Pittsburgh was trailing by a goal and killing a third-period penalty when Kraft took a lead pass from Rene Corbet at the opposing blueline. The lanky center needed only two strides to burst between a pair of defensemen in his way, and then fired a laser-like low shot that ended up in the back of the net for the tying goal.

The play swung the momentum to the Penguins, who dominated the remainder of the game and overtime and nearly emerged with a victory on the road. It also showed why the organization is excited about Kraft, who is taking a regular, if limited turn with the team in his debut season, two years after Pittsburgh made him a first-round draft choice.

"You don't teach that kind of stuff," says Penguins assistant GM Eddie Johnston said about the flashes the rookie has shown this season. "I think he's already ahead of schedule."

Not that there has really been a specific timetable for Kraft to arrive. After all, he is still only 20 and just two years removed from his native Czech Republic, where he honed his career playing at both the national junior and elite level.

Scouts watched him closely as his draft year approached and rated him among the top Europeans for a variety of reasons including his "ability to dominate the play." The Penguins agreed, taking him with the 23rd overall pick of the 1998 draft before convincing him to move to North America, where he would spend the next two seasons playing junior with Prince Albert of the Western Hockey League.

"I think it really helped to come over," Kraft said.

Adapting quickly to the smaller ice surfaces and more physical play in North America, Kraft continued to be the "offensive force" he had been touted to be. In two seasons with Prince Albert, he scored a total of 74 goals and 155 points, leading some in the Pittsburgh media to suggest he might earn a first- or second-line assignment in training camp this year with the Penguins.

Pittsburgh coach Ivan Hlinka, however, wasn't among them. Hlinka said the Penguins have been intent on breaking in the six-foot-one, 203-pound Kraft slowly this season, but added that he was impressed by the 'tools' Kraft has shown and his work ethic in both practices and games.

"He has a good future," Hlinka said. "What he needs now is experience."

Which has not been easy to get this season. Kraft has appeared in all but two of the Penguins first 38 games this season, scoring seven goals and five assists playing mostly on a third line with Corbet and Alexei Morozov. He has averaged about 14 minutes of ice time, which, he says, is one of the toughest things to which he must adapt.

"It's different from what I am used to," Kraft admitted. "I feel better as I get more ice time, but the NHL is the best league in the world and you just have to play hard when you get the chance. I just have to be ready."

And to remain focused. Kraft's teammates have been impressed by his raw skill, but note that he still needs to work on specific parts of his game such as in the faceoff circle, where he is winning about once in every six tries.

Alexei Kovalev says part of the problem has to do with confidence, which he believes Kraft could gain by asserting himself a bit more.

"He's so talented, but every time somebody comes at him and checks him, he kind of like throws the puck away instead of making a move," Kovalev said. "He needs to use his power a little more, be aggressive. He's a pretty strong kid. You can see it's all about confidence. If he'd make a couple of moves, beat a couple of guys, he'd be a completely different guy."

Linemate Corbet says he already is.

"(Our line) started the season a little slow, but he is gaining some confidence as we go along," Corbet said. "He had a pretty good stretch in November (eight points in eight games), but it's still a learning process. He'll get it. Anyway, I think for a 20-year-old kid, he's pretty damn good."