Penguins pledge to be at their best after getting some help

The Pittsburgh Penguins looked their best Monday.

And they had to.

It was team picture day.

Before the start of practice at PPG Paints Arena, players wore their white road jerseys and, along with coaches, front office managers, equipment and medical staffers as well as other employees, they assembled at center ice in chairs and a raised platform to pose for a photo that will go on a wall with the 54 other such portraits that have preceded it.

As for the practice, the Penguins did just about everything they could to make sure they will be at their best for Tuesday’s regular-season home finale against the Chicago Blackhawks.

It was an energetic affair that lasted nearly an hour, dutiful and full of purpose.

And if anything was even slightly askew, it was corrected in a direct fashion.

During special teams drills, the team’s penalty killers were not supplying sufficient resistance to the top power-play unit, prompting coach Mike Sullivan, watching from the home bench, to blow his whistle, skate on the ice and bellow, “Killers! Pressure! Go!”

The reason the practice took on the tone it did was twofold.

First, the Penguins haven’t had a practice since March 31 because of the demanding nature of the schedule late in the regular season.

Second, they have a lot to play for in the final two games of the regular season.

Namely, their playoff lives.

“It was a spirited practice,” Sullivan said. “We had a lot of enthusiasm. The guys are excited about the challenge that we have in front of us. We’re trying to do our best to put ourselves in a position here to make the playoffs.”

The Penguins (40-30-10, 90 points) remain on the outside looking in at the wild-card positions of the Eastern Conference as they trail the Florida Panthers (42-31-8, 92 points) and New York Islanders (41-31-9, 91 points).

But the Penguins got plenty of help Monday evening, however, as each of those teams lost. In Sunrise, Fla., the Toronto Maple Leafs — who had nothing to tangibly gain or lose in the standings — defeated the Panthers, 2-1, in overtime. Meanwhile in Washington, the Islanders were upended 5-2 by a short-handed Capitals team that dressed only 19 players because of injury and salary cap issues.

Those teams have one game remaining on the schedule while the Penguins have two.

If the Penguins win those two games, they will make the playoffs regardless of what their rivals do.

(Curiously, the Buffalo Sabres have not been fitted for a toe tag as of yet. Following a 3-2 road shootout win against the New York Rangers on Monday, the Sabres have a 40-32-7 record and 87 points. With three games remaining, they could theoretically surpass the Penguins, Panthers and Islanders.)

While they certainly weren’t oblivious to the ramifications Monday’s games had on their fortunes, the bulk of the Penguins’ attention was on themselves.

“We just control what we can control,” Penguins defenseman Jan Rutta said. “It’s a cliche, but we have two games that, no matter what, we have to get two points out of (each). What’s going to happen in other games is what’s going to happen. Just make sure to be prepared well, and we play well and we give ourselves a chance.”

The only thing the Penguins’ next two opponents have to gain this season is a chance at securing the top pick in the NHL Draft this summer. The Blackhawks (25-49-6, 56 points) and Thursday’s opponent, the Columbus Blue Jackets (24-47-8, 56 points), enter Tuesday tied for the fewest points in the NHL.

“It doesn’t change what we have to do,” Penguins forward Sidney Crosby said of the upcoming opposition. “We have to worry about ourselves.”

Two players the Penguins might not have to worry about are injured forward Nick Bonino (lacerated kidney) and Dmitry Kulikov. Both players were full participants in Monday’s practice and even took part in rushes.

Sullivan did not offer any kind of forecast for either’s status with regard to Tuesday’s game. Bonino, sidelined since March 9, was ambiguous about his situation, and Kulikov, absent since March 11, stopped just short of stating he will be in the lineup.

“It’s a tough feeling having to rely on help (from other teams), especially when I can’t help this team,” Bonino said. “That’s what’s probably the most frustrating.

“Obviously, you don’t want to be in this situation, but that’s the reality.”

The Penguins’ reality is stark at the moment. But they pledge to keep their focus internal.

“Control what we can,” forward Bryan Rust said. “Just got to go from there. The more you start focusing on outside factors, that’s when bad things happen.”

Note: Defenseman Marcus Pettersson, sidelined since March 18 and designated to long-term injured reserve, also skated in a full-contact capacity Monday but is not eligible to rejoin the active roster until Thursday. … Forward Drew O’Connor, scratched for Saturday’s 5-1 road win against the Red Wings because of an undisclosed injury, practiced in a noncontact capacity Monday.