{"id":549398,"date":"2026-04-10T08:15:19","date_gmt":"2026-04-10T08:15:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/549398\/"},"modified":"2026-04-10T08:15:19","modified_gmt":"2026-04-10T08:15:19","slug":"what-makes-them-different-playoffs-ahead","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/549398\/","title":{"rendered":"What Makes Them Different, Playoffs Ahead"},"content":{"rendered":"

NEWARK \u2014 The Pittsburgh Penguins<\/a> needed only more win to clinch a Stanley Cup Playoffs berth. Yet they submitted one of their sloppiest, disjointed, and loose performances in recent memory. <\/p>\n

In the end, none of that mattered as the Penguins shed all negative expectations that began their season, and their campaign of rising to the challenge was rewarded with their first playoff berth since the 2021-22 season. The core players\u2013the old guard has one more run at the Stanley Cup. A lot of new faces are enjoying newfound success. And the Penguins\u2019 rookie head coach Dan Muse<\/a> transformed a forlorn team into a winner. <\/p>\n

The Penguins beat the New Jersey Devils<\/a> 5-2 at the Prudential Center on Thursday. And that was all they needed to clinch second place in the Metro Division.<\/p>\n

The Penguins are playoff bound. Splicing their words with 79 games of observations, the team\u2019s willingness to absorb the consequences of their worst and respond with their best, work harder when things got tougher instead of embracing denial, and a much deeper roster than anyone expected delivered the Penguins to the big dance. <\/p>\n

\u201cI know how hard it is (to make the playoffs). I understand we had some tough (seasons) where it came down the last day. You don\u2019t ever know, but right from camp, we\u2019ve had those intentions and had that belief, and our start was a good example of that,\u201d said Sidney Crosby. \u201cSo, yeah, I think the belief was there, but it takes everybody, and we\u2019ve got a great group here, and I\u2019m just really happy to have everyone back there.\u201d<\/p>\n

It was not a clean effort Thursday. The Penguins relied almost solely on quick strike offense before they put the game away in the third period. For too much of the early game, their puck possession, defending and general adherence to structure had the same urgency and intensity of a pundit road crew. Coach Dan Muse could have charged them admission for that amount of spectating in the first 30 minutes. <\/p>\n

In the end, the Penguins got enough from several forwards, including Egor Chinakhov, Evgeni Malkin, and Rickard Rakell. Defensemen Ryan Shea and Sam Girard were particularly good, too. <\/p>\n

But goalie Stuart Skinner looked like a No. 1 goalie. <\/p>\n

\u201cHe was unbelievable. Yeah. I mean, you kind of know what you\u2019re playing against with New Jersey. Their transition game. They work to get behind you,\u201d said coach Dan Muse. \u201cI feel like we could have taken away some of those chances. But at the same time he was there, you know when the breakdowns were there, where the guys were getting behind us, like, would have rather avoided him, seeing, you know, break ways into one once, as much as he did early in the game. But he was also, you know, he was there for us, and so he played an outstanding game.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Penguins were not without high points or standout performances, as the second line, centered by Rickard Rakell<\/a>, generated a copious amount of offense. <\/p>\n

On the stat sheet, Egor Chinakhov led the Penguins with three points, including a goal. Evgeni Malkin and Erik Karlsson each had a goal and an assist, and Sidney Crosby had two assists. <\/p>\n

And a tumultuous summer with a new coach without a household name, expectations through the floor, heavy betting odds against them, and free agent signings that sent many fans to the internet with one question, \u201cWho?!\u201d has led to an exciting playoff team with that will finish in second place in the Metro Division and the accompanying home ice advantage in Round One.<\/p>\n

Penguins Analysis<\/p>\n

The game did not start well. The Penguins were entirely disconnected and spread out in the offensive zone. Erik Karlsson\u2019s casual cross-ice pass near the blue line quickly became a three-on-one for New Jersey. <\/p>\n

Timo Meier hit the post. Perhaps that was an omen for both teams. As the Penguins got the breaks, then earned the rest in the win. <\/p>\n

It can be difficult to offer a tactical analysis and game breakdown when the team itself breaks down. <\/p>\n

For the first 30 minutes, New Jersey was able to keep the game on their terms with an aggressive neutral-zone forecheck. The Penguins\u2019 breakouts were already hindered by New Jersey\u2019s offensive pressure and backcheck (and the Penguins\u2019 sloppiness), but when the Penguins got to center ice, they often faced only red jerseys and little open ice. They were pinned to the wall or surrounded in the middle. <\/p>\n

