Can The Penguins Keep Up This Offensive Pace?

Letang, Kunitz, and Crosby are Driving the Pens
Offensive Machine

The Pittsburgh Penguins are now the best offensive hockey team in the NHL.  Not only have they scored more goals than any other team in the NHL (95 Goals after 26 games), but they are also leading (or near the top of) the league in the following statistical categories: Goals For Per Game (3.65), Tied for 1st with 26 PP goals, and a 3rd place ranking with a 26% PP percentage (1st in the East).  Not to mention the fact that of the top point getters in the NHL, the Penguins have 4 players in the top 12, the leading (+/-) player with an astounding +21, and the top scoring defenseman in the NHL....oh yeah, and the the leading point getter in the League.

This team is oozing with offensive ability, and I know there are fans/experts out there that will say "Well you have to be able to keep them off the scoreboard too!"  I understand that, but can we just stop and take a look at how good this team is offensively?!  Some NHL teams / franchises never ever get to sniff how good these Pittsburgh Penguins are playing on offense...so lets enjoy it while it lasts!  The Penguins have won 5 games in a row, and a large part of that is thanks to the stellar offense.  During this 5 game winning streak the Pens have scored an astonishing 27 goals!  I'll say that again, 27 goals in 5 games.  The Nashville Predators have scored 52 goals this ENTIRE SEASON (25 games) and the Penguins have more than half of the Predators goals in 5 games.  That is astonishing to me even as I type this article.  The Penguins are getting superstar performances from players that are superstars, and those players are making everyone else look better than they typically do on paper.

No one should be surprised that Sidney Crosby is accumulating 3 point games like most players hope for 1 point games.  His feel for Pascal Dupuis and Chris Kunitz is uncanny, and a good reason why Dan Bylsma was smart NOT to keep the Kunitz, Neal, and Malkin line together that was dominant last season, but put Kunitz back with Crosby and Duper.  That line alone has been purely dominant in every sense of the word.  The scary thing to me, is that as impressive as this team has been offensively, they are still missing some pieces.  First and most importantly, is a healthy Evgeni Malkin.  Malkin can only add to the offensive prowess of this team, but due to a concussion and a shoulder injury, the superstar Russian has not been consistent with his offensive statistics.  James Neal's production has suffered due to Malkin's injury and that is another factor of having a healthy Malkin on that 2nd line.  After a healthy Malkin, the Penguins have not gotten very much production from their 3rd and 4th lines.  Jordan Staal wasn't a scoring machine, but Brandon Suter has shown flashes of what Staal brought to the Pens while he was playing for the black n' gold.  Scoring from the 3rd and 4th lines have come primarily from Matt Cooke.  How many people had him as a scorer heading into the season?  Not me...thats for sure.

So the questions remains.  Can the Penguins keep up this offensive pace?  I think you'd be ridiculous to think it would continue.  27 goals in 5 games is almost superhuman in terms of the NHL.  I think you can expect the Penguins to get at least 3 goals in most contests, but the team is really starting to click at this point in the season.  Do I think the Pens can keep up this pace?  I actually do...especially when Malkin returns.  This team has more offense in their top 2 lines that some teams have on their entire roster.  The upcoming game vs the Bruins will only help solidify if this team is an offensive powerhouse, or just caught lightning in a bottle the past 5 games....should make for good television.