Penguins Simon-ize Predators

I was reflecting on the Penguins’ impressive 5-2 thrashing of Nashville last night and trying to think of a clever title for my blog post. I chose my “Simon-ize” idea in honor of Dominik Simon’s game-opening five-hole goal. But I could easily have titled it, Penguins Ride Riikola or Penguins Jarry-Rig Preds.

Any or all would have been appropriate (and, yes, corny).

Which brings me to the real point of my article. This bunch is knitting together like no collection of athletes I’ve ever seen, with the possible exception of the 1979 “We Are Family” Buccos.

Everyone has a role. Everyone contributes. The embodiment of what a team is all about.

Last night, only four black-and-gold skaters were held off the score sheet. Everyone else notched a point, save No. 1 star Juuso Riikola, who tallied a goal and an assist.

Nor is this an anomaly. On December 20, 11 guys recorded a point during a victory over Edmonton. On November 27, ten players hit the score sheet during a wild win over Vancouver.

It reminds me of a line from the movie Miracle, about the 1980 USA gold-medal hockey team. During the player evaluation process, coach Herb Brooks handed assistant coach and future Pens GM Craig Patrick a sheet of paper listing the final roster.

Patrick scanned the list of names and frowned. “But you’re missing some of the best players,” he protested.

“I’m not looking for the best players,” Brooks replied. “I’m looking for the right ones.”

So it is with our present-day Pens. Echoing Brook’s sentiments, they’re the sum of many transposable parts rather than a collection of front-line superstars. To borrow from Star Trek, a veritable “Borg on Ice.”

Indeed, 16 Pens have logged at least ten points this season, tied for second most in the league with Colorado. By contrast, the top-heavy Oilers have only nine players in double figures.

I’m especially amazed by our defense, which has been decimated by injuries. Going into the season, if someone had told you we’d be winning with a group consisting of Kris Letang, John Marino, Marcus Pettersson, Jack Johnson, Chad Ruhwedel and Riikola would you have believed them?

Probably not.

Yet somehow they’ve banded together to form an effective unit. The Pens are 8-2 since Brian Dumoulin went down. They’re 6-3-1 without second-pairing anchor Justin Schultz.

Looking at the broader picture, we’re 11-4-2 without goal-front presence Patric Hornqvist, 17-8-2 without Nick Bjugstad and an astonishing 12-5-3 sans “Captain Everything” Sidney Crosby.

Remarkable.

Those injuries would stop a charging bull elephant in its tracks. Instead, the team’s barely missed a beat.

I’m repeating myself from a recent article, but a ton of credit goes to coach Mike Sullivan for instilling a “next man up” attitude and to GM Jim Rutherford for assembling this bunch. Players like frequent flyer Joseph Blandisi, Sam Lafferty, Zach Trotman, Ruhwedel and Riikola have filled in seamlessly to plug gaps.

Key off-season additions Dominik Kahun, Brandon Tanev and in-house promotion Teddy Blueger have added to the team’s utility, to say nothing of Jared McCann.

I feel like you could put the names of the Pens’ 16 forwards into a hat and pick four lines that would work, no matter what combinations you pulled out. That’s how interchangeable this group is.

Rutherford accomplished this transformation in roughly six months. By contrast, facing a similar set of issues and challenges (cap constraints, dearth of high draft picks and high-end young talent) Stan Bowman and the once-mighty Chicago Blackhawks have faded into oblivion.

I can’t say enough about the job JR’s done. The same goes for his team.

Puckpourri

Tristan Jarry made 30 saves to earn the game’s No. 2 star. He’s won five starts in a row and 11 of his last 13 games.

In addition to Riikola and Simon, Blueger, Bryan Rust and Alex Galchenyuk also scored for the Pens. Blueger’s goal, his fifth of the season and second in five games, was the game-winner.

The Pens are presently in third place in the Metro with a record of 22-11-4 and 48 points, sixth most in the league and one point behind the second-place Islanders.