Penguins' season reportedly hinges on what happens next, according to NHL analyst
Photo credit: Edit from The Hockey News
NHL analyst Jason Mackey believes that the next portion of the Penguins' schedule could make or break their season and define their playoff hopes.
The next four days hold the most critical moments in the calendar year so far for the Penguins, who come in with a 10-6-5 record and are set to play their most important stretch in the season, according to NHL analyst Jason Mackey, and all three games are winnable.
"The Penguins (10-6-5) over the next four days face their biggest stretch of season to date, three games that could either prove their hot start to be a mirage or yank a lousy November so far up by the bootstraps.
They're three winnable games, too."
- Jason Mackey
They're three winnable games, too."
- Jason Mackey
The "weak" opponents the Penguins will face
Buffalo comes to PPG Paints Arena with a 9-9-4 overall record and a lackluster 1-5-2 on the road. The Pens then head to Columbus to face the Blue Jackets, who boast an 11-9-3 record, and have hardly intimidated.
The Leafs, now a surprising cellar-dweller in the Eastern Conference with a 9-10-3 record and sporting the worst goal differential in the Eastern Conference, come to Pittsburgh on Saturday.
The Penguins, however, still have much work to do. They have had issues closing out victories, need better consistency on the scoresheet, and their goaltenders, although not outright terrible, haven't performed well enough to mask the problems.
Why the Penguins have to be sound defensively in their next three games
And all three of next week's foes have some ability to score. But now, after an 8-2-2 record in October, they will need to improve on their 2-4-3 record in November. This week provides an opportunity to put everything in perspective.
Tristan Jarry returns tonight in the lineup against Buffalo, marking the first time he has skated since Nov. 3. Activated from IR, he has a 5-2-0 record, 2.60 GAA, and .911 save percentage.
Sergei Murashov will likely get reassigned to the AHL in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.
Ben Kindel will be a healthy scratch for development reasons, the first time since Oct. 25. Bryan Rust, who has been out the last two days with illness, returns. Ville Koivunen, who has sat out the last three games, also returns.
The week ahead is critical. Will the Pens pull themselves together or go even further downhill? Only time will tell.
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