Guentzel thrives on big stage

Rookie finds space in defense, scores 1st career hat trick

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette COLUMBUS, Ohio — No one has ever accused Jake Guentzel of just talking a good game.

His responses during interviews tend to be, uh, economical, and cover 50 shades of bland.

Doesn’t much matter, though. When a guy can produce the way Guentzel does, he could answer every question put to him with a nod, wink or hand gesture, and no one — certainly, none of his teammates — is likely to object.

“He’s not scared,” Penguins center Evgeni Malkin said. “He’s playing for the first time in the playoffs, and he’s going the same way as the last 20 games of the [regular] season.” Or maybe better. Guentzel burnished his impressive credentials a little more Sunday evening, registering his first NHL hat trick — including the overtime game-winner — in the Penguins’ 5-4 victory against Columbus in Game 3 of their opening-round playoff series at Nationwide Arena.

That outburst gives him four goals — two of them game-winners — and an assist in Round 1.

“He just keeps doing it,” linemate Sidney Crosby said. “He just keeps elevating his game. When you first start playing, you gain confidence, and I think that’s happened. But then, the playoffs are another level, and he’s raised his game again.”

Guentzel completed his first NHL hat trick — and gave the Penguins a 3-0 chokehold on the series — at 13:10 of overtime, when he beat Blue Jackets goalie Sergei Bobrovsky from near the inner edge of the left circle after taking a feed from Crosby.

“Sid and [right winger Conor Sheary] made great plays behind the net,” Guentzel said. “When you’re playing with those guys, you just need to find the soft areas.”

Columbus coach John Tortorella said, “I think the winning goal was defendable,” but neutralizing Guentzel isn’t easy. He has a knack for staying in motion until he finds an open area in which to operate, as he did on the goal that ended the game.

“He’s smart,” Crosby said. “There’s not a lot of space out there, but he sees the ice well. … You see, on that overtime goal, he kind of finds a quiet area there, away from guys.

“He knows where to go, and he’s got a good shot. He’s got all the tools.”

Most of them were evident in Game 3.

Guentzel scored his first goal at at 3:17 of the opening period, beating Bobrovsky from between the left circle and crease.

Later, he broke a 3-3 tie during a power play at 11:48 of the third, when his shot through the crease caromed off Bobrovsky’s skate and into the net.

“He’s a real good player,” coach Mike Sullivan said. “I don’t think the stage is too big. I think he has a quiet confidence about him that he’s displayed since day one.”

There would be Nov. 21, when Guentzel scored on his first NHL shot then added another goal.

That performance verified that Guentzel’s reputation as a big-time offensive talent was well-founded, an idea that has been reinforced numerous times since.

Although teams competing in a Stanley Cup playoff series rarely see things the same way, there are exceptions.

Like the take the Peng u i n s and Columbus shared on the one-game suspension Blue Jackets winger Matt Calvert served when the clubs met Sunday night at Nationwide Arena in Game 3 of the opening round.

No one on either side seemed to feel the suspension, levied by the NHL for an attack Friday night on Penguins winger Tom Kuhnhackl late in Game 2,