Do you find yourself rooting for the Penguins to win the Metropolitan division? Well, stop. You should be rooting for the Penguins to play the Islanders in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
They play hard, they're a good defensive club, but they struggle at scoring goals. Every team is going to play tighter defense in the playoffs. The teams that should scare Penguins fans are the ones that can put the puck in the net.
The Islanders are clicking at just 12.5 percent on the power play. That's horrendous. The Penguins have recorded more points in March than any other team. The Isles have treaded water.
Carolina on the other hand leads the league in shots per game and is one of the best teams in hockey at suppressing shots. They give the Penguins fits because of the way they attack in waves. They create a lot of defense from the back end. They're relentless in the neutral zone.
I think the Penguins would win the series against Carolina, but I think it would go long. If the Pens and Isles meet in round one, I think Pittsburgh could wrap things up in 5 games.
To win the Cup you need to be good. You need to be healthy. You also need to take advantage of matchups. Pens/Isles is the matchup you should want.