Penguins' playoff chances rely heavily on team's goaltending
With more than half of their games in the books, it's time for the Pittsburgh Penguins to do some self realization.
That being that this season the team is not and will not be the offensive juggernaut many anticipated, even after the perceived steal of a trade that saw sniper Phil Kessel added to an already offense-heavy roster.
The Penguins sit tied for the sixth-worst goals-for this season. And instead of being the club's bread and butter, goal scoring has been the team's spoiled milk.
However, all is not gloom in the Steel City. The club has seen tremendous play from its last line of defense. The team's goaltenders have been by and far the Penguins' most valuable part of their arsenal.
Marc-Andre Fleury is rocking a .925 save percentage and a 2.28 GAA, both career highs. Meanwhile in his relief, netminders Jeff Zatkoff and Matthew Murray have fared admirably while allowing just 32 goals in 14 combined games.
On Monday night, goaltender Zatkoff punched in his second-worst outing of the season giving up four goals on 24 shots in a 5-2 loss to the St. Louis Blues, highlighting the club's identity - a fragile one that's reliant on its goalies.
pens only had two goals, yeah, but you know who doesn't suck? matt murray
— Rich Miller (@atrichmiller) January 19, 2016
The contest proved that if the Pittsburgh's goaltenders let in a couple weak goals and don't provide at least solid netminding, the team struggles to be successful, despite the likes of Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Kessel there to help tilt the ice in the opposite direction.
(Courtesy: NHL.com)
If the Penguins hope to return to the postseason for the 10th straight year, they are going to need their goaltenders to help get them there.
The club boasts a goal differential of minus-3, despite a winning record. The team remains one point out of the final wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference, yet just a point ahead of the New Jersey Devils, Philadelphia Flyers, and the Carolina Hurricanes.
The Penguins have the ability to compete offensively with any team in the league, but until - in the spirit of the season - the force awakens, the team's playoff prospects will be make-or-break with the men between the pipes.