If someone told you before this season started that Jan Rutta would be tied for the lead in goals among Penguins defensemen after 20 games, would you have believed them?
Don't answer that, I already know your answer.
Rutta's career-high in goals is six, and the three he now has this season match his total from last season in 56 fewer games.
He opened the scoring just several minutes into the Penguins' 2-1 shootout victory over the Flames here at PPG Paints Arena on Wednesday night:
"I believe he’s got three goals this year, he’s helping us offensively," Mike Sullivan said of Rutta after the game. "He’s been doing a real good job getting pucks through on the blue line. He’s joining the rush when he has the opportunity … The fact that he’s chipped in offensively with three goals in the first 20 games, I think is huge for us."
Rutta's always been a defense-first defenseman, so his positive influence toward offensive generation including his three goals this season is nothing but a bonus for the Penguins.
It's not fair to assume Rutta will finish the season with double-digit goals, but the mechanics he displayed here were that of someone who's capable of capitalizing on their opportunities at a decent clip.
Jeff Carter did an outstanding job of swooping in on the puck, gaining the offensive blue line through the middle of the ice and dropping the puck for Rutta as he pulled Noah Hanifin out of the shooting lane. With time and space, Rutta loaded the puck into his hip pocket, putting the majority of his weight on his inside leg. In true sniper fashion, he transferred his weight to his plant leg out front as he unleashed a heavy wrister.
The key here, though, is that Rutta rolled his right wrist at the very end of his shooting motion which allowed him to change the angle and go against the grain, beating Dan Vladar.
Stay-at-home defender? Sure. But that's a goal-scorer's goal.
