Locked On Penguins - Daily Podcast On The Pittsburgh Penguins - Penguins look to get a SEASON SWEEP in Vegas!

Episode Date: March 12, 2026

The Penguins' 5-game road swing shifts to Las Vegas tonight, where they'll meet the Golden Knights with the chance for a season sweep! Hunter and Patrick begin the show, taking a look at a Vegas team that, while talented, is still going through its fair share of struggles. Despite a deep roster, the Golden Knights aren't getting the saves they need from their goaltenders, and that could be an opening for the Penguins. (0:00) Then, the Penguins will ice the same lineup in Vegas that they had in Carolina, with the only change being Arturs Silovs in net. After grinding a point out of Carolina, they discuss what the Penguins can do tonight that will get them two points instead of just one, including some tweaks to the power play. (12:21) Finally, the Penguins find themselves in a dead heat with several other Eastern Conference teams as the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoff race continues at a breakneck pace. They discuss which teams they think will stamp their ticket to the postseason, and who will be on the outside looking in. (22:07) Everydayer ClubJoin the Everydayer Club for ad-free audio, access to our group chat on Discord, and more. Use code DEADLINE ahead of the trade deadline for one month free. Tap here to learn more: https://lockedonpodcasts.com/everydayerclub   Support Us By Supporting Our Sponsors! QuoMake this the year where no opportunity — and no customer — slips away.Try Quo for free plus get 20% off your first 6 months when you go tohttp://Quo.com/lockedonnhl. Indeed Now, you can speed up your hiring process with a $75 Sponsored Job Credit. Just go to https://indeed.com/podcast right now and support our show by saying you heard about Indeed on this podcast. Terms and conditions apply. Gametime Download the Gametime app, create an account, and use code LOCKEDON for $20 off your first purchase. Terms apply. Download Gametime today. What time is it? Gametime. FanDuel FanDuel is giving you a way to turn that energy into even bigger potential wins with a College Basketball Parlay Profit Boost. Visit https://FANDUEL.COM to get started — Play Your Game.   FANDUEL DISCLAIMER: 21+ in select states. First online real money wager only. Bonus issued as nonwithdrawable free bets that expires in 14 days. Restrictions apply. See terms at sportsbook.fanduel.com. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER or visit FanDuel.com/RG (CO, IA, MD, MI, NJ, PA, IL, VA, WV), 1-800-NEXT-STEP or text NEXTSTEP to 53342 (AZ), 1-888-789-7777 or visit ccpg.org/chat (CT), 1-800-9-WITH-IT (IN), 1-800-522-4700 (WY, KS) or visit ksgamblinghelp.com (KS), 1-877-770-STOP (LA), 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369) (NY), TN REDLINE 1-800-889-9789 (TN) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The Pittsburgh Penguins five-game road chip goes to fabulous Las Vegas on Thursday night, and Pat and I are going to get you all set for that game coming up right after this. You're Locked-on Penguins, your daily podcast on the Pittsburgh Penguins, part of the Locked-on podcast network, your team every day. Hello and welcome back to the Thursday edition of the Locked-on Penguins podcast. I'm one of your host, Hunter Hodes. you can follow me on Twitter at Hunter Hodes. joined by my co-host, Patrick Gamp,

you can follow him on all social media platforms at Sendin for Wet. You can also follow this show's Twitter at LLO underscore Penguins, and you can find us on Instagram at Locked-on underscore Penguins. Of course, thank you all so much for making this your first listen slash watch the day.

We are free and available on all platforms. And finally, this episode is brought to you by Fandul. Fandall is giving you a way to turn that energy into even bigger potential, with a college basketball parley profit boost, head to fandle.com to get started. So, Pat, this will be the second game of this five-game road trip as we head to fabulous Las Vegas, 10 o'clock start time tonight. This is made for me as a late night hockey sicko can stay out till 1230, almost 1 a.m.

Going into Friday, excuse me, this is made for me, man. I love late night hockey. And the penguins, they're going to be going with the same lineup for tonight. because Cindy Crosby, while he was out there for the morning skate on Thursday, he's still not good to go just yet. He was skating on line with Afghani Malkin and Kevin Hayes. So he's still working his way back. No need to panic.

Come back on Saturday. Maybe he comes back on Monday when Malkin is eligible to come off from his suspension. But Sid, still not ready to go just yet. But again, he continues to make progress. Sam Gerard, it looked like was potentially going to return because he was out there for the morning skate with a regular jersey. then left the ice early and then Penguins PR said that he is still day to day with his injury. He will not play tonight, meaning again, it will be the same lineup for this game.

