May 15th, 2022 was 1,434 days ago. That was the last time the Pittsburgh Penguins laced up for a playoff game. The Penguins held a 3-2 lead late in the third period of that game seven against the New York Rangers after an Evan Rodrigues go-ahead goal in the third before, fittingly, giving up the lead with just 5:45 to go, eventually losing in overtime. They have played 328 regular season games since that loss. They have turned over the majority of their roster, restocked their prospects, and changed their coaching staff. 1,434 days is a long time. When accounting for the collective aging father time has put on Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang, it seems like eons, and maybe that’s because even though it has been 1,434 days since playoff hockey in Pittsburgh, it has been 2,918 days since the last time the Penguins won a playoff series. April 22nd, 2018 they were helped by 4 goals from Jake Guentzel to close out, who else, the Flyers in six games. Coming off back-to-back Stanley Cup victories, losing the next series to the Capitals in 6 games on their way to a Cup victory of their own, none of us could’ve predicted that that Flyers victory would be the last playoff series the team would win in nearly 8 years.
The Penguins lace ’em up tonight to go head to head against the cross-state rivals in what is sure to be an electric atmosphere as playoff hockey finally returns to Pittsburgh. How did they get here? We are still trying to figure that out. Depending on the model you use, they had somewhere between an 8-11% chance of making the playoffs at the beginning of the year. They hadn’t finished above 5th in the Metro division since that playoff loss to the Rangers. They hired a coach who is known for developing young talent as they started toward their rebuild. They were supposed to be in the hunt for the Gavin McKenna lottery. But instead, they have home-ice advantage in the first round of the playoffs after finishing the season 41-25-16 for 98 points. Their 293 goals for are the most the team has scored in a season since the 1995-96 season when they put up a ridiculous 362. For reference, the cup winning teams of 2009, 2015 and 2016 each scored 264, 245 and 282, respectively. Their 268 goals against is the most they’ve given up in a year where they reached the post season since 1996-97 when they gave up 280. I could look up the Penguins records in playoff series starting on Saturday nights, but does that matter? Does any of this matter? You have an aging core that, in some recess of their minds, felt they may never reach the dance again. That core has been given a chance – correct that, they have earned the chance – to once again compete for Lord Stanley’s cup. At 8 PM tonight, everything resets.
The regular season means nothing. The last 1,434 days without playoff hockey, the last 2,918 days since a playoff series win, hell, the last 59 years of Penguins hockey means nothing. At 8 PM tonight, all that matters is how these men play hockey.
Are they cup favorites? No. Does that matter? See the last section. Crosby, Malkin and Letang, along with aging Erik Karlsson, have a chance to do something they all want. They have support throughout the lineup from a misfit group of signings that somehow have started clicking. They have a will to complete games, a refreshing theme to this season compared to years past. They have a knack for never being out of a game, another refreshing trait in the Muse era. And most importantly, this team believes. Not to get all Ted Lasso on you, but a little Belief, skill, and luck in an environment as intimate as the playoffs can be a deadly combination.
Dopefish did a great breakdown of the Flyers run to the playoffs, go read that. As he pointed out, the Flyers rode a hot goaltender and turned in an excellent record through March and April to make it here. A hot goaltender can stop a Stanley Cup favorite in their tracks, looking at you Halak (wow, that series was 16 years ago). In years past we would talk about match-ups in this section. Who will Crosby be out against. Who has the advantage with the last change at home. Maybe I am out of practice. Maybe I am older and admitting that I am not an analyst.
Maybe a touch of both mixed in with a large dose of I don’t care because playoff hockey is back. 12 forwards, six defenders, a goalie, and a nervous coach thrust into an experience that none of them were supposed to be in. A Core that has won this thing three times, looking to stamp their names in the history books. A group of men who have shown heart time and time again this season. A combination that may prove difficult to kill in a best-of-seven format. Only time will tell, and that time starts tonight. The records have reset and the slates are clean.
Hide yo’ kids and hide yo’ wives, playoff hockey is back in Pittsburgh, and history awaits.
LGP