The Pittsburgh Penguins are firing in all cylinders recently as they look to turn around their season. Pittsburgh has won its last four games against tough competitors in the NHL. After the 5-4 OT win against the Florida Panthers, Sidney Crosby’s teammate Bryan Rust sent a clear message about the changes inside the team.
Right when fans in Pittsburgh were losing faith, the Penguins have shown signs of life and have taken off of the bottom of the standings. The teams’ core of Sidney Crosby, Kris Letang, and Evgeni Malkin is not going down without a fight and the team has rallied behind its leaders.
If the Penguins are able to mantain the current form, they can put themselves in prime position to compete for a playoffs berth in the Metropolitan division. However, the competition is fierce and the Metro is jam-packed.
Pittsburgh took down the reigning Stanley Cup champion Florida in a thriller. Despite blowing a 4-1 lead in the third period, the Penguins finished strong and won in overtime thanks to a snipe from forward Bryan Rust. Following his game-winning-goal, Rust issued a strong statement on the team’s mentality change.
Sidney Crosby #87 of the Pittsburgh Penguins celebrates after Rickard Rakell #67 scored a goal against the San Jose Sharks in the first period at SAP Center on February 14, 2023.
“I think, for us, showing that resolve and getting these wins when, earlier in the year, we folded when we gave up the lead,” Rust said, per NHL.com. “I think it’s definitely a step in the right direction. Next goal wins. Go over the boards, do your job.”
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Crosby continues to pave the way
Sidney Crosby is in his 20th season in the league, and Father Time has met a strong opponent. Crosby continues to defy Chronos, with his performance aging like fine wine.
After 27 games, the Penguins cornerstone tallies 8 goals and 18 assists. He leads all skaters in points with 26. He currently has a five-game point streak and has scored points in nine of his last ten outings.
Coach Mike Sullivan makes strong statement
It’s been night-and-day difference in Pittsburgh. They have turned the page after a horrific start in which they seemed destined to be a lottery team. Against all odds, the Penguins are back in business. Head coach Mike Sullivan addressed the topic after the big win against the Panthers.
“I think it’s just the mindset of the group,” Pittsburgh coach Mike Sullivan said. “I just think we have a different feeling on the bench. If we give up a couple goals in the third period like we did, when you look at the way the game is played, we were fortunate to be up a couple of goals. What I liked about the group is no one got rattled. There was great conversation on the bench amongst the players.”
