Penguins Q&A: Too Little, Too Late for Playoff Push?

The Pittsburgh Penguins finally played a structured third period and finally shut down a playoff-caliber opponent. They beat the Minnesota Wild 4-1 at PPG Paints Arena.

We did another Q&A following the game with questions from Twitter. Some of you astutely questioned if Minnesota’s lack of speed helped the Penguins’ ability to play a solid third period.

“I felt like we were playing on our toes and still trying to play the aggressive game that we were playing,” coach Mike Sullivan said. “We just did it in a calculated way.”

Others wished the Washington Capitals good luck and then had to ask forgiveness for the thought. Washington plays both Florida and New York in the final three games.

But the largest and most pressing question came at the 11-minute mark. Was this too little, too late for the Pittsburgh Penguins’ playoff hopes?

Both the Florida Panthers and New York Islanders won Thursday, and both won convincingly. I won’t spoil the ending, but all three teams have three games to go. Is it too late?

The Penguins visit Detroit Saturday. If they miss the playoffs, circle that 7-4 Penguins loss last week as the one that got away. They were tied in the third period and should have earned at least one point.

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