CRANBERRY TWP, PA (93.7 The Fan) – From low outside expectations to start the season to injuries, suspensions, an eight-game losing streak, shootout struggles, the Pens just keep overcoming. Now with the playoff race tightening, time to overcome more adversity.
“I think it’s a belief in this group,” said forward Justin Brazeau. “I don’t think anyone looks at those last two games and panics or anything like that. We know we got to get back on track and have a big chance to do that in Ottawa.”
Going into Wednesday night’s games, the Pens are third in the Metropolitan Division, a point behind Columbus for second and holding onto the last division playoff spot. They are just one point ahead of the Islanders for that position and one point ahead of Ottawa for the final Wild Card spot.
Pens lost 6-2 at home to Colorado Tuesday and have lost three of the last four games and won just four of the last 12 games.
“We are kind of giving up the big play right now and obviously the last two teams we’ve played have had some players that make you pay,” Brazeau said. “I think we got to clean it up a little bit.”
“You can’t win out when you have 11 games left, you have to be realistic,” said forward Connor Dewar. “You are probably not going to go 11-0. For whatever reasons we lost those games, we are not going to dwell on them. Looking forward to (Thursday).”
The Pens go to Ottawa, as mentioned a point behind and winners of three straight. The earlier meeting in Canada, Sens won 4-0. The last win in Ottawa was February of 2022.
“It’s just from what we’ve seen over the course of the entire year,” said Pens head coach Dan Muse of his belief. “When things get hard or we don’t like a game or a stretch or a couple of games, they’ve shown a response. I have no reason to think otherwise based on what I’ve seen from this team the entire year.”
“I think it helps having guys that have been here so long and have played through so many things in their career,” Brazeau said. “The voices at the top are really calming and obviously have the utmost belief in those guys.”
“I think it’s just been the attitude from the beginning of the year, I don’t think anyone really expected anything out of us. We obviously had a much higher expectation of ourselves. I think our confidence will come from that.”
“I think the game is changing a bit right now,” Dewar said. “Everyone is kinda of getting towards a playoff style of hockey. So the games are tightening up for sure. It will be a good test going in there.”
And after that another good test against 43-win Dallas and then back-to-backs next week at the Islanders and Detroit at home.
Pens have lost 8 of 12 and barely holding on to playoff spot
