The Pittsburgh Penguins, led by first-year head coach Dan Muse, have performed well this season. They were projected to finish near the bottom of the Metropolitan Division but have remained near the top. The infusion of youth and the addition of new players by general manager Kyle Dubas have made a huge difference. However, the team continues to struggle in major areas.
Penguins Trying to Go From Good to Great
On Jan. 15, the Penguins defeated the Philadelphia Flyers 6-3. Pittsburgh has struggled to turn in a full 60-minute effort this season, and although they beat Philadelphia, they did not play well in all three periods. They started strong, earning a power play in the first 23 seconds of the game. Ben Kindel, who is having a breakout rookie season, faked a slapshot but instead made an elite pass to Justin Brazeau, who scored 2:16 into the game.
The Penguins had three power plays in the first period and converted on two of them. Bryan Rust scored the other power-play goal, sending his team into the second period with a 2-0 lead. They went three-for-four on the night and took advantage of the Flyers’ struggling penalty kill.
Early in the second period, Evgeni Malkin and Egor Chinakhov teamed up on a two-on-two rush with Chinakhov putting the puck in the back of the net. But with that 3-0 cushion, the Penguins took their foot off the gas. They put up little-to-no defensive effort and gave up too many good looks. They got away with it against the Flyers; however, they will not be as lucky in the postseason if they make it. Pittsburgh goalie Stuart Skinner bailed out his team more than a few times in that period. He stopped 30 of 33 shots on the night in one of his best performances with the team.
The goal by Pittsburgh’s fourth line late in the second period was the result of hard work, and it gave them back the momentum. Noel Acciari, Connor Dewar and Blake Lizotte have been a force this season. There were question marks surrounding Acciari because his first two seasons with the team were underwhelming. This season, however, he’s been playing a very physical game and working hard. He also has four goals and seven assists in 37 games. Dewar also had a goal against the Flyers after a nice feed from Tommy Novak. The Penguins finally have a viable fourth line that they can depend on in crucial moments.
Penguins Playoff Hopes Are Very Much Alive
The Penguins are in second place in the Metropolitan Division, and they have picked up the pace lately, especially with their statement 6-2 win over the Edmonton Oilers on Jan. 22. If they continue to play at this level, they will qualify for the postseason.
Related: Penguins Must Make Adjustments to Stay in the Playoff Race
However, if the Penguins make the playoffs, they will be looking at a quick first-round exit if they can’t correct some lingering issues. The team has a tendency to get complacent when they have the lead, and that has come back to haunt them several times this season. Pittsburgh lost four games in Dec. 2025 after leading in the third period.
They also need to stay consistent on special teams. Against the Flyers, their puck movement on the power play was good. If they can improve on these areas, they could advance past the first round of the postseason for the first time since 2018.
