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Stuart Skinner's resilience quote proves the Penguins can still win without Sidney Crosby
Photo credit: Rob Gray-Imagn Images
Jason Mackey's angle was the right one, the Pittsburgh Penguins were down 2-0, won 4-3 in Utah, and Stuart Skinner called it resilience.
That matters because Sidney Crosby did not bail them out. He remains on injured reserve with a lower-body injury, so this had to come from the rest of the room.
The first period was ugly. Dylan Guenther scored twice, Pittsburgh chased the puck, and the game looked like it was sliding away before the push even started.
Then the response got real. Anthony Mantha started the climb on a 5-on-3, Tommy Novak jammed in the equalizer, and the bench finally had life.
This is the expert read, not the soft recap. Pittsburgh won because it attacked the net front, simplified exits, and stopped waiting for a perfect play.
"It really showed how resilient this group is."
- Stuart Skinner
- Stuart Skinner
Bryan Rust then gave the Penguins the lead on the man advantage, and Noel Acciari buried the winner. Skinner did the rest when Utah pushed late.
Stuart Skinner captured the Pittsburgh Penguins mood
Pens fans have been waiting for proof this group still has a pulse without Crosby, and this was the clearest answer in weeks.
Skinner's quote lands because it matches the tape. This was not a lucky bounce game, it was a game where Pittsburgh absorbed a bad start and found structure.
That also matters for the next game. If the Penguins want to survive this stretch, they need their middle six to extend plays and their depth guys to turn chaos into offense.
The standings pressure is still there, but the win moved Pittsburgh to 33-18-15. More important, it showed this roster can still manufacture points when the stars are missing.
That is why Skinner's line should stick. Resilience sounds small in March, but for this team, it might be the only thing keeping the season alive.
Also read on HockeyUnplugged :
Pittsburgh Penguins keep Sidney Crosby's BELIEVE sign over locker room tunnel
Pittsburgh Penguins keep Sidney Crosby's BELIEVE sign over locker room tunnel
| POLL | ||
MARS 15|100 ANSWERS Stuart Skinner's resilience quote proves the Penguins can still win without Sidney Crosby Did Stuart Skinner's resilience quote change your view of the Pittsburgh Penguins? | ||
| Yes | 72 | 72 % |
| No | 28 | 28 % |
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