You know those dream scenarios that everybody comes up with before a season starts about how if this goes right and if that goes right. Oh, and also if this goes right, this season has been unbelievable in that regard.

Good morning to you.

Good Tuesday morning.

I'm Dayon Kovachovich of D.K. Pittsburgh Sports.

This is Daily Shot of Penguins.

It comes your way bright and early every weekday.

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Club doesn't play again until Thursday night against the Blackhawks, that's at home.

Start of a three-game homestand, actually, buys a little bit of time for at least a little bit of reflection and at least a little

bit of awe, genuine awe at how this 26, 14, and 11 showing has come about through its various

pieces because if you go back to last September, really, the training camp, this roster had a ton

more questions than it did answers, even among the scenarios where you were pretty sure you'd

have answers. And somehow, well, listen, I'm just going to go through some of these.

Player by player, what this team needed more than anything else was for Sidney Crosby to

continue just being Cid. Point a game Cid, reliable Cid, power play Cid, the whole deal.

Well, Sid's got 57 points in 51 games.

Yvgeny Malkin needed to have enough of a season to show that he's worth keeping around for

another year.

He's at a point of game, although he had the shoulder injury there that kept him out

for a time.

40 points in 36 games, Gino's coming back.

Two huge check marks. And while I'm at it, both of them setting optimal examples for everybody

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