"A Lot to Like" About Pens' Win Over Caps

WHAT HAPPENED:
The Penguins defeated the Washington Capitals, 6-3, on Sunday afternoon at PPG Paints Arena to improve to 5-0 at home so far this season.
Bryan Rust (2G-1A) and Jake Guentzel (1G-2A) each had three-point outings, while Brandon Tanev, Zach Aston-Reese and Sidney Crosby also got in the goal column. Tristan Jarry made 28 saves and earned an assist.

RELATED LINKS
Photo Gallery
Infographic
3 Things: Practice Notes, Enhanced COVID Protocols and More
Watch: Game Highlights
Get Involved: Black Hockey History Month with the Pittsburgh Penguins
OVERALL ASSESSMENT:
The Penguins are starting to gain some traction. I thought for the most part, this was the best they've looked in a long time.
"There was a lot to like," head coach Mike Sullivan said. "I thought we competed hard."
To be fair, as Sullivan added, it wasn't perfect. The Penguins have struggled with their starts all season long, and today was no different. They took two penalties within the first five minutes of play, which taxed the PKers, kept their best players on the bench and kept them from establishing any sort of flow. And the Capitals converted their second chance to take an early lead.
But a lengthy offensive-zone shift from the trio of Zach Aston-Reese, Teddy Blueger and Brandon Tanev turned the tide for Pittsburgh about midway through the period. Shortly after that, Rust got the Penguins on the board, followed by Tanev.
From there, the Penguins played a solid overall game, even gaining a two-goal lead (!) at one point in the second. And while Sullivan and the players didn't love their performance in the middle frame, as they got into a bit more penalty trouble, Jarry kept them in the game with some timely saves before the Penguins took over in the third. They got two empty-netters in the final 1:03 to cement the victory.
"Jars was great in the second and then again in the third," Rust said. "I thought in the third, we pushed back a little bit more, we defended hard. We held onto pucks in the O-zone, had a few chances and just overall, had a good, hard period."
OTHER THOUGHTS, MUSINGS AND OBSERVATIONS:
- Dominant.
That's how Sullivan described the line of Guentzel, Crosby and Rust. They've been terrific since first being reunited on Jan. 26, but have just been on another level the last couple of games.
"I know from playing against them that it's terrible when you're on the ice against them," Mike Matheson said with a laugh. "They are just so good down low and they attract so much attention. They're so good at supporting each other and making little plays to each other and then getting open for each other. I know a defenseman from playing against them, that they're really difficult to handle."
Guentzel said they're just trying to play complementary hockey and it's been working out for them so far.
"It's pretty fun to play with these two guys," he said while doing his postgame media availability alongside Rust. "We've been having success so far these last couple games and we just got to keep it going."
"Same," Rust said with a grin.

• The Pens have been working tirelessly on special teams during all of their practice time over the last couple of weeks, and today, it paid off.
  They looked terrific on their first power-play chance of the game, which came in the opening period, even though they didn't score. What stood out the most was their work ethic. The personnel - especially the first unit of Kris Letang, Evgeni Malkin, Crosby, Guentzel and Rust -held the zone the majority of the time because they were winning battles everywhere.
  And on both that opportunity and their second one in the second period, they had the motion and shooting mentality that the coaching staff has been encouraging. That led to a huge goal from Rust, his second of the game, to break a 2-2 tie and give the Penguins a 3-2 lead.
  "I think we've just kind of gotten back to basics, just trying to feed off each other," Rust said. "Just try not to think too much and get some pucks in that net. You saw there on that first power play in the first, that we had three or four really good chances. We didn't score, but we got our team momentum and then there in the second we got a big goal."
  And while the penalty kill gave one up early, they recovered for a big kill in the second period shortly after Rust's tally. Instead of allowing the Caps to tie the score and get right back into the game, they instead created momentum and Guentzel capitalized shortly after going back to full strength to give the Penguins a 4-2 lead.
  "I think one of the difference makers tonight was special teams," Cody Ceci said. "We've been struggling on the penalty kill and power-play and I think we did a better job with penalty kill tonight, and we even got one on the power-play, so those goals help out."
  -The Penguins usually entrust the Blueger line with taking faceoffs in the D zone since they're so responsible and conscientious. But they do take some faceoffs in the O zone here and there, and ending up scoring off a draw down there today.
  After Blueger won the draw back clean to Chad Ruhwedel - who went D-to-D to Ceci -Tanev went straight to the front of the net. He was there to collect the rebound off of Ceci's shot and bury it past Capitals goalie Vitek Vanecek.
  It's just been amazing to watch how this line, who was put together at the start of the 2019-20 campaign and played together for the majority of the season, picked up right where they left off after Aston-Reese made his season debut on Thursday against the Islanders.
  Tanev said that the game becomes easy for them because of their familiarity and chemistry. They know exactly what they need to do in order to be successful and are constantly communicating along the way. It definitely shows in the way they are able to cycle the puck and play behind the opposing team's defensemen.

• I thought both Ceci and Mike Matheson had tremendous performances today
  The Penguins brought in Ceci to improve and stabilize their defensive corps, mostly to fill more of a defensive role like he did last season in Toronto. However, Ceci has some offensive talent - hitting the 10-goal mark in 2015-16 with Ottawa - and said he wanted to rediscover more of a two-way game in Pittsburgh.
  "Always been pretty steady defensively, play hard, so that'll be there," he said after signing a one-year deal in October. "I'm just trying to add a little bit more of the two-way game back that I had previously in my career."
  He's been doing just that, as Ceci finished with two assists in today's game to give him four points in his last six contests. What I like about Ceci's mindset is that he stays within himself and keeps it simple by just getting shots on net and letting things happen from there.
  Meanwhile, Matheson also earned two assists and just made some really nice plays at both ends of the ice. He earned his first point as a Penguin on a couple of beautiful passing sequences with Crosby and Rust that led to Rust's first goal. He also broke up a scoring chance by diving and knocking the puck off a Capital's stick, and set up a big clear on the penalty kill.
  You can just tell that Matheson is starting to get comfortable within the system and with his teammates after getting derailed due to the injury he suffered in the second game of the season. He's showing why the Penguins were thrilled to add his skating and skillset onto their blue line.
  "I feel like things are happening a little more naturally than at the beginning of the year," Matheson said. "Once you get to a point where the systems are a little more natural and instinctual, it flows a lot better within the game."
  - The Penguins recalled Maxime Lagace on an emergency basis to serve as Jarry's backup as Casey DeSmith was sick with a non-COVID-related illness, per Sullivan.
  This was Jarry's first career start against the Capitals, and I thought for the most part, he looked great. As mentioned above, he made some really big and timely stops, particularly in the second and third, to keep his team ahead.
  "I thought he made some good saves for us at key times," Sullivan said. "That's what you need from your goaltender in order to win games and have success in this league. I thought Tristan took a big step tonight. I thought we defended hard in front of him, but certainly when we broke down, he was there to make the big stops. So hopefully Tristan will gain some confidence off of this. He certainly should. It was a solid performance by him."