Igor Chinakov with Rickel and Brian Russ on the top line, Anthony Nampa, Tommy Novak and Billy Coybin on the second line, Elmore Soderblom with Ben Kindle and Avery Hayes on the third line, and then Connor Dewar, Blake Lazot, and Noa Chario for the fourth line. Defensively, same pairings. Parker Watherspoon with Eric Carlson, Ryan Shea with Crystal Tang, and Ilya Soloviev with Connor Clifton, Alexander Alexiev, was also rotating in there. He was recalled by the Penguins earlier today because Ryan Graves was set back to Wilkesbury

on a conditioning stand, and it'll be Archer Shilov's starting in net for the Penguins as the Penguins continue their goaltender rotation. Pat, really no surprise with the lineup here. That lineup did everything they could to salvage a point from that Carolina game. They have three out of four points over the last two games, very respectable. you're going into this game against the Vegas team that is really struggling out of the Olympic break. They are. And this is a huge opportunity for the penguins since the, since the end of the Olympic break.

Vegas, like you said, has struggled. They're currently in the middle of a three game losing streak. They're four, six and oh in their last 10. This is a team that has struggled pretty mightily with playoff teams, no less. Their last couple of wins in their last 10 are Detroit, who is in the playoff picture, but with how crazy the Atlantic has been and with some injuries, Detroit might drop out over the next couple of weeks. And then the Kings twice in Vancouver, but they've got losses to the capitals, are very penguins, the Sabres, Minnesota, Edmonton, and Dallas.

So this is a Vegas team that's kind of getting themselves filled up on empty capital. salaries and when it's time for them to beat teams that can actually do something, they don't find a way to do it. And excuse me, I'll say basically the same thing I said before our last preview at the start of the month against Vegas. It's a very strong roster. It's a lot of talent up front and on the back end. Then you go to the goal.

They are struggling in net this year. Akirishmead, 893. Two shutouts, though. So that's not too bad. Hayden Hill, 859, 3.32 goals against average. This is a Vegas team that has all the talent in the world when it comes to their skaters, but they cannot get a save. Yeah, and I'm sure they've tried poking around the goaltending market around the trade deadline.

I think it probably would have been a little too much for them right now in terms of, you know, assets making everything work. I think that's something that they're going to really have to look at over the summer. say Vegas is like the one team that always operates like an NBA team where you know it's just like we'll make one move they'll try to do something else a year later they'll just keep doing stuff like that and I just think with the goaltending this year I think they botched it like you're really going to go into the playoffs with Aiden Hill being your guy and he's starting tonight by the way against the penguins which you know on paper it is good and you saw last game like when he played

against the penguins. The penguins lit him up, man. He was not good in that game. He gave up a couple of very, very soft goals. Would not be surprised if the same thing happened tonight just because, again, he has been woeful this year. Maybe they go to Akir Schmidt in the playoffs once they get there. It also helps them, even though they've been struggling as of late Pat, it helps that

their division is awful. Like, look how bad the Pacific is. Like, yeah, I don't mind Anaheim, but still, are they like a true, true contender when you compare them to Colorado, Dallas, Minnesota. No, Edmonton is very flawed again this year. Vegas on paper is good, and they have some solid underlines. You know, their top 10 and shot attempts at 5 on 5. Their top 5 and expected goal share, but their 19th in actual goals, they can't get saves, and they just haven't been jelling as well as I thought they would. I think of a Bruce Cassidy coach team. I think of a team that generates good offense,

and they really shut things down, shut things down, excuse me, in their own end. I'm not seeing them play that type of lockdown defense that you would come to expect, Pat, under a Bruce Cassidy coach team. No, that's the craziest thing. I mean, you look, and it's, it's a really difficult way or difficult problem to try to figure out with this Vegas team because you look at their back end and it's pretty good. Rasmus Anderson, Shea Theodore, Noah Hanofin, Jeremy LaZone, Braydenab before, uh, he, he has been in and out of the lineup, but it's a good defensive core.

But they're also struggling to defend. They're struggling to get saves. So it's difficult to say which is which. Is it the fact that their defense might not be as good in practice as they are on paper? Or is it the fact that they're not getting saves? I mean, the other thing that always stands out to me about this Vegas team is up front. You've got Jack Eichael and Mitch Marner, who both players, in my estimation at least, do not get nearly the love they deserve for their defensive acumen.

