Quoting: pensfan21
I think our schedule in January was much easier, as was our schedule to start the season. It's very difficult going on a western road trip then coming back and playing Islanders and New Jersey back to back. It's not just that they're tough teams in general, but Oilers and Lightning twice in the next stretch I think are very bad matchups for us.
I can agree it was maybe equal - definitely can't agree it was much easier. 6/12 games to start January were against teams currently in the playoff picture - so pretty similar to the upcoming stretch. Work is slow so let me take a dive into it lol
For the start of January, at the time of the games they played the 1st, 3rd, 8th, 2nd, 3rd, 17th in point %. And then some not good teams in the Coyotes, Ducks, Sens. For the start of the season they played teams that are currently ranked 4th, 13th, 12th, 7th, 1st, 7th, and then some not good teams like MTL, CBJ, and Arizona. For the upcoming pre deadline stretch, they play the 14th, 13th, 3rd, 12th, 4th, 4th in points % - plus some bad teams like Anaheim and San Jose.
Sure western road trips and back to backs play a part - that's a good point. There's more to it than just the teams - I get what you're saying. But we also had a western road trip and a back to back to start the year as well. Like I said I'm not trying to say the upcoming stretch is necessarily easy - but I think compared to what the Pens have played so far it's not any more difficult in my opinion.