{"id":39237,"date":"2025-11-20T03:54:09","date_gmt":"2025-11-20T03:54:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/39237\/"},"modified":"2025-11-20T03:54:09","modified_gmt":"2025-11-20T03:54:09","slug":"just-like-old-times-youthful-energy-sweeps-penguins","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-pa\/39237\/","title":{"rendered":"Just Like Old Times, Youthful Energy Sweeps Penguins"},"content":{"rendered":"

CRANBERRY \u2014 Sidney Crosby<\/a> wouldn\u2019t leave the ice after practice. Nor would rookies Harrison Brunicke, Ben Kindel, and Sam Poulin<\/a>. More than half a dozen players remained on the ice well after the lengthy 90-minute practice, playing more games and generally enjoying hockey. <\/p>\n

Even though Kindel and Brunicke were not yet born when Crosby made his NHL debut, it was just like old times. <\/p>\n

\u201cYeah, yeah. We don\u2019t get too many days to just get on the ice. (We) spend a lot of time out there playing every other day, and never actually nice to be able to do (have fun),\u201d Sidney Crosby said. <\/p>\n

Once upon a time, Penguins youngsters Crosby, Evgeni Malkin<\/a>, Kris Letang, and goalie Marc-Andre Fleury essentially made hockey their life, and a good chunk of their social life, too. <\/p>\n

Several years ago, former Penguins coach Michel Therrien<\/a> recounted having to turn off the lights at the practice rink to force the \u201ckids\u201d off the ice; otherwise, they would remain on their playground all day. <\/p>\n

And so it was Wednesday, as Crosby rolled into the locker room, preceded only momentarily by Brunicke and Kindel, that the ghosts of the past merged with the youthful energy of the present. <\/p>\n

\u201cI think, definitely, having youthful energy\u2013I think it\u2019s something that\u2019s contagious. You can inject a lot of that into a team,\u201d Crosby told PHN. \u201cSo I think just the enthusiasm and the hunger and the fun day to day. I think that is a big factor for sure.\u201d<\/p>\n

It would be impossible if not silly to attribute the Penguins strong start exclusively to youth. That would be an insult to the near-40 year olds who still inhabit the top of the lineup and are performing at typical (read: elite) levels. <\/p>\n

It would also be a disservice to the handful of new players, such as Anthony Mantha and Parker Wotherspoon, who are galloping at career-high paces. <\/p>\n

But the youth sure hasn\u2019t hurt. Finding an energetic third-line center like Ben Kindel, whose hockey smarts have put pucks on the sticks of his wingers in prime scoring areas throughout the season, as he, too, has notched five goals. <\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s a good thing, you know? I would rather (players stay on the ice) than guys that just want to get out of here. Like, the guys truly love the game,\u201d said coach Dan Muse. \u201cAnd I think the young guys definitely add to it, but the veteran guys also \u2014 they add to it a ton, too, because they\u2019re showing those young guys you can be doing this for 20 years and you can still love the stuff after practice and being on the ice. <\/p>\n

\u201cAnd those are things that are fun and you want to see that. I don\u2019t know if that\u2019s the case everywhere.\u201d<\/p>\n

When Poulin makes his season debut, presumably on Friday, he will be the eighth rookie to suit up for the Penguins this season, a number that leads the league. <\/p>\n

Muse broke into a big smile when talking about his team and the mix of guys still on the ice after practice. After all, he, too, is a rink rat noted to spend all day at the facility. <\/p>\n

\u201cI think you see (the youthful influence). I also think it\u2019s a mix. You\u2019ve got a group of guys\u2013some guys that have been doing this for 20 plus years and other guys that are first year in the league, and they just all love the game and I\u2019ll tell you the biggest thing that stands out for me, when you\u2019re seeing what goes on after practice it\u2019s like sometimes we\u2019ve got to put like a stop clock on practice, \u2018like, all right, this has been enough.’\u201d<\/p>\n

There is an undeniable freshness in the Penguins locker room\u2013Crosby didn\u2019t hesitate to talk about it. Without insulting or downgrading the past, it sure looks and sounds like the kids and the old guys are actually having some fun. <\/p>\n

Muse hasn\u2019t yet had to turn off the lights, but we\u2019re guessing there\u2019s a better chance he\u2019d join them than chase them. And this Penguins season of renewal continues. <\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tTags: Penguins Analysis<\/a> Penguins Locker Room<\/a> Pittsburgh Penguins<\/a> Sidney Crosby<\/a> <\/p>\n

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