Checking in with some random Pittsburgh Penguins thoughts ahead of Thursday’s win-and-in game against the New Jersey Devils.
1. The math is very simple
Win and in.
Just two points.
That is it.
It could be two points on Thursday. It could be two points on Saturday. It could be two points on Sunday. It could be two points early next week against the St. Louis Blues. Whenever they get them, whoever they get them against, it does not matter.
Just two more points. One more win.
It certainly brings a big-game feel to Thursday’s game.
There areother clinching scenarios as early as Thursday. An overtime loss, combined with a Columbus Blue Jackets loss to the Buffalo Sabres would also do it.
If the Penguins lose in regulation, a New York Islanders loss (in any fashion) to the Toronto Maple Leafs and a Blue Jackets regulation loss would also do it
But why rely on others when you can just do it yourself?
2. Penguins recent history in New Jersey is better than I realized
The Prudential Center always seems like one of those places where the Penguins always seem to struggle, and it never seems like they win there. Kind of like Boston. Kind of like Long Island.
But a brief look at recent history suggests it is not quite that bad.
They lost their first regular season game there this season in a shootout.
They split two games there in each of the past two seasons.
They did lose both games there in 2022-23.
But they swept the Devils in New Jersey in 2021-22, won three of four in 2020-21, and then split two games in each during the 2019-20 and 2018-19 seasons.
It is not great. It is also not as bad as I remember it being. This is not a Boston situation here.
3. Additional benefit to clinching as early as possible
While any win in any of the four remaining games will get the Penguins in the playoffs, there are a lot of positives that can come from clinching as soon as possible. The biggest of those positives, aside from getting ready of the anticipation and removing all doubt about a playoff spot: Getting a chance to rest some people.
Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin are in their late 30s and have both battled injuries this season. They could use a break.
Parker Wotherspoon has played more minutes than he ever has in his NHL career, and it has been starting to show in recent games. He could use a break.
The same goes for Ryan Shea.
Ben Kindel, as great as he has been this season, has started to hit another rookie wall in recent games. He could probably use a break.
It might also give the Penguins a reason to give Sergei Murashov a look in some more games at the NHL level just to see what he can do. Maybe he impresses. Maybe he plays his way into a Matt Murray type-situation where he just runs with a late-season opportunity and never gives it back.
The biggest thing though is the potential for some rest.
4. Can Elmer Soderblom keep his roster spot when everybody is back?
What Blake Lizotte returns he is going to have a spot in the lineup. That is a given. He is too good on the penalty kill, too much of a spark plug on that fourth line to not be in the lineup. The problem then becomes who do you take out of the lineup?
Elmer Soderblom seems like the obvious candidate, but how do you take him out of the lineup given the way he has played recently? He is not only chipping in more offense, he has become a physical presence and beast with the puck on his stick in the offensive zone. He has earned a lineup spot.
But if you keep HIM in, who do you take out in HIS place?
A couple of games ago I would have said Tommy Novak given how much his game had fallen off. But he has started to get back to his previous level and seems to have a great chemistry with Evgeni Malkin and Rickard Rakell.
Noel Accairi seems like a given to stay in given his face-off ability and penalty killing ability?
Connor Dewar?
Could he replace Justin Brazeau, whose production has fallen off a bit in the second half of the season (as expected)?
At the end of the day it is a good problem to have, and a testament to how deep the forward lineup is. With Soderblom, Rutger McGroarty, Ville Koivunen (I am still a fan) and Avery Hayes they have 16-17 forwards that are all NHL caliber that can play, and play well, right now. That is important. The forwards are, in my mind, good enough and deep enough to contend for a Stanley Cup right now. It just comes down to whether or not the defense and goaltending can do enough.
