Dan’s Daily: Guentzel Scores First Goal in Carolina; Penguins Rallying

After all of the bad starts and third-period rallies, perhaps it is fitting that the Pittsburgh Penguins are rallying for a playoff spot in the third period of the NHL season. They beat the Detroit Red Wings Sunday, and we have coverage from all angles. Whether or not the Penguins can make the Stanley Cup playoffs is not solely up to them, but plenty of teams are giving them help, and they play the teams they’re chasing, such as the Washington Capitals. ESPN projections put the Capitals in the playoffs. Elsewhere in the Daily, Jake Guentzel scored his first goal not wearing a Penguins sweater, and the New York Islanders lost.

And our rising rock star in Philly went one-on-one with the GM Daniel Briere about the mysterious Ryan Johansen interview and actually got the truth! Can’t tell you how proud I am of Jon Bailey.

Mondays and Saturdays are always the hardest Dan’s Daily’s to fill. Not much of the fun stuff happens, but I must tell you I’m enjoying the Penguins rising off the mat at the same time other teams are falling face-first on it. I don’t know what’s going to happen, but I do know that I root for good stories. Lazarus rising from the playoff dead and charging through the final weeks is a helluva lot more fun than listening to preening people promulgate their pessimism and rehash the rehash of the rehash of the rehashed past.

Some people reply the same thing to every post or tweet. The same thing over and over … and over. Doesn’t that get boring? Situations are fluid, eh.

Pittsburgh Penguins

Davey and I have plenty of Penguins coverage. He’s driving to New Jersey today. I don’t know how to react to being at home, but I like it.

Pittsburgh Hockey Now: The Penguins buckled the Red Wings. A 1-1 game quickly became a 3-1 game with two late goals in the first. Molinari’s Penguins recap.

Detroit Hockey Now: Resuming their alarming fall. Get the flip-side coverage from our boys in Detroit. The Red Wings freefall.

PHN’s Penguins grades. The scrappers are rising, and the Penguins’ pulse is getting stronger. Breaking down the important themes and the locker room reaction in the Penguins report card.

The Penguins finally got defensive, and Sidney Crosby came through. Molinari’s Penguins six-pack.

PHN Video: Do you believe in miracles? We get our hands dirty with the details of the win and why they’re important. The Penguins postgame.

NHL News & National Hockey Now

Philly Hockey Now: Bailey spoke with Briere, and yes, the Flyers were surprised by Johansen’s sudden injury status. Briere also opened up to Jon on Tortorella and Johansen’s relationship status and more. The latest Philadelphia Flyers drama.

NYIHockeyNow.com: Not desperate on Saturday. Not good enough on Sunday. The fourth straight New York Islanders loss.

ESPN: The Capitals goal differential is — wait for it — minus-30. Despite being underwater in nearly every statistic, the Capitals have the inside track on the final playoff spot. ESPN Projections examine, can they pull it off?

The Capitals play Calgary on Monday night.

NHL.com: His first goal in something other than a Penguins sweater, Jake Guentzel scored, and Carolina crushed Ottawa.

New Jersey Hockey Now: Isn’t it ironic, don’t you think? Great goaltending by Jake Allen and terrible play by the skaters. It’s like rain on a sunny day, and the LA Kings beat the scrambling New Jersey Devils.

Boston Hockey Now: Oh, just pick a goalie! Jimmy Murphy puts pen to paper and opines that it’s time for the Boston Bruins to put a saddle on Jeremy Swayman and ride.