Penguins Power Play Has Room for Improvement
The Pittsburgh Penguins power play has improved but there is sill room for growth.
PITTSBURGH – The Pittsburgh Penguins have struggled to find much success on the power play for pretty much the entire 2023-24 season. With the year hitting the half way mark, the Penguins power play is still in the dumps with a 14.29 success rate, good for 26th in the NHL.
With 19 power play goals on 133 attempts, there is still plenty of room for improvement on the man advantage. Heading into their contest against the Vancouver Canucks, the Penguins had recorded a power play goal in four straight games, but they came up empty on four crucial chances in the overtime loss.
Finding the back of the net while a man up could have once again made a huge difference in the game. Prior to puck drop, head coach Mike Sullivan recognizes the group is far from perfect.
“I think there’s a lot of room for growth there,” Sullivan said. “They’re scoring goals, which is great. It’s good for their confidence, it’s good for our team. They’re helping us win games.”
When the power play does find the back of the net, it’s usually a huge boost for the team and leads to a successful night. In the 13 games that the Penguins have scored a power play goal in, they hold a 9-4 record. The power play units have proven they know how to score at crucial times to swing momentum into their favor.
Despite the success that happens with they do score, when the power play is missing their opportunities, it’s an ugly looking group. That sort of disjointedness has been put on full display on multiple occasions, even during their run of goals in four straight games.
From one power play to the next, the Penguins can go from world beaters to a group that looks completely lost.
“I think there’s another level to this power play group,” Sullivan said. “We’re going to try and help them get there. We’ve got some dynamic people; it’s been a process here.”
Sullivan is excited about what the power play could really bring to the table; guys like Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Erik Karlsson, sharing a group has to be frightening for opposing teams. Add on Jake Guentzel and Kris Letang manning the second unit, it sounds like pure nightmare fuel.
Despite the skill, the Penguins power play has looked unthreatening most of the year, allowing opposing defenses to just pick them apart with ease. 'The process' can't sustain for too much longer.
The power play can be a game changing group for the Penguins and have already proven to be. If they can find a much better pace, they could be a huge help in climbing the standings.
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