Mitch Marner might be the single best puck thief in the NHL. He can pick pocket players like nobody I've ever seen. It's actually wild to watch. If you have ESPN Plus or you live out on the West Coast and you can tune into Vegas games, ISO yourself on Marner anytime he touches the ice. He is really good defensively. Same thing with Jack Eichol. Jack Eichael has a ton of points this year, obviously, as he always does.

23 goals, 49 assists for 72 points, but he is a great two-way forward as well. So it's a really baffling Vegas team that, I mean, as I talk myself through it here, you got to figure it's goal-tending, but it's often more than just that. Right. And you said it for Eichel. He's one of the best two-way centers in the game that we have today. Marner has also really worked on his defensive game as we've gone through this. Mark Stone has been hurt since he got injured against the Penguins off a very innocent-looking

play. He has 21 goals and 60 points in 43 games. This injury update, though, Pat, was very fascinating. So Mark Stone, he came back to the morning skate today, no contact Jersey. He participated in line rushes. He participated in the top power play and all that good stuff. But Bruce Cassidy still did not rule him out. for this game. Usually a player has to take contact before he comes back, but it sounds like they're going to wait to see how he feels at game time. So to be determined if he plays. If he does,

that is a big boost for them. He is one of their best players. If not, obviously, that has a huge loss. But even without Mark Stone, Tomas Hurdle has 24 goals this year. He's been really good. Pavel Dorothea has 30 goals. They're scouting with him. Was sensational. He is a really, really underrated player in this game. And then, you know, Ivan Barbashev is also closing in on another 20 goal season. So this team, they're still deep. They got nicked out at the trade deadline from the Washington Capitals. But again, it just hasn't overall translated to the ice.

And they need to get more consistent sooner or out than later, or they could potentially flame out early in the playoffs. But overall, Pat, this is a very winnable game for the Penguins on this road trip. And I know they're still without Crosby. They're still about Malkin, but you still want to take advantage of a team that is down in the depths like this, especially as your schedule gets tougher, other teams around you in the standings

are playing tonight, including the Columbus Blue Jackets, they're down in Florida, taking on the Panthers. If you can get two points tonight while the Blue Jackets say, for example, they lose their regulation, all of a sudden, you're back to being five points up, and then again, you're one game closer to Crosby coming back, one more game closer to Malcon coming back.

This is a big game, Stan makes wise. It's a huge opportunity. And the other thing to kind of build off what you're saying is Vegas, is pretty pedestrian at home, just a paltry 14, 10, and 7. Team Mobile Arena used to be a house of horrors.

Yeah. For everybody, not just for the penguins. Some of it was, yes, the novelty of Las Vegas having an NHL team and don't let coaches and players and managers tell you to not believe your lying eyes. It's Las Vegas. They went out.

They had fun. They had the Vegas flu. But also, Vegas was, both a really good team and Vegas fans are one of one. They have a blast. They make it a damn hostile atmosphere. But this year doesn't seem that bad. So a lot of things are lining up for the penguins to get what is shaping up to be a pretty crucial two points.

Yeah. And the penguins have also been a lot better on the road this year compared to the last couple of seasons as well. But that's going to do it for this first segment. Coming up in the second segment, Pat and I are going to dive into some keys to victory for the Penguins tonight. That's coming up right after this. But before we get to that, we have to tell you all about our first sponsor, which is Fandall. College basketball is nonstop, big games, tight spreads, momentum swings every single night. From early tip-offs to late-night West Coast shootouts, there's always action on the board.

And now Fandle is giving you a way to turn that energy into even bigger potential wins with a college basketball parley profit boost. You can build any college troops parlay you want. Rivalry games, ranked matchups, whatever fits your read. You can make spreads, totals, and player props to match how you see the slate playing out. Then you can apply the profit boost and instantly bump up the potential payout. Go safe, go bold, ride with the team you've been following all season. It's your parlay, your style, now with more upside behind it. Head to fandul.com to get started.

