PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – It’s more than just a fun story, a hot start, a fluke, the Pittsburgh Penguins are in contention two-thirds of the way through the season. Thursday night at PPG Paints Arena, it dismantled the Blackhawks with a 44-19 shot advantage and 6-2 win on the scoreboard.
“It’s about being relentless on the attack and then you press repeat and do it again,” said Pens head coach Dan Muse. “When we are going, you are getting contributions, as we did tonight, from everyone throughout the lineup.”
The scoring Saturday came from five different players (points came from 10 different), three of whom weren’t on the roster last year, one wasn’t at the start of the season.
It’s what is exciting about this team, while they have had good seasons, it’s not a team hanging on the backs of Sidney Crosby (57 points) or Evgeni Malkin (41 in 37 games). Third-leading scorer Bryan Rust is still serving his suspension and Rickard Rakell has only played 32 games.
There are players who are playing at a level they haven’t played at in a while or ever at this level.
Connor Dewar
· He scored the first goal of the night and has a career-high 12. Then he added a 13th, the final Pens goal of the night. Pens have won every game he has scored but one, that they lost in a shootout.
Ben Kindel
· The 18-year-old scored the second goal after a spinning assist by Malkin after Parker Wotherspoon knocked the puck free. Kindel has three goals in his last two games.
Egor Chinakov
· Acquired December 29th from Columbus for Danton Heinen and a pair of draft picks, he has found a home on the second line with Malkin. In 14 games with the Pens, six goals and three assists.
Anthony Mantha
· Signed for just $2.5 million for this season, Mantha as the second-most goals since 2018-19 with Detroit. The 31-year-old had his 17th after a nice pass from Kindel.
Ryan Shea
· The former Blackhawks draft pick has points in four straight games and his 20 points is 15 more than he’s ever had in an NHL season.
“You want to have some balance,” Muse said. “We want contributions on both ends of the ice from everyone involved. Guys have shown that. Guys have found a way to make contributions on both ends. All of the lines were getting involved. It was a really good night, tonight.”
“That’s a massive part of why we are winning,” Mantha said of balanced scoring. “I think everyone in the offensive zone is creating chances and getting the puck behind their goalie.”
Goaltending has been solid as well, Arturs Silovs kept the Blackhawks mostly at bay when they were buzzing early. He finished with 17 saves.
“Guys are working hard, trying to block shots,” Silovs said. “Everyone is fighting in front of the net. I have to give huge credit to the guys.
Since the trade with Edmonton, the other goalie, Stuart Skinner is 7-4 with a 2.31 goals against average and .906 save percentage. Since giving up 12 goals in his first three games with the Pens, he’s given up 13 in his last nine.
Pens have four games left before the Olympic break starting with Mike Sullivan and the Rangers at PPG Paints Saturday at 3:30p and then the final home game before three weeks off against Ottawa Monday at 7p.
“A win like tonight, it feels good right now, but tomorrow we have to get right back to work,” Muse said. “These guys have done it and I do believe they will continue to do that. They will continue to push and continue to be hungry here to get better because we have to be.”
“We don’t have a choice, we don’t have the luxury of sitting back and feeling too good. I’ve seen them put in the work and I believe in these guys.”