Empty Thoughts: Penguins 7, Wild 3

Observations from the Penguins’ 7-3 win against the Wild:

It was a very different morning skate at PPG Paints Arena on Tuesday.

After all, there was a notable presence that hadn’t been seen for weeks.

Mike Tomlin.

The Steelers’ coach was a spectator for the skates of the Penguins as well as the Minnesota Wild. He tagged along with special teams coach Danny Smith, a friend of Minnesota coach Bruce Boudreau, and watched both teams prepare for their matchup.

“(Smith) said, ‘Can I come to the morning skate?’” Boudreau said. “And then he texted me this morning and said, ‘I’m going to bring Mike Tomlin. Can you get another pass?’ And I said, ‘I don’t think Mike Tomlin needs a pass to get in anywhere here in Pittsburgh.’”

Penguins captain Sidney Crosby? His attendance at the morning skate was a bit more routine, at least for his teammates.

“Business as usual,” forward Zach Aston-Reese said.

Crosby got back to the business of being the NHL’s top superstar Tuesday night in a big way. Centering a line with Jared McCann and Dominik Simon, he finished with a goal and three assists, including two helpers on the power-play.

“It’s never easy to be patient when you’re watching,” Crosby said. “You want to play.”

The Penguins captain had been sidelined the previous 28 games because of a core muscle injury and had not played since Nov. 9.

“Every player is important here in the locker room but Sid is captain,” forward Evgeni Malkin said. “Our leader. Great player, great teammate. You see tonight, we play so much better. We have great four lines. (The) power play is better. We’re glad he’s back.”

“He brings a level of confidence with our team that I feel like we’ve been missing,” forward Jared McCann said. “Even when we were winning, he’s sorely missed. He brings that skill level and that extra double threat when you’ve got him and (Malkin) out there. If he’s back, we’re happy to have him back obviously. He’s a great leader and a great player for us.”

Beyond the tangible points Crosby produced, the balance he offered was evident, particularly for Malkin

Over the past 28 games, the Penguins had largely existed as a one-line team on offense, that being whatever line Malkin was on.

During Crosby’s convalescence, Malkin averaged a robust 20:07 of ice time per game. On Tuesday, he logged only 17:36 and still was dominant.

Granted, the Wild was not the stiffest challenge as it only dressed five defensemen due to an error with the lineup sheet Boudreau submitted (more on that below). But the Penguins took full advantage of that hindrance and picked this underwhelming opponent apart. Much of that was due to Crosby simply being present.

“It just gives us more flexibility,” Penguins coach Mike Sullivan said. “It gives us the ability to play four lines more. We’re trying to play a pace game. It can be taxing, especially when you look at the demands of the schedule. We’re going through a stretch here, we’re playing 11 games in 20 days. Ideally, it should give our coaching staff an opportunity to manage minutes a little bit better than we’ve been able to the last little while. And from a matchup standpoint, it gives us a lot more flexibility.”

Malkin outlined things best as to Crosby’s ultimate impact on the Penguins.

“We’re stronger,” Malkin said. “We’re a better team. … So much better.”

What happened

The Penguins opened the scoring at 7:57 of the first period on a power play. From the slot, Malkin fed a pass to the right wing for forward Bryan Rust. Coasting into the right circle, Rust drew Wild goaltender Devan Dubnyk out of the crease and fed it back to Malkin above the blue paint. Malkin stumbled a bit and kicked the puck with his left skate then swatted it into the vacant cage with a backhander while fending off Wild defenseman Jared Spurgeon. It was Malkin’s 14th goal of the season. Assists went to Rust and Crosby.

(Video courtesy NHL)

They doubled their lead exactly 10 minutes later. After the Wild turned the puck over in the offensive zone, McCann pushed play into the Wild’s zone on a two-on-two rush with Simon against Wild forward Jordan Greenway and defenseman Ryan Suter. Gaining the blue line on the left wing, McCann left a drop pass at the point for defenseman John Marino. From the left half wall, Marino slid a cross-ice pass to Simon in the left circle. Below the dot, Simon feathered a soft pass above the paint for McCann who tapped in his 14th goal past the right skate of a helpless Dubnyk. Simon and Marino netted assists.

