The Penguins finally returned to action last night and picked up a much-needed win without captain Sidney Crosby. The Penguins dispatched the Devils by a score of 4-1. Jack Hughes was on the ice for this game and received quite the applause for his golden goal against the Canadiens this past Sunday. Unfortunately for Jack, he had to return to play for the New Jersey Devils who absolutely stink. During the first two periods the Pen’s looked like a team that hasn’t played together in three weeks, yet the Devils were only able to put one goal behind Silovs through 2 periods. Then the third period rolled around, and the Penguins rediscovered their game legs. From the drop of the puck to start the final frame, the Penguins promptly skated circles around New Jersey, Hughes likely felt he got deported and was playing for Denmark as the Penguins looked more similar to team USA during that third period.

Before I get more into the game, I have a huge gripe with someone at PPG Paints Arena. With just under three minutes to go in the game, the Penguins up by two goals, someone decided it was a good idea to play “Free Bird” over the speakers. Whoever decided to make that decision should be fired immediately. Jack Hughes, undeniably the best Devil, has heard that song played in parallel with his golden goal for the past four days. You think hearing it in an NHL rink isn’t going to light a fire under his ass? He got the puck shortly after it played and skated through almost our whole team before passing the puck off. Luckily, it didn’t result in a goal because the rest of the Devils absolutely stink. They would actually be better off to just have Tate McRae on the bench to give Hughes’ a massage between shifts than they would to have half of that roster. Regardless of Free Bird not producing a goal for New Jersey, that type of error cannot be made again, especially with fellow gold medalist Jack Eichel coming to town on Sunday.

Onto the game… Jack Hughes was probably thanking his lucky stars that the IIHF banned Russia because Evgeni Malkin and Egor Chinakhov are electric. If Canada had Chinakhov (or a healthy Sid), they win gold. Chinakhov is so good, so fast, and he just had a child which all but guaranteed he would score. The goal itself was beautiful; Malkin caught the Devils in a change and sprung Egor for a transition breakaway.

The Crosby injury sent me into a mental spiral. I did momentarily forget that we have the best Russian goal scorer of all time, Egor Chinakhov, and the greatest Russian duo to ever play the game. I was fearful that Geno couldn’t turn back the clock and strap the team onto his back like he used to in the face of a Crosby injury. I am pleased to report that I am a big dumb idiot. Geno on the first shift nearly scored a between the legs goal. He also picked up 2 points while his line looked dangerous regularly. I am not sure what the dollars are going to come out to, but Dubas would be wise to let these Russians get one more season together next year (plz resign Malkin).

Tommy Novak scored a power-play goal. Connor Clifton, the deserved first star of the game, also scored. Clifton was a force all night and finished with seven hits. His physicality is really a huge plus for this team considering the rest of the roster is relatively deficient in the physicality department.

Lizotte also scored an empty netter in his first game after the birth of his first child. Nothing on this planet is truer than a guy will score in his next game after welcoming a child to this world. Lizotte’s goal was also a shorthanded goal which I bring up because the penalty killers were incredible. First off, they went 6 for 6 on the kill but that doesn’t tell the whole story. The PK enjoyed several grade A chances, including two breakaways from Conor Dewar, and a fabulous chance from Rust. Every time they went over the boards to kill a penalty, they ended up looking like the team with the power-play. Sure, the Devils stink, but the display the PKers put on was simply amazing last night.

Artus Silovs got the start last night which I found extremely interesting. I know they have been doing the 50/50 split, but Skinner was fading right before the break and Silovs was really putting together good performances. There has also been some chatter that Skinner’s name is involved in a few different trade talks right now, did they keep him off the ice to protect an asset? Who knows, but I wouldn’t doubt Dubas can turn Skinner into yet another 2nd round pick. How many 2nd round picks does it take to get Robert Thomas? As for the guy who actually played last night, Silovs was fabulous. The Penguins needed two periods to really find their legs and Silovs play allowed them to do so. He looks in line to get the start against Vegas Sunday; he needs to maintain this level play because it’s the biggest factor to treading water during Sid’s absence.