Chris Kunitz scored the only Pittsburgh goal in a 4-1 loss to the Hurricanes Thursday night. Kunitz is enjoying a fantastic season and although playing alongside Sidney Crosby has something to do with it, he deserves credit for the production he registered. Both Crosby and Matt Niskanen drew assists on the marker.

Chris Kunitz potted a goal as the Penguins defeated the Panthers on Friday night 3-1. Kunitz has built on his career-best 2011-12 campaign with seven goals and 20 points in 18 games this year. As such, he's well worth starting every night while he's on this roll. Matt Niskanen and Dustin Jeffrey had the other markers. Five different Penguins had assists.

Chris Kunitz has enjoyed a productive start to the 2013 campaign and he credits Sidney Crosby with his early success. "I'm fortunate enough to be getting points," Kunitz said. "It's a tribute to playing with Sid. He's such a dominant player. When the puck is in his hands right now, good things are happening." He has recorded six goals, with four coming in Sunday's win over Washington, and 12 points in 10 games. The physical Pittsburgh winger also has been credited with 26 hits this year.

As it turned out, Chris Kunitz scored four goals on Sunday. Kunitz was originally credited with a hat trick, but the Pittsburgh Penguins have since awarded Kunitz the Penguins' opening goal of the contest. Paul Martin was originally credited with that goal and Sidney Crosby was given the lone assist. Martin and Crosby now both have assists on Kunitz's goal. This is the first time that a member of the Pittsburgh Penguins have netted four goals in a single game since Jaromir Jagr in Oct 14, 2000.

Chris Kunitz is the second star of the week. Kunitz had four goals and seven points in four contests last week. He got off to a slow start, but heated up over the weekend and recorded a hat trick on Sunday.

Chris Kunitz collected a hat trick during the Pittsburgh Penguins' 6-3 win against the Washington Capitals on Sunday. It appeared that he would be robbed of the trio when credit from an earlier goal was taken away, but Kunitz scored one later on anyway. The rugged forward found the net on all three of his shots. It's been a huge weekend for him overall, as he had a goal and two assists on Saturday.

Pittsburgh coach Dan Bylsma stated that Chris Kunitz (flu) will be a game time decision Saturday. As the game starts in a few hours we should know if Kunitz will play after the pre-game skate.

Chris Kunitz didn't participate in Thursday's morning skate, but he's expected to suit up against the New York Rangers. Coach Dan Bylsma said Kunitz was feeling a "little bit under the weather." The Penguins winger has one goal and three assists, with 20 hits, in six games this season.

Chris Kunitz is projected to play alongside Sidney Crosby and Pascal Dupuis this season. Coach Dan Bylsma discussed his thoughts on some line combinations on Monday and said Kunitz would return to play with Crosby after he played alongside Evgeni Malkin for the majority of the 2011-12 campaign. The trio of Kunitz, Crosby and Dupuis played together in 2010-11.

Chris Kunitz believes young players getting some extra time in the AHL as a result of the lockout is a good thing for their development. Kunitz was a part of the 2004-05 lockout, spending that season with the Ducks' AHL affiliate. "[Playing in the AHL] probably did help me," Kunitz said. "The quality of play was a little better because of the young guys who [otherwise] were going to play in the NHL. That team in Cincinnati, I think 20 guys ended up playing in the NHL. It was beneficial because you were just learning the game, and maybe you weren't thrown into it so quickly." For now, the 33-year-old is practicing on a line with Sidney Crosby and Pascal Dupuis, while spending extra time with his family.