A few non-Super Bowl thoughts to get through the weekend:

• The Penguins won three straight games without Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin. Two of the wins were by shutouts — one by backup goalie Brent Johnson — and the other was decided in a 14-player shootout.

The winning goal in the shootout was scored by Dustin Jeffrey, the Penguins’ personal yo-yo between Pittsburgh and Wilkes-Barre.

This is a team that’s finding ways to win despite untimely injuries to key people.

Sound familiar?

• Speaking of finding ways to win, Duquesne is on top of the mountain in the Atlantic 10, riding its longest winning streak since the 1970s.

Chartiers Valley graduate T.J. McConnell might be in the running for conference player of the year honors, let alone rookie of the year.

• What are they putting in the water at Mars?

Following a stellar fall sports campaign in which nearly all the Planets varsity teams had big years, the basketball teams are following suit.

The Mars boys entered the weekend at 15-3 overall, 9-2 in section play, trailing only Highlands.

The Mars girls were 6-1 in section play, tied with Kittanning for the top spot.

Oh, yeah, the Mars hockey team suffered its first loss Thursday night and remains a favorite to win its third consecutive Penguins Cup.

• In an era when everyone’s in love with offense, it’s hard to believe the single-game scoring record for Butler boys basketball hasn’t been touched since 1958.

Bill Saul scored 45 points in a game that year, matching John Graham’s school record-setting performance in 1955.

No Butler boy has scored 1,000 points since Tyrell Sales graduated in 2004 with 1,205 points, just 24 points shy of Shawn Bellis’ school record.

• Forgive Butler girls basketball coach Dorothea Epps if she’s experiencing some culture shock.

Her young team has won only three games this season. Her previous five Golden Tornado squads finished a combined 91-27, including section championships in each of the past three seasons.

Of course, this team doesn’t have an Olivia Bresnahan or Amy Achesinski on its roster, either.

• Mike Tomlin did not receive a single vote for NFL Coach of the Year.

Are the voters paying attention?

• PirateFest drew record numbers to the convention center once again, despite the team coming off a 57-105 season.

New manager Clint Hurdle is bringing a fresh approach to the job.

The pitching will determine if the team brings a fresh look to its performance on the field.