Latest Pens Buzz: Baby Steps? Upcoming Three-Game Road will be much better barometer to gauge improved play

How much stock we can put into the Penguins back-to-back home wins against the Anaheim Ducks and Montreal Canadiens remains to be seen. However, in the short-term they had to come out of this homestand winning two of three and Pittsburgh accomplished that goal. The #’s show when you’re out of the playoff race by Thanksgiving it’s an uphill battle and even out of the race by November 1st it’s a brutal number for teams that miss the playoffs, especially when you weigh how little margin of error this team has.

Time was already running out. With a bottom-10 roster in the league, what’s always going to be problematic this season is the Penguins have to rely on everything going right. This hockey club was on life support coming into the homestand.

It can’t be understated that throwing the 2-4 lines in a blender and loading up a top line of Malkin-Crosby-Rakell was a seismic move that has saved the Penguins season for now.

It wasn’t just the #’s for Sidney Crosby who willed the Penguins to victory again Saturday night with 2 goals, ending the homestand with 4 goals and 3 assists, — factoring in on seven consecutive goals. — Crosby’s game found life this week and the shackles coming off of playing with crap.

“They’ve been unbelievable,” Crosby said of playing with Malkin and Rakell. Evgeni Malkin’s #’s took a hit this week with no points, but he was a major catalyst for the big week from Crosby and Rakell. Malkin’s read and react ability to play the wing was elite as it could get. He’s creating so much space for Crosby through the neutral zone and anyone go look at the Hockey Night in Canada post-game interview from Crosby and see the smile on his face when he was asked about playing with Evgeni Malkin. Defensively the move to wing also helps Malkin.

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Wake Up Call?

— You can make the argument Pittsburgh has only four legitimate top-9 forwards in Crosby, Malkin, Rakell and Bryan Rust. Game in and game out there is going to be immense pressure from those four upfront and that’s probably a recipe for disaster long-term. To overachieve this season everything comes back to the system and defending the right way. Yes, it was Anaheim and Montreal but will these two games be the wakeup call that was needed for the Penguins?

The last two games we saw marketable improvement with the little things such as defenders being in proper lanes that led to defending the slot and below the dot cycles better; less aggressiveness in the neutral zone was also a positive from the last two nights . To read this insider news, subscribe to get “Inside Access”!

We’re going to find out quickly on the upcoming road trip against the Islanders, Hurricanes and Capitals, especially against the Caps and Canes who can drive play with the best of them right now. It’s easy to say disciplined against an Anaheim or Montreal. A nice test coming up this week.

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MORE BUZZ

Small signs of improvement from Michael Bunting the two games below the dots where he’s had more heaviness to his game. Bunting was on the ice for 8 scoring chances and just 3 against but it feels like he’s never going to score a goal, he’s showing zero ability to pick corners and beat a goalie 1-on-1. And Mike Sullivan’s body language on a Bunting turnover in the neutral zone was something last night where Sullivan threw his hands up in the air and motioned over to Mike Vellucci in disgust. The coaches remain frustrated in a feeling that Bunting is trying to be a player he’s not……….Matt Grzelcyk running the point on the top power play unit is just way other thinking it…………..Waiver Watch today? Rumblings last night Penguins were taking long look at To read this insider news, subscribe to get “Inside Access”!

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Goaltending Winds Changing?

The Penguins went into the week with Tuesday night being an audition from Joel Blomqvist to possibly start all three games during the homestand if Pittsburgh would have won Tuesday. It did not play out that way after the Minnesota loss where as good as Blomqvist was in defending high danger chances, the leaky goals opened door to go back to Alex Nedeljkovic. Now the winds are changing where the organization is considering bringing To read this insider news, subscribe to get “Inside Access”!