\The Pens should be proud of this victory. It was a gritty, gutsy win. The Bruins played tight in the neutral zone and negated Pittsburgh's speed. The Pens had trouble creating scoring chances off of the rush. So they had to do it the old fashion way, by creating scoring through zone time, which means hard work on the boards, playing physical and winning puck battles. Pittsburgh is at its best when using its speed, but the Pens also showed that they can win a physical game as well.
\Justin Schultz continued his torrid scoring pace. He posted 3 points (1G-2A) against the Bruins, including an assist on the overtime game-winner, and has scored in 7 of his last 8 games for 12 points total (5G-7A). While his offense is thriving, the coaching staff is most pleased with his defensive play. He's a truly gifted talent back on the blue line and has thrived under the tutelage of defensemen coach Sergei Gonchar. The scary thing is that Schultz hasn't even scratched the surface of his potential. He's giving us a glimpse of the type of player he can be. Here's hoping Schultz keeps it up.
\The Pens' switched up their power-play units against Tampa Bay, going with a two-defensemen look. And since then, they've gone 7 for 14 (50%). But it hasn't been just the big boys doing all the scoring, though they are doing their fair share. Nick Bonino and Conor Sheary tallied tonight against Boston and Schultz posted a man-advantage score against Arizona. The personnel changed has sparked the power play, and both units have responded.
\Speaking of special teams, the Pens penalty killing units have had an uncharacteristically rough start to the season. The group that has ranked in the top-5 in the NHL over the past several seasons is now among the bottom-5. But the unit is showing signs of rounding back into its usual form. They've killed 9 straight against, including a huge 5-on-3 disadvantage against the Bruins.