Instead of patiently chipping and chasing as they did for a while last Sunday against the Florida Panthers, the Penguins stubbornly charged ahead, usually with poor results, or they flipped the puck into the New Jersey end without enough direction to create a good forecheck or gain possession. <\/p>\n

\u201cObviously that\u2019s part of our game that we\u2019ve got to clean up a little bit, but they\u2019re a team who\u2019s not in the playoffs, who could have been playing a little bit looser,\u201d said Bryan Rust. \u201cI think overall, for our game, I think we could have definitely been better at being aware of when they were getting guys behind us and all that. We definitely have to be better, but we\u2019ve got a few games here to clean it up.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Penguins\u2019 saving grace was, in fact, being significantly better than New Jersey. The Penguins won just enough pucks in the offensive zone and flashed the league\u2019s second best goal scoring ability. <\/p>\n

What New Jersey did that challenged the defensemen, especially Erik Karlsson, was flying the zone. New Jersey was not shy about transitioning to the rush, even when it looked like the Penguins\u2019 forecheck was in proper position. New Jersey\u2019s headman passes, lob passes over the Penguins defenders (catching the Penguins defensemen unaware or unconcerned about the Devils behind them) resulted in a high-danger offensive attack. <\/p>\n

Rather than tightening up too much, the Penguins simply returned the attack. And the Penguins\u2019 superiority filled the net. A pair of goals nine seconds apart midway through the third period wounded New Jersey, and Evgeni Malkin\u2019s goal\u2013finishing Crosby\u2019s rebound\u2013early in the third period was the wooden stake through their heart. <\/p>\n

As New Jersey struggled to keep up, the Penguins attacked. They finally worked the puck low, cycling below the goal line and charging the net with ill intent. <\/p>\n

Penguins Grades<\/p>\n

Team: C+<\/p>\n

They escaped the first 30 minutes because of Skinner. They could have been down by several goals, and probably should have trailed. Skinner kept the Penguins in the game and then they struck like a cobra. Two goals in nine seconds finally lit their fuse. <\/p>\n

The Penguins can be an offensive juggernaut. Or, they are? Once again, the Rickard Rakell line was spectacular, leading an offensive push. <\/p>\n

Stuart Skinner: A+<\/p>\n

He stopped 19 of 21 shots, and on paper his save percentage barely breaks .900, but that\u2019s why statistics and Penguins goalies are not friends. Skinner was outstanding in stopping several odd-man rushes, including a few breakaways. And a two-on-one. And way too many clean looks. <\/p>\n

Rickard Rakell-Evgeni Malkin: A+<\/p>\n

Their chemistry was remarkable, their puck possession dangerous, and the chances were many. This was the line that lifted the Penguins. <\/p>\n

According to NaturalStatTrick<\/a>, the Penguins had 12 high-danger chances. The Rakell line had six of them. No other line had more than two. The Penguins had 28 scoring chances, and the Rakell line had 12. No other line had more than six. <\/p>\n

Malkin clearly had his legs. He has eight points in his last three games. And in a big reversal, Rakell won five of eight faceoffs. That is a huge turnaround. <\/p>\n

Egor Chinakhov: A+<\/p>\n

The young Russian drove the Crosby line. He pushed the puck up the ice, and it seemed he was the distributor in the offensive zone, too. His pass to Bryan Rust in the first period looked like the wrong play until Rust buried the puck into an empty net. <\/p>\n

Chinakhov\u2019s three-point game was exactly what the eye-test showed. He has 18 goals and 18 assists in 41 games with the Penguins. That math works out to a nice payday this summer. <\/p>\n

Under the Radar Performances<\/p>\n

Ryan Shea: He was good with breakouts and tough in the defensive zone. <\/p>\n

Parker Wotherspoon: It may not have appeared that Wotherspoon was at his best, but he was taking care of the defensive zone, too often outnumbered by Devils. <\/p>\n

Sam Girard: He again submitted a strong performance by using his feet to escape tight situations, moving the puck well and seizing the opportunities in the offensive zone. <\/p>\n

Bad Grades<\/p>\n

Erik Karlsson: He let too many Devils behind him and was too fancy with the puck. Globetrotter hockey burned him. <\/p>\n

Tommy Novak: He was better Thursday, but there were too many down moments. Turnovers in the offensive zone and lost battles. <\/p>\n

Anthony Mantha-Ben Kindel-Justin Brazeau: The line has lost its snap. One scoring chance against five chances given up. They are the weak spot right now. <\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tTags: Penguins Analysis<\/a> Penguins game<\/a> Pittsburgh Penguins<\/a> <\/p>\n

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