(Video courtesy NHL)

It became a 3-0 game at 14:04 of the second period. At the Penguins’ left point, Malkin forced Wild forward Miiko Koivu into a turnover. Penguins forward Dominik Kahun chopped the loose puck into the neutral zone for to Malkin surging up ice. Gaining the offensive zone and fending off Koivu, Malkin let a drop pass in the high slot for an approaching Rust who gripped and ripped a wrister past Dubnyk’s blocker. Malkin and Kahun collected assists.

(Video courtesy NHL)

The Penguins poured it on with another power-play goal only 61 seconds later. Taking pass at the left point, Malkin slinked his way up the boards and fed a pass to towards the crease. As forward Patric Hornqvist had position on Suter, drawing his attention the puck somehow beat Dubnyk’s blocker on the near side. Malkin was credited with the score. Defenseman Kris Letang and Crosby collected assists.

(Video courtesy NHL)

Minnesota got on the scoreboard at 17:17 of the second. Gaining the offensive zone on the right wing, Wild forward Kevin Fiala fed a cross-ice pass to the left circle for forward Zach Parise who wired a wrister past goaltender Tristan Jarry’s right shoulder on the near side for his 15th goal. Fiala had the lone assist.

(Video courtesy NHL)

It became a 4-2 contest only 2:15 into the third period. During a jumbled line change by the Penguins, Wild forward Joel Eriksson Ek gained the offensive zone on the left wing and saucered a pass to the slot for forward Marcus Foligno, creating a breakaway. Dekeing from his backhand to his forehand, Foligno undressed Jarry, tucking his ninth goal past Jarry’s right skate. Assists were credited to Eriksson Ek and defenseman Luke Kunin.

(Video courtesy NHL)

Any notion of a comeback was snuffed out by Crosby as he scored at 7:41 of the third period. After Parise hurried a bad pass form his own left point to Koivu in the left circle, McCann stole it. Despite a trip by Koivu, McCann was able to push a forehand pass to Crosby in the slot. Surging to the right circle, Crosby tried to feed a backhand pass to Simon to the left of the crease but the puck deflected off of Wild defenseman Matt Dumba’s stick and deflected through Dubnyk’s five hole. McCann netted the lone assist.

(Video courtesy NHL)

Crosby who set up another goal, at 8:20 of the third. Fending off Wild forward Ryan Donato, who was in the lineup as an extra forward due to the lineup foul-up, behind the Wild cage, Crosby flicked a backhanded “pass” off the back of he net to himself, spun to the right of the crease and lasered a pass through the crease to Simon who tapped in a forehand shot past Dubnyk’s left leg for his fifth goal. Crosby had the lone assist.

(Video courtesy NHL)

Things were going so well for the Penguins that even forward Alex Galchenyuk scored at 16:57 of the third. Stealing a puck in the neutral zone, Penguins forward Andrew Agozzino chipped it up the left wing for Hornqvist. Hornqvist tapped a backhander back to Agozzino who was rushing into the offensive zone to create a two-on-two sequence with Galchenyuk against Dumba and Suter. Agozzino fed a simple pass to the right circle for Galchenyuk who golfed a one-timer over Dubnyk left shoulder on the near side for his fifth goal. Assists went to Agozzino and Hornqvist.

(Video courtesy NHL)

At 19:47, the scoring was capped off. Beating Penguins defenseman Marcus Pettersson for a puck behind the Penguins net, Spurgeon backhanded a pass to Donato to the left of the cage. Donato chopped a quick shot with Jarry fought off. During the ensuing scramble, Parise backhanded the rebound past a sprawling Jarry. The score was unassisted.

(Video courtesy NHL)

Statistically speaking

• Shots were tied, 29-29.

• Letang and Malkin each led the game with six shots.

• Parise and Kunin each led the Wild with four shots.

