Not long ago, the Penguins were hopelessly out of playoff contention with precious little time remaining in the 2023/2024 NHL campaign.  Pittsburgh was either seven or eight points out of the second wildcard or the third seed in the Metro Division, depending on which slot seemed more realistic for the most optimistic fan at that moment.

The Penguins then got hot and went on a 7-0-3 run. I don’t know if you realize how hockey points work, but a team picks up two with a win and earns one with an overtime loss. Therefore, Pittsburgh accumulated 17 of a possible 20 points; thanks to an underwhelming Eastern Conference, such a run was good enough to slide into a playoff spot.

This was where the Penguins found themselves at the start of the day on Saturday. Oh, it didn’t last because of how things shook out around the NHL, but Pittsburgh did enter its 8 p.m. game vs. a strong Bruins team at PPG Paints Arena with its playoff fate in its own hands.

That all changed after a 6-4 loss in regulation.

Complicating matters were the aforementioned results on Saturday. The Flyers, Capitals and Red Wings all won. The Islanders, closing in on the third seed in the Metro, picked up a point in an overtime loss to the Rangers.

The Penguins are now in 11th place in the Eastern Conference and just on the outside looking in at the second wildcard playoff spot with two games to play. They have 86 points and are one point behind the Capitals, Red Wings and Flyers. That doesn’t seem too bad, but Pittsburgh no longer controls its fate; at least it doesn’t when it comes to the Capitals and Red Wings, who also each have two games to play. Math being what it is, if either of those teams picks up four points, there is nothing the Penguins can do to make the playoffs as a wildcard.

As for the third seed in the Metro, Pittsburgh could tie the Islanders with 90 points if it defeats the Predators at home on Monday and then finishes out its schedule with a road win at UBS Arena.

But Pittsburgh would be eliminated from the third seed in the Metro if New York even picks up a point in its game against the Devils on Monday night.

If both the Penguins and Islanders finish with 90 points, Pittsburgh would earn the tiebreaker based on regulation wins (the Penguins have 31, while New York has 27), but if the Capitals won their final two games, they’d earn the third seed with 91 points.

If both Pittsburgh and Detroit finish in a tie for a playoff spot, the Penguins would prevail based on regulation wins.

No matter how you slice the NHL’s sort of complicated tiebreaker system, the one thing we know for sure is that Pittsburgh needs outside help to clinch a postseason spot with two games remaining.