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Mellon Arena statisticians credited players with 60 hits in the Penguins' 5-1 victory Tuesday against St. Louis.
David Backes of the Blues got seven of those, the most of anyone on either team. And while none came close to altering the course of the game, one that went largely unnoticed could have a major impact on the Penguins' season.
They believe it was an innocuous check by Backes in the second period that caused the broken left wrist that will prevent defenseman Sergei Gonchar from playing for the next four to six weeks.
Coach Dan Bylsma said they aren't entirely certain, though, since the contact was so ordinary that the camera operator saw no need to focus on the check as Backes delivered it.
"You can see what's happening [on the game tape], but the camera is going away from the hit," Bylsma said.
- Game: Penguins vs. Florida Panthers.
- When: 7:38 p.m. tomorrow.
- TV: FSN Pittsburgh.
"It wasn't a hard hit. It wasn't a late hit. It was just a normal kind of riding the guy out [of the play] and finishing your check. It must have caught [Gonchar] in an unfortunate spot."
It certainly put the Penguins in one, at least for the next month or so, because Gonchar is the cornerstone of their blue line. He leads the Penguins in ice time (24:06), is tied with Sidney Crosby for second place in the team scoring race and is an integral part of their special-teams units.
"He makes our defense run," defenseman Mark Eaton said.
True enough, but the Penguins still will be able to dress six NHL-caliber defensemen when Florida visits Mellon Arena at 7:38 p.m. tomorrow.
The closest thing to an unknown commodity in the group is Martin Skoula. He was signed as a free agent Sept. 29 and sat out the first nine games of the regular season, but he has 724 NHL games on his resume.
As well as, it seems, the full confidence of the coaching staff.
"Right now, you have to feel pretty happy about the signing of Martin Skoula," Bylsma said. "He's seen a lot of hockey games in this league. He hasn't played one this year, but I think he'll be ready to step right in."
Skoula joked recently about being "well-rested" because he hasn't been exposed to the rigors of games other players have faced for the past three weeks, but the downside of that is that he might need a little time to get acclimated to the pace at which everyone else will be operating.
"There will be an adjustment in the game," Bylsma said. "It might last a period, maybe a full game. But I think he's practiced hard. He's been diligent. A veteran guy.
"The pace is going to be a bit quick, maybe, to start, but I don't think it's a real serious concern."
Losing Gonchar will create holes in a variety of places for the Penguins, and precisely how all of them will be filled hasn't been determined.
Kris Letang will be bumped up to the No. 1 power play opposite Alex Goligoski -- Bylsma said he might deploy a forward on the point of the second unit -- and the configurations of the even-strength pairings might be changed.
Before Gonchar was injured, the Penguins had an offensive presence on each of their three pairings. That won't be possible anymore, but Bylsma suggested that Letang and Goligoski might be "sprinkled around more" with other partners.
Gonchar's tangible contributions, like all the minutes he logs and the points he produces, are easy to see. What might be less obvious is the impact his steady demeanor has on his teammates.
"He goes back for a puck and it seems his heart rate isn't any higher," Bylsma said. "He's just going back under pressure and makes the right play. ... He's got a real calming influence about the way he approaches the game."
Bylsma believes Gonchar's approach to his work has made an indelible impression on the other players -- "We're still going to have a lot of what he brings, because it's been around our guys for a while," he said -- and understands that his injury could have been more severe.
Rather than simply being immobilized for a few weeks, Gonchar's wrist could have required surgical repairs. Of course, based on tape Bylsma has watched, it's hard to believe he was injured at all.
"You can't see the hit very clearly," he said. "But you'd turn your head from it and think nothing of it."
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