That's fandul.com to get started. That's fandle play your game. All right, we're back here on the Thursday edition of the Locked-on Penguins podcast. I'm one of your host, Hunter Hodes, joined by my co-host, Patrick Ham. And Pat, it's funny, I always start this off with special teams and especially the powerplay because two out of the last three games, I have not liked the Penguins four on three powerplay situation. So if that comes up again tonight, say this game goes to overtime and the Penguins draw penalty

in overtime, I want to see some adjustments from Todd Nelson and the rest of the staff. I just have not liked the power play in those situations. That's the biggest thing that I've really harped on with those two losses. Like, yeah, I'm glad they've gotten a point. It's four out of six points overall in these last three games, but it easily could have been six out of six if they just finish those two teams off that took dumb penalties in overtime. And they've had trouble setting up, trouble getting the flow going in the offensive zone.

That has something to at least look at, keep an eye on, fine-tune for, this game. And I can even say the power play as a whole. I liked that they were running it through Chinokov a bit more against Carolina. I want to see that continue in this one. I love the way Brian Russ is playing. Don't get me wrong. I just don't think the power play should run through him fully. I want it to be Chinikov, especially with the way that he has been going as of like the PK. I feel like we could talk how great it is for an hour. Like I expect that to continue in this one. And then obviously already party. I want to see him bounce back a little bit from his last start again.

He made some really key saves down the stretch in that third period. All I'm saying is there's another level that he can reach, and we have seen him at that level a lot over the last month, month and a half, and I just want to see him get back to that for this game. Special teams are going to be huge tonight against Vegas, and about the PK, it's about one percentage point off of being the top power play. in, or penalty kill, excuse me, in the entire league.

As for the power play, listen, I'm with you. I love Brian Rust, beachfront property in my heart, one of the most clutch penguins to ever play, one of the best, best heart type guys, best leadership type guys in a long time. But he is great for grunt work. He is not your guy running a power play. He's the guy that you have worked the corners.

he's the guy you have worked the front of the net. He's the guy you have retrieved the puck. He's not the guy you have conducting the symphony, unfortunately. But I think Chinikov is that guy or Carlson, one of the two. You run your power play through those guys, make them the focal point, put the onus on them to make this thing work. Because I said it in the recap, outside of the overtime power play, which again, I think they overthink themselves into paralysis at this point.

in regulation, going up against a power kill like Carolina, they kept it simple. They kept the puck moving. They took what the hurricanes gave them. And tonight, you're going to play another top 10 power play or penalty kill in the league in Vegas. So you're not going to have a lot of time to overthink it. You're not going to have a lot of time to try to get too fancy.

Take what they give you, get the shots to the net, play this a little blue collar, and get yourself a win. So the opportunity is there, but special teams more so than usual because it is top 10 units all around for both teams. I agree with you on that. Another situation I'm going to be closely monitoring is Chris Lattang. We talked about him a little bit towards the end of our Wednesday episode.

The way that he has been playing as of late is simply not good enough. I think that's being nice about it. I want to see if he can start turning the tide a little bit and changing some of these recent performances because it's just not been pretty. He's now back with Ryan Shea, which, you know, that pair has seen some success this year, especially when you go back to the early portion of the season. I think him playing better tonight is also a big key. Eric Carlson has been doing everything as of way. I think he is honestly carrying the rest of this defensive group. Just he's been going nuclear the last couple weeks. I think Carlson's had a great year overall. He has gone

nuclear ever since Crosby went down ever since Malkin got suspended for five games. Obviously, he'll be back on Monday when the Penguins go to Colorado to take on the high-flying avalanche. But Carlson has been awesome. But he still needs some help. And I want to see LaTang have a better performance tonight. That's another key for me. I want to see the depth continuing to step up.

Anthony Mantha has been great. I want to see that continue. Igor Chinakov has been their best forward as of late. I want to see that continue. seeing with Ben Kindle. So, you know, the depth, obviously, but again, really want to see Chris have a big game here. Yeah, I don't want to harp too much on Chris Latang

because we spent a good chunky yesterday's episode talking about him. But it need this is what I'm about to say is going to be a wild comparison. I promise you it's not one to one. I know they are not the same player. But it's just the situation. that I'm going to explain. It's a lot like what I said about Ryan Graves in the sense that it has to start with a first step.

