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Stat night

January 26, 2022, 8:53 AM ET [87 Comments]
Ryan Wilson
Pittsburgh Penguins Blogger • RSSArchiveCONTACT
Every hockey player knows when they are playing one of the worst teams in the league. There’s a different vibe heading into that game and that vibe is stat night. Who doesn’t love padding their stats against the bottom feeders? I doubt that feeling goes away just because they are in the NHL. Last night was stat night for the Penguins.

Sidney Crosby led the way with a goal and two assists along with Bryan Rust who had the same. Kris Letang had two goals. Brock McGinn and Brian Boyle added goals. Evan Rodrigues broke his pointless skid with two helpers. While Evgeni Malkin continues to roll along with two assists.

The goals were plentiful and entertaining.

When you get Sidney Crosby down low on the power play good things happen.



The feed is obviously great and Rust properly finishes, but the thing I liked most was the basic setup manipulating the penalty killers. Having Malkin on the half wall being a shooting threat causes the low penalty killer to let his guard down just a little bit. Malkin and Crosby are so great that Malkin can thread the puck to him down low without dragging Sid all the way to the corner below the goal line. Then Sid can just do his thing. Simplistic setups where you let the skill breath a little is a dangerous combination.

Letang, Rust, and Crosby did a great job on the lead up. Letang read the top penalty killer and made the simple play. Rust got the puck down low to Crosby who initially looked for Guentzel, but it wasn’t there so they just reset. The puck works its way all the way around until the culminating sequence. Nothing fancy about the leadup, but very effective.

Letang did something us right-handed players never get to do and that is take advantage of a right gloved goaltender. He was able to snipe short side high glove on his first goal



He then was able to use the cheat code every left handed player has taken advantage of and that is being able to go blocker on the short side on the right gloved goalie. It is such an advantage on most nights for left-handed players so good on you Letang for taking advantage of the few times you actually have the advantage.




Letang is now up to 37 points in 38 games. If you stare into his eyes you can see $$$ in his pupils this year.

Closing out stat night was a mic drop moment from Brian Boyle who recently took over 4th line center duties with Teddy Blueger out long term.




Karel Vejmelka, it was not your night.

Pittsburgh has now won 17 out of 19 games. They are currently second in the division and fifth overall in the league. It took a while for the winning to see tangible climbing up the standings, but they are there now. Look out.

Thanks for reading!
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