Without any unnecessary delay, a six-pack of takeaways from the Penguins’ 4-2 win over the Flyers on Saturday in a Stadium Series game at Heinz Field and why they matter:
1. Sid and Geno show is real
Sidney Crosby’s first-period goal set the tone for a memorable night and helped him exorcise a few Heinz Field demons, but it also kept up a goal-scoring pace that might surprise you.
Crosby’s 34th goal of the season has him on pace for 48. Evgeni Malkin has 25 goals in 53 games, a 35-goal pace if he scores at the same rate over the final 22 games.
Together, that’s 83 goals, which would be the most they have combined for in a single season.
Hard to believe, isn’t it? Their previous best was 79 in 2009-10. Crazy what a run of good health will do.
2. Jake Guentzel, X-factor
Malkin called him the best player on the ice. He’s not wrong, and it might have been an understatement.
Guentzel was terrific. But unlike his NHL debut, where he collected two goals in 15 minutes, Guentzel’s best work has been coming more and more as a playmaker.
Go ahead, rewatch his two setups. The first a pinpoint feed to Crosby. The second Guentzel reading a blocked shot then knowing where to go with the puck. Smart plays. Things a coach’s kid would do.
The most interesting part was coach Mike Sullivan deploying Crosby and Guentzel together to give the Penguins a spark.
Conor Sheary is due back soon and will re-assume his spot to Crosby’s left, but it’s not a bad card to play to use Guentzel in spurts.
3. Division dominance continues
Remember two years ago when the Penguins won just nine of 30 games inside the Metropolitan Division?
Good. Because they probably don’t.
What a different team when it comes to dispatching your biggest rivals.
The win against the Flyers raised the Penguins’ division record this season to 15-5-1. At home, they’ve won seven in a row against division teams.
Of their final 14 games, nine will come inside the Metro, which isn’t exactly a walk in the park.
4. Ruhwedel not out of place
General manager Jim Rutherford could deal for another defenseman by Wednesday’s trade deadline, but it won’t be because of a poor job done by Chad Ruhwedel.
His goal in the third period was his second in 15 games, his fourth point. Ruhwedel is also a plus-6 and has acquitted himself well enough on special teams.
It should also be noted that Ruhwedel recently went through an eight-game stretch where he was a healthy scratch before rejoining the lineup Feb. 17 at Columbus.
“They do a good job of keeping you involved and in shape,” Ruhwedel said. “You can get out of shape pretty quickly, and our strength coaches do a great job working you hard after practices. I think that helped me transition back into playing.”
5. Bonino finally rewarded
Nick Bonino’s regular season has been a letdown from the Stanley Cup playoffs.
Is that saying something profound? No. His 18-point postseason equates to 62 over the regular season. Bonino’s career-high is 49.
But he has been enjoying a much better run of offensive chances lately. Leading up to his goal against the Flyers, Bonino’s scoring chances for per 60 minutes (SCA60) over the previous five games was 19, more than double what it was from the beginning of the season until Feb. 11 (7.71).
“Just the way it goes,” Bonino said after matching his season-high with six shots on goal in a 4-0 win Feb. 14 against Vancouver, the start of that run.
“I look to pass a lot. Last game, I tried to shoot. It didn’t go in, but when chances are there, usually good things happen.”
The chances have been there. Now, perhaps Bonino’s shooting percentage of 8.9, his lowest such mark since 2011-12, will start to match.
6. Sullivan’s message resonates
The crowd was terrific, 67,318 strong. Packed into parking lots. Tailgating like a football game.
Sullivan wanted his players to embrace the atmosphere. They did. But they rewarded the coach by also dialing in when necessary. It’s a fine line to walk, but one that shows massive respect for Sullivan.
Think these guys didn’t legitimately enjoy this, either? When is the last time you saw a professional athlete as excited as Matt Cullen was when he scored?
“I think just as players, in the course of the season, it kind of creeps up on you,” Bonino said of the event. “We don’t look as forward to it as some do.
“Maybe it was a little bit different this year because we got four days off before it. But I think for us, it was definitely a fun thing. But it was just another game and I think we approached it the right way.”
Jason Mackey: jmackey@post-gazette.com and Twitter @JMackeyPG.
First Published: February 27, 2017, 5:00 a.m.