It has to start with, he doesn't have to come out tonight against Vegas and be Chris LaTang circa 2016. He doesn't have to come out and dominate the game, dominate possession, be the best skater on the ice. He just has to have a solid game. And then he has to stack another solid game on top of that and continue to build.

because we know it's there. We saw it mid-season. We saw it right before the Olympic break. He was putting together some good performances. Was it, again, circa 2016, Chris LaTang? No. But it was a Chris LaTang who was playing within his limitations. He was doing things that were effective,

and he wasn't taking unnecessary risks. You look at him in the last few games. I will add this. I think some of this is a byproduct of the fact that Crosby and Mulver's, or out. He is a leader on this team. He's a heart and soul guy on this team. He feels like the burden is going to be on him to have to step up and carry this team. Unfortunately, it's 2026, not 2016. He doesn't possess the ability anymore to dominate the game the way he once did. So if he can just get back to playing some smart, simple hockey, I think he can be effective. I sure hope so. He was really

doing that with Brett Kulak? And yeah, I know. They traded him. I still overall think it was a fine trade. You got that extra asset coming back. And I still think Gerard's skill set is a better overall fit. I just still want to see what Latang can do a little bit more with Shea. And I know some people are talking about, you know, a buyout, a trade for next season. I personally don't think any of those happen. I think if he wants to play next season, it will be here. And I don't think anything is going to change with that. I know some people may not like that answer,

but they're not just going to force a franchise legend out. Like, that's just not what their prongued, what their prerogative is here. So. No. And Kyle Dubus doesn't do buyouts. No. It's his absolute last of last resort.

So I don't think he needs to worry about that. He's got to figure it out. At the end of the day, he's got to figure it out. I know he's in his late 30s. I know he's been through hell and back throughout his career and I have the utmost respect for him. He is one of my favorite all-time penguins to ever wear the sweater. He is the best franchise defenseman in this franchise's history, but it's on him to figure

this out. And if he does, it obviously makes them that much better down the stretch and hopefully into the playoffs. Do you have anything else to add before we throw it to break? Okay. Well, I guess Pat does not for that part, but that will do it for this second segment. coming up to end the show, Pat and I are going to look at the updated playoff race and why we're starting to finally see a little bit of separation between a good chunk of the teams

out of the playoffs right now and the teams that are in a playoffs while that's coming up right after this. But before we get to that, we have to tell you all about our second sponsor, which is indeed workplace chaos, deadwind stacking up, inbox overflowing, and the one position you have to feel still sitting open when the pressure's on and you need the right higher. this is a job for Indeed's sponsored jobs. Indeed, sponsor jobs helps you reach the people who actually fit what you're looking for, skills, experience, location, so you're not just hoping the right candidate stumbles across your post.

And here's a stat that says it all. In the minute that I've been talking to you, companies like yours have made 27 hires on Indeed, according to Indy data worldwide. So if you're hiring, spend less time searching and more time interviewing candidates who check all of your boxes with Indeed's sponsored jobs. And listeners of the show, you will get a 70, $25 sponsored job credit to help get your job post the premium status it deserves at Indeed.com slash podcast.

Just go to Indeed.com slash podcast right now and support our show by saying you heard about Indeed on this podcast. Indeed.com slash podcast. Terms and conditions apply need to hire. This is a job for Indeed's sponsored jobs. Wrapping up the Thursday edition of the Locked-on Penguins podcast here. I'm one of your host, Hunter Hodes, joined by my good friend and coast, Patrick Damp, and Pat solely, but surely, we are seeing some separation in the Eastern

Conference standings. These are the teams that I have as playoff locks right now. Carolina Hurricanes, they are a lock. The Tampa Bay Lightning, they are a lock in the Buffalo Sabres. People can be weird about that. No, they're a lock. I'm stamping it right now. You can say that on the show. I am stamping it, man. I'm putting two locks in the playoffs right now, Buffalo and Carolina. Everybody else right now is a coin flip to me because. I disagree with you on Tampa. I don't know there are coins.

Listen, Tampa is banged up and it's not a, it's not me saying I don't think Tampa's good, but you look at Tampa in the last 10, they're four and six. They're on a two game losing streak. And they are all of four points up, or three points up, I should say,

on their closest competition. And Detroit is in the same, is in the same boat as the lightning in the sense that they're banged up, they're without larkin, they're struggling a little bit as a late. But I mean, at this point, you remember what we said going into this playoff race that if you're in the metro, you're going to need a top three spot to get into the playoffs. That's suddenly changed. A little bit.

Englands are in the wildcard race right now as well. because realistically at this point, Detroit has 79, Boston has 78, penguins and islanders both have 79. If Columbus keeps charging forward like they have, they jump into a top three spot. One of the penguins or the islanders fall into the wild card. And then if Tampa or Detroit or whomever start to kind of falter again, they might be out.

