After two straight debacles, the Penguins have blown any progress they made after losing four out five. Those last two against Vegas and Arizona being the worst, the Penguins embarrassed themselves in both.
The Pens are now back in the Metro basement, with the Capitals ahead by a win, Islanders and Devils ahead by three points, and the Hurricanes ahead by seven.
Given the current performance of the Penguins, I have notable skepticism about their ability to secure one of the wildcard spots. The task becomes even more challenging with teams like Detroit and Tampa Bay surging ahead, holding a considerable 5-point advantage over the struggling Penguins.