Loaded Penguins looking to shore up leaky defense in search of the Stanley Cup

In this photo taken Jan. 14, 2013, Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby smiles during NHL hockey practice at the Consol Energy Center in Pittsburgh. The headaches are gone. Finally. So are the doubts, the ones Crosby couldn't outrun as he rehabilitated from concussion-like symptoms that robbed hockey's best player from two years in the middle of his prime. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar) (The Associated Press)

Pittsburgh Penguins White Team's Sidney Crosby (87) checks the blade of his stick before a shootout that was part of an NHL hockey intrasquad scrimmage in Pittsburgh, Wednesday, Jan. 16, 2013. (AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar) (The Associated Press)

PITTSBURGH – There are few teams in hockey as loaded offensively as the Pittsburgh Penguins.

The trouble for the Penguins is, there are plenty of teams better at the other end of the ice. Following two first-round playoff exits, including a six-game loss to Philadelphia last spring, Pittsburgh is hoping a renewed focus on defense will lead to the franchise's fourth Stanley Cup.

The Penguins led the NHL in scoring last year, and that was with star center Sidney Crosby limited to just 22 games due to concussion-like symptoms. Yet Pittsburgh was a middling 17th in goals allowed. The defense got even worse in the playoffs, when the Flyers scored 30 goals in six games.

The short training camp hasn't allowed Penguins coach Dan Bylsma to tweak the team's system yet, but the players say they need to be more responsible defensively.