It was a milestone game of sorts for our Pittsburgh Penguins. Skating before a raucous sellout crowd at the Verizon Center, the black and gold withstood a furious rally by the home-standing Capitals to pocket their eighth-straight win, courtesy of a stunning backhand tally by captain Sidney Crosby with a minute left in overtime.
Thursday night’s 4-3 victory sewed up the season series with the Caps—3 games to 2. The Pens maintained their perfect record (39-0) when leading after two periods. More important, it clinched home ice for the first round of the playoffs.
Our boys can breathe a little easier heading into their regular-season finale against Philadelphia on Saturday.
Goodness knows, they’ve earned it. Eight wins in a row. Fourteen out of fifteen. All but one without superstar center Evgeni Malkin. Not to mention a host of other injuries to key personnel.
Unbelievable.
In all my years as a Penguins fan, I don’t think I’ve witnessed anything like this. Not that we haven’t enjoyed some truly remarkable hockey.
The 1988-89 Pens went 12-1-3 during an incendiary midseason run. “Badger” Bob Johnson’s team capped the first Cup season (’90-91) with a 9-3-2 spurt. With legendary Scotty Bowman at the helm, the Pens rolled to their second Cup the following season by sweeping their final 11 playoff contests.
Perhaps as close to perfection as a team could get.
There were other memorable hot streaks. Paced by Mario Lemieux and loaded with Hall-of-Famers, the ’92-93 team opened the season 11-1-2 and then tore through a 17-0-1 homestretch. Dan Bylsma’s ’09 Cup winners finished 18-3-3. In March of 2013 a star-studded Penguins squad went 15-0.
Those teams were super-skilled.
This one’s different. For the most part, it’s a collection of everyday Joes. Common guys doing uncommon things. Like lunch-pail center Nick Bonino, who has 15 points in his last dozen games. And young-at-heart greybeard Matt Cullen (five goals, 10 points in his past 10).
Each game, it seems, a different group steps up. Last night it was the ultra-popular Cullen (two goals), supported by Crosby and hustling rookie Conor Sheary. The game before? Crosby and speedy Carl Hagelin (a pair of goals each). The game before that? Eric Fehr.
These Penguins play for one another. Pick each other up. There’s a closeness—a palpable bond—that makes them greater as a unit than the sum of their parts. Like individual cogs in a well-oiled machine performing at maximum efficiency. All for one and one for all.
It’s been that way ever since Mike Sullivan took over. Certainly since New Year’s Eve, when the Pens have gone 31-10-4.
Passion, drive, hunger, resilience.
A special bunch. Easy to root for.
Even easier to love.
Sestito Shines
Subbing for oft-injured Beau Bennett (shoulder), Tom Sestito made the most of his seven shifts last night. The heavyweight winger doled out a team-high five hits in just under six minutes of ice time and made a pretty play along the wall midway through the second period that led to the Pens’ third goal.
After bumping Alex Ovechkin off the rubber in the defensive zone, Sestito retrieved a loose puck along the boards and took off. Crossing the Caps’ blue line, he dished a soft pass to Oskar Sundqvist, who in turn found Sheary breaking in alone.
Although he didn’t drop the mitts, Sestito’s presence no doubt helped his teammates feel a little more secure against a physical foe.
Hi Rick,
Could not agree more. As I posted earlier, this group is a true team in every sense of the word.It is not Sid’s or Geno’s or even Letang’s team anymore.
The Penguins are a group of 22 to 24 team orientated individuals,many you call misfits or under achievers who are over performing, a few stars,a few old vets playing like their 25 again, a few new guys playing like veterans, all under the direction of a very stern task master, disguised as every-bodies friend.( A true motivator,teacher and BOSS !). As one of your other contributors said,Mike Sullivan is the true MVP of this team, and in my opinion he is dead right. Case in point. I can not remember a Coach in recent years that had the “guts” to consistently take Sid,Geno or Kessel off the power play and put out the kids when they are not doing well.Mario would flip out ! Guess what ? Sid, Geno and Phil have responded to his Coaching style and are they are playing much better hockey.( You do not see as many HAIL MARY passes thru four players going from side to side with a 2 % chance of connecting.) I do not think Mike Sullivan rewards that type of play and the Pen’s are a better team for it as well.
Final point is that if this team goes deep in the play offs,JR will have some very interesting choices to make in the off season and the kids from Wilkes-Barrie will become very valuable trade pieces moving forward. We still need as an organization a few top 5th to 10th picks to develop into future stars at the forward and defense position due to the previous habit of trading away our first and second draft picks in the past 5 – 6 years.
With one game to go, all is well in STEEL CITY !
What a difference 4 month’s can make.
Mario may finally get to sell his team and move back to Quebec part time !
Cheers.
Hello Jim,
Really astute comments, my friend. Especially your observations about Sullivan. Absolutely spot-on.
It’s a very rare coach who can be both a players’ coach and disciplinarian. Most fall into the former category (Dan Bylsma) or the latter (Michel Therrien). Which is why coaches generally have a shelf life—they deliver too much of one type of message and not enough of the other.
I think Joel Quenneville’s mastered a balanced approach in Chicago…part of why he’s the dean of current NHL coaches.
At least for now, Sullivan has, too.
I love the way he delivers his message. Simple and direct. More often than not, with hand resting on a guys’ shoulder or back. I can’t tell you how much that subtle little touch means. It makes a personal connection. It says, “I may be criticizing you, but I’m supporting you, too. I’m for you.”
Everybody, it seems, has bought into Sully’s approach. The stars…the kids…the well-travelled vets. No easy feat. A huge reason they’re playing so well as a team.