"It takes willingness and a commitment to play the game the right way and the right mindset where we're not looking for excuses," Sullivan said this month. "We're looking for the opportunity to move this team forward. Once again, I'll point to the character of the players that we have, the group that we have. We have great leadership and we just have a great group of players that don't look for excuses.
"Guys have been given an opportunity to play more significant roles, and they've embraced those challenges. That's the mindset that this group has had all year long. It's that next-man-up mentality."
Marino and forwards Jared McCann and Sam Lafferty are among those who've made the most of their chances. And despite players moving in and out of the lineup, Pittsburgh is sixth in the NHL in goals allowed (170) and went 6-1-1 in an eight-game stretch to take over first in the division Feb. 18.
"The coach and players have to be all in together," Letang said in January. "The message can be as good as it is, but if they players don't want to do it or they don't buy into it, usually it's not going to go well. I think it's just the fact that we have a good chemistry with our coaching staff. They make us understand why we're playing this way. They show us the success that we got off it. I think that's why we believe in it and we believe in what [Sullivan] is bringing up to us."
Voting totals (points awarded on a 5-4-3-2-1 basis): Mike Sullivan, Penguins, 74 points (10 first-place votes); John Tortorella, Blue Jackets, 56 (five); Travis Green, Vancouver Canucks, 35 (one); Jon Cooper, Tampa Bay Lightning, 26; Dave Tippett, Edmonton Oilers, 22 (one); Craig Berube, St. Louis Blues, 12; Bruce Cassidy, Boston Bruins, 12 (one); Jared Bednar, Colorado Avalanche, eight; Paul Maurice, Winnipeg Jets, six; Rick Bowness, Dallas Stars, six; Alain Vigneault, Philadelphia Flyers, five; Todd Reirden, Washington Capitals, two; Barry Trotz, New York Islanders, one; Rick Tocchet, Arizona Coyotes, one
NHL.com independent correspondent Wes Crosby contributed to this report