The Pittsburgh Penguins are back in the race with crucial games on the docket.

For just the second time in franchise history, the Pittsburgh Penguins have swept the California road trip with wins over the San Jose Sharks, Anaheim Ducks, and Los Angeles Kings.

The Penguins entered the three-game swing with a 3-6-0 record and were in dead last in the Metropolitan Division.

Thanks to three straight wins, the team returns home rejuvenated, and with a much better situation on paper.

Now, with an even 6-6-0 record, the Penguins are right back in the early season hunt and just a single win outside of a wildcard spot.

Obviously, those numbers will shift a little before the Penguins take the ice for their next game, but they are in a much more favorable position than they were a week ago.

The next four games for the Penguins will also have major impact on how the Metro Division and the Eastern Conference as a whole take shape.

Coming up are the Buffalo Sabres, then three straight Metro rivals in the Columbus Blue Jakckets, New Jersey Devils, and Carolina Hurricanes.

The Penguins started the year facing off against a bunch of Western Conference teams, but this stint of games within their own time zone will be a real measuring stick.

It seems almost every team in the East has improved and is continuing to get better with the season underway.

Now, it’s up to the Penguins to capitalize on the momentum they’ve created from their time in California.

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