All Gas, No Brakes for Jake Guentzel

Jake Guentzel is actually a pretty superstitious guy, and doesn't necessarily love it when the media plays it up when on a good run. So after
writing this feature
on Friday, I was definitely crossing my fingers that his career-long point streak would continue... and it did in epic fashion.
The winger recorded his fourth career hat trick in Pittsburgh's 4-1 win over Vancouver on Saturday at Rogers Arena, and what's even more impressive is that he probably could have had a couple more goals.

"Missed on two great chances there from Sid. I would like to bury those ones," Guentzel said afterward. "But just as long as I'm getting the chances and creating something, it's good for me and good for the team, so just got to keep it going."
Guentzel also collected an assist in the contest for a four-point night, the third of his career and first since Nov. 27, 2019 against who else… the Canucks. The 27-year-old winger has done incredibly well against this opponent so far in his career, extending his point streak against the Canucks to 10 games. He's piled up 12 goals over that span.
"I wish I knew," Guentzel laughed when asked for the secret to his success. "It's just a fun building to play in, so I think you get excited to come here and play."
Guentzel also kept two other streaks alive tonight. Most importantly, he extended that career-long point streak to 12 games. He's collected 10 goals and 16 points over that span, which continues to be the NHL's longest active streak. It's the third-longest overall behind Edmonton's Connor McDavid (17 games) and Anaheim's Troy Terry (16 games).
Guentzel also tied a franchise record with his season-opening 11-game road point streak, as he has gotten on the scoresheet in every single opponent's building so far this year. "I think playing on the road, it's just a good challenge," Guentzel said.
Guentzel's first goal came at even strength to open the scoring just 2:19 into the second period. Former Penguin Tanner Pearson blocked a shot that took a fortuitous bounce right to the stick of Guentzel, who wasted no time slamming it home with a one-timer.
Guentzel's next two goals came just 1:10 apart, both on a 5-on-3 power play. Let me explain. Thirty seconds into Pittsburgh's fourth power play of the game, Kris Letang was cross-checked in his own zone, sending his team onto a two-man advantage for 1:30 minutes.
Then, just 20 seconds into the 5-on-3, the Canucks were called for delay of game after sending the puck over the glass - meaning that even if the Penguins scored during that 1:10 span, they would remain on a two-man advantage.
It took Guentzel a matter of seconds to get his second goal of the game, as it came off an offensive-zone draw. Jeff Carter won it back to Guentzel on the wall, who dished it to Sidney Crosby and drifted close to the bottom of the circle. Crosby gave it back for another one-timer that he buried into the back of the net.
On the third tally, with the three Canucks focused on Crosby, the captain made another perfect pass to an open Guentzel. His snap shot deflected off Canucks defenseman Luke Schenn and in to complete the hat trick, giving him 13 goals in 24 games played this season.
"Obviously some lucky ones tonight to go off D-man's skates or whatnot," Guentzel said. "Just kind of take them as they come."
The shoot-first mentality was evident on all three, and Guentzel feels that focus has been helping spur his current run. He put five pucks on net tonight, the seventh time during this point streak where he's recorded at least that many shots.
"It's just the bounces I think are going my way right now. I think you go through stretches where you don't get these bounces, and for me, I'm just trying to shoot the puck as much as I can and if it goes in, (that's great), or if not, it creates rebounds," he said. "So for me, I'm just trying to be around the net and shoot the puck as much as I can, and you never know what happens."
And while Guentzel is staying hot, the power play is getting hot. Over the last 10 games, it has clicked at a level that ranks towards the top the NHL.
Since Nov. 16, the Penguins have gone 7-for-26 on the power play for a 26.9 success rate, and are steadily getting back on track after a rough start to the year that had them ranked last in the NHL for a while.
"It's huge just for our power play in general, I think," Guentzel said. "We know we would like to be better, so just to get two there - especially 5-on-3, where we haven't scored in the past - I think it gives us some confidence. Hopefully as a power-play group, we build off this."
Guentzel's assist, a secondary one, came on a goal from Crosby, who was no slouch himself in this game. He had a three-point night, getting the primary assists on two of Guentzel's goals.
"Jake has a certain hockey IQ, he has a unique ability to find the soft spots," head coach Mike Sullivan said. "And when he plays with a guy like Sid, he usually gets the puck, but he gets there at the right time, and that's the genius of Jake's game. I also think that's why Jake and Sid have been so complimentary in all the time they've been playing together, is they think the game on a similar level, which is an elite level."
With the win, the Penguins snapped a three-game winless streak (0-2-1). Next up is Seattle on Monday.
"Vancouver is just a great city overall, so whenever you can come out of here with two points, I think it's nice for us to get this win and move on from this one," Guentzel said.