Pittsburgh Penguins clinch wild card, Bruins eliminated
Through injuries and underwhelming performances, through new faces on the ice and behind the bench, through a 3-5-2 late-season stumble that threatened to end their season in Game 82, the Pittsburgh Penguins can say they endured.
They’re a playoff team, for the ninth straight season.
At this point, that’s all that matters.
Brandon Sutter scored two goals and Marc-Andre Fluery made 28 saves as the Pittsburgh Penguins defeated the Buffalo Sabres, 2-0, to clinch the final wild card spot in the Eastern Conference. They’ll face the first overall New York Rangers in the first round, so get ready for two weeks of incessant commentary about Marc Staal’s stick and the back of Sidney Crosby’s head.
The Penguins needed the win after losing to the New York Islanders in regulation on Friday night, combined with Ottawa’s regulation win over the Flyers.
A scoreless first period didn’t inspire much confidence; after all, the Penguins needed two points or else they’d run the risk of losing a tie-breaker with the Boston Bruins, the ninth-place team facing Tampa Bay on Saturday night.
Sutter opened the scoring at 14:23, taking the puck from behind the net, getting escorted to the slot by Sabres defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen and snapping a backhander past Anders Lindback.
It was 2-0 at 8:26 of the third period when Sutter snapped a shot past Lindback following a comedy of errors by Buffalo in their own zone – turning the puck over twice, allowing a 2-on-1 down low in which Winnik found Sutter.
Fleury carried the Penguins the rest of the way, making 28 saves for his 10th shutout.
It’s only appropriate that two of the Penguins whose performances this season should be free of criticism showed up in the playoff clincher: Sutter, matching his career high with 21 goals, and Fluery, who posted one of his best regular seasons.
Meanwhile, the Bruins were eliminated via the wins by Ottawa and Pittsburgh, the first time since 2006-07 they won't be in the playoffs. Combined with the Los Angeles Kings missing in the West, and it marks the first time the defending Stanley Cup and Presidents’ Trophy winners both missed the playoffs in the following season.
