Pittsburgh Penguins

Toronto Phils out last playoff spot in the East
April 9, 2017, 11:39 AM ET [21 Comments]
Ryan Wilson
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The Pittsburgh Penguins dropped last night's game against the Toronto Maple Leafs by a score of 5-3. We are 81 games into the season and will limp into the 82nd and final game against the New York Rangers today.

If Pittsburgh could rest all of their players they would. The team has exercised many call-ups from the AHL during the past week. Today they called up three more. Oskar Sundqvist, Derrick Pouliot, and Jean-Sebastian Dea will all play in the finale today.

Pittsburgh's loss last night was Toronto's gain. The Maple Leafs secured the two points necessary for them to clinch the Eastern Conference's final playoff berth. This of course was bad news for both the Tampa Bay Lightning and the New York Islanders who will miss the playoffs. For Tampa Bay it puts a bow on what was a very disappointing season. The team is only one year removed from being a game from the Stanley Cup Final. They returned a majority of their roster, but injuries took their toll over the season. It really makes you appreciate how Pittsburgh has been able to navigate their many injuries over the years. Sure, they've had their share of disappointing playoff runs, but they get to the dance every year.

Toronto may have their playoff spot secure, but their work isn't over if they want to have a winnable first round series




There is a huge difference between playing the Capitals and playing the Senators.

It is good news for hockey fans that Toronto is back in the playoffs. They will be one of the more entertaining teams to watch whether they win or lose. They are currently one of the worst teams in the league at preventing shots and one of the best at creating shots. High event hockey is fun hockey.

The Sheary-Crosby-Guentzel line was active for last night's game, but they did not receive their regular workload. Each of the three players only played 16 minutes. It didn't stop Jake Guentzel from scoring for the fifth consecutive game and didn't keep Sidney Crosby from padding his league high goal total.

Jake Guentzel found some time on the top power play and showed off his opportunistic skill set on his assist to Sidney Crosby. His ability to not only get to the front of the net for goals, but create from below the goal line give the Penguins power play an extra dimension that they don't get from other net front options.




That was Sidney Crosby's 44th on the year he remains four clear of Auston Matthews who scored on an empty net later in the game. It was Auston Matthews 40th goal in his rookie season. He's had an amazing season and in a year with many great Calder candidates he has as good of an argument as anybody for the trophy.

Phil Kessel hasn't scored in 11 games. He changed that last night with a classic Phil goal.




Toronto fans are no stranger to a sequence like that from Kessel. It's been a rough go of it in the goal scoring department for Phil lately. Some of it is the streaky nature of NHL goal scoring and the other part has been a quality of teammate issue. The injuries to the Penguins forward grouping haven't left the Penguins star winger with the kind of linemates that can get the most out of him.

In a great twist Kasperi Kapanen scored his first NHL goal against the team that drafted him on the night the player he was traded for also scored. It was a huge goal for the Maple Leafs and came on a very nice play.



Marc-Andre Fleury started for the Penguins and stopped 25 out of the 29 shots on goal he faced. Barring an injury to Matt Murray last night very well could have been the Flower's last start in a Penguins jersey. The team will probably give Tristan Jarry the start this evening and then it is playoff time. Fleury has been one of the most beloved and polarizing athletes in Pittsburgh Penguins history.