I'll start with a quote from head coach John Hynes that really sums things up.
"Tonight was the same team playing the same game but a different end result."
When you're a team struggling to score goals, as the Penguins were heading into tonight's game, you look for your best players to play at their best. The top line of Chad Kolarik, Trevor Smith and Riley Holzapfel did just that tonight, as the Penguins put five past Robin Lehner tonight in route to a 5-2 win.
"Funny how things work," Kolarik said describing his assist on Dylan Reese's goal. "Those are the bounces you gotta get when you go to the net."
The Penguins had been having trouble finishing power plays off. Tonight, they cashed in on three of their 11 power plays.
"The last two games we've played we've had opportunities and were doing some good things and pucks weren't going in," Smith added.
At the tail end of a WBS power play, Trevor Smith found Chad Kolarik open in the slot. Kolarik's one-timer beat Robin Lehner 4:53 into the game, giving the Penguins an early 1-0 lead. Brian Dumoulin added a power play assist as well.
While on the power play, a turnover in the defensive zone gave Cole Schneider a chance and while Thiessen made the save, defenseman Tyler Eckford positioned himself for the rebound and put it past Thiessen for the game tying shorthanded goal 4:42 into the 2nd period.
The Penguins scored on their 8th man advantage when Trevor Smith put home the rebound of a Chad Kolarik point shot. Riley Holzapfel added an assist on the goal with 4:31 left in the 2nd period.
Kolarik and Smith have formed quite a duo lately. I asked them both about that after tonight's game. Check for their thoughts tomorrow.
Reese's power play tally with 5:54 left put a bow on it. Kolarik finished with a goal, three assists and a fight. Smith added two goals and an assist. Holzapfel with three assists.
The Penguins wrap up a three game weekend with a home game against Syracuse tomorrow.
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