I close my eyes and the visions come rushing in, like some unrelenting hockey nightmare. The Penguins are working on a power play. They pass (pass, pass) the puck around the perimeter in search of the perfect setup or opening, only occasionally daring to reverse the rubber along the boards for fear of losing possession.
Finally, someone gets antsy enough to unleash a shot, often directly into a penalty killer’s shin pads. Our foes win the battle for the loose puck and clear the zone, or worse, set sail for our end on an odd-man shorthanded break.
Over a quarter of the way through the 2023-24 season, our power-play continues to plummet to the infernal regions of the league rankings.