PITTSBURGH -- The Pittsburgh Penguins struggled down the stretch last season before earning the final Stanley Cup Playoff berth from the Eastern Conference. They are shooting a lot higher this season.
The Penguins led the Metropolitan Division for much of last season before fading and needing to defeat the last-place Buffalo Sabres on the final night of the regular season. But with a returning core of forwards Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, defenseman Kris Letang, and goalie Marc-Andre Fleury, plus newcomer Phil Kessel, the Penguins are expecting to return to the top of the conference in Mike Johnston's second season as coach.