If the Penguins are going to salvage anything out of a 2023-24 regular season that supplied more aggravation than assurance, virtually all of their remaining games are “must-wins” with regard to their postseason aspirations.
It’s been that way for more than a month (and probably a lot longer).
And Sunday’s meeting with the Detroit Red Wings — who entered the day with a loose grip on the final wild card position in the Eastern Conference — was about as “must” of a “must-win” as the Penguins have faced throughout a mostly inept stretch in recent weeks.
They mustered what was necessary to defeat the Red Wings, 6-3, and maintained some semblance of an orbit around a playoff position, albeit a wobbly one.
“The fact that we still have something to play for, it brings a second level,” Penguins defenseman Kris Letang said. “It brings us hope, energy. And obviously, (Sunday) was a four-point game. There was more on the line.”
Sunday’s triumph lifted the Penguins’ record to a lukewarm 30-28-9 with 69 points. Hardly reason to start planning any parade routes but the general ineptitude of other contenders for the Eastern Conference’s final wild card seed has done more to keep the Penguins in contention than the Penguins themselves.
The Red Wings are the best of a bad bunch with a 34-28-6 record and 74 points.
Other bumbling outfits such as the New York Islanders (29-23-15, 73 points) and the New Jersey Devils (32-32-4, 68 points) each lost on Sunday while the Washington Capitals (32-25-9, 73 points) and Buffalo Sabres (32-31-5, 69 points) were idle.
Despite far too many crippling flaws, the Penguins almost absurdly remain in contention, if only because of the shortcomings of others.
“If you look at everybody, everybody is struggling, apparently,” Letang said. “Everybody is losing games right now. And we had so many games in hand so it levels itself right now. A lot of teams are losing games.
“It’s still up for grabs.”
Penguins forward Reilly Smith opened the scoring with his 12th goal of the season 10:10 into regulation on Sunday.
In the dying seconds of a power-play chance, Penguins forward Evgeni Malkin won a draw in the right circle of the offensive zone against Red Wings forward Michael Rasmussen, Penguins defenseman Erik Karlsson accepted the puck at the right point, maneuvered to the center point and fed a pass to the left half wall for defenseman Marcus Pettersson. Squaring up, Pettersson lofted a wrister toward the cage that took a wild adventure off of Red Wings’ defenseman Moritz Seider’s left skate then off the inside of Smith’s right knee and into the cage behind goaltender Alex Lyon. Smith was credited with an even-strength goal off assists from Pettersson and Karlsson.
The goal that got things started ???? pic.twitter.com/bxuxzJ82y5
— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) March 17, 2024
The Red Wings responded via forward Lucas Raymond’s 21st goal at 15:39 of the first period.
Muscling Karlsson off a bouncing puck near the Penguins’ left corner, Red Wings forward David Perron claimed possession and fed a short-area pass to the near dot where Raymond lasered a wrister by goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic’s left shoulder on the far side. Perron and defenseman Ben Chiarot had assists.
Lucas Raymond nets 21 on the year. pic.twitter.com/3snzGIt4eP
— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) March 17, 2024
Penguins forward Sidney Crosby snapped an 11-game skid without a goal when he collected his team-best 33rd at 18:53.
Embarking on a somewhat daring dash into the offensive zone, Penguins defenseman Ryan Graves — more attuned to the defensive side of the game — flicked a backhanded pass from the right circle to the slot to no one in particular. The puck bounced around a bit and was jabbed away by Red Wings forward Andrew Copp to the left circle. Crosby collected the puck, stopping it with his right skate, and whipped a backhander that clunked off the inside of Lyon’s right leg and into the cage. There were no assists.
And with this goal, Sidney Crosby ties Wayne Gretzky for the seventh-most goals with a single franchise in @NHL history. pic.twitter.com/uBn5V5t0Mn
— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) March 17, 2024
“It had been a while,” Crosby said of his first goal since a 7-6 home win against the Flyers on Feb. 25. “Nice to see it go in. Hopefully, some more will start to go in. There’s some huge games coming up and it would be nice to start seeing some more go in the net.”
Penguins rookie forward Valtteri Puustinen put one in the net for the second time in as many games — and the fourth occasion this season — late in the first period at the 19:16 mark.
Off something of a clumsy cycle in the right corner of the Red Wings’ zone, Smith one-touched a forehand pass from the end boards to the right circle where Puustinen gripped and ripped a wrister by Lyons’ glove on the near side. Assists went to Smith and linemate Lars Eller.
