Playoff dominance aside, Penguins coach Mike Sullivan has never seen a better version of Phil Kessel than the one who has produced a team-high 31 points in his team’s first 25 games.
“Hands down,” Sullivan said after Kessel torched Tampa Bay for two goals and four points in a 5-2 win, including a missile that he fired from the right circle in the second period that rendered poor Peter Budaj helpless.
The consistency of Kessel has been a major storyline of the Penguins’ season thus far.
In the offseason, Sullivan met with Kessel in Toronto to talk about goals — not the kind Kessel would score, although he does lead the Penguins with 11 — for the upcoming season and what the Penguins would need from Kessel.