As the Pittsburgh Penguins get set to play two road games in two days, it will be important that they do not take their foot off the gas pedal.
For the Pittsburgh Penguins, the big victory over Columbus was something that they have needed for quite some time. In enemy territory, the Penguins found a way to pull away in the third period, and get the victory. Tonight it is also possible that we will get our first look at newcomer Erik Gudbranson, who was recently acquired via trade.
It will be exciting to see how coach Mike Sullivan will place him within the pairings for tonight’s game, and he will bring some more energy to this Penguins game. That will be important, as Buffalo has one of the lesser offenses in the NHL this season, and are also dealing with a current two game skid.
Buffalo has had the advantage over Pittsburgh this season, winning two out of the three, but the Penguins will look to even it with the game tonight. The Penguins have also had their fair share of issues with the team they play Saturday (Montreal), as they have lost both contests against the Canadiens.
Overall, this is an important weekend, as the Penguins still have a tough road ahead if they want to get into the playoffs this season. Compact that with the struggles they have had this year against these two teams, and it makes one worry a little bit. This has just been one of those seasons where it is hard to find consistency for Pittsburgh, but with the Columbus game, it appears that this could be the start of another rally.
And if they are able to come out of this weekend with two wins, it will look very good for their prospects moving forward. But regardless of that, things are an uphill battle for Pittsburgh, and it will be exciting to watch as the season draws to a close.