NHL insider reveals what Penguins are doing to end November slump: 'It makes some guys mad'
Photo credit: Edit from The Hockey Writers
NHL insider Seth Rorabaugh revealed that the Penguins are going hard in practice to try and reverse their November slump, and some players are mad about it.
Things got heated during Penguins practice Monday in Cranberry, where the team was split into black and yellow squads for the high-tempo session. The final drill, a short-area 2-on-2 battle, generated the most fireworks.
The yellow group thought they'd scored the winning goal and started stretching out at center ice, but the black squad protested a rule violation.
What led to a Penguins player to get frustrated during practice
Coaches agreed, the drill was reset, and defenseman Ryan Shea eventually buried the deciding goal for the black team. That celebration prompted a frustrated yellow player to fire a piece of equipment down the ice.
"It makes some guys mad but it makes some guys smile.
"It's good team stuff."
"It's good team stuff."
The intensity comes at an important time. Since the start of November, the Penguins are just 2-4-3 after an 8-2-2 October and have slipped in the standings.
Competitive practices like Monday's are something the staff believes can help them snap out of their skid.
Why the Penguins have likely hit a road block in November
Health is the issue. The Penguins have seven players on injured reserve, including top-six wingers Justin Brazeau and Rickard Rakell, depth options Filip Hallander and Ville Koivunen, goaltender Tristan Jarry, fourth-liner Noel Acciari, and defenseman Caleb Jones.
Bryan Rust was absent from practice due to illness. Most of those losses have mounted in the course of this nine-game slump, leaving the Penguins with little choice but to adjust on the fly.
Head coach Dan Muse was sharp and vocal during the session, but more about structure than scolding. That's about creating urgency and habits with a lineup this depleted.
The Penguins host the Sabres on Wednesday, but first comes another spirited practice on Tuesday. It's not glamorous, but they believe this is how they climb out of their November funk.
If they want their season back on track, it begins on the practice ice.
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