* Ruhwedel has been the ultimate team player this season. As the seventh and eighth defensemen, he hasn't seen a lot of action. Prior to appearing in the past four games, it had been nearly three months since he last played a game. Tonight was just his 15th game of the season, and he was scratched for 37-straight contests.
Ruhwedel never complained. He never raised an issue. Ruhwedel went about his business, kept working, kept preparing for his chance to get back in the lineup. That day has come. Ruhwedel earned his time, and earned that goal.
* And speaking of offense from the blue line, a Pens' defenseman figured in on three of the team's four goals.
* Pittsburgh did an excellent job of working the points. The Devils are a team that collapses in the defensive zone. So if you don't use your points, then you're basically playing 3-on-5. The Pens utilized their defensemen, used the D-to-D pass and the defensemen took shots when available.
* Zach Aston-Reese's dad was in the crowd tonight. So of course Zach scored a goal. If his dad came to every game, Aston-Reese would have 82 goals this season. Or at least it seems that way.
* Tanner Pearson was back in the lineup after being a healthy scratch for the past two games. You could see a new determination in his game. He was skating hard, battling on the boards and at the net. He drew a penalty and was creating offense.