Snap Shots: Pens 4, Devils 1

Thoughts, musings and observations from the Penguins' 4-1 win against the New Jersey Devils at PPG Paints Arena.

* This was the definition of a team victory. Pittsburgh received goals from each of its top three lines (Dominik Kahun, Jake Guentzel, Jared McCann) and even a defenseman (John Marino) to boot. Eleven players recorded a point, and every single player on the roster finished the game with at least a plus-1. It was an even distribution of contribution, from top to bottom.
* You won't see a prettier play than the goal that Bryan Rust, Evgeni Malkin and Guentzel connected for in the second period. Rust chipped the puck to Malkin. Despite it being a hard and bouncing puck, Malkin managed to "one-time" a pass ahead to spring Guentzel on a breakaway. Guentzel deked Devils goalie MacKenzie Blackwood to the ice and then easily pulled the puck around and slipped it into the goal.

Guentzel has a career-best four-game goal-scoring streak at home. At this point, the MilkShake Factory has to be losing money on the Jake Shake deal, right?
* All that being said, you won't see a prettier goal and celebration than Kahun's tally to open the game. Kahun collected the puck at the lower circle, cut to the net, pulled the puck around a sprawling Mirco Mueller and went top shelf, near side with a wicked backhander. To add a little pizzazz, Kahun dropped to one knee and did a swooping fist pump.

* The Penguins dominated the opening 40 minutes of the game, yet led only 2-1 entering the third period. That's where they blew the game open. Pittsburgh scored back-to-back goals 25 seconds apart in the opening 150 seconds of the final frame to take a 4-1 lead. Though there was plenty of time remaining, the Devils' spirits were broken.
* Marino has been so phenomenal for the Penguins that it's still hard to believe he's only a rookie that's played a mere 21 games. He picked up his second goal of the season, and extended his point streak to four games (1G-3A).
* Patric Hornqvist has never had a fighting penalty in his entire career. That changed tonight as he "dropped" the gloves with the Devils' Damon Severson. Hornqvist took issue with Severson checking Guentzel from behind. Though he went at him, gloves were not dropped, punches were not thrown, but both men were still given fighting penalties. Probably not the way he thought his first fighting major would go.