Pens Continue to Dominate: Bad news?

What do you know when: Eric Godard is on the power play. There are hats on the ice. Bob Errey is imitating Hannibal Lecter.

If you answered "The Penguins are dominating," you win the prize. If you are a Penguins fan, that is.

The Pens have began their season in machine-like fashion dismissing opponents nightly and boy is it fun to watch. It's like watching the Globetrotters and the Generals, Steelers and Browns, Jeff Reed and paper towel dispensers, the Pirates and well, you get the picture.

Unfortunately, the Penguins do not get a prize for winning in October - or any other month except June.

Last season the Boston Bruins went through November and December with a combined record of 23-2-1. The San Jose Sharks hit their stride during the same two months, also averaging a single regulation loss per month. The Sharks and Bruins went on to finish in the top two spots in the standings with 117 and 116 points respectively.

Apparently they forgot something while they were winning all those games: Points aren't the goal.

I'm not going to sit here and complain about the Pens success thus far, nor will I complain if they play with such dominance for the rest of the season. But don't panic if they don't win every game - it may actually be a good thing.

Over the past six seasons, only one team that has won the Presidents' Trophy, for having the most regular season points, has won the Stanley Cup:

• 2008-09: San Jose Sharks led with 117 points, lost in 1st round
• 2007-08: Detroit Red Wings led with 115 points, won Stanley Cup
• 2006-07: Buffalo Sabers and Detroit led tied with 113 points, Buffalo lost in 2nd round, Detroit lost in Conference finals
• 2005-06: Detroit led with 124 points (11 more than second-place Ottawa), lost in 1st round
• 2003-04: Detroit led with 109, lost in 2nd round
• 2002-03: Ottawa led with 113, lost in Conference finals

Up next for the Pens is West Coast Week where they will face two good teams in San Jose and Los Angeles with 21 and 20 points respectively, both right behind the Pens' league leading 24. The Pens will want to prove that they can compete with the big boys, but even if they fail miserably they will have another chance to prove it, and though that will not come for a few months it will count for a good bit more.