(Pittsburgh) The longest streak of consecutive playoff appearances in North American professional sports is alive and well. However, it is the preparations of the group, which has taken part in the big spring dance 16 times in a row, which is a source of concern.
Posted at 2:41 p.m.
The Pittsburgh Penguins play their last regular season game on Friday looking for consistency, a sense of urgency and maybe a little attitude. That’s what happens when a team completes a month of activities with sluggish performances.
The Penguins, who were considered strong contenders for the Metropolitan Division title at the All-Star break despite numerous injuries to star players such as Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, are currently on a 6-9-2 streak.
The team’s flamboyant performances in the first half of the season gave way to rather lackluster games. After scoring 11 goals against the Detroit Red Wings, the Penguins suffered a 4-1 loss against the Philadelphia Flyers and a half-hearted game against Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers.
So, rather than having home-ice advantage heading into the Stanley Cup Playoffs, the Penguins will go into their final game knowing they could grab the second bye given to the drafted teams — that which means a head-to-head in the first round with the Florida Panthers or the Carolina Hurricanes.
Head coach Mike Sullivan tried to shake things up against the Oilers, reuniting Crosby with Jake Guentzel and Bryan Rust. Nothing came of it. The top line was scoreless and the Penguins were outplayed in every aspect of the game for nearly 60 minutes.
“We would like to be more confident in our abilities,” admitted Sullivan. It’s hard to be when you’re not getting results. We have lacked consistency lately.
“But I know that this group has the necessary potential,” he added. It’s a seasoned group. There is a lot of experience in this locker room. We will have to build on this experience more than ever before. »
In the end, Sullivan is right. The Penguins, however, haven’t won a series since 2018, when their bid for a third straight Stanley Cup ended in the second round against the Washington Capitals.
The Fenway Sports Group purchased the team from Hall of Famer Mario Lemieux and Ron Burkle. The club’s chairman and chief operating officer, David Morehouse, announced his resignation on Thursday. Malkin and Kristopher Letang will become free agents this summer. If the legacy of the Penguins is likely to be intact for a few more weeks, it may very well be the last time we see them in their current form.
“You try to make the most of it,” Crosby said Thursday. We are all aware that this will not last forever. »