First round works out great for Penguins
PITTSBURGH — The first round of the Stanley Cup playoffs couldn’t have worked out much better for the Penguins. Consider:
n They won in five games, which gives them time to rest and practice before the next round begins.
n From a business standpoint, they got revenue from three home games without incurring the expense and inconvenience of a second road trip.
n They welcomed back Evgeni Malkin from an extended injury absence and successfully worked him into the lineup.
n They won a playoff series using their No. 2 and 3 goaltenders exclusively. Even if Marc-Andre Fleury returns soon, the organization knows his back-ups won’t be afraid of the playoffs.
n There were no new injuries (at least none that have been reported in the super-secret hockey environment).
Coaches always say there’s no carryover from the regular season, good or bad, but there may have been in this case.
The Penguins’ second half surge included three wins over the Rangers in which they solved goalie Henrik Lundqvist. It’s impossible to believe that success didn’t play a role in what happened in the playoffs.
Meanwhile, after many missteps, general manager Jim Rutherford is having something of a dream existence. When he’s had a chance to do things over, he’s done them right.
n Mike Johnston was a mistake; Mike Sullivan changed the entire culture of the team and will deservedly get consideration for the coach of the year award.
n Signing Rob Scuderi was a bad move; trading him for Trevor Daley was a great move.
n Acquiring David Perron didn’t pay off; dealing him for Carl Hagelin did.
The Penguins’ playoff future still hinges on the availability of Fleury. If he makes it back soon, it’s not hard to envision a long postseason run.
You know it’s a good season when fans are heading the games wearing the incongruous combination of shorts and hockey jerseys.
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Fleury is usually one of the most cheerful players in the Penguins’ dressing room.
Not these days, though. It’s killing him to sit out playoff games, but he has no choice. He says some of the concussion symptoms are still lingering. He won’t be cleared until they go away entirely.
If and when he’s available, it won’t be a tough decision for Sullivan to put him back into the lineup. When the stakes are this high, you go with your best.
Sullivan showed that belief when he switched to Matt Murray as soon as he was ready to play.
If Fleury doesn’t play well after his layoff, the Penguins can always call on Murray. But Fleury gets the call as soon as the doctors say he’s OK to go.
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The pick? The Penguins in seven. Washington was the best team over the course of the season, but the Penguins were probably better than the Capitals over the last three months.
It’s always a mistake to take any potential opponent lightly, but the winner of this series is probably on a path to the Stanley Cup Final.
It’s hard to imagine either Tampa Bay or the New York Islanders knocking off the Penguins or Capitals in the conference final.