The Pittsburgh Penguins’ potent top line has led the charge when it comes to the team’s recent success.
Bryan Rust, superstar captain Sidney Crosby and Rickard Rakell will try to continue producing points on Saturday when the Penguins visit the New Jersey Devils in Newark, N.J.
Rust and Crosby each recorded a four-point performance in Pittsburgh’s 5-4 overtime victory over the Nashville Predators on Thursday. Rust scored 1:07 into the extra session to cap a two-goal, two-assist effort, while Crosby ended a 10-game goal drought and added three assists.
“Hopefully, they start to go in in bunches now, but, yeah, definitely a relief to see one go in,” Crosby said. “Just a fun way to get some momentum there.”
Rust has totaled 17 points (nine goals, eight assists) in his last 11 games and Crosby has 15 (two goals, 13 assists) in his last 12. Rakell scored and set up a goal to give the line a total of 10 points against the Predators.
“Ricky’s been great, Sid’s been great. I’ve just been trying to do my part … we’re working off each other,” Rust said. “I think once we have one good shift, we can just feel it, that we’re just kind of going. Obviously, Sid drives the bus … and we’re all just working together.”
The Penguins have ventured into overtime in each of their last three games — winning their last two. They are 8-2-1 in their last 11 games to give them more wins than regulation losses for the first time since Oct. 16.
“A month ago we probably don’t win a game like that,” Penguins coach Mike Sullivan said. “I just think they’re developing a certain resilience and a certain belief that if we stay with it that we can come back. We’ve just got to compete. That’s probably what I’m most proud of the group.”
The Devils look to rebound after seeing their three-game winning streak come to a halt with a 4-2 setback to the Columbus Blue Jackets on Thursday.
Luke Hughes collected a goal and an assist and Timo Meier also tallied for New Jersey, which showed gumption in its bid to rally from a three-goal deficit.
“We have a really resilient group and obviously not the outcome that we want, but for all our guys to play 60 (minutes) like that, push to the very end, is a very important thing,” Hughes said.
Jack Hughes registered eight of his career-high 13 shot attempts in the second period.
“To me, this might have been Jack Hughes’ best game of the season,” Devils coach Sheldon Keefe said. “He was outstanding. He’s either directly getting the shot and the chance himself, or creating it for others and driving us down the ice. He wanted to win this game. (It) was very, very clear how determined he was to help lead the charge on the 6-on-5 situations. I thought the second and third period, I thought he was outstanding. And a lot of other nights, he probably has three or four (goals).”
Jack Hughes ended up with an assist on Meier’s goal, extending his point streak to four games (two goals, five assists).
–Field Level Media
