The Pittsburgh Penguins (28-19-8) ended an offensive dry spell in tonight’s 6-3 win over the Detroit Red Wings (29-19-9). Scoring two goals in each period, the Penguins were able to put a smiled on the faces of fans leaving Consol Energy Center.
Phil Kessel had a pair of goals, with Chris Kunitz tallying an assist each goal. Marc-Andre Fleury and his defense struggled in the early stages of the match, but was able to clamp down and tighten up after the offense provided some breathing room.
Young and the Restless
“They’re not Wilkes guys anymore. They’re Penguins now. They’re Pittsburgh Penguins. They have brought a lot to our team,” Ben Loveyjoy said about the bottom-6 following tonight’s game.
Lovejoy fired the opening salvo tonight against the Red Wings, hitting the back of the net for the third time this season.
Matt Cullen, who had a goal and an assist tonight, and Scott Wilson, who score his first goal of the season, have stepped into big shoes and have performed honorably. While imperfect, the young players on Pittsburgh’s squad have stepped up in a major way to combat the health bug that has plagued this team all season.
The offense must keep performing at a high level. When the Penguins are able to control the tempo and pace of the game, their ability to overwhelm the opposing goaltender is clear as day.
Head coach Mike Sullivan sang his praises in his post-game interview about the play of Conor Sheary and Cullen: “[Sheary] is a real good player. He is quick, elusive and has the ability to slide through checks. He is hard to contain.”
Coach Sullivan later continued, “[Cullen] has been in this league for a long time. He is a smart player on the ice. His versatility brings us huge value.”
Home Sweet Home
Pittsburgh has begun to play remarkably better at home over the last few months with an overall record of 17-8-4. While still struggling somewhat on the road, with a record of 12-11-4, the Penguins need to generate better production.
After tonight’s game, Pittsburgh sits one point behind the New York Islanders and six points behind the New York Rangers. If the season ended tonight, the Penguins would qualify for the top wildcard spot, but would still end up tying with the Tampa Bay Lightening.
What’s Next?
The Penguins will have a chance to separate themselves from the Lightening on Saturday at an early 12:30p.m. start.
