Both special teams units struggled early on for the Pittsburgh Penguins, but at leas the penalty kill has began to gain some ground.
For a good majority of the early part of the 2022-23 season, the Pittsburgh Penguins had big struggles on both sides of the special teams.
The Penguins weren’t getting consistent production from their power play and the penalty kill was struggling to keep opposing offenses at bay.
While the power play is still working on gaining traction, the penalty kill has found themselves and has improved immensely over the past couple of weeks.
In the last eight games, the Penguins have only surrendered two power play goals improving their kill percentage to 79.37%.
Mike Sullivan has been impressed with the steps forward taken by his penalty killers.
“I think it’s improved in so many areas,” Sullivan said. “When you have a little bit of success it breeds confidence.”
The rise in confidence within the Penguins PK group is visible every game; they are selflessly making big blocks, making the important dumps, and getting huge saves from their goalies.
“There’s a level of urgency,” Sullivan said. “They’re getting in shot lanes, blocking shots. They’re doing what it takes to keep the puck out of our net.”
As the quarter-mark of the season approaches, the Penguins penalty kill is climbing to it’s rightful spot among the league’s best.
“The players are going over the boards with a jump in their step,” Sullivan said. “They’re confident they can get the job done.”
The PK’s recent success has brought confidence and has played a huge role in bringing the Penguins back to their winning ways.
Make sure you bookmark Inside the Penguins for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns and so much more!
- Subscribe to Inside the Penguins on YouTube
- Follow Inside the Penguins on Twitter: @InsidePenguins