Mark Madden: Despite Penguins' marquee absences, Mike Sullivan pushing right buttons with lineup

With Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin hurt, and with Jake Guentzel and Bryan Rust each missing a game to date, two fears loomed large as the Penguins’ season began.

Could they score?

Would they dig themselves an early hole despite playing eight of their first 10 at home, putting themselves on the back foot in what should be an intense Metropolitan Division playoff race?

So the Penguins netted 15 goals in their first three games. That’s good even if three goals aren’t into an empty net. (Tampa Bay coach Jon Cooper clearly bet the over on opening night.)

The Penguins took three points from two games in Florida vs. the defending Stanley Cup champ and another legit contender. They won their home opener this past Saturday, 5-1, against Chicago, chasing returning hero Marc-Andre Fleury from his net with four goals in the first 11 minutes, 25 seconds.

Saturday’s victory made Mike Sullivan the winningest coach in Penguins history with 253 regular-season wins. (He’s also the only Penguins coach with two Stanley Cups.)

Reaching that milestone Saturday was apropos.

Sullivan might be the biggest reason for the Penguins’ solid beginning.

The Penguins came out prepared, focused and driven despite their marquee absences. Their opening-night victory was textbook adherence to fundamentals. If they haven’t quite matched that since, they’ve come close enough. “Next man up” became fact, not cliched.

Sullivan might have an easier time getting lesser players on the same page than he does stars. Most coaches would probably say the same.

But they don’t ask how, they ask how many. Sullivan shepherding his below-the-line players to a respectable record in heightened circumstances will be felt in the standings at season’s end.

Crosby should be back sooner, not later. That resets the lineup.

Crosby will center Guentzel and Rust. Jeff Carter will be between Kasperi Kapanen and Jason Zucker. It’s not a loaded top six, but it’s respectable. The bottom six will benefit from Evan Rodrigues trickling down. Carter, too, when Malkin returns in a few months.

The Penguins will be able to maintain two-way, 200-foot commitment when Crosby returns. He colors inside the lines to a fanatical degree. Malkin’s freelancing will provide a challenge.

The Penguins are far from a lock to make the playoffs.

But the first three games provided some good signs.

The Penguins have finally assembled a group of bottom-six forwards that are legit bottom-six forwards, not just lesser versions of top-six forwards. There’s some size and grit.

Drew O’Connor typifies. He’s 6-foot-3, 190 pounds, and he can skate and forecheck. He has three points in two games. He won’t keep that up, but it’s nice to get when it’s needed.

Sullivan’s one faux pas in the first three games was scratching O’Connor at Florida despite O’Connor’s outstanding training camp. He far outshined Sam Lafferty at camp, but Lafferty played at Florida. A decision like that makes excellence in practice seem meaningless.

If Zach Aston-Reese stays healthy, that’s another prototypical bottom-six. Brock McGinn, too. Teddy Blueger is that kind of center. Brian Boyle is big, anyway.

Sullivan can forget his preferred method of three attacking lines. His personnel won’t permit, especially right now.

But the Penguins currently fit together like most hockey teams. Maybe that’s good.

At any rate, who needs stars when Danton Heinen is filling the net with goal-scorer’s goals? He’s either a bottom-six on a hot streak or a Crosby in grinder’s clothing.