CRANBERRY, Pa. -- The Penguins' penalty-killing numbers after Teddy Blueger was injured five-plus weeks ago are pretty easy to understand.
So, Mike Sullivan said Wednesday, are the reasons behind them.
He pointed out that when the Penguins' penalty-killing efficiency suffered, they were guilty of things like losing an inordinate number of faceoffs and not sufficiently disrupting opponents' zone entries.
Those translate to more time in the attacking zone for the other team's power play, which generally leads to more scoring chances and, eventually, more goals-against.
"When you think about it, if you win faceoffs, when you get 200-foot clears and you make the entry tough, you limit zone time," Sullivan said after practice at the UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex. "I don't think it's a revolutionary thought. If we can limit zone time, we limit a power play's opportunity to score."
The difference in the Penguins' penalty-killing stats before and after Blueger's jaw was broken during a 3-2 victory against the Jets Jan. 23 is stark; the Penguins entered that game with a league-best success rate of 90 percent.
Since Winnipeg's Brenden Dillon drove Blueger's head into the glass during the first period of that game, however, the Penguins have allowed nine power-play goals in 33 shorthanded situations.
That's a success rate of 72.7 percent, which would place them 31st in the league if the Penguins had performed at that level since the start of the regular season.
Blueger's absence surely was a factor in the Penguins' penalty-killing struggles, if not the only one.
"Obviously, Teddy is a really good player on the penalty-kill," Kris Letang said. "You can't really replace him. He's that good. And sometimes when you put new personnel on the ice, it takes a little bit of time to adjust, but I think we're going in the right direction."
They appeared to move that way last weekend, killing all three power plays they faced during victories against the Rangers and Blue Jackets.
"There's been a stretch where we kind of got away from our details, like blocking shots or having the right stick positions or knowing when to be aggressive and when to hold back," Zach Aston-Reese said. "The last two games, I think we've been a lot better."
This would be a good time to get their shorthanded game in order, because their next three games -- at Tampa Bay Thursday, at Carolina Friday and against Florida Tuesday at PPG Paints Arena -- are against clubs with significant offensive talent on the payroll.
Consequently, a timely power-play goal or penalty-kill could sculpt the outcome of any of the three games immediately before the Penguins.
"Special teams are going to be huge," Letang said. "All those teams are very good on their special teams."
MORE FROM PRACTICE
• Letang, who can be eligible for unrestricted free agency this summer, said he is not distracted by speculation that he might sign in his hometown of Montreal, where the new GM is his former agent, Kent Hughes. "That noise has been in my ear for eight years, so it doesn't really matter," he said. "At the end of the day, I'm 34 years old. I've been through those things. It doesn't really bother me anymore. Whatever happens, happens. It's out of my control for right now."
• Sullivan, on whether he sees the games against the Lightning, Hurricanes and Panthers as a "measuring stick" for his team: "Every game is a measuring stick for us, and the measuring stick we hold is to ourselves and our ability to maximize our potential, as a group."
• Blueger, still wearing a full shield to protect his surgically repaired jaw, not only was a full participant in the practice, but remained on the ice for some extra work after the formal portion of the session ended. The prognosis following his surgery was that he would be out 6-to-8 weeks, which would put him on track for a possible return next week.
• Sullivan said he does not believe the Penguins' highly productive power play of late has caused his team to rely too heavily on it for offense. "Usually, when the power play has success, it bleeds into the five-on-five game," he said. "That's been my experience."
• Injured goalie Louie Domingue again had an on-ice workout with goaltending coach Andy Chiodo before the team practice
• Personnel combinations:
Jake Guentzel-Sidney Crosby-Bryan Rust
Danton Heinen-Evgeni Malkin-Kasperi Kapanen
Brock McGinn-Jeff Carter-Even Rodrigues
Zach Aston-Reese-Brian Boyle-Dominik Simon
Brian Dumoulin-Kris Letang
Marcus Pettersson-John Marino
Mark Friedman-Chad Ruhwedel
No. 1 power play: Crosby, Malkin, Letang, Guentzel, Rust
No. 2 power play: Carter, Kapanen, Pettersson, Rodrigues, Heinen
