Marino returns to roots
Rookie’s value keeps on growing
During the Penguins’ previous trip to Boston Nov. 4, a lucky bounce on the tail end of a penalty helped John Marino score his first NHL goal in front of 60 friends and family members. On Thursday, Marino will return to Boston as an integral part of a Penguins team that has thrived despite numerous injuries.
“Anytime you get to go back home and play in front of family and friends,” Marino said, “it makes it a little more special.”
The 22-year-old rookie defenseman was born in North Easton, Mass., about 25 miles south of Boston, and played for Harvard. The Penguins travel to Boston to face the Bruins Thursday night.
“They’re deep, they’ve got a balanced attack, they’ve got a good solid defense corps, they’ve got solid goaltending, they’ve got one of the best power plays in the league,” Penguins coach Mike Sullivan said.
“I think those are all the reasons why they’re one of the top teams in the league. We’re just going to have to continue to try to focus on our game and bring our best game and try to dictate the terms out there as best we can.”
Marino has helped the defensemen bring their best game after Erik Gudbranson was traded before Brian Dumoulin and Justin Schultz got hurt. In 44 games, Marino has 23 points and is plus-15 teaming mostly with Marcus Pettersson on the second pairing.
“I think we play similar styles,” Marino said. “He’s a really good puck-moving defenseman. He’s really smart. He’s always in the right position. He talks a lot out there. He makes the game a lot easier.”
Among active skaters, only Kris Letang and Sidney Crosby average more ice time than Marino’s 20:22.
Bruins again?
The Penguins’ brief respite after their road trip out west, a three-game sweep that included wins against two of the top teams in the Western Conference, is over. They’ll face Boston, which trails firstplace Washington by a point in the Eastern Conference, twice in four days, returning home against the Bruins Sunday after playing the Red Wings in Detroit Friday night.
The Penguins are 8-1-1 in their past 10 games and have won four in a row. They went 18-6-4 while Sidney Crosby missed two months because of core-muscle surgery. Crosby returned Tuesday and recorded four points. In his absence, Evgeni Malkin had 11 goals and 38 points, which was no surprise; in his career without Crosby, Malkin averages 1.36 points per game. This year, though, his 1.42 points per game ranks fifth in the NHL.
“I felt based on our discussions in the summertime that Geno would be a motivated player coming back to training camp, and he certainly has,” Sullivan said. “As I’ve said, he’s been a great player in this league for a long time. He’s one of the best players of his generation and he’s so capable. I suspected based on our conversations in the summertime that he would be a driven guy and a motivated guy, and he has been. I can’t say enough for Geno’s game and how he’s elevated his play.”
Mum on injuries
Sullivan had no updates on Schultz (lower body), Dumoulin (ankle surgery) or Nick Bjugstad (core muscle surgery).
“They’re just continuing the rehab process,” he said. “They’re going through it. We’re encouraged by the progress that they’ve made. We’re hopeful that we’ll get some of these guys back in a timely fashion.”