Dan’s Daily: Penguins Magic Number is 4, Carter Trending for Penguins

Just like that, the Pittsburgh Penguins showed us all they have another facet to their game. The Penguins played a frustrating, shutdown brand of hockey for a full 60 minutes and beat the Boston Bruins 1-0 on Sunday. The win had ripples in the East Division pond but only reduced the Penguins magic number to four. We have coverage from Boston, too.

Also in the Daily, the Canadian division primer for the Expansion Draft and a few NHL management types went “Off the Record” with the National Hockey Now network. Their takes are worth watching.

Pittsburgh Hockey Now: Jeff Carter earned our No. 1 star on Sunday. Carter’s speed out of the defensive zone left Boston in his wake. Combined with Jared McCann and Jason Zucker’s transition speed, it was a really good day for the trio. The Penguins recap and 3 Stars. 

PHN+: The chalkboard, the grades, and the full analysis of one of the best Penguins performances of the season. 

PHN+: One current NHL GM, a former AGM, and current scouts discussed a few issues looming in the offseason, including Ryan Getzlaf. Not everyone thinks that issue is dead for the Pittsburgh Penguins. Also, some speculation about Jim Rutherford and Mike Babcock, too.

If you’d like to subscribe to PHN+, here’s a little sweetener–Your first year is only $19.99

We appreciate the waves of support this year. As everyone else has lost subscribers, we keep gaining! Thank you for supporting independent journalism and folks who work their knuckles to the bone to provide more hockey coverage than any other outlet.

Boston Hockey Now: Coverage of the Penguins game from the opposing side. 

NY Post: The New York Rangers keep winning. And winning. They’re not making things easy for the East Division. Mika Zibanejad had a hat trick on Sunday as New York beat the Buffalo Sabres. Optimism is growing in NY…

Philly Hockey Now: The Philadelphia Flyers are hanging by a thread. Claude Giroux popped two goals in 22 seconds to save the Flyers season. 

RMNB: The Washington Capitals full April breakdown, including one fatal flaw. 

NYI Hockey Now: Ilya Sorokin had a real stinker in a big game against Washington on Saturday. The Isles goalie needs to be better…much better down the stretch. 

The Islanders are not doing so well since the NHL trade deadline. Perhaps acquiring a third-line center and a RW to fill a first-line LW spot wasn’t a good idea.

NHL News & the rest of the National Hockey Now network:

TSN: A North Division primer for the coming expansion draft. Who could be available for the Seattle Kraken…?

San Jose: The Sharks have lost seven in a row. Why aren’t the kids playing more?

Colorado: Philip Grubauer is back from COVID protocols. 

Florida: The Panthers are one of the surprise teams in the NHL. They’re good…really good. Watch Sasha Barkov score a RIDICULOUS goal in OT to beat Carolina on Sunday. 

Sportsnet: The Vancouver Canucks are only mostly dead. They’re making a playoff charge as Braden Holtby finally found his game.