A few weeks ago, the Pittsburgh Penguins looked poised to qualify for the playoffs, but the situation has become tense. The team is showing serious difficulties on defense, raising concerns as the regular season nears its end. With only nine games remaining, time is not on the Penguins' side, who urgently need to solve their defensive problems to secure a postseason spot.

The team has had a 6-6-3 record in March, a performance that, despite the obstacles, is not entirely bad. However, the competition in the Eastern Conference is fierce, with the New York Islanders ahead by one point and the Columbus Blue Jackets close behind. The 5-1 loss to the Carolina Hurricanes on March 22 further exposed defensive deficiencies, especially in the number of goals allowed.

Since the loss to Carolina on March 10, the Penguins have conceded 31 goals in seven games, averaging 4.43 goals against per game.

The top defensive pairing of Erik Karlsson and Parker Wotherspoon has been consistent, with Karlsson adding goals and assists. However, the rest of the defense has not shown the same level. Ryan Shea, who has been a constant on the left side, suffered an injury on March 21, and although he returned, the defense remains vulnerable.

The second pairing, formed by Kris Letang and Sam Girard, has an expected goals share of 48.5%, indicating that they are hurting the team more than helping it. Letang has shown signs of wear and tear, evidenced by his minus-7 statistic. Coach Dan Muse faces challenges in solving this problem, as he does not have many defensive options available.

In January, Pittsburgh added Ilya Solovyov from the Avalanche to reinforce the defense. Solovyov, with good numbers in Colorado, has performed acceptably in the few games he has played with the Penguins, adding assists. Another option is Alexander Alexeyev, who signed a one-year contract last summer and plays for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. With his playing style similar to Wotherspoon's, he could be an alternative to play alongside Letang.

The Penguins, currently in third place in the Metropolitan Division, need to address their defensive problems urgently. The number of scoring chances conceded could be a bigger problem if they qualify for the playoffs.