After the Penguins clinched a playoff birth on Tuesday with their win over Tampa Bay, they could have just looked past the New York Islanders. But with playoff positioning still to be determined they did not. The game last night saw Mathieu Garon in net instead of Fluery and the return of Philippe Boucher to the lineup against the lowly Islanders.

Boucher was obviously overwhelmed in his first shift starting the game and quickly was replaced on the ice after several fumbles and missteps. The Penguins as a team played sloppy as well and took two penalties in the first five minutes which lead to an early 0-1 deficit for Pittsburgh. But Boucher and the Penguins stormed back. Boucher (3) scored off a rebound and, crashing the net late in the first to tie the game and the team never looked back as they rattled off five more unanswered goals from Dupuis (12), Cooke (13), Guerin (21), Crosby (33) and lastly Misterrrrrrrrrrr Kennnnneddyyyyyyyyyyy (15) to end the scoring.

The win keeps the Penguins with an outside chance at home ice advantage in the playoffs however, for that to happen Carolina must lose their final game against New Jersey (a possibility) and Philadelphia must do no better than split their remaining games against the Islanders and Rangers (also possible). But the Penguins must also win Saturday against the Canadiens which would give them, if this scenario plays out, two more points than Carolina, and the either the same or two more points than Philadelphia with the Penguins holding the head to head tie-breaker.

Regardless, the Penguins have the 6th seed locked up and can drop no further. All that is left to be determined is who they will face in round one and where.

Pittsburgh had the game yesterday against Carolina literally stolen from them by the goal tending of Cam Ward as they fell to the Hurricanes 3-2 in overtime. Believe it or not, despite really needing the win to have a strong chance at sneaking up into 4th place in the East, knowing this is the reason they lost is a good thing. It is good because I will tell you this much; if the Penguins continue to play like they have since the month of March started and like they also played yesterday, I do not think there is a single goal tender in the league right now and that they will face in the playoffs that can best them 4 out of seven games in a series.

Now they will have to dig down deep and beat the Panthers today to work towards locking up a post season birth. Florida will be desperate because heading into today’s game they are on the outside looking in and two points back of the eighth place Rangers.

All the Penguins have to do is play the same way they played yesterday and hope they do not get robbed again by another goal tenders and they can be well on the way to the playoffs after 60 minutes of hockey today.

The Penguins can sympathize with the New Jersey Devils who can’t seem to win a game as of late. The Penguins went thought a similar, and longer, stretch like that earlier this season. But that doesn’t mean that the Penguins would show the Devils any mercy. After a 6-1 drubbing last night at the Igloo that was all too clearly the case.

The Devils put up a fight at points during the first 20 minutes and after the Penguins stormed out to a 2-0 lead just 6:31 in to the game. Matt Cooke (11) and Bill Guerin (20) each scored 36 seconds apart to make that score happen. The Devils got a goal from Gionta (19) midway through the frame to halve that lead but it was all the offense they would muster as the Penguins added another first period goal from Malkin (24) and tallies from Crosby (30), Staal (21) and Kunitz (23) to put New Jersey out of their misery. Fleury made 24 saves and the Penguins once again nearly chased Brodeur from the net. It appeared the only reason he remained in goal was just to not allow the Penguins the joy of knowing that they had gotten to him yet again.

The victory propelled the Penguins (42-27-8, 92 pts) over Carolina in to 5th place in the East and just behind Philadelphia who also has 92 points but a game in hand. Had the Penguins beaten the Flyers last month when the two squared off at the Igloo they would be ahead of them. Pittsburgh won the season series against the Flyers 4-2 and holds an important tie breaker in the standings.

The problem for the Penguins is that despite their incredible streak heading into the playoffs they have failed to separate themselves from the pack in the bottom half of the east and hold a mere 5 point cushion over 9th place Florida whom they play on Sunday. But first they have a showdown with Carolina which can help keep them in 5th place. A loss would mean falling behind the Hurricanes and back into at least 6th.

The Penguins finished March 10-1-2 as they defeated the New York Rangers at home today by a score of 4-3. Talbot (11), Cooke (10), Fedotenko (14) and Crosby (29) all scored for Pittsburgh in the victory which gives the Penguins a three point cushion over the Rangers in the Eastern Conference standings.

