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Trying To Find Bright Side of Penguins Stretch

Originally posted on Pittsburgh Penguins on SI
By Nick Horwat | Last updated Dec 6, 2023 9:14 AM ET

Ever since their five-game winning streak to start the month of November, the Pittsburgh Penguins have struggled to find a consistent pace in the win column.

In the 10 games following their streak, the Penguins have only won three games and multiple areas around the lineup are holding the team back from so much more.

Despite all of the negatives, there are still a handful of positives that can be pulled and little things that can provide hope for the team and fan base.

There aren’t many, but there are a couple of bright sides to look at even as the Penguins struggle as a whole.

First Line

The Penguins may have one of the worst power plays in the NHL right now, but their first line is setting the example the rest of the team should follow.

Sidney Crosby centering Jake Guentzel and Bryan Rust have been the highest scoring line on the team with a vast majority of the total goals scored by the team since the start of November.

The trio of Sidney Crosby, Jake Guentzel and Bryan Rust combined on the @penguins' first goal tonight. No other line in the NHL has more goals at 5-on-5 than the trio's 23 pic.twitter.com/vsAVRBjd0A
— Penguins PR (@PenguinsPR) December 5, 2023

Not only do they lead the Penguins, but Crosby, Guentzel, and Rust combine for the most even strength goals in the NHL with 23.

Crosby and Guentzel specifically are still top two in the NHL in total even strength points, too, with 23 and 25 respectively.

Point Streak

It may not feel like, but the Penguins have recorded at least one standings point in five consecutive games going 2-0-3 in that stretch.

Obviously, that’s not enough to push them up the rankings, but it’s leaning in the right direction.

Rust on the power play: “Everybody who's on that unit, been on that unit, thinking about that unit, coaching that unit, is really upset with how things are going. We're trying our best to get going, and things aren't going. So, we’ve got to just keep working.” pic.twitter.com/DWU2KnyopV
— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) December 5, 2023

The lacking power play has been a huge factor in the Penguins struggling to win, with that group often costing them wins.

Six of the Penguins last seven games have been decided by a single goal, and if the man advantage groups could just find something, those may be different outcomes.

The Penguins are keeping up with teams, and finding pity points, but they’ll need to get over the hump soon before other teams start to break away from the pack.

Close Race

Speaking of the pack, the Penguins are extremely luck the Metropolitan Division and the Eastern Conference are still only separated by a handful of points.

The Penguins have an 11-10-3 record, good for 25 points and tied with the New Jersey Devils and Montreal Canadiens.

Just two points ahead of them sit the New York Islanders with 27 points, but are in the second wild card spot in the playoff race.

One more point ahead of them is the Philadelphia Flyers in third in the Metro; another point up is the Carolina Hurricanes.

The Penguins are just four points back of comfortable playoff positioning, and while that’s not easy ground to cover, it sure isn’t impossible.

On the inverse, however, the Penguins are seventh out of eight teams in the Metro and four points ahead of the last place Columbus Blue Jackets.

Their footing isn’t totally secure, but it’s up to the Penguins to find the right way to climb rather than continue to fall.