(Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
It is probably the most annoying story lead in sports..."If the playoffs started today..."
There is plenty of storylines left to write before the Eastern Conference playoff pairings shake out in three weeks. There is some near certainty and plenty of the unknown in the last dozen games of the regular season.
The Bruins, Devils, and Capitals are virtual locks as one, two and three respectively. With the always-underrated team chemistry, the Pittsburgh Penguins have morphed into a strong contender to go deep into the postseason.
A mere five weeks ago, Pittsburgh had a team with unmotivated players, and a coach with a system that wasn’t working. The playoffs could well have become a distant dream if major changes didn’t come about.
General Manager Ray Shero looks like a genius to his organization, promoting their minor league coach and making trades for players with a stockpile of Stanley Cup experience.
When Dan Bylsma took over behind the bench, the Pens were in tenth place. They went to overtime against Bill Guerin and the Islanders before losing in a shootout. Since that matinee on Long Island, the interim coach has led his team to a 12-1-2 record.
Guerin shed his Isles sweater for a Penguins jersey at the trade deadline and has scored three goals and added seven assists on the top line with Sidney Crosby. Chris Kunitz came over in a swap with Anaheim for Ryan Whitney and made an immediate impact.
Combine that with a Lazarus-like rejuvenation by Jordan Staal and the return of Sergei Gonchar from a long injury rehab and you have a lethal combination of talent and experience rolling toward the playoffs.
"We knew we had good players," Staal told the media after Friday’s victory over the Kings. "It was just a matter of coming together and playing good hockey. I envisioned us playing like this, but not this quickly."
The fact that Evgeni Malkin and Sid own the top two spots in points scoring helps, too.
Watch the Penguins play with any regularity now, and you might have a tough time finding a weak link in the chain.
We're going to send you the most entertaining Pittsburgh Penguins articles, videos, and podcasts from around the web.
0 Comments
Loading more comments...
This comment and all replies have been deleted This comment has been deleted Undo delete