Pittsburgh Penguins prepare for home tests as they must prove one key component after blown leads
Photo credit: Edit from The Hockey Writers
The Penguins are returning home after their Sweden trip, where they will have two chances to prove they are able to play a full 60 minutes and close games out.
The Penguins leave Sweden with three out of four possible points, a result that offered both promise and concern.
There was one rough outing, one strong performance, an overtime loss, and a memorable moment as rookie Sergei Murashov earned both his first NHL win and first shutout.
It moved Pittsburgh to 10-5-4, a .632 points percentage that ranks among the NHL's best and far exceeds early-season expectations.
What the weekend in Sweden led many to wonder
Still, the luster of that fast start has worn off just a bit. The Penguins are 2-3-2 in their last seven, and their flat showing in Friday's overtime loss to Nashville led many to wonder whether early flaws were beginning to surface.
Injuries have complicated things, where Rickard Rakell and Justin Brazeau are two forwards out of commission, with the depth being stretched continuously as a result, forcing constant line adjustments.
Even so, most recent games have not been entirely bad. Outside of the losses to Winnipeg and the first Predators game, Pittsburgh has shown long stretches of strong play mixed with inconsistent periods.
The challenge now is turning those flashes into full 60-minute games and protecting late leads.
Why there are concerns leading into the next two games
This week brings two immediate tests at home against the Minnesota Wild and Seattle Kraken. Both matchups come in a back-to-back set following the long Sweden travel, raising some very valid concerns about fatigue.
If the Penguins can secure at least a win and another point, they'll stay on a 105-point pace at the season's quarter mark, still an impressive place to be.
The next few games will not determine their season, but they can show if this team can steady its play and build on a start that few saw coming.
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