Goals in back-to-back games for Puustinen! ???? pic.twitter.com/TpqW6JPteI
— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) March 17, 2024
“If I can score, this is helping the team win the games,” Puustinen said. “Our guys know here, we need two points and win the game because we want to play (in) the playoffs. I am happy we win today and (I) score.”
The Penguins went up by a field goal 9:34 into the second period when forward Michael Bunting collected his 15th goal.
Accepting a pass on the right wing of the offensive zone, Puustinen advanced to the near circle and lifted a wrister on net. Lyon made the initial save but allowed a rebound to bounce free above the crease. Bunting, despite tumbling to the ice, was able to clean it up with a forehand shot behind a scrambling Lyon. Puustinen and Malkin claimed assists.
Malkin ➡️ Puustinen ➡️ Bunting ➡️ ???? pic.twitter.com/66GklntK8C
— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) March 17, 2024
Red Wings forward Christian Fischer’s fourth goal made it a 4-2 contest at 17:35 of the second frame.
Corralling a loose puck on the right half wall of the offensive zone, former Penguins defenseman Jeff Petry snapped a wrister toward the cage. Despite an ample screen, Nedeljkovic made the initial save but the ensuing rebound trickled to the right of the crease where Rasmussen coolly collected it and slid a pass to the slot. From between the hashmarks, Fischer leaned down on his right knee and fired a wrister past an out-of-position Nedeljkovic. Rasmussen and Petry registered assists.
???????????????? pic.twitter.com/5eqvE7QvVS
— Detroit Red Wings (@DetroitRedWings) March 17, 2024
A power-play goal by Eller — his second such goal in as many days and 14th overall of the season — restored a three-score lead for the Penguins.
Accepting a pass above the Red Wings’ left circle, Crosby turned to his right and chopped a slap/pass. Establishing position below the lower right hashmark against Red Wings defenseman Jake Walman, Eller deflected the puck with the backhand side of his stick past Eller’s glove. Crosby and Letang had assists.
A stELLER power-play goal ???? pic.twitter.com/dP2gUaMBpp
— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) March 17, 2024
“He saw me,” Eller said of Crosby. “He made eye contact. When he got it, he saw me and I saw that he saw me. So, I just put my stick (down).”
Raymond scored again on a power-play opportunity at 16:37 of the third period with Lyon pulled for an extra attacker.
From above the right circle of the offensive zone, Red Wings defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere slid a pass below the circle to Red Wings forward Patrick Kane. As Pettersson slid down to pressure, Kane slipped a pass to the lower portion of the near circle for Raymond who swept a forehand shot by Nedeljkovic’s blocker on the far side. Kane and Gostibehere generated assists.
So nice, he did it twice! Lucas Raymond scores his second of the game, adding to his team-leading point total! ????#LGRW pic.twitter.com/pMo2Hz8RW1
— Bally Sports Detroit (@BallySportsDET) March 18, 2024
Penguins forward Drew O’Connor capped the scoring with his 10th goal at 19:34 of the third off assists from linemate Bryan Rust and Graves.
O'CONNOR SAYS THIS ONE IS CLOVER! ????☘️ pic.twitter.com/VV0Uxblpbg
— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) March 18, 2024
Nedeljkovic, facing his former team for the first time since departing Detroit as a free agent this past summer, made 25 saves on 28 shots to boost his record to 10-6-4.
“All we can do is focus on ourselves,” said Nedeljkovic, who snapped an individual three-game losing streak (0-2-1). “We take care of our stuff, take care of our business, that’ll give us the best chance of climbing the rankings here and hopefully sneaking in.”
The Penguins just might have legitimate hopes of getting into the playoffs.
Someone has to.
“We’ve been talking about this for a little bit,” Letang said. “Everybody is losing right now … for some reason. We have to grab the points that we can right now.
“It’s still a fight and there’s still a way to get in there.”
Notes:
• Nedeljkovic (10-6-4) surpassed Thomas Greiss (9-6-3) for 36th place on the franchise’s career goaltending wins list.
• Penguins forward Jesse Puljujarvi and rookie defenseman Jack St. Ivany were healthy scratches.
• After being quietly assigned to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the American Hockey League on Saturday night, St. Ivany was recalled to the NHL roster — also quietly — a handful of hours before Sunday’s game.
• Walman appeared in his 200th career game.
Seth Rorabaugh is a TribLive reporter covering the Pittsburgh Penguins. A North Huntingdon native, he joined the Trib in 2019 and has covered the Penguins since 2007. He can be reached at srorabaugh@triblive.com.
