PITTSBURGH (93.7 the Fan) It’s been a wondrous start to the Pittsburgh Penguins 2021-22 season; Not suffering a regulation loss through the first five matchups and winning games handily.
What is even more mystical about the success is how the Penguins have done so without stars like Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin for each game, then Jeff Carter, Bryan Rust, and Kris Letang for a group of games.
Those are all top players and mostly possible future Hall of Famers.
Without those stars, the Penguins have been successful but dropped their last two games and only scored one goal in the losses.
Some help may be on the way just in time.
Ahead of the third weekend of the season, head coach Mike Sullivan stated that Crosby and Carter are “game-time-decisions” for Saturday.
Crosby is yet to play in the 2021-22 season after and offseason wrist surgery, and Carter is coming out of COVID protocol.
Usually when Sullivan says “game-time-decision” that player is in the lineup.
With Carter and Crosby taking over as the Penguins top two centers, the expectations surrounding the team have automatically increased.
People couldn’t have expected much from a team that was without two of the franchise’s all-time top scorers; With one of them coming back and adding a vital scorer since arriving, there’s a feeling of immediate help.
The two are coming back just in time as the flame may be going out on the team’s hot start without their stars.
Losing two straight and only scoring one goal, the Penguins have looked like they could use a boost of energy.
The Penguins play Saturday against the New Jersey Devils who hold a 3-2-0 record, but sit last in the Metropolitan Division.
Following the Devils’ matchup, the Pens have an extended break before hosting cross-state rivals, Philadelphia Flyers.