Jaromir Jagr was looking for a word to describe the performance from rookie center Sean Couturier in Game 2 against the Penguins.

"Awesome?" he asked.

Not only did Coots have a hat trick, but he shut down Evgeni Malkin, who had 2 assists and was -4.

"Don’t forget, he had to play against probably the best player in the league, [Evgeni] Malkin,” Jagr said.

“If he wouldn’t score any goals, I would say he had a great game. But he also played great defense and also scored three goals.

"I don’t know if I know any words to describe his game today. Awesome. Maybe something better than that. He was unbelievable.”

Friday's game in PGH - where so many great games have occurred - was ALMOST as good as the 5-overtime epic struggle in 2000 which Keith Primeau won in the wee hours of the morning as people in the building and across the state slept in their beds.

“It feels good. It’s kind of a bonus,” Couturier said of handling Malkin. “I just try to limit his offense and not give him too much time and space. And so far we’ve done a good job. But it’s going to get tougher and tougher. He’s going to bounce back for sure.”

Here's a stat for you. The FLyers centermen have 8 goals in the series. The Pens centers have 2 - both by Sidney Crosby.

Who saw that coming?

Flyers coach Peter Laviolette was impressed with his 19-year-rookie who looks like a 19-year vet sometimes because he's that smart on the ice.

“Certainly he’s a mature kid,” Laviolette said. “He comes from a good family, a hockey family.

"I think he’s really well-liked in the locker room by his teammates, he’s got a real nice personality to him.

"But I think what’s allowed him to increase his minutes and his responsibility is his hockey sense.”

Somehow, I don't think we've seen the best from Coots in this series.

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