“This stuff is going to happen, and I think we did a good job of fighting through it,” - Kirk MacDonald
Last season, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins got off to a hot start, where they looked like a top-two team in the Atlantic Division for most of the season. Then, they fell apart in the final two months of the season, finished in fourth in the division, and lost their only playoff series to the Lehigh Valley Phantoms.
This season looks like a rerun from that vantage point. Once again, they have the second-best record in the division, and once again, they’ve hit a wall. They entered Sunday afternoon on a five-game losing streak, one that allowed the third-place Charlotte Checkers to close the gap on them to five points.
The win on Sunday against the rival Phantoms felt like a playoff game. They battled in a goaltending duel and won 3-1 to end the skid. The Penguins proved they can battle through the tough times but why is this team different? Why is it built ot develop prospects and win in the American Hockey League (AHL)?
“Team chemistry is incredible, it’s one of the best I’ve seen in my life,” Rafael Harvey-Pinard mentioned in a conversation with The Hockey News, adding, “Everybody knows their role.” It’s a unique group and looks built to win this time around.
The Adversity is Hitting Them Now
At some point, every team goes through a rough stretch. For the Penguins, it’s coming now. It’s not ideal, considering this is the time of the season when teams want to find their identity and lean into it but it’s better than it coming in the playoffs.
“This stuff is going to happen, and I think we did a good job of fighting through it,” head coach Kirk MacDonald noted after the Sunday game. The 3-1 win over the Phantoms is the type that prepares teams for the playoffs, certainly a team like the Penguins, who have dominated the competition for most of the season. Those games prepared them. “I think the adversity does,” MacDonald added.
The Penguins haven’t played poorly in their losses either. They’ve been in tight games only to come out on the losing end by a goal or two. Their Saturday night loss to the Phantoms saw them leading 3-1 entering the third period, only to lose 4-3 in overtime. “We need to finish the job and close the game at the end. The small details win in the playoffs,” Harvey-Pinard noted. With the games tightening up, this team is looking more prepared for a playoff run.
Elite Goaltending Changes How They Play
Sergei Murshov is one of the best goaltenders in the AHL and is sure to be on the Pittsburgh Penguins soon enough. He’s single-handedly willed the team to victories, and his play gives them an edge. Last season, the Penguins had above-average goaltending. This time around, it’s elite, arguably the best in the league.
When a team has an elite goaltender like Murashov, it changes how the skaters play. “It’s not supposed to change anything,” Harvey Pinard remarked as the team is supposed to stay in their structure and play the same way regardless of who is in the net. The truth is, Murashov allows them to play more aggressively and look for rush chances the other way, knowing they have a goaltender who can bail them out.
Murashov also adds confidence to the team. “It helps knowing they will make the key saves,” Harvey-Pinard added. Conversely, there have been plenty of times this season that the other team has looked frustrated as they search for answers, only to run into a wall in Murashov.
The Veteran Group Has Made a Difference
The Penguins made it a priority to have a strong veteran group on their AHL team. It’s why they brought in Harvey-Pinard, a veteran who spent most of his career in the Montreal Canadiens organization. He’s not the typical leader but his work ethic and overall play allow him to lead by example. “I’m not a big vocal guy but I’m trying to show them what to do on the ice,” Harvey Pinard added.
Harvey-Pinard is one of the many vets on the team setting the tone. In the Saturday night loss to the Phantoms, Phil Kemp, a veteran defenseman, dropped the gloves and went after Noah Powell, a rookie who has only played a handful of games at the AHL level. The fight might have lost them battle as the team lost momentum in a game they lost but in the long run, they won the war with Kemp dropping the gloves. “We have a good mix of young guys but also older guys, and that’s what you need, and the depth is going to be huge in the playoffs,” Harvey Pinard added.
The Penguins aren’t a complete team, per se. On the contrary, the recent games have shown their shortcomings, especially when they don’t have a center who drives play. They still have all the pieces in place to go on a run, and it makes them a fascinating team to keep an eye on.