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Pittsburgh's crowded East reality shows Penguins are one bad week from missing playoffs
Photo credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
The Post-Gazette has Pittsburgh at 86 points with 12 games left, and Sidney Crosby's 28-35-63 line is keeping the Penguins alive in the East crush.
That is the real story now, not hope, not vibes. The Penguins are in a math sprint, and the target is staring them in the face.
PensBurgh's read is simple, 98 points is the likely cut-line. That means roughly six more wins, or a run close enough to make the tie-breakers matter.
Pittsburgh has already shown the problem. Too many games drift to the edge, and 16 overtime losses tell you this roster keeps leaving clean points on the table.
That is why Crosby matters beyond the box score. He still drives the top-six, slows chaos through the middle, and gives Pittsburgh one line that can actually dictate pace.
You can see the squeeze in the post below, every touch feels like it carries standings weight.
Sunday's no-show against Carolina also reset the mood. Pittsburgh had banked seven of the previous 10 available points, then got humbled at home.
Sidney Crosby Defines The Pittsburgh Penguins Margin
Fans are not overreacting, this team is living on details now.
Colorado, Ottawa and Dallas make this week brutal, and the Islanders game right after that could swing the race more than any speech in the room.
The tactical fix is not complicated. Pittsburgh needs cleaner exits from the blue line, fewer lost coverages off the rush, and a power play that cashes when tired teams reach.
The good news is the path is still there. PensBurgh notes Pittsburgh holds tie-break leverage on most of the teams chasing from behind.
If Crosby's line keeps control and the Penguins grab six more wins, they should be in.
Also read on HockeyUnplugged :
Penguins loss to Hurricanes exposes structural flaw that contenders don't have
Penguins loss to Hurricanes exposes structural flaw that contenders don't have
| POLL | ||
MARS 23|70 ANSWERS Pittsburgh's crowded East reality shows Penguins are one bad week from missing playoffs Do the Penguins get to 98 points? | ||
| Yes | 50 | 71.4 % |
| No | 20 | 28.6 % |
| List of polls | ||