Since reaching the Stanley Cup Finals in 2008, the Pittsburgh Penguins have met the beginning of every season with heightened expectations.
With some of the game's brightest stars, an award-winning coach and an ownership group which spends to the salary cap ceiling every year, those expectations aren't misplaced.
So when the team began this 2011-12 season as one of the favorites to win the Eastern Conference Championship and reach the Stanley Cup Finals, fans rightly expected a hot start.
In spite of the league's busiest October schedule, the team hasn't disappointed.
Especially compared to last year.
The Pens have gathered points in each of their first five contests this season, taking wins from Vancouver, Calgary and Florida while dropping an overtime decision to Washington and a shootout to the Edmonton Oilers.
Considering the Penguins schedule, it hasn't been a bad start. They opened with a three game swing through Western Canada (some 3,000 miles away), played a back-to-back set and have already faced 2011's first seeded team from each conference (Washington and Vancouver), from whom they took three of four poin ...
Read Full Article at Bleacher Report - NHL
Article written by James Conley
Pittsburgh Penguins: Hot Start in Steep Contrast with Last Season’s Lull
October 14th, 2011 by James Conley Leave a reply »
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