Sean Gentile

Brian Rust, consistently an elite goal scorer.

I think it's seven years in a row with 20-plus goals.

Anthony freaking Mantha with 29 goals this year.

He was the one that put the Penguins in front for good.

Down 2-0.

They go on an 8-1 differential.

So for a team that was projected to finish right around the bottom of the NHL standings, if you look at the little playoff predictor wheel that people like to put out there on social media, the Penguins now have an 84% chance to make the playoffs.

This win convinced me that they are going to do it.

without Geno, with a goaltender situation that I still think is a little bit shaky, who do you go with tonight against Detroit?

And the numbers are, if the Penguins win this game, in regulation, because Detroit's a team that Pens are battling for a wildcard spot, if they were to fall out of the Metro race, with the Islanders and with the surging Blue Jackets,

If the Penguins beat the Red Wings in regulation tonight, that percentage jumps up to 92%.

You can pack up your things, get ready to roll, and book those playoff tickets.

Games 3, 4, and 6, maybe even games 1, 2, 5, and 7, are coming to Pittsburgh.

I was impressed by the way they responded, by the way they bounced back.

And for somebody who has doubted this team for a large portion of this year, yeah, I have.

I've wondered if a stretch of Mantha, Brazil, Waltherspoon, the Nolacharis of the world, Ben Kindles 18.

Okay, when does the dam break?

And I don't think that's unrealistic.

It's not like this is one of the most talented teams in the NHL.

Sid's older, still great.