So it's not me to get to my point. It's not me saying that I think the lightning aren't going to make it. It's not me saying that I don't think the lightning are good. It's just the landscape has shifted. And I don't want to put a put them in the playoff stamp on them yet because if they have a rough two weeks, and I'm not even saying they fall apart, but if they go 500 or slightly under and Boston or Montreal or Ottawa have a good week and a half, I could kind of hurt them. I hear you.

I respectfully disagree. I have them as a playoff lock right now. And yeah, I know they've lost a couple in a row, but it's the Tampa Bay Franklin lightning. We're talking about here. I would be shell-shocked if they missed the playoffs. I have them as a lock. They also have two games in hand on the Sabres.

They win those. They are back to being a tied up for first in the Atlantic Division. So I have Buffalo, Tampa, and Carolina as my playoff locks. Everyone else is really fighting to get in outside of the rain. The Rangers, the Maple Leafs, the Devils, the Panthers, the Capitals, and the Flyers. I think all of those teams are cooked at this juncture. The Flyers, there are seven points out, only 18 games to go. It is very hard to make up that type of ground this year.

The Capitals, they only have 16 games left. They're also seven points out. Very, very hard to do this time of year. Ottawa, they are still in this, but there's still six points out. It's going to be a lot for them to get in. Actually, excuse me, they are five points out, but still, it's going to be a lot for them. It's a get-in.

But they're still alive. Columbus is obviously charging. The one team I'm curious about right now is the Red Wings. No Dylan Larkin for at least two weeks. Andrew Kopp also out for at least two weeks. Does that team slide with both of those out? That's the team I'm circling right now as a team that could potentially slide out of a playoff spot outside of the Penguins.

I mean, just for obvious reasons, the Penguins are still without some big names right now. and the schedule is obviously very nasty, but the Red Wings is a team that I'm really looking at. But Montreal, they're fighting. We already talked about the Islanders. The Bruins are still very much there. The jackets, of course. Again, it's really just down to, you know,

the eight teams that you see in a playoff spot right now, and then Columbus and Ottawa to me. I think it's those 10 teams battling for eight spots. I mean, I'll say this. Here's what is going to make this difficult for, your Detroit's and your Tampa's at this juncture. You go through the rest of the teams above them. The New York Islanders in their last 10, three regulation losses.

The Pittsburgh Penguins, two regulation losses, four overtime losses. Carolina hurricanes in their last 10, two regulation losses. Montreal, one regulation loss, three overtime losses. Buffalo, one regulation loss, one overtime loss. And then you look at Tampa, six regulation losses in their last 10. Detroit, five regulation losses, one overtime loss. And then for the teams that are chasing them, Ottawa and Columbus, Columbus has one regulation loss in their last 10, three overtime.

And then Ottawa has two regulation losses, two overtime losses. The problem is that I see right now, and this is why I didn't want to put that stamp on Tampa Bay, is everybody around them is putting up points, whether it's regulation wins, regulation or overtime losses, excuse me. Everybody around them is continuing to compile points. They're leaving two points on the table. And the way this race is shaping up, we talked about it with the Penguins. if you tread water, you're probably going to at least stay in it.

You might not have the spot you had coming out of the break. Like the penguins might not get second in the metro, but third, maybe a wild card spot entirely possible. You look at Tampa Bay, you look at Detroit. Everybody around them is putting up points. They aren't. And just by the pure math of it all, they could fall out of it. I understand what you're saying.

I'm just very confident that Tampa is going to, turn these struggles around. They are too talented, not to. And a lot of the players on there have a ton of playoff experience. They know what these high stakes games are about. I have all the confidence in the world of that team. I still think overall that team is pound for pound on the best team in the conference. But hey, I love to see them play Buffalo in a seven game series,

especially after those teams beat the crap out of each other a few days ago. That was Buffalo saying, we're not afraid of you guys, even though Tampa Bay has been at the king. They've been the king of the mountain before in the Eastern Conference with winning a couple Stanley Cups. But it's going to be a fun race to the finish over the next four-ish weeks. We got it covered every day here on the Locked-on Penguins podcast. And with that, that's going to do it for this episode.

Thank you all so much to take the time to listen to slash watch this one. Pat and I will be back with a fresh episode for you all on Friday, recapping this game against Vegas and getting you all set for Saturday's game against the Utah mammoth as the Penguins will go for a little bit of revenge after blowing that three-goal lead against Utah back in December. So for Patrick Damp, I'm Hunter Hodes. Thank you all so much for tuning in. We appreciate it. We'll be back on Friday.