PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – To put it purely in numbers how good the Pens bottom six forwards have been. Entering the third period of the game Friday night, the Pens fourth line had as many points as the Pens top line over the last five games.
That means a line of Mark Jankowski (career-high 17 goals in a season in the NHL), Colton Sceviour (career-high 11 goals in a season in the NHL) and Radim Zohorna (a career spanning 6 NHL games) had as many points as Sidney Crosby, Jake Guentzel and Bryan Rust for over a week.
"I think their play speaks volumes for how good of players they are," said head coach Mike Sullivan. "That's such an important aspect of trying to win in this league. That's how you weather some of the injuries you endure during the course of the season. If these guys hadn't stepped in and been impactful players, then it's hard to win games consistently."
"It's huge," Crosby said. "If you want to win consistently. You need everyone to chip in. Sometimes it's goals, other times it's little things that go unnoticed but all of those things add up to winning hockey games."
With the exception of two games where the defense got away from them, they have been winning and it's a direct correlation to a group of forwards on the third and fourth line. Some are only playing due to injury, all hear the rumors that the new team general manager and Director of Hockey Operations are looking to add to their lines and take a job or two away.
Reports late on Sunday the team did add 36-year-old forward Jeff Carter for a couple of conditional draft picks.
This group of bottom six forwards believe they have all responded with production. They've responded with physical play. The trade deadline Monday at 3p, they tried to convince Ron Hextall and Brian Burke they don't need to make a move.
"We have players here," forward Jake Guentzel said. "We know we are capable of doing anything we want. Never know what will happen with the business side of things, but we are happy with where we are at."
Burke and Hextall actually dumped Colton Sceviour, twice. Putting the 31-year-old on waivers, twice. He cleared because no one else wanted him and other teams also being up against the cap. Sceviour scored his first goal since January to give the Pens the lead for good on Friday night. He scored a pair of goals Sunday night, including the opener.
"I think we have been getting a lot more offensive contribution," Sceviour said. "I think we've gained a little more trust in the D-zone as well which is very important when you are playing in that bottom six role. Anytime the bottom six can chip in offensively, it's a boost. I think right now we are doing a pretty decent job of it."
The numbers would back that up. Here is the production from the bottom six forward recently
-Sceviour has five points in his last six games.
-Mark Jankowski has six points in his last four
-Frederick Gaudreau has four points in his last nine games
-Sam Lafferty has three points in four games and a big fight
-Radim Zohorna has four points in five games
-Zach Aston-Reese has two points in five games
Teddy Blueger returned on Sunday. Evgeni Malkin has resumed skating. Brandon Tanev and Kasperi Kapanen are rehabbing and could be ready for the post-season.
That's three more jobs that will be taken back at some point and more jobs gone if there is another trade. Jankowski was the first to sit, but you saw the numbers he put up.
This group of veterans, rookies, players working back to the NHL continue to make contributions helping the Pens win eight of its last ten.
"Obviously they've been chipping in on the score sheet and that's huge," Crosby said. "That gives us a big boost, gives us momentum. When we can get everyone involved we are a better team for sure."
"I think these guys have stepped in and really maximized the opportunity that has been given to them," Sullivan said. "I think it speaks volumes for how good of players they are. These guys are NHL players."
"You look at this roster," Sceviour said. "We've won a lot of games with guys out. When we are healthy, this is a heck of a team. That's exciting. You want to be a part of that in any capacity you can."
"You never know what happens this time of year, but I'm focusing on the game against Philly and helping this team win down the stretch."