Today’s game was one of four the against other Eastern Conference teams vying for playoff spots that the Penguins needed to win. Next the Penguins have the take on the New Jersey Devils April 1.

Fleury made 26 saves to earn the win.

The Pittsburgh Penguins and the Calgary Flames played a grueling game on Wednesday night reminiscent of what the Penguins will have to play night in and night out come the post season. It was a game that Marc-Andre Fleury stole for the home team with superb goal tending so the Penguins should count themselves lucky to have gotten two points out of it. But now there is a bigger task for the Penguins to tackle – the New York Rangers.

The Rangers come into town to play the Penguins on Saturday and are right behind the home team in the race for playoff positioning. Pittsburgh boasts a record of 40-27-8 (88pts/75 GP) to the Rangers 39-27-9 (87pts/75 GP) mark. In order to hang on to 6th place in the East Pittsburgh will need to win. Pittsburgh has been hot in March, again, going 9-1-2 so far with only the Rangers left before the month ends.

The grit the Penguins have been displaying lately is refreshing and once again I am forced to say that this team looks better than the team which entered the playoffs last year on fire. This year the team is much more balanced and did a much better job at the trade deadline bringing in a better compliment of players for the money than they did last year with the acquisition of Marion Hossa.

Lots of focus has been placed on what the Penguins have to do over their remaining seven games to secure a playoff spot. The number bandied about in terms of points required to make the playoffs is 94. By that logic, and it is fairly sound, the Penguins need to win three of their remaining seven.

But with Florida in 9th place and also with seven games remaining, I do not think that is safe enough of a bet. The Panthers right now have 83 pts. IF they were to get hot and win out, they could finish with 97 total points. So as I write this, and depending on this weeks action and results this will certainly change, I do not care about “magic numbers.” The Pens must win and keep winning to stay alive. And with games against the Rangers, the Hurricanes, the Panthers and the Canadiens (all teams either right behind them or right ahead of them in the standings) I think it is safe to say that these are all must win games. If the Penguins win each of these four they will make the playoffs.

Pittsburgh dominated then slumped then dominated again last night against the Florida Panthers and in the process salvaged a much needed two points over a conference foe just barely a head of them in the standings. With the bottom of the Eastern Conference standings more jammed than the parkway at rush hour, the Penguins had to win last night. Anything less would have seen them once again on the outside looking in. Conceding a point to the Panthers was not the ideal way to win, but considering how the game transpired, the Penguins should be thankful for getting the win.

Vokoun allowed only 3 goals on the fifty shots that he saw. Many more were blocked. Had he not been on his game, the score would never have been tied heading into the end of regulation. Fleury stopped 18 of the 21 shots he faced in 65 minutes of regulation and sudden death overtime with a few spectacular ones as well.

Malkin (30) opened the scoring in the first and the Penguins opened the second period with a 1-0 lead. But Florida somehow managed to escape the period with not just the lead, but a substantial 3-1 lead on only seven shots in the period. The third goal by Ballard (6) was in fact a good goal despite what fans at the Igloo thought. There was no kicking motion as the puck came off his skate leading to a review and the goal being upheld.

Pittsburgh however answered back quickly in the third with goals from Staal (18) just 2:20 in and then Crosby (26) a hair over three minutes later to tie the game. Pittsburgh squandered many power play opportunities and their troubles with the man advantage continue.

In the shoot out Fleury was perfect, stopping both of Florida’s first two shooters. For the Penguins, Letang scored on Vokoun, Crosby was stopped and Malkin made Vokoun look foolish with a move that in the end was simply him dragging the puck past the sprawled out net minder and pushing it into a yawning net.

The win vaulted Pittsburgh over Florida in the standings and 6th place in the Eastern Conference and just a point behind struggling Montreal. At 36-26-6 (78 pts) the Penguins are just four points behind Philadelphia for fourth and just two points ahead of the Rangers who are in ninth.

Next, the Penguins have to travel to Columbus where they will meet the not as bad as previous years Blue Jackets in another must win game against a hapless opponent in order to maintain their playoff position. Columbus is 34-27-6 (74 pts) and at 6-4-0 in their last 10 games are also trying to hang on to a playoff spot in the West.