For the Penguins, it’s Déjà vu All Over Again

A little over a year ago (April 8 to be exact) the Penguins clobbered the Red Wings, 5-1, in game number 80 of the 2022-23 season. In the process seizing control of their playoff destiny.

All we needed to do was win our final two games against weak sisters Chicago and Columbus and we were in, no matter what the Islanders and Panthers did.

Remember?

With a playoff berth virtually tucked in our hip pockets, we proceeded to poop the bed sheets, losing to the lowly Connor Bedard-less Blackhawks, 5-2, on home ice. Our playoff hopes scuttled, we fell in OT to the Blue Jackets two nights later.

The very next day the FSG axe lopped off the heads of GM Ron Hextall and POHO Brian Burke, setting in motion a tumultuous summer filled with turmoil and change.

Why do I bring up one of the sorriest episodes in franchise history, one that snapped our glorious 16-year postseason run?

On Thursday night, the Pens beat the Wings again (never mind how) to once more grab hold of their playoff destiny, albeit with three games left to play instead of two.

Déjà vu all over again.

Again, win (out) and we’re in.

Perhaps easier said than done given the quality of our opposition. Tonight’s foe, the Bruins, lead the Atlantic Division. They have the fourth-most points in the league (107). Recast by new GM Barry Trotz, the Predators are solid and playoff bound. The streaking, third-in-the-Metro Isles (six wins in a row) appear to be the same.

Ah, but there’s good news, too. Given their schedules, it’s hard to imagine any of our immediate competition for the second and last Eastern Conference wild-card berth winning out. With the Lightning and Bruins on their slate, the offensively challenged Caps have the roughest go. The Red Wings square off with the Maple Leafs tonight. Even if the Flyers beat the Devils and Caps, the best they can do is 89 points, only three more than our present total.

Conventional wisdom suggests if we take two of our final three games we’re in. Of course, this season’s been anything but conventional.

Then there’s the not-so-small matter of whether or not our Pens can continue their extended 7-0-3 heater. As Sir Isaac Newton so eloquently stated, what goes up eventually must come down. The law of gravity applies to hockey teams as well as flying objects.

No exceptions.

More to the point, will stretch-run hero Alex Nedeljkovic hold up? Ned appears to be wearing down under the heavy workload (appearances in 11-straight games). What happens if circumstances force Mike Sullivan to re-insert forgotten man Tristan Jarry between the pipes?

Can we continue to rack up goals at a dizzying pace (62 over our last 15 games) sans meaningful offensive contributions from our bottom six? Can we outpace our mistakes and lapses in judgment…on the rise of late (cough…Erik Karlsson)…not to mention our struggles to hold a lead?

We’ll soon find out.