The Pittsburgh Penguins have emphasized defense as they try to earn a playoff spot.
The door is open for the Pittsburgh Penguins. The Washington Capitals made it that way by defeating the New York Islanders on Monday evening.
However, the Penguins performance against the Minnesota Wild and the Detroit Red Wings played a massive part in getting Pittsburgh back on track. Their commitment to the defensive side of the puck led the way for them over the weekend.
It started early against the Wild when the Penguins outshot Minnesota 19-5 in the first period. They continued to control the puck throughout the game and put together one of their most complete performances of the season.
At even strength, The Penguins have allowed 11 high-danger chances in the past two games, including only three against the Red Wings.
One part of their increased defensive ability was the return of Jan Rutta from a lower-body injury. Rutta has spent the better part of the second half of the season on the IR, but his return has brought more physicality and stability to the Penguins bottom pair.
Rutta's return has also improved the penalty kill, killing seven of the eight power plays allowed in the past two games. The only goal came on a Wild 5 on 3 in the final period of Thursday's game that ricocheted off Brian Dumoulin's skate and into the net.
The Penguins need to win their final two games to qualify for the postseason, and their current defensive philosophy will go a long way to get them there.
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