The Pittsburgh Penguins have been playing much better in recent weeks, and the penalty kill is leading that charge.
Earlier in the season, the Pittsburgh Penguins penalty kill unit was among the worst in the NHL. They were conceding power play goals night in and night out, and even when they didn't allow a goal, they would spend the entire two minutes in their zone.
Since the return of Teddy Blueger, the Penguins penalty kill has noticeably improved. Blueger has been one of the team's best penalty kill forwards since he debuted at the NHL level. His ability to win defensive zone face-offs and his calm demeanor with the puck help him effectively stunt opposing attacks and drain the clock.
The Penguins are a perfect 17/17 on the penalty kill since Blueger returned on November 15th. It is no surprise their record in that stretch has also improved, 5-2-0 in their last seven. This surge on the PK has catapulted the Penguins to ninth in the NHL with an 81.4 percent success rate.
Blueger isn't the sole reason for the success of that unit. The Penguins goaltenders, Tristan Jarry and Casey DeSmith, have also improved. Jarry has won his past four starts, recording a .950 save percentage, and collected his first shutout of the season. Meanwhile, DeSmith may have been the only Penguin to have an above-average performance against the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Good habits have started to form throughout the entire unit. The Penguins are playing smarter and more aggressively on the man disadvantage, leading to the uptick in effectiveness for Mike Vellucci's unit. The penalty kill is not the sole reason for the Penguins recent success, but it helps to win games when at least one of your special team's units ranks in the NHL's top ten.
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