TORONTO — The dust was still settling following another first-round postseason flameout, when Penguins star forward Jake Guentzel stepped up to the microphone and let down his guard.
Blowing the six-game series to the Islanders was a disappointment for every player. And for Guentzel, one of the most prolific postseason scorers on a per-game basis in franchise history, tallying just one goal in six games wasn’t nearly enough.
“I let a lot of people down,” Guentzel said during locker cleanout day, presumably referring to people who like half-priced milkshakes.
So, as the Penguins turned the page to 2021-22 and looked ahead to a more-regular season, Guentzel surely stood near the top of the list of players with something to prove.
Well … about that.
Hopes of a fast start on the scoresheet were soon dashed, as fortune dealt the winger an unexpectedly challenging hand. First, a case of COVID-19 disrupted Guentzel’s training camp and eventually delayed his season debut.
Then, after missing 10 days of skating (something hockey players almost never do even in the offseason), Guentzel finally returned in time for Game 2.
What he found was a mishmash lineup still dealing with significant injuries and illnesses. Guenzel’s typical center, Sidney Crosby, missed 12 of the first 13 games — first as he recovered from wrist surgery and then after testing positive for COVID. And, top-line right winger Bryan Rust was likewise sidelined for seven games with a lower-body injury.
The absences forced Guentzel to play with a rotating cast of linemates, as Jeff Carter also was forced to isolate for 10 days after his own case of COVID, something that surely played a role in Guentzel’s slow start. After scoring a semi-fluky goal his first game back, Guentzel was marred in a six-game scoreless streak by the time October ended and the Penguins themselves had stumbled into a three-game losing skid.
Once again, a player who will always carrying the “40-goal scorer” tag after his 2018-19 outburst, pointed the finger at himself.
"I’ve got to be better,” Guentzel said. “I’ve got to help as much as I can. I’ve just got to start producing."
OK, don’t look now. But, quickly and almost quietly, Guentzel has caught fire.
The 27-year-old Minnesota native has scored goals in each of the past four games. And he has added a beauty of an assist in there, as well, making five points in four games. That production has helped him surge ahead with seven goals and 14 points on the season. Both of those are team highs.
“I just think right now he’s playing an honest game,” Penguins coach Mike Sullivan said. “He’s giving an honest effort and he’s getting rewarded. He just has a knack to score goals. And he’s brave. He’ll go to the battle areas. He’ll take cross checks. He’ll take face washes to put the puck in the net.”
The timing of this four-game hot streak? It coincides directly with the return of Crosby, who rejoined the club Nov. 14 in Washington. Perhaps having an elite center to get him the puck helps just a little bit.
“I think it’s more to do with him than me,” Crosby said.
While part of that comment is Sid being Sid, there might be some truth to it, as well.
Of all the talented wingers that Crosby has played alongside, Guentzel might go down as the best. It’s true that Guentzel doesn’t possess any one single elite physical skill. Good shoot, but not great. Solid speed, but not a burner. OK size, at best.
But what he does have is an elite ability to think the game. Pairing him alongside Crosby, someone who processes the game faster than almost anyone, both players seem to elevate another.
Think about this road trip. In Montreal, the Penguins raced ahead on the rush and Guentzel made one extra pass to set up Crosby for a tap-in goal. Even the captain admitted he wasn’t expecting Guentzel to pass up a shot.
Then, during the 2-0 win Saturday in Toronto, Guentzel slashed to the slot in transition and, in a cheeky way, glanced toward the right circle where Crosby was hovering. In a sense, he almost used his center as a decoy.
“We have a lot of chemistry,” Guentzel said. “We’ve played together for quite some time. He takes up a lot of space out there with the D men. A lot of guys key on him. I’m just trying to find some open spots and get my shot off, be around the net.”
Throughout the recent rough stretch, when the Penguins lost eight of 10 before snapping out of it Tuesay in Montreal, offensive firepower was hard to come by. Now, with the top line reunited, the Penguins appear to have their offensive engine back on the rails.
Still, ask Crosby and he says he wants the same thing as Guentzel. More.
“I still think we can generate more,” Crosby said. “We can generate more zone time. Hang onto pucks and get better. That’s a good thing.”
Mike DeFabo: mdefabo@post-gazette.com and Twitter @MikeDeFabo.
First Published: November 21, 2021, 10:03 p.m.
