Penguins Will Have Their Hands Full Against Oilers

PITTSBURGH - The Pittsburgh Penguins are riding a three-game losing streak and the tests aren’t getting any easier as the season rides along.

Prior to another back-to-back situation, the Penguins have to go through Connor McDavid and the rest of the Edmonton Oilers.

McDavid has already passed 100 points, the Oilers power play is on another level, and now they’ve gotten points in seven of their eight games since returning from the All-Star break.

With the current state of the Penguins, what do they have to do to slow down one of the most offensively gifted teams in the NHL?

When asked about one thing that makes McDavid so dangerous on the ice, Sidney Crosby knew he wouldn’t be able to narrow it down.

“I’d say more than one,” Crosby said. “His speed. The way he uses it. His hockey sense and his ability to make plays. He’s focus on shooting the puck. He’s dangerous in a lot of different ways.”

McDavid currently sits at 105 points (44G-61A) in just 58 games played as he makes the game of hockey look easy.

“I think 120 seemed like a crazy number at one point,” Crosby said. “He’s going to cruise to that.”

Beyond McDavid, the Oilers are loaded with other threats like Leon Draisaitl and Ryan Nugent-Hopkins who will make it a difficult contest for the Penguins.

But, the Penguins hope to stick to their game plan and fend off the Oilers.

“I think we need to dictate the terms,” Mike Sullivan said. “When you’re playing offensive players that are elite like those guys, the less they have the puck, it gives us a better chance of success.”

Sullivan noted playing with structure and being aware of the situations when the Oilers are in possession.

“It has to be a collective effort,” Sullivan said. “I think if we manage the puck appropriately, we can take them out of the game they want to play.”

The guys in the room have a similar mindset when it comes to shutting down the Oilers offense.

Penguins defenders are going to have to find away to take away their speed.

“Just stay on top,” new father Marcus Pettersson said. “You know the speed they can bring. You want to stay on top of them and not give them too much space.”

The Penguins are looking to kick their losing streak before things get out of hand for the third time this season.

It won’t be easy against an offense like Edmonton’s, but if they can stick to their game and mitigate the amount of looks and slow them down, the Penguins should be able to put up a fight.

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