Penguins shake up Eastern Division standings with win over Bruins
The MassMutual East Division is going to come down to the wire thanks to a recent surge from the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Believe it or not, the 2020-21 NHL season is nearly over. There are only 56 games this season and other than the Vancouver Canucks, every team has played at least 45 games. As teams start the final push to the Stanley Cup Playoffs, few, if any, teams have been hotter than the Pittsburgh Penguins and no division has been more competitive than the MassMutual East Division.
With their 1-0 win over the Boston Bruins on Sunday, the Pens regained the top spot in the division after briefly grabbing it on Saturday, only to lose it later to their archrival Washington Capitals. Though it’s worth noting the Penguins have just a one point lead over the Capitals and have played one more game than them, the Pens need to be taken seriously as Stanley Cup contenders.
Sidney Crosby has been his usual brilliant self with yet another season averaging at least one point per game. It’s easy to get bored by his consistent greatness, but this season is easily one of Sid’s finest symphonies. He’s carried the Penguins, who have the fourth-most man games lost in the league. Tristan Jarry has been strong as of late aside from a hiccup against the New Jersey Devils.
The MassMutual East Division is the NHL’s most fascinating division
Despite Pittsburgh’s recent surge, the Capitals and Islanders aren’t ready to quit yet. With eight games left, the Isles are merely four points shy of the Penguins and the Capitals trail them by just one point. Keep an eye on their two remaining games against the Capitals, as it’s likely those two games could determine who wins the East Division. The Islanders game on Tuesday against the Capitals will also be critical in determining who emerges in first place.
Even lower down in the standings, the New York Rangers are making things extremely interesting for the Boston Bruins. They trail the Bruins by just six points and they could leave Sunday trailing by just four points with two games in hand. Oh, and the Rangers still have two games left against the Bruins, so things could get mighty interesting in the next two weeks.
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Honestly, seeding probably won’t matter in the Eastern Division. Because no matter who you face in the first round, you’re facing another deadly team in the second round. Whoever represents the East Division in the Eastern Conference Final will have earned their spot and will be battle tested.