The Penguins are off to a great start with a 10-2-1 record leading the NHL in goals scored at 4.15 per game.
It hasn't hurt the Penguins have scored at a 37.5% rate while on the power play, which has accounted for 21 (38.89%) of the team's 54 goals scored on the season. They've also scored 30 goals 5on5, 1 shorthanded, and 2 empty net goals.
Is it reasonable to expect the Penguins to stay on an NHL record pace on the man advantage?
Even more so, is it reasonable to expect the Penguins to continue witih their league leading 15.71% shooting percentage while 5-on-5/close when the league this season is 7.52% and over the last seven seasons, league average was 7.71%.
Statistics while game play was 5-on-5/Close for this season
NHL TOI avg - 29:47
Penguins - 22:03 (1st)
Predators - 36:44 (30th)
NHL SH% avg - 7.52
Penguins - 15.71 (1st)
Sabres - 4.49 (30th)
NHL CF/60 avg - 54.6
Penguins - 54.4 (17th)
Blackhawks - 64.8 (1st)
Sabres - 40.7 (30th)
NHL SV% avg - 92.52
Penguins - 94.17 (7th)
Predators - 96.58 (1st)
Hurricanes - 88.31 (30th)
NHL CA/60 avg - 54.4
Penguins - 45.4 (2nd)
Wild - 43.6 (1st)
Sabres - 69.7 (30th)
Do you think the Penguins success is sustainable with a 17th ranked CF/60?
Crosby on Career Pace
If Sidney Crosby continues at his 1.85 points per game pace, he'd finish the season with a career best 152 points.
The last player to hit 150 points was Mario Lemieux during the 1995-1996 season scoring 161 points. Jaromir Jagr just missed that same season with 149 points.
Fleury Extension & Stats
General Manager Jim Rutherford said Marc-Andre Fleury is his goaltender as long as he was the GM and he lived up to those prophetic words this week signing Fleury to a 4-year $23 million extension. Through 11 starts, Fleury has collected 5 quality starts overall (save% 93 or better) and 7 at even-strength.
Prospects Update
Kasperi Kapanen was loaned to the KalPa Kuopio in the Finnish Elite Hockey League (SM-liiga) to get more time to increase his strength and improve his overall game. He has played just five games (3 goals, 3 assists) due to a hand injury.
Tristan Jarry must be wondering about his future in the Penguins organization after the team announced the 4-year extension with Fleury. Jarry was considered one of the better goalies of his draft class and after a strong performance last season for the Edmonton Oil
Kings, he's picked up where he left off with a 92.2% save percentage and 2.15 GAA this season in 17 games played.
Oskar Sundqvist, like Kapanen, had a good training camp with the Penguins but the team determined his long-term development was better in Europe. The 20-year forward has played in nine games for Skelleftea AIK (Swedish Hockey League) scoring three goals and three assists.
Teddy Blueger was drafted in 2012 because of his offensive potential and it appears that might finally be translating on the scoring sheet this season. Blueger has scored six goals and four assists in 10 games for the Minnesota State University - Mankato.