Before they had the meltdown of the season, the Penguins had quite a bit to like from the first period.
Ultimately losing to the Red Wings, 5-4, in overtime Wednesday night at PPG Paints Arena, the home side did get a glimpse in that first period of what makes Drew O'Connor an intriguing depth option at forward.
The NHL's oldest roster can sorely lack fresh legs at times, and while O'Connor, 24, isn't the most prolific skater, he skates hard. Moving with more of a straight-ahead style than a shifty one, his powerful strides are that of a youngster ferociously trying to carve out a big-league career for himself.
Not to suggest they're remotely the same player, but don't you remember just how hard Bryan Rust used to skate in his first few seasons? It can pump some juice into the rest of the team, even if it's just in a minimal role like the one O'Connor's been playing.
On his first shift of the game, O'Connor used every bit of his core and lower-body strength to wreak havoc on the forecheck, allowing a gain of possession below the goal line.
Take a look:
O'Connor did great work by driving hard through both Red Wings defensemen rather than trying to go around them to the outside. Had he done so, it's extremely unlikely he would've been able to gain inside positioning on old friend Olli Maatta as they closed in on the puck in the corner.
The inside positioning O'Connor gained was what knocked Maatta off balance and sent him tumbling to the ice. From there, O'Connor didn't even so much as have to make a play on the puck. He just kept Maatta from adequately recovering while Kasperi Kapanen swooped in and carried the puck away. O'Connor didn't hesitate to then shade toward the net-front.
A moment later, Teddy Blueger prevented the Red Wings from getting out of the zone after a change of possession. It wasn't long before O'Connor was suddenly rewarded for his phenomenal forecheck with his first NHL goal of the season.
And what a rip it was:
Kapanen's aversion to taking the puck to the net here actually worked out really well. The path Kapanen took through the slot drew attention from both defenders and provided just enough space in O'Connor's stick radius for him to fling a laser to the back of the net all in one motion.
Watch that release again and make note of how O'Connor received the puck in shooting position as he loaded all of his weight to the inside upon firing away. A violent upward followthrough capped off a versatile -- and extremely impactful -- sequence that displayed why a little youth can go a long way.
