PITTSBURGH — It took all 82 games on the schedule for the Penguins to qualify for the postseason, but they are in and have a shot at winning the fourth Stanley Cup in franchise history.
"I thought it was a resilient group," Penguins defenseman Rob Scuderi said. "That can be a big factor come playoff time."
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The Penguins’ resilience has been tested over and over again this season with injuries to some of the team’s top contributors -- like Kris Letang, Pascal Dupuis and Olli Maatta.
"Nobody feels bad for us. Everyone has injuries of their own. The season doesn't end because a couple of guys are out," Scuderi said. "For the majority of us that are fortunate to be healthy and playing, we want to make the most of our season, so you've got to get over it."
The playoffs, and essentially a new season, arrive on Thursday.
The Penguins will open their first-round series against the regular season's top team -- the New York Rangers.
The Rangers came back from a 3-1 deficit in last year’s playoffs to eliminate the Penguins.
The Rangers took the 2014-15 regular season series with a 3-0-1 record against Pittsburgh, but those are numbers of the past.
"We are not afraid of anyone," Scuderi said. "We feel like we can play with anyone if we are playing the right way."
Maybe they should be scared of the Rangers?
Scuderi and the Penguins defense will have their hands full against the Rangers offense, which features Rick Nash and Martin St. Louis.
Nash was sensational this season, scoring 42 goals, while St. Louis tallied 21. They’re part of an offense that’s always on the move.
"It's kind of tough to be physical on a team that is always moving and turning, but we have to find a way," Scuderi said. "If you're going to beat a team over the course of a seven-game series, you have to be physical with their top players."
The Penguins have been playing with just five defensemen down the homestretch of the regular season, but for the postseason they’ll be back to a normal six. No matter how many defensive players they have on the ice, they all know getting the puck out of their zone quickly is a must.
"I think we learned last year, the longer we play in our zone, the more trouble you're in," Scuderi said.
The Penguins will have to be at their best and have some breaks go their way to beat the Rangers, but Scuderi -- a two-time Stanley Cup champion -- relishes the opportunity.
"It never gets old. It's the most fun time of year to play," Scuderi said "Every time you hop over the boards it matters, because everything is so connected and it's so tight this time of year and that's where you want to be as a player."
The Penguins' new season begins in Madison Square Garden Thursday and Scuderi can't wait.
"It's really a cool place to play. It feels like the center of the universe when you play there," he said.
The question is this: Can the Penguins win at the world's most famous arena?
WPXI
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