity to compete for a Stanley Cup.
Had the Penguins found a way to be more consistent for the first three-quarters of the season, they might not be in the position in which they’ll find themselves Monday. They’ll host the Nashville Predators and, along with needing that win and one against the Islanders to close the season, they’ll also need Washington and Detroit to lose one of their last two.
Not much Pittsburgh can do, though, except try to take care of their own business and hope for the best.
“Same as it’s been these last two or three weeks,” Nedeljkovic said. “Just worry about ourselves, control what we can control, and the rest will handle itself, hopefully.”
