The Pittsburgh Penguins continue to create more and more separation from the rest of the playoff wild card race, as they swept a weekend back-to-back with the Florida Panthers.
In a playoff stretch where a lot of other teams - particularly the ones chasing playoff spots - are doing a whole lot of losing, the Pittsburgh Penguins just keep on winning hockey games.
And they're not just winning them - they're winning them comfortably.
On Sunday, the Penguins beat the Florida Panthers by a score of 5-2, sweeping the weekend series between the two teams and earning their fourth win in five games. With five goals on Sunday, the Penguins have now scored 280 times this season, which is second in the NHL only to the Colorado Avalanche's 285.
The scoring depth on this team is something that continues to win them hockey games, and it's some of the best depth the Penguins have had in recent memory.
"100 percent," said Bryan Rust, who registered his 500th NHL point when he assisted on a Sidney Crosby goal in the first period. "On any given night, there's guys who are scoring goals, guys who are stepping up and bringing the offense. It's not just one line or the top-six, you see all four lines doing it, and a lot of the defensemen doing it, too.
"I think it's been a group effort this year, and I think with how good the league is and how tight everything is, that depth's going to give you a few extra wins, a few extra points that - sometimes, if you don't have that - kind of get lost."
The Penguins got the first goal in this one when Connor Dewar pressured Florida goaltender Daniil Tarasov and forced him to commit a turnover. The puck ended up right on the stick of Elmer Soderblom on the left wall, and he buried for his sixth of the season and sixth point in his last six games to put the Penguins up, 1-0.
The Panthers responded a little more than five minutes later when Cole Schwindt shot a puck square into the mask of Penguins' goaltender Arturs Silovs - starting in his second straight game due to a Stuart Skinner upper-body injury - and it trickled through his five-hold to tie the game. But then, just 35 seconds later, Crosby took a feed from Egor Chinakhov down the left wing, and he put away a shot from the left circle to restore the Penguins' lead.
With that goal, Crosby clinched his 21st consecutive NHL season at point-per-game or higher, padding his own record of 20 set last season. Rust also earned his 500th point on that play.
And they were able to add on. The Penguins got a late power play opportunity at the end of the first period, and after a beautiful passing play, Rickard Rakell - parked in the slot - one-timed a perfect pass by Crosby to give the Penguins a 3-1 lead.
There was a bit of pushback by Florida for parts of the second period, but Silovs stood strong - and Rakell struck again. With less than two minutes remaining in the middle frame, Rakell pounced on a chip pass from Evgeni Malkin, who was parked behind the net, and chopped it past Tarasov to put Pittsburgh up, 4-1.
Rust tacked on another goal less than four minutes into the third period after Crosby fed him for a breakaway opportunity, squeaking it underneath Tarasov for his 28th of the season. Carter Verhaeghe added a goal for Florida with less than six minutes left in regulation, but the Penguins were able to cruise to a relatively comfortable 5-2 victory - one night after beating Florida, 9-4.
Here are just a few takeaways from this one:
- 21 consecutive seasons at point-per-game. That's really something else.
When you think of "unbreakable" NHL records, there are very, very few. One thought to be unbreakable was broken last season when Alex Ovechkin broke Gretzky's goal record. Gretzky's points record probably is untouchable, especially with the amount of talent on both sides of the puck in the league right now.
Crosby's point-per-game seasons record is near-untouchable. Yes, Connor McDavid is going to be an all-time great player and doesn't seem to be slowing down anytime soon.
But you just do not see this. Of all the greats in NHL history, Crosby is the only one ever to have been point-per-game for more than two decades. And, heck, he can build on his own record even more, depending on how long he plays.
And Penguins' head coach Dan Muse reminded everyone not to take anything for granted with Crosby.
"I really hope nobody's taking it for granted. I really do," Muse said. "The fans, media, everybody in the community, to be able to see this firsthand - like, it's amazing. Twenty-one seasons, a point-per-game, NHL record. And that's a big one."
Folks, we're witnessing all-time greatness. I'd take Muse's advice.
- Skinner's injury - although nothing is confirmed about the nature of it other than it being designated as "upper-body" - appeared to have occurred during Saturday's game against the Panthers when he was struck with a puck on the bench.
Although it was unfortunate for Skinner, the timing of everything did lend to an unexpected call-up. With the start time for the game designated for 3:00 p.m. ET - and Skinner being designated as unavailable the same morning - the Penguins wouldn't have been able to bring one of Wilkes-Barre/Scranton's goaltenders because there was no way for them to get to Pittsburgh in time.
So, instead, Penguins' assistant GM Jason Spezza called on Wheeling Nailers goaltender Taylor Gauthier, who recently signed a one-year entry-level NHL contract with the Penguins.
And Gauthier quite literally missed the call at first.
"I had just walked into church with a bunch of my teammates for Easter service," Gauthier said. "I went to put my phone on 'do not disturb', and I had four missed calls from 'Spez'... so, I figured it was probably something pretty important."
Even though Gauthier - who went undrafted and has a .932 save percentage for Wheeling this season - didn't have a chance to appear in the game, he did dress as the backup - and getting the call to the NHL is something he will always cherish and that he wants the chance to do again.
"It's just - it's surreal," Gauthier said. "You know, especially with the pedigree of guys that are in this room. I think I speak for every Canadian kid that grew up watching Sid play... you know, he's a hero to all of us."
He added: "It's something that I'm really going to cherish for a long time, and I might take that jersey home and make sure I put it up in a frame, for sure."
- With Skinner's injury, Muse decided to run back Silovs, who struggled Saturday despite the win.
Well, he bounced back in a big way and was very solid for the Penguins Sunday.
He stopped 29 of 31 Florida shots on goal and was especially good in the second period, when Florida had a few waves of chances. There are times when Silovs looks like the goaltender that led the Abbotsford Canucks to a Calder Cup last season, and this was one of those starts.
Sergei Murashov was in the building, but not in time for puck drop, which is why Gauthier got the call. I imagine Silovs is well aware that he is under a microscope on the stretch run to the playoffs, and he struggled before this.
We'll see where Skinner is at this week. But, if Murashov being in Pittsburgh is any indication, it appears they might be preparing to be without Skinner for at least a few games. If that's the case, Silovs needs to perform like he did Sunday the rest of the way. Otherwise, someone else might be in the mix for a playoff job.
- There's not much more to say about Rakell at this point. He has 10 goals in his last eight games. He has an NHL-high five-game goal-scoring streak. He scored seven goals just last week.
What a tear he is on. He is now up to 24 goals, and he missed 21 games this season. If he continues the recent pace he has been on for the four games remaining this season, he could flirt with 30 goals.Just incredible stuff from him.
- The Penguins now have 96 points, which puts them six points ahead of the Philadelphia Flyers, who leapfrogged the New York Islanders for third in the Metropolitan Division. So, you do the math.
If the Penguins win one more game this season, they clinch a playoff berth.
They have the New Jersey Devils on Thursday before playing the Washington Capitals in a home-and-home back-to-back over the weekend and, finally, the St. Louis Blues on Apr. 14. None of these teams currently sit in a playoff spot. And, should others behind them continue to lose, they may not even need to win another game.
Things are looking good, Penguins' fans. Just enjoy the ride.
Oh, and there's a very good chance that there could be a Penguins-Flyers first round this year.
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