The Pittsburgh Penguins are playing with a fiery attitude that is helping them win games.

PITTSBURGH -- The Pittsburgh Penguins are playing with a playoff-like level of intensity lately. It's coming at the most convenient time for the Penguins, as they were down and out just over a month ago.

Playing with desperation is a new development for a team that has always felt the playoffs were guaranteed. It may feel out of character, but the Pittsburgh Penguins are becoming a grittier and tougher hockey team as desperation continues to mount. 

This is a complete departure from the gunslinging Penguins the league and ownership expected. What else would you expect when your core is headlined by four of the most talented players of the salary cap era? Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Kris Letang, and Erik Karlsson are all putting up the points, but they deserve more credit for adapting a new style. 

The team has been rightly criticized for its lack of physicality and pushback over the last few years. Playing in a heavyweight Metropolitan Division, it's earned a reputation for being soft in front of its own net and along the boards. 

This past month, however, that hasn't been true at all for these Penguins. You can certainly try to play a physically demanding game against them, but you are playing a losing game. The Penguins don't grind you down with body checks, but they are a pest, like a fly buzzing nonstop in your ear. 

The Detroit Red Wings experienced it firsthand in their most recent meeting. The Wings outhit the Pens, but it was clear the Penguins got the better of them physically.

Led by Crosby and Malkin, the Penguins were more coordinated with their physicality. Pittsburgh's forwards were relentless in front of the net. They consistently gained inside position on defenders and each and every forward was a hound for any loose pucks. 

The Penguins were also unafraid to engage in some extracurricular activities. Just like their offense, this pushback was led by Crosby. A first-period scuffle with Detroit defenseman Ben Chiarot was just one of many incidents between the teams. Crosby held his own in their wrestling match, and while it's less than ideal to see the 36-year-old doing that, it sends a message to the rest of the lineup. 

It seems that since the deadline, the Penguins have gotten that message loud and clear from their captain and responded. They've dedicated themselves to being a scrappier team. Newly acquired Michael Bunting was pivotal to this change as well. who always draws a crowd when he's near the net. Even when he goes hitless in a game, he finds a way to get under the other team's skin.

And you can't forget the determined reinforcements Pittsburgh is receiving from their AHL affiliate. Game after game another player from the Baby Pens is bringing a gritty effort, whether it's John Gruden, Radim Zohorna, or Jesse Puljujarvi. Valtteri Puustinen may not have a goal recently, but he did lead all Penguins forwards in hits against the Red Wings. 

Defenseman Jack St. Ivany is another perfect example of this. He's been rock solid in every zone, but it's his agitating ways that are really helping him stand out. St. Ivany is 6'3, 200 pounds, and he uses it fully to his advantage. He has at least one hit in every game he's appeared in, including a crushing hip check that called back to the dead puck era. 

The whole lineup is buying in and contributing to this new mindset. The results are speaking for themselves, as the team has rattled off win after win to force their way into the playoff picture. It isn't always pretty, and it doesn't feel sustainable long-term, but it might be enough to help the Penguins sneak into the Stanley Cup playoffs.

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