A good place to start is with Hornqvist out front

valuable to the team as Crosby, Evgeni Malkin or Kris Letang, but no one in the organization wants to think about going into the playoffs without him. He does what no one else on the team does with such regularity and toughness.

“He’s a guy who will continue to go to the front of the net no matter what,” Crosby said.

When Crosby says “no matter what,” he means it. Hornqvist has had two concussions this season, missing six games in November and five more this month before returning to the lineup Friday night against the New Jersey Devils. He knows all the latest information about concussions and their possible long-term effects, but he doesn’t hesitate to take his familiar spot in front of or near the opposing goaltender.

“I can’t be worried about that. I’m healthy now,” Hornqvist said. “If I don’t play that game, I’m not in this league. I want to play so I’m going to keep going there.”

That’s what Hornqvist did to score the goal Sunday. Linemate Phil Kessel also made a superb play, lifting the bouncing puck in the air over Reimer’s net. Hornqvist was in front to knock it in. He made it look simple, but it wasn’t. That goal required great timing and tremendous hand-eye coordination. Hornqvist had to wait for the puck to come down below the crossbar — the goal would have been waved off for a high stick if he hadn’t — then put enough on his swing to get it by Reimer.

“You don’t see a play like that too often,” Crosby said.

“Obviously, Sid is the best at it,” Hornqvist said. “I just got lucky.”

It was Hornqvist’s first goal since Feb. 9 when he scored two at Colorado. He went 12 games in a row without one excluding the latest five he missed because of the second concussion.

“The last few games haven’t been my best,” Hornqvist said. “Too much up and down. I need to be more consistent. Not just scoring goals, my performance. Sometimes, you can’t control scoring goals, but you can control other things.”

Playing a physical game. Hornqvist leads the Penguins with 207 hits. Chipping in on the power play. Hornqvist has nine goals and five assists as a member of the first unit. Coming up big in the biggest games. Hornqvist had nine goals in the Penguins’ run to the Stanley Cup last season. And, of course …

“He’s a guy who will continue to go to the front of the net no matter what.” For Hornqvist, that’s where it all starts.