Their fans are going to put so much stock into this regular season that they won't understand what's happening when the playoffs show a much different game. Some teams can feast on it, some fade. You don't see the Capitals parading about over their regular seasons for good reason.
Not sure how it will go down, and no one will know until mid April, but there is a certain level of adaptation that must take place with teams and players when it starts. Some (sometimes unlikely ones) step up, and some (sometimes elite ones) crack under the the stakes.
But you can be the hottest team on the planet going in, and it doesn't matter when you're suddenly getting buried in game one by a playoff-seasoned team. Seen it before. Have to be careful about making statements based on regular season (goes for us too). Things can turn on a dime when the heat gets cranked up. That's why the Pens can still be seen as favourites even when they're not tops in the standings.
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