Just when it looked like the Penguins were throwing in the towel and looking ahead to next season, they go ahead and post four straight wins. Thanks to the Eastern Conference being so tight, at the time of their fourth consecutive win, the Penguins were just four points back of the second wild card spot.

The New York Rangers defeated the Columbus Blue Jackets, pushing the Penguins to six points back, but being that close to a playoff spot is a sharp contrast to where they were at the trade deadline.

Upon returning from the 4 Nations Face-Off break, the Penguins went 1-6-1 and found themselves in the basement of the Metropolitan Division. Landing the first overall pick at the upcoming NHL Draft seemed more likely than fighting for a spot in the postseason, but things can swing quickly in the East this year.

The Penguins lost 4-0 to the Vegas Golden Knights on deadline day, but haven’t been back to the win column since. Since their loss in Vegas, the Penguins have gone on to beat the Minnesota Wild, squeak out an overtime win over the Golden Knights, defeat the St. Louis Blues, then thump the New Jersey Devils.

Outscoring their opponents 18-9 in the last four outings, the Penguins are crawling their way out of the bottom of the league. Their playoff odds are still well under 1% according to moneypuck.com, but they aren’t dead yet.

An unexpected common denominator in the Penguins’ winning streak is the return of struggling goalie Tristan Jarry. After being recalled from a stint in the American Hockey League, Jarry has made 120 saves during this four-game win streak with a .930 save percentage.

It’s usually hard to bet against the likes of Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, but most of the 2024-25 season has been rough for the Penguins. With less than 20 games remaining, though, they may keep things interesting.

No team in the NHL has played more games than the Penguins, so everyone has games in hand. The odds are still very much stacked against them, but one thing is certain: the Penguins will always be entertaining, one way or another.

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