With Kris Letang back in lineup, Penguins drop Sabres

Kris Letang’s play on Saturday was nothing all that special, at least against the context of his remarkable existence as an All-Star defenseman for the Pittsburgh Penguins.

During a 3-1 home win against the Buffalo Sabres at PPG Paints Arena, Letang led Penguins non-goaltenders in ice time with a total of 22:14 on 25 shifts. He did not record a point or even a shot attempt but had a team-best seven hits as well as three blocked shots.

Kind of ho-hum figures for a player considered to be the greatest rearguard in franchise history.

But he did excel in one metric.

He stunned just about anyone with a rooting interest in the Penguins by just being on the ice less than two weeks after suffering a stroke.

Including their captain.

“He’s looking good for going what he’s gone through,” said Sidney Crosby, a mere 17 years into being Letang’s teammate. “He’s done similar things but nothing like this. He found a way again to surprise us all and play a great game.”

Letang, who previously suffered a stroke and missed 26 games in the late stages of the 2013-14 season, was sideliened for only five games due to his most recent episode. And having only had the benefit of one practice session with his teammates since taking ill on Nov. 28, he was on something of hockey’s equivalent of a pitch count in Saturday’s contest.

He opened the contest on the team’s second defensive pairing alongside rookie P.O Joseph and primarily worked with the second power-play unit. And even if he logged the team’s largest figure in terms of ice time, it was pretty well south of his average for the season (23:54) entering the contest.

“As I was starting to feel better, you get anxious to get back out there,” Letang said. “With the schedule, we don’t have a chance to practice that much. I tried to prepare the best I could. Timing still has to get a little bit better. But the legs are there. Felt pretty good out there.

“Me and (associate coach Todd Reirden) kept track of how I felt. He was asking me if I felt good during the game. I felt good.”

Those good tidings were felt by teammates as well.

“I came in this morning and he was skating,” Penguins defenseman Jeff Petry said. “I heard that if everything went well that he was going to get back in. Obviously, a good sign. With the starting lineup (being announced in the dressing room) and you hear the ovation from everybody that he was back, that was something we could build on from there.”

The Penguins have built up quite a bit of momentum as of late, winning five in a row and going 12-2-2 since Nov. 9.

“We’ve been playing pretty well for a good stretch of time,” Letang said. “It’s been a while that we’ve been playing well. We’re playing as a unit of five out there. t’s good to join a group that’s playing really well like this.”

The Penguins’ power play continued to function well Saturday as it opened the scoring 4:22 into regulation.

Off some precision passing, Penguins forward Jake Guentzel dealt the puck from the left of the Buffalo cage to the slot for Crosby, who swatted a one-timer on net. Roookie goaltender Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen rejected Crosby’s shot but booted out a rebound to the right circle where forward Evgeni Malkin leaned down and fired a quick wrister back on cage. Following another save by Luukkonen, forward Rickard Rakell claimed another rebound and lifted a wrister over the flummoxed goaltender for his 12th goal of the season. Malkin and Crosby had assists.

This marked the fifth consecutive game the Penguins’ power play, suddenly hotter than an acetylene torch, registered a goal.

Over that stretch, they are 7 for 20 with power-play opportunities (35.0%). In contrast, they were 12 for 74 (16.2%) in their first 23 games of the season.

“We’ve been moving the puck around a lot better now,” said Petry, who manned the point in Letang’s absence and continued to occupy that station Saturday. “Getting in, getting set up, moving the puck, generating shots and getting rewarded.”

The Penguins’ first line made it a two-goal contest at 6:51 of the first period. Settling a loose puck in the right corner of the offensive zone, Guentzel went to his backhand and rimmed the puck along the end boards to Crosby to the left of the cage. Taking the puck on his forehand, Crosby quickly maneuvered to his backhand and lifted a dagger of a shot past the right shoulder of an unprepared Luukkonen for his team-leading 16th goal. Guentzel and defenseman Brian Dumoulin netted assists.

At the 11-minute mark of the third period, the Sabres finally got on the scoreboard with a rare double deflection. From the right point of the offensive zone, Sabres defenseman Casey Fitzgerald wound up and golfed a one-timer toward the cage. Positioned near the crease, Sabres forwards Kyle Okposo and Peyton Krebs each deflected the puck slightly with Krebs touching it last and putting it past goaltender Casey DeSmith’s blocker for his second goal. Assists went to Okposo and Fitzgerald.

Crosby secured victory with another goal at 18:22 of the final frame. From the neutral zone, Guentzel chipped a puck into the offensive zone, where Crosby chased it down in the left circle and uncorked a far-side writer under Luukkonen’s glove. Guentzel and forward Bryan Rust registered assists.

“It’s Sid being the best version of himself,” Penguins coach Mike Sullivan said. “He’s quietly had a real good start to the season. His line, most nights, is dominant. They control the play out there, regardless of who they play against. … He drives the line. He’s playing with good players, without a doubt, but he’s the straw that stirs the drink.

“He’s been a big part of the success that we’ve enjoyed as of late.”

DeSmith, appearing in his first game since Nov. 26, made 37 saves on 38 shots, boosting his record to 4-5-1.

Letang’s presence provided a clear boost to those around him.

“He’s one of the reasons that this organization has been so great for so many years,” said forward Ryan Poehling, who missed the past two games due to an undisclosed injury and worked out on the ice in recent days with Letang as each recuperated from their ailments. “He’s a leader on and off the ice. I had a chance to skate with him over the past week and he was very helpful to me.

“I was excited for him, not just as the player but as the person to get out there and compete with his friends.”

On the surface, the notion of Letang competing in a professional ice hockey game only 12 days after suffering a stroke - the second stroke in his career – is just astonishing, even to seasoned veteran teammates like Crosby.

For Letang, it was simply another obstacle to look past and overcome.

“Once you have it in your mind start practicing hard and get ready to come back in action, you just focus on that,” Letang said. “You don’t focus on what happened before. You just try to keep your mindset ahead.”

Notes:

• The Penguins avoided a scare late in the third period at the 18:09 mark when Petry appeared to injure his left forearm or wrist after being hit into the Penguins’ end boards by Sabres forward Alex Tuch. Petry fell and stayed on the ice for several moments as play continued but eventually made his way to the dressing room under his own power while holding his seemingly damaged arm.

Surprisingly, Petry was in the dressing room following the game – injured players are usually nowhere to be seen by media after contests – and indicated he was “all right.”

• The Penguins recorded their 100th win all-time against the Sabres. In 207 games between the two franchises, the Penguins have a 100-67-41 mark, including 35 ties.

• In his first game back after missing two contests due to an undisclosed injury, Poehling logged 14:05 of ice time on 20 shifts and had two shots on two attempts.

• DeSmith (47 wins) surpassed Johan Hedberg (46) for 10th place on the franchise’s career goaltending wins list.

• The Penguins’ scratches were forward Danton Heinen and defenseman Chad Ruhwedel, each healthy.

• Buoyed by an ample contigient of Sabres fans, the Penguins recorded their fourth shutout of the season (18,414).

Their previous sellout came Nov. 5 against the Seattle Kraken (18,302).

Seated capacity for hockey at PPG Paints Arena is 18,187.

Follow the Penguins all season long.