Penguins 5 – Senators 3 (F)
POST-GAME 5

Bryan Rust (14G-12A-26Pts)
– 2 Goals vs in the win, giving him 14 goals in 50 games. These aren’t Charlie Hustle type goals in around the crease. Rust is burying shots with a goal scorers mentality, picking corners extremely well. Rust is now on pace for 23 goals. The crowd complaining of the Rust contract has been quiet.


Jake Guentzel (26G-23A-49Pts) – Netting goals 25 and 26 on the season, Guentzel iced the game with 2:52 remaining. Can Guentzel get to 40 goals? Scoring at a 42, 79 point pace, Guentzel would be the first Penguins winger since James Neal to score 40 goals (2011-2012) if he gets there.


Nick Bjugstad/Jamie McCann – It was just the Ottawa Senators + first game with a new team running on a lot of adrenaline so you should never over evaluate no matter how the newly acquired player looks, but a lot to like for Bjugstad in how he meshed with Phil Kessel and Bryan Rust, especially Kessel where the two had great puck support with each other in the offensive zone. Blugstad had an assist in the win and a great screen on Rust’ snipe from the right circles in the second period. Saturday night vs Toronto will be a much better opponent to get a read on McCann.


Teddy Blueger (1G-0A-1Pts) Scored his first NHL goal with a cannon of a shot from the left dot. With Jim Rutherford motivated to add another forward and the coaching staff committed to Matt Cullen in the top-12, Blueger is more so playing for a role next season but there’s been things to like with his 200-ft game and the NHL shot he showed vs Ottawa.