Ready, Set, Go: Penguins Begin Playoff Push

Ready, set, go.

Our Penguins embark on the post All-Star Game portion of their schedule tonight at PPG Paints Arena about as rested as a team can be. Indeed, with the notable exception of Sidney Crosby, the locals have enjoyed nine days of comparative leisure since skating off into the first-half sunset with a dramatic overtime victory over the Canadiens.

Plenty of time for bumps and bruises to heal.

With forward Reilly Smith and defenseman John Ludvig coming off IR we’re hale and hearty. Remarkably so. A good thing, too, because we’re going to need all hands on deck as we begin our playoff push. No time for lolling in sick bay.

Although we enter the back half of our schedule five points out of third place in the Metro and seven points out of the last wild-card spot, there’s some reason for optimism. Sans goalie Carter Hart, the third-place and heretofore overachieving Flyers…losers of five in a row…have already begun to collapse. We have games in hand on our closest competitors, including Philly and the Islanders (four each) and the Devils and Capitals (one apiece).

Starting with tonight’s contest with the Jets, our schedule in February is completely light with 11 games in 24 days.

Then it gets intense. We play 16 games in March, including three sets of back-to-backs, followed by nine games over the first 17 days in April.

Talk about a murderous slate.

My obvious concern. How will our aging core hold up to such a torturous test? Will they pass with flying colors or run out of gas?

I fear the latter.

It isn’t just how many games we play, but who we’re playing. With precious few exceptions, we square off against foes who currently occupy playoff spots or ones that are in the thick of the playoff chase. Most of the creampuff matchups are in our rear-view mirror.

Back to our aging core. How will they withstand the rigors?

The past, they say, is prologue. I decided to do some digging to see how our stars fared during last season’s stretch run.

The results were decidedly mixed. During our final 17 games in 2022-23 when we went a disappointing 7-9-1, Crosby tallied a respectable 15 points but only four goals…two in our final 10 games.

During those same 17 games, Evgeni Malkin likewise amassed four goals and 15 points. With nine goals during that span, the more youthful Jake Guentzel shone like a diamond. Kris Letang had four goals and 11 points. Rickard Rakell potted six goals, but only three during our final dozen contests.

I’m especially concerned about Sid fading out again. He’s played with mad-man intensity through the initial portion of the season while averaging a robust 20:19 per game, at times carrying us on his back. At age 36, will it prove to be too much of a load for even super Sid to shoulder?

Bottom line? Another 7-9-1 finish won’t cut it. Neither will the 17-16-3 mark we compiled over our final 36 games last season.

We’re a different team, you say?

I agree. Thanks to Kyle Dubas, we’re better equipped to compete in grinding, low-scoring affairs. Indeed, 19 of our first 46 games were decided by one goal. However, I worry that playing in so many intense, hard-fought games will eventually take a toll.

The load won’t get any lighter over these final three months. If the Pens are to make the playoffs, they’ll have to earn it. And our stars will need to lead the way.