Let's take a look at a few quick Pens stats:
The Pens are not only the only team with no wins, everyone else has at least two (St Louis and Columbus being the teams with two). In the Eastern Conference, everyone has at least three.
The Pens have four overtime losses. Only three other teams have more than one OTL, the Rangers, the Maple Leafs and the Lightning.
The Pens have allowed 39 goals in 8 games. Only the Capitals have allowed more total goals (40), but they've also played one more game. In terms of an average, the Pens are allowing nearly 5 goals per game (4.88). They're only scoring 2.88 per game. That's a difference of 2 goals more allowed per game. Only the Capitals come close to that type of futility - they allow a full 2.22 goals more per game than they score. No one else has that kind of differential. The next highest is Columbus, and that's largely because they can't score.
What does all of this mean? To me, it's not worth much right now. The Pens are going through a rough streak. It just has our attention more because it's a streak to start the season. If we'd hit this rough patch in the middle of the season, it might not even be worth a mention on Sportscenter. They do need to get it going, but I still believe that they will. I also still think this is a playoff team.
On a more general note, Ottawa and Detroit have to be the teams to beat so far. They're both allowing less than two goals per game and scoring four or more per game. I know Nashville is also undefeated, but they have won seven games by a grand total of 9 goals. Of course, the Carolina Panthers got to the Super Bowl a few years ago by playing and winning close games...
Tomorrow is the start of a three game homestand against the Panthers. I'll have a preview up tomorrow.
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1 comment:
“I also still think this is a playoff team.”
I like your optimism. My problem isn’t so much envisioning the Pens getting on a roll but rather figuring out which seven teams won’t qualify. Even if the entire Southeast (besides Tampa) misses out, which obviously isn’t certain, and allowing for the other division winners (let’s say Ottawa and Philly), we’d still need three from among Rangers, Islanders, Devils, Bruins, Canadiens, Sabres and Leafs to miss out.
Too soon to have a solid guess on who’ll finish where, but it’s already an uphill climb – and the extra games vs. Philly and Jersey apparently won’t help the cause.
Okay, enough negativity from me.
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