PITTSBURGH _ Two hours before puck drop at PPG Paints Arena _ in those uncertain moments when time slows to a crawl and the range of possible outcomes feels endless _ Penguins coach Mike Sullivan was asked what his team's six-game losing streak had done to his club.
Sure, the impact was obvious in the standings. The Penguins had tumbled from the top of the Metropolitan Division to third, just two points ahead of the last wild card spot. But the question was, had there been any similar decline in confidence?
"For players, confidence is fleeting," Sullivan said. "You can get it back as quick as you lose it."
When the puck finally dropped, that quote was almost prophetic.
During a 7-3 victory over the lowly Ottawa Senators, the Penguins began to get their swagger back. Pittsburgh's leading goal-scorer Bryan Rust recorded his third career hat trick. Sidney Crosby and Jason Zucker each posted three-point nights. And Conor Sheary scored in his first game back at PPG Paints Arena in a Penguins uniform since the 2018 postseason.
But really, the losing streak that spanned six games and 14 days began to be stopped in its tracks just 48 seconds into the game.
Rookie defenseman John Marino rejoined the lineup for the first game since a Steven Stamkos slap shot broke three bones in his face. On the first shot of the game, Marino's wrister from the point gave the Penguins a 1-0 lead.
Less than a minute later, the lead was 2-0. Sheary tossed a puck through the crease looking for Crosby. A good pass would have been a guaranteed assist for Sheary. He got a goal instead when the puck missed Crosby's blade and Senators defenseman Mike Reilly batted it into his own net.
Brian Dumoulin, playing in his first game since lacerating tendons in his ankle on Nov. 22, registered the primary assist. Kris Letang picked up the secondary assist.
The Penguins' defense has been a common topic of discussion _ and dissection _ during the absences of Marino and Dumoulin. Forced into less than optimal pairings, the blue liners were overtaxed and at times thrust into roles where they frankly didn't belong. Now, with two of the team's four best defensemen back, the production returned too.
Of course, the defense wasn't the only issue during the six-game skid.
The power play was impotent during the stretch, going just 1-for-18. With less than a minute left in the first period, Rust snapped that slump too when he collected an Evgeni Malkin pass in the slot and fired it through a Patrick Hornqvist screen.
During this slump, captain Crosby has also been critical of his own performance. He had tallied just a single point and minus-8 rating. But on a night the Penguins exercised nearly every demon, he lit the lamp with less than three minutes left in the second period to extend the score to 4-1.
Just 36 seconds into the third period, the Penguins turned it into a rout. The new-look top line, forechecking hard, turned the Senators over just as they were exiting the zone to create a three-on-two. Sheary found Zucker driving to the net. Crosby earned the secondary assist, the 800th helper in what's bound to be a Hall of Fame career.
Meanwhile in net, Matt Murray earned his turn in the goaltender rotation. With a much stronger defensive effort in front of him, the Penguins goalie stopped 23 of 26 shots to earn his 18th win of the season. In the first period, Mike Reilly's shot from the left circle bounced off the post and off Murray's back. Jayce Hawryluk was there to sweep it into the net.
Then in the third, Murray allowed two more, one off Brady Tkachuk's skate and another from Connor Brown that pulled the Senators within 5-3.
But back-to-back goals from Rust sealed the win and sent hats tumbling from the rafters.
Even after the victory, the Penguins (38-21-6) remain in third in the Metropolitan standings with 82 points. The Capitals (86 points) and Flyers (83) play each other on Wednesday night. The Penguins will have their next chance to gain ground on Thursday when they travel to Buffalo.
