Then there's Kris Letang. He has 40 points in 42 games, and the Penguins record with him in the lineup is drastically better (26-10-6) than their record without him (1-8-1). Kunitz is on a tear with eight goals and 26 points in 17 games.
Their defensemen have become more involved offensively. Not only Letang, but also Trevor Daley and Olli Maata. They can join the rush in the neutral zone and can make plays in the offensive zone, like forwards, which allows them to play the way I think they should.
Although he won't play this week because of a lower-body injury, Evgeni Malkin has been huge. He has called out the team and then backed it up on the ice, dominating games the Penguins needed to win.
Minuses:One of the only negatives for the Penguins is injuries always seem to bite their team at the wrong time. It was Letang, Maatta, Kunitz and goalie Marc-Andre Fleury earlier, and now Malkin.
Since the Penguins are playing this offensive game now, are they going to hit this balance down the stretch of attacking, as well as winning games on lockdown if they have to? I don't know if they can put up four or five goals every night, so the defensive play will be important in some games. One of challenges they will face, because they are playing more offensively, is Fleury needing to make more saves.
THREE THINGS TO WATCH
1. Crosby. No explanation needed.
2. Which Rangers defensive pair plays against Crosby's line?
3. Do the Rangers play a physical game as they did against the Devils?