Penguins Respond: What’s Behind the Recent Surge?

SUNRISE, Fla. — Well, of course, the Pittsburgh Penguins are playing well. Now that the pressure of a playoff chase has subsided, the pursuit is all but over for even the most ardent believer, and now that it just doesn’t matter.

That’s the public wonder, if not perception, anyway.

The Penguins have won five of their last six and were an abysmal third period away from winning all six. For the briefest of moments, a glimmer of hope popped up like a dandelion through the cracks in the sidewalk, only to be immediately stepped upon by the only organization that has routinely destroyed hope in these parts, the New York Islanders.

As we’ve learned, even a win over the Islanders last Tuesday wouldn’t have catapulted the Penguins back into the race because those scrappy Montreal Canadiens keep earning points, too. But for a moment, there was cause to pause the funeral procession of the Penguins 2024-25 season.

We’ve kept this article free, but consider supporting fearless coverage of the Pittsburgh Penguins and prospects (the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Pens playoff coverage is coming soon) by joining PHN+ for exclusive locker room content like this and for an ad-free experience. Click here.

There have been common themes within those recent wins. Is one of those lifting reasons the lack of pressure?

We started with the person who might know best: Sidney Crosby.

“I don’t know if the pressure is really going to change the way we play. I think we’ve just found a better job of finding ways to win,” Crosby told PHN. “It’s been different things, timing and things like that. I don’t know … I don’t know if it’s a pressure thing. I mean, you see that in teams that are in the spot that we’re in. Every night we’re just trying to get points and give yourselves a chance.”

However, as coach Mike Sullivan also astutely pointed out, there are several players, including Crosby, in the Penguins locker room who thrive under the highest pressure.

Indeed, if there’s a big stage on which Crosby hasn’t excelled, he hasn’t yet found it.

Yet, it was a topic that seemed to intrigue Crosby. We kept talking about the possibility even after I put down my recorder. Sid was quick to point out that his answer was only for himself, and I should definitely ask other players.

Oh, and he also mentioned that goaltending has been a pretty big reason for the wins.

Rickard Rakell is one of the more introspective players in the Penguins’ room. His often soft-spoken tone belies the heavy answers or the emotion with which he’s speaking.

With the cut under his left eye mostly healed and the big abrasion across the bridge of his nose mostly gone, both the results of recent high-stick infractions by careless opponents, we also asked Rakell, who perhaps agreed with the premise, just a little?

“I don’t know if it’s like the lack of pressure, but I still feel like anything can happen (with the playoff chase),” Rakell said. “It’s like when you play like you have nothing to lose that you go and try to attack, instead of like staying back a little bit. I think maybe that could be a big difference in whether you are trying to play on the inside or outside–like, you’re trying to attack and just try to beat your guy. And (having) nothing to lose helps.”

Rakell seemed an appropriate subject to ask. Last season, the pressure to break free from an oppressive slump that doused his production over the first couple of months of the season only exacerbated the situation. Would he agree that the lack of pressure has allowed the Penguins to finally flourish?

Rakell took a good pause in consideration. Despite being seven points behind Montreal, which also has two games in hand, Rakell hasn’t yet given up the ghost of a playoff berth, even as it would take Einstein to configure the mathematic possibility.

Does that mean the team can learn a little something for next season?

“I think so. As long as you have the competition within the team, and I feel like as long as you’re trying. (For example,) when you lose the puck, you do everything you can to get it back.

“Maybe I’m wrong.”

In the process of his verbal deliberations, he took us in a slightly different direction. It’s not the lack of pressure, well, not entirely, but there is a different feeling in the room. Rakell motioned to Boko Imama’s and Conor Timmins’s locker room stalls.

The pair are among several players fighting for their NHL careers and for whom the final dozen games mean far more than wins and losses. Whether they intend it or not, such players bring an undefined but palpable energy to a receptive group, and Rakell thinks the Penguins are better for it.

Sullivan also took a moment to ponder the possibility and situation. For those of us who have been around a while, his contemplative mannerisms are obvious.

First, there’s the downward look, followed by the tightening lips, perhaps a sway or head nod, and finishing with an answer or explanation. In addition to noting that several players have been through the bright lights of championships, be it a silver Stanley Cup or gold medal. Sullivan and Crosby intersected with one aspect of the Penguins game that has been different–both noted goaltending. Even when the team hasn’t been very good (or, as Crosby said, “when we’ve just been OK”), Tristan Jarry and, most recently, Alex Nedeljkovic have been the difference between some blowout losses.

Sullivan’s last line was perhaps when he got to the core of his feelings on the matter.

“I’m not sure if that’s the case. Obviously, we’ve got a core group in here that’s played a lot of high-pressure, high-stakes hockey and and has performed their very best when the stakes were the highest. So I don’t know (if a lack of pressure) is the case,” Sullivan said. “You know, we’re doing everything we can to try to try to find a way to climb into the playoffs. And until we’re mathematically eliminated, we’re going to approach it that way … But I think we’re just competing hard, and you know that for me is what gives you a chance: when you’re competitive spirit is high, (when) you bring a sense of purpose and the right intentions to the rink, you give yourself a chance.

“And I think our goaltending has been excellent.”

Sullivan made sure to make eye contact and lean into the last part.

Without question and to the chagrin of some outside the organization, among those common threads has been exceptional goaltending. Also, Connor Dewar has been scoring well above expectations, which has opened more depth scoring.

And Crosby is on a six-game heater and has scored in nine of his last 10 games, amassing 16 points and scoring seven goals in that time.

So, perhaps it’s not a lack of pressure that has elevated everyone’s play but an entirely different mindset with new players and new energy. Oh, and goaltending, too.