Power Play Heating Up for Penguins
The Pittsburgh Penguins are starting to find a rhythm on the man advantage.
It was a successful weekend for the Pittsburgh Penguins, who earned two points in both matchups. Their performance erased the sour taste of their opening night defeat at the hands of the Chicago Blackhawks and set them on an upward trajectory following the opening week of the 2023-24 season.
There were plenty of welcomed signs for the Penguins, including stellar goaltending by Tristan Jarry and Alex Nedeljkovic, who combined to save 53 shots of the 55 they faced. More promising was the performance of the team's power play.
On Friday, the Penguins' power play was pivotal in their 4-0 win over the Washington Capitals, scoring twice on three opportunities. Sidney Crosby collected both goals as he and the rest of the Penguins' top power play focused on the net front of the Capitals.
They followed up that performance with a 0-3 night against the Calgary Flames. However, a closer look will reveal that the Penguins spent just 2:37 on the man advantage in that game. Quick whistles by the refs ended a pair of the Penguins' opportunities early.
In what could be considered one-and-a-quarter power plays, the Penguins created nine shot attempts and eight scoring chances. The chemistry is starting to build between the Penguins' best players, and that should only garner positive results moving forward.
Their next two games are on the road against the Detroit Red Wings and St. Louis Blues. Those teams finished ranked 18th and 30th in the NHL on the penalty kill last season, presenting the Penguins power play an opportunity to build on the momentum they created over the weekend.
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