Before the Penguins game against the Hurricanes on Sunday afternoon, Mike Sullivan was asked how he believed Patrick Marleau has progressed since being acquired by the Penguins two weeks ago.
Entering the game, Marleau had recorded one assist in six games. In those six games he had recorded 11 shots on goal.
"I think he's getting more comfortable," Sullivan said. "We think he's played well, he just hasn't scored. He's got a significant amount of scoring chances when he's been playing with Malkin but he's also a conscientious player. He's good on the boards, he does other things for that line as well. We think he's played well, he's getting more comfortable with every game he plays."
In the first period of Sunday's game, Marleau was finally rewarded on one of those chances, finishing a feed from Conor Sheary to open the scoring:
With the goal Marleau took sole possession of 25th place among the NHL's list of all-time goal-scorers, surpassing Mike Modano's mark of 561 goals.
Not only was the goal Marleau's first in his seven games as a Penguin, but it was the first in 18 games overall for Marleau, snapping the longest goal drought of his career.
The Penguins ultimately fell to the Hurricanes, 6-2, but it was nice to see Marleau's scoring touch pay off for the first time in a Penguins uniform.
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AROUND THE RINK
• After Saturday's loss to the Capitals, Marleau no longer walks out next-to-last out of the tunnel between Evgeni Malkin and Sidney Crosby. He's been moved two spots ahead in the order, in front of Kris Letang.
• This was the best game Evan Rodrigues has played since joining the Penguins. He drew three penalties (but also took one minor penalty), recorded one blocked shot, one hit, and one of the only two rush attempts the Penguins got all game.
BEHIND THE SCENES
• Jake Guentzel and Anthony Angello are the only injured Penguins who have been in the press box in the last two games. Usually, the injured players who are able, don't sit in the press box during games and instead work out in the gym. I would presume Zach Aston-Reese works out during the games considering he's resumed skating on his own, and Dominik Simon is likely able to work out during games since he is in the building and not in the press box.
• When Jim Rutherford watches games from the press box he usually doesn't leave his seat until after the final buzzer. Today, he walked out of the press box and went downstairs with around eight minutes remaining in the game. Highly unusual.
• Sullivan was chatting with Mario Lemieux after the game.
• The Penguins haven't made any changes to the locker room procedures due to the coronavirus threat yet.
BY THE NUMBERS
• Patric Hornqvist led with five shots on goal, two more than any other Penguins player.
• The Penguins recorded a total of 30 shots on goal, with contributions coming from all but three players -- Jack Johnson, Nick Bjugstad, and Teddy Blueger.
MILESTONE WATCH
• Malkin (906) is nine games away from tying Lemieux (915) for second all-time in Penguins franchise history in games played.
• Kris Letang (807) passed Jaromir Jagr (806) for sole possession of fourth place on the Penguins' all-time games-played list.
• Malkin (1,073) is six points away from tying Jagr (1,079) for third all-time in franchise history in scoring.
• Malkin (960) surpassed Rod Buskas (959) for third all-time in franchise history in penalty minutes. Next up on the list is Troy Loney (982) at No. 2.
• Malkin (72) is two game-winning goals away from tying Lemieux (74) for second-all time in franchise history, and six away from tying Jagr (78).
• Crosby (319) is one even strength goals away from tying Jagr (320) for second all-time in franchise history.
• Crosby (983) is 17 games away from 1,000 games.
THEY SAID IT
• Sullivan: "The answers are inside our locker room. We just have to make sure we bring the right attitude to the rink so that we can work ourselves out of this. We have to rely on one another. We have to trust one another. It comes down to a certain attitude, a level of enthusiasm."
• Tristan Jarry on the back-to-back losses: "It's tough when you're playing Washington and Carolina, they're both in your division. Everyone needs points this time of year. You see how tough it is to win."
THE OTHER SIDE
• The Hurricanes leapfrogged the Islanders and Blue Jackets for the top wild card spot in the Eastern Conference. All three teams have 79 points in the standings, with the Hurricanes and Islanders having two games in hand over the Blue Jackets, and the Hurricanes having the tie breaker over the Islanders.
All three teams are just five points behind the Penguins for the third spot in the Metropolitan Division.
• Justin Williams: "That third period was as quiet as I've ever heard this arena. This arena gets really buzzing. So we definitely did something right. We have these guys three more times. We got one on them. The next three are going to be just as important."
• Forward Morgan Geekie made his NHL debut and scored two goals and an assist. He got a fist bump from Rod Brind'Amour after the game:
"Where's the kid?" ? pic.twitter.com/DGmS5cMuze
— Carolina Hurricanes (@Canes) March 8, 2020
AROUND THE NHL
• Colorado is still allowing media in the locker room, but they've enacted some new rules:
#Avs have elected to keep the locker room open for media with the following rules: pic.twitter.com/f26EEKQsOJ
— Ryan S. Clark (@ryan_s_clark) March 8, 2020
I just want to know why they specified "no hugging" and couldn't just go with something like "no physical contact of any kind." Who was hugging players in the first place?
PHOTO GALLERY
Penguins vs. Hurricanes, March 8, 2020, PPG Paints Arena. - GETTY