What a great start to the Pittsburgh Penguins 2018-19 season and I’m not even talking about beating the rival Washington Capitals. The game itself was loads of fun to watch. Imagine if the league geared the way the game is played and how it is called to get more games like that. How much more popular would the sport of hockey be? I feel like you have to wait too long in-between before you get a game that fun. It should be something you get a few times per week.
Some of the things I liked from the game:
The work that Phil Kessel and Evgeni Malkin did up high to free up Jamie Oleksiak for his slapshot goal. They executed perfect scissor plays high in the zone and created time and space through movement. It’s just good hockey by good players.
Jake Guentzel does all the things that I enjoy about hockey. I love his combination of mind and hands. He’s such a perfect fit for Sidney Crosby. His spatial awareness is great. He's able to play in the "dirty" areas without being overly physical because of his brains. He can dish, he can score, he can tip. He's a well rounded player.
That save by Braden Holtby on Jake Guentzel was awesome and so was the play by Crosby to make it a desperate situation for Holtby.
Kris Letang’s ability to create and make things happen (more good than bad). It is more fun to watch when he’s on the ice. Also good to see him trigger happy from the point. He will be able to manipulate defenders more if they believe he’s a shooting threat and last night he was. Also got the puck into Evgeni Malkin’s wheelhouse for that slick tic-tac-toe play.
Having a highly functional third line. The combo of Simon-Brassard-Rust played well in the preseason and did so last night. This is one of those variables that makes Pittsburgh a legit contender again. It’s almost as if Derick Brassard isn’t injured anymore.
Evgeny Kuznetsov killing penalties. If he gets the puck on the penalty kill he’s going to take the time and space given to him instead of just icing it down like a robot. Sometimes this will lead to offensive chances and sometimes it will lead to more time being killed before the opposition gets the puck back.
Hopefully that isn’t the best game we’ll see all year, but it has the chance to be. That’s how entertaining it was.
Thanks for reading!