• Wild defenseman Brodin led the game with 26:16 of ice time on 27 shifts.

• Letang led the Penguins with 26:06 of ice time on 30 shifts.

• The Penguins controlled faceoffs 31-27 (53 percent).

• Crosby was 11 for 17 (65 percent).

• Koivu was 8 for 16 (50 percent).

• Penguins defenseman John Marino led the game with two blocked shots.

• None of the Wild’s players had more than one blocked shot.

Historically speaking

• Jarry (30 wins) surpassed Brent Johnson (29) for 18th place on the franchise’s career goaltending victories list.

• Malkin (1,049 points) surpassed the Pocket Rocket, Henri Richard (1,046) for 72nd place on the NHL’s career scoring list.

• Rust established a new career-high with 19 goals in only 31 games. He also established a new career-high with 40 points.

• Agozzino’s assist was his first point as a member of the Penguins.

• The Wild remains one of two active NHL franchises the Penguins have never shut out. The Vegas Golden Knights is the other.

Randomly speaking

• Just before the opening faceoffs, the officials made their way over to the Wild bench to chat with Boudreau about his lineup sheet. Defenseman Greg Pateryn was physically on the bench but was listed as a scratch on the official lineup. The on-ice officials dismissed Pateryn to the dressing room and eventually, Donato made his way to the bench. He ended up logging 4:59 of ice time on only seven shifts.

• Crosby logged 17:53 of ice time on 21 shifts.

• The went 2 for 4 on the power play. It marked the second time in as many games they scored multiple power-play goals. Before this two-game stretch, they only had four games with multiple power-play goals.

• Kahun has six points (one goal, five assists) in his past four games, each on a line with Malkin and Rust.

• During the first television stoppage, the team recognized Wild general manager Bill Guerin who was making his first visit to Pittsburgh after leaving the team to join Minnesota. He “replied” with a local colloquialism:

pic.twitter.com/aPclox59bc

— Here's Your Replay ⬇️ (@HeresYourReplay) January 15, 2020

Publicly speaking

• Crosby on his line:

“(McCann) was really good. He got some great chances, uses his speed. (Simon) was in around the net winning battles. We generated some chances different ways.”

• Simon gave a fantastic answer when asked about playing his game and nothing extra during the occasions he’s lined up next to Crosby:

“It’s a huge thing because you have those huge players next to you. Just trying not to focus at it even though you wanted to play with them since you were little. Or you would never picture playing with them. It’s amazing. You’ve got to play you. There’s a reason why you are out there. You just have to focus on yourself (and) play the best you can.”

• Malkin spoke about Crosby’s impact on the power play:

“He’s a playmaker. He controls the puck. I (know) Sid a long time. We try to look at each other, we try to move pucks quicker. You see it worked right away. We practiced for a couple of days. Tonight, we scored two goals, huge goals. It’s so much easier because Sid moves pucks so well. He holds pucks so well. Best player.”

• Malkin was asked if life is easier for him with Crosby in the lineup:

“It doesn’t matter if Sid plays or (does) not play. I always try to do my best. The NHL is the best league in the world. If you want to be better, you have to play hard. It’s never easy. My life, never easy. Just trying to play my game. Of course, Sid helps me. He plays against the best defensemen. The power play is better. We scored a couple of goals tonight. We try to support each other, help each other. He’s a great boost for sure.”

• Boudreau explained what happened with the lineup sheet:

“It was a mistake I made. It’s all my fault. I do the lineups first thing in the morning and the first thing that goes down is the lowest number. I put Donato (No. 6) on and forgot Pateryn (No. 29). When I looked, the (sheet) was full, I thought I did it right. A dumb mistake. Never done that before. To start the game with five (defensemen), I take full blame for that one.”

• Dubnyk on Boudreau addressing the team over the error:

“He apologized. He said it never happened before. It’s one of those things. If let in a shot from the red line, I don’t want anybody beating me up over it. Stuff happens.”

Visually speaking

• Game summary.

• Event summary.

• Highlights:

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