PITTSBURGH (PTTP) — The march of the Penguins is well underway, as the team continues to scratch and claw to keep their wildcard spot in the NHL Playoffs. The team, which has the oldest average age at 30.77 (via eliteprospects.com), got even older at the trade deadline as 34-year-old Nick Bonino made his return to the team where he won back-to-back Stanley Cups. The Penguins are currently in the middle of the pack in division, conference, and league play.
The Penguins are on a hot streak right now, going 7-1-1 in the last nine games. The team is looking at their ‘old’ age as a positive, noting that the dressing room is full of experience. This thought process has served them well, but other times it’s easy to notice the slower speed of the team. In 19 overtime games, the Penguins are 9-10, with the losses quickly pushing the team down in the rankings and frustrating loyal fans. With only 14 games left in the regular season, the team will need to get themselves off the ropes by playing a physical, fast, and complete game.
The standout on the team has been none other than forward, Jason Zucker, who leads the league with nine goals in eight games. Coach Mike Sullivan said of the forward, “I just think he brings some juice. He brings energy, he brings a certain swagger, and he plays that way as well. It’s the combination of his personality with how he plays – I think our team feeds off of that.”
The team will play tomorrow, Saturday, March 18 at Madison Square Garden. The Rangers sit in third place in the Metropolitan Division, and the Penguins hope to overtake that spot in their last two games against the New York team.