Evgeni Malkin said the Pittsburgh Penguins most recent OTL is fully on him. PITTSBURGH - Despite taking on overtime loss in their final game before the Christmas break, the Pittsburgh Penguins have maintained one of the hottest records in the NHL. In their last 10 games, the Penguins are 8-1-1, with both the regulation and overtime losses coming to the same opponent. While the team heads into the break on a down note following a disappointing ending in the bonus frame, head coach Mike Sullivan not only thinks they have a great group, but also confident they can continue to be successful. “I love this group,” Sullivan said. “They’re great people, they’re great players. We’ve got a really good team. We’ve won a lot of games as of late but our expectations are high.” Even with a seven-game losing streak between October and November, the Penguins have a 19-9-5 record sitting third place in the Metropolitan Division. 43 standings points puts them in a top 10 team in the NHL, but Sullivan and the Penguins know they can be better. “I think there’s another level to this group,” Sullivan said. “We’re right in the mix, right now, but there’s a lot of hockey left. We’ve got to push to get to the next level.” There is still a little over half of the season left and plenty of time for the Penguins to continue climbing the standings. The Metro Division is tight and will be for the remainder of the season; the top five teams are separated by only eight points and plenty of opportunities for swings. “I can’t say enough about this group of players,” Sullivan said. “I just think they’re terrific and I love coming to work with them every day.” The Penguins are in the midst of a hot stretch of games, but are looking forward to coming back from break to be even better. Make sure you bookmark Inside the Penguins [http://insidethepenguins.com/]for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns and so much more! Brock McGinn Is Giving the Penguins a Career Season [https://www.si.com/nhl/penguins/podcasts/pittsburgh-penguins-brock-mcginn-career-season] Mike Sullivan Critical of Penguins Overtime Performances [https://www.si.com/nhl/penguins/news/pittsburgh-penguins-mike-sullivan-critical-overtime-performances] Evgeni Malkin Takes Blame for Penguins OT Loss [https://www.si.com/nhl/penguins/news/pittsburgh-penguins-evgeni-malkin-takes-blame-overtime-loss] Penguins Again Can't Hold Lead Over Hurricanes [https://www.si.com/nhl/penguins/news/pittsburgh-penguins-again-lose-lead-over-hurricanes] Penguins To Wear Franco Harris No. 32 Helmet Decals Against Hurricanes [https://www.si.com/nhl/penguins/news/pittsburgh-penguins-honor-franco-harris-32-helmet-decal] * undefined * undefined
