PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – There are just five games left before the postseason begins. The Pens are in and playoff positioning is still at stake. The team saying right now there is something bigger than the final score.
Sidney Crosby has been in the playoffs 16 straight years. He's won three Stanley Cups and says of how they need to take advantage of these games to gear up for the postseason.
"Trying to play the right way and build," Crosby said. "Obviously you want to win hockey games and feel good about your game. Those tend to go together most times. We've done some good things and haven't gotten the results."
"I think if we continue to limit team's scoring chances and play a tight game and really prepare ourselves that way. I think that's the most important thing and hopefully with that come results."
It's been a mixed bag in the final month in terms of playing the right way. In their most recent game, after waking up two minutes in down two-nothing, the Pens played well. Wins against Nashville and the Islanders were impressive. There are also a pair of losses giving up six goals and another with five.
"A lot of it boils down to details and commitment and things that we work on daily, all season long," said Pens Head Coach Mike Sullivan. "We are going to continue to preach that message to our team."
"I think that's where the focus needs to be. Regardless of where the results are, whether we win games or lose games. I think that's the most important thing to focus on. If we do, the results will follow."
"Let's control the process and building a team game that allows us to be successful regardless of who the opponent is."
"If we focus on our own game and try to accomplish what we want, that will give us the results," said Pens defenseman Kris Letang. "Obviously, we will try and position ourselves better. It's a matter of getting better every day, trying to correct little things with our lines going into games."
Letang says they are not a perfect team, they must continue to strive to be better. Do all of the fundamental things needed to be successful when your margin for error is slight against playoff teams. Clinching with six games to go does allow them time to not only focus on those details, but Letang says to start game planning like it's the post-season.
"There is the fact that in the playoffs you have to adjust, you have to throw different looks," Letang said. "We are already starting to do that with teams we are playing."
"We had two games against the Islanders. We showed different things on the power play. We showed different things on the PK, different type of forecheck. It prepares your team to always be ready to change your game plan and adjust to other teams."
"We are trying to build a game to give us the best chance to win, regardless of who our opponent is," Sullivan said.
The opponent may be the Rangers, outside chance of Carolina. It could also be the Florida Panthers if Washington jumps the Pens for third place.
The Pens likely will start a back-up goalie, at least early in the first series. Sullivan said it's a team that never makes excuses and has shown resilience all year. It's led by a core of been-there, done-that players.
They will get Evgeni Malkin back by the weekend. Do they have enough time to get back to the team we saw in January and half of February getting points in 18 games?
All they've done is checked off the first box. Expectations are high in Pittsburgh. Do they have the time, or the talent, to get it right for May hockey?
