The Metropolitan Division is loaded, which means that at least one team will be out of the playoffs much earlier than anticipated.
With only nine games remaining in the season, the Pittsburgh Penguins are quickly becoming that team. The Pens have owned a top-three position in the Metro for much of the season, but that status is becoming less certain by the day.
Following a 6-3 loss to the Washington Capitals on Saturday in Pittsburgh, the Penguins’ lead over their rivals is now only four points. To make matters worse for the Pens, the Caps have two games in hand that, if won, could pull them even with the Penguins.
The loss gives the Penguins four in a row, all in regulation. Pittsburgh has lost five of its last six contests and has a 2-6-1 record in the last nine games played.
The Penguins may be out early in the Metropolitan Division playoffs.
Now, the team that once had hopes of finishing in the top two in the Metro is eight points behind both the New York Rangers and the Carolina Hurricanes.
This is the wrong time for any playoff team to be struggling the way that Pittsburgh is, especially in the Metropolitan Division, where any opponent will be a legitimate threat. Not to mention, a fall to a wild card position could pit them against an elite Atlantic Division team like the Florida Panthers.
For the Pens, the offense has struggled lately, outside of an 11-2 drumming of the Detroit Red Wings two weeks ago. In the last nine games, Pittsburgh has scored more than three goals only three times.
Several Penguins skaters have seen their offensive outputs decline as a result, including Jake Guentzel who leads his team in goals (33) but has lit the lamp only twice in his last nine games.
Defensively, the Pens have allowed fewer than three goals once during their nine-game slump. That stretch includes four losses to Metropolitan Division playoff teams.
The Penguins will attempt to right the ship on Sunday afternoon when they welcome the Nashville Predators to PPG Paints Arena.