NEWARK, N.J. – For the first time in four years, it will soon be a great day for playoff hockey in Pittsburgh.
The Pittsburgh Penguins clinched a playoff spot on Thursday night with a victory over the New Jersey Devils, effectively ending their postseason drought that lasted three long seasons. Prior to this gap, the Penguins had made 16 consecutive playoff appearances, a streak that included three Stanley Cup titles, with the last missed postseason occurring during Sidney Crosby’s rookie year in 2005-06.
“That’s why you play — that’s the best time of year,” Crosby remarked. “I know how hard it is. I think I understand that. We had some tough ones where it came down to the last day and didn’t get in, and you don’t ever know. But I thought right from camp, we’ve had those intentions and had that belief.”
This season has been a rollercoaster, featuring an eight-game losing streak in December and subsequent six-game winning streaks later in the winter. By late March, the Eastern Conference playoff race was tightly contested, leaving their postseason hopes uncertain. However, the Penguins surged, winning five of their last six games since March 30 to secure their playoff berth.
“A couple weeks ago (we realized) it’s really in our hands (because we) play a lot of the teams in it,” defenseman Connor Clifton noted. “We figured it was going to work itself out, and first and foremost it’s about us and getting points and we’ve done that, so it’s been good.”
Surprisingly, the Penguins were considered a long shot to qualify at 6-1 odds before the season began, according to BetMGM Sportsbook. Many viewed this season as a final opportunity for the aging core of Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Kris Letang, who have played together for 20 seasons, making them the longest-tenured trio of teammates in North American professional sports.
New head coach Dan Muse has proven to be a wise choice by general manager Kyle Dubas, transitioning from a background as an assistant coach to leading the team successfully. Muse took the reins after two-time Cup-winner Mike Sullivan, a challenging task that he has managed impressively in his first season at the NHL level.
“He’s been great: Calm there behind the bench, and he’s just a really personable guy, easy to talk to away from the rink,” forward Justin Brazeau shared. “Any time you create that atmosphere in here, it’s not too tense or anything like that. I think guys are just willing to go out there and play free.”
Rookie center Ben Kindel, selected 11th in the previous year’s draft, made the roster at just 18 years old, while veteran defenseman Erik Karlsson has thrived at age 35. Crosby continues to be a standout, maintaining a point-per-game average for the 21st consecutive season, despite an injury setback that kept him out of the Olympics.
“It takes everybody,” Crosby emphasized. “Everybody has had a part in this. Obviously it’s a team game, but especially with this group: With the injuries and all the different guys in and out, everybody’s contributed to us getting there.”
Muse, like Crosby, recognized the potential of this team during training camp. “I just saw the competitive nature of the group,” he said. “There’s ebbs and flows in every season, but I think this group has just continued to grow. Enjoy it for a little bit, a minute, and then it’s just continuing that preparation. It’s a big step for the group. I’m really proud of these guys, happy for these guys, the staff, everybody involved. The players have done a great job with it throughout the year. We talked about earning things at the beginning of the year. This group earned it.”
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AP Sports Writer Will Graves in Pittsburgh contributed to this report.
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