Tim Benz: 3 things Penguins need to fix against Flyers

A limited number of Penguins fans will be allowed into PPG Paints Arena Tuesday night just in time to see a three-game set against the hated Philadelphia Flyers.

It’s a crucial series given the current state of the clustered Eastern Division standings. The cross-state rivals will begin play jockeying for the fourth (and final) playoff spot. The Flyers currently have it with 25 points. The Pens are in fifth with 23. The Washington Capitals lead with 28. Followed by a second-place tie between the Boston Bruins and New York Islanders with 26.

The Penguins have struggled to gain steady traction all year long. For many reasons.

Here are three things Mike Sullivan’s team needs to address in a hurry before the puck drops against the Flyers.

1. Special teams: The Penguins power play is clunking along at 15%. That’s 26th in the NHL as of the start of play Monday night.

Their penalty kill of 72.1% is 29th. Only Detroit’s (69.1%) and New Jersey’s (62.3%) are worse. The Pens have allowed a power-play goal in 15 of 20 games this season. Their PK unit allowed both goals in a 2-0 loss against the Islanders Sunday.

In theory, this could be a time when the Penguins get right on special teams because Philadelphia hasn’t been much better. The Flyers penalty kill is 27th (73%) and their normally effective power play is 18th (19%).

Then again, maybe it’s the Flyers that fatten up against the Pens instead. Or the ineffectiveness of the special teams cancel each other out, and five-on-five is the key.

2. Win in regulation: The Penguins’ best quality has been their determination and ability to win clutch, close games. Particularly in overtime.

But the problem with those overtime games in 2021 — since we are exclusively seeing divisional play — is that those aren’t truly “four-point swing” results. That’s because they are so frequently allowing “loser points” in overtime.

Seven of the team’s 11 wins have come in the extra session, thus that’s seven points yielded to divisional foes. They have gathered 22 in those contests for a net of only 15. Meanwhile, of their seven losses, they’ve only gotten one in overtime. That’s why with 11 victories in 20 games, the Penguins are in fifth place. Meanwhile, the Capitals with 12 wins in 21 games are in first place with five more points. And there are three other teams in between.

3. Get Kasperi Kapanen going: I’d say “get Evgeni Malkin going.” But I feel like I’ve written that 10 times already this season.

So let me shift my focus.

Mike Sullivan has already benched Kapanen once this season and demoted him to the third line during Sunday’s loss. He had just one goal in February playing with either Sidney Crosby or Malkin most of the time. That’s not good enough.

If he’s not scoring, he should be on the ailing penalty kill unit. He killed penalties in Toronto. He hasn’t been asked to do so here. His speed, quickness and puck retrieval should be an asset with the man-down group.

Who knows? Maybe a short-handed goal could be the kick in the backside he needs.

Brian Metzer of the Penguins Radio Network joins me for this week’s hockey podcast. We talk about the upcoming series against the Flyers. All those issues. Evgeni Malkin. Goaltending. The 30th anniversary of “The Trade.” The history of Star Lake Amphitheater. And more.