56 Games Screams New York Will Lose Series

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I did not write all those negative entries calling for a housecleaning starting in January because I wanted to. Simply put the offensive struggles continue, they handed away home ice, and got one goal from a scorer (Beauvillier) while Pens have their secondary scoring only getting better with Malkin returning with two assist, and Carter red-hot with Zucker. To lose game three with Clutterbuck scoring twice, Mayfield scoring against a very beatable goalie is a terrible sign. Varlamov did not have much help, but did not make his saves. New York got the powerplay advantages, and still this is where they likely lose this series unless something not seen against top teams in 56 games happens, and that's scoring from players paid to produce.

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What bothers me is the 0-10 with one overtime win, one overtime loss in road in 56 games, the payroll has never been higher at close to 90 million, and they have veterans who are slowing down & not scoring, who struggled long before Lee got hurt. Barzal is not producing, nor is Eberle while Komarov sits on top line banging bodies. This was not a team at the cap floor outgunned offensively for the first time since the dynasty. What you see on Tampa, Florida, Carolina, Colorado (despite their generational losing) is the speed/skill needed to win a Cup. Boston has a scoring line, and a little more & they don't seem on the cup radar anymore. Frankly this series looks like it's over soon unless something very unexpected happens not seen in 56 games.

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Can it happen? Highly unlikely. Impossible? No.

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