Pittsburgh Penguins Game, Vegas Golden Knights
The Pittsburgh Penguins (5-7-2) are in a bit of trouble as bad losses mount and answers are scarce. The team currently has the second-worst winning percentage in the Eastern Conference, and a loss Tuesday would put them at least six points out of a playoff spot. They face a formidable opponent, the Vegas Golden Knights (9-5-2), Tuesday at PPG Paints Arena.
The puck drops just after 7 p.m., and the Armstrong High School performs the National Anthem.
The Penguins are not favorites on home ice Tuesday, but surprisingly, they’re not an underdog, either. The FanDuel odds have each team at -110, but the researchers do like a couple of predictions.
The Penguins’ messy defensive zone coverage continued Saturday in a 5-4 loss to the Montreal Canadiens at the Bell Center. The Penguins’ offense was concentrated among their best players as Sidney Crosby and Erik Karlsson each scored a goal with two assists. Tommy Novak and Rickard Rakell each had a goal and an assist.
It was a tough night for rookie goalie Sergei Murashov, who stumbled in the first period, allowing a soft goal, then was victimized by a bad turnover in the defensive zone by Hendrix Lapierre to give up a second goal just 24 seconds later.
Murashov responded well with a brilliant third period to keep the Penguins in the game, but after an extra-attacker goal by Crosby with over three minutes remaining, they couldn’t get the tying goal.
The Penguins had to shuffle their lines at practice Monday as both Evgeni Malkin and Kaedan Korczak joined the injury list. However, Justin Brazeau will return to the lineup after being recalled from his AHL conditioning assignment.
Vegas lost 3-2 in a shootout to the Boston Bruins Monday. Mark Stone scored on the power play in the second period, and Trevor Connelly tied the game in the third. Carter Hart made 25 saves for Vegas.
Vegas had fallen behind 2-0 before Stone cut the deficit, redirecting a rebound past Jeremy Swayman. Connelly then tied the game on a wraparound.
Arturs Silovs is expected to start for the Penguins. Adin Hill is expected in net for Vegas as Carter Hart is dealing with a lower-body injury.
How to Watch
TV: SportsNet Pittsburgh
Radio: 105.9 The X
Penguins Lines
Tommy Novak-Sidney Crosby-Rickard Rakell
Andrei Kuzmenko-Ben Kindel-Egor Chinakhov
Ville Koivunen-Hendrix Lapierre-Justin Brazeau
Connor Dewar-Blake Lizotte-Nick Robertson
Defense
Spencer Stastney-Erik Karlsson
Sam Girard-Kaedan Korczak (UPDATED)
Declan Carlile-Kris Letang
Goalie: Arturs Silovs, confirmed.
Golden Knights Lines
Ivan Barbashev-Jack Eichel-Mark Stone
Trevor Connelly-William Karlsson-Mitch Marner
Brett Howden-Tomas Hertl-Braeden Bowman
Jonas Rondbjerg-Nic Dowd-Marc Gatcomb
Defense
Brayden McNabb-Shea Theodore
Jeremy Lauzon-Rasmus Andersson
Noah Hanifin-Dylan Coghlan
Goalie: Adin Hill, expected.
Special Teams
Penguins power play: 21.1% (16th). Penguins penalty kill: 85.7% (6th).
Golden Knights power play: 27.3% (7th). Golden Knights penalty kill: 69.4% (26th).
Injuries
Vegas
Victor Olofsson: undisclosed/lower-body injury; on injured reserve.
Parker Wotherspoon: upper-body injury; on injured reserve.
Carter Hart: lower-body injury; day-to-day.
Penguins
Evgeni Malkin: lower-body injury; day-to-day.
Kaedan Korczak: lower-body injury; day-to-day.
Bryan Rust: lower-body injury; injured reserve.
Trevor van Riemsdyk: lower-body injury; injured reserve.
Elmer Soderblom: upper-body injury; injured reserve, week-to-week.
Penguins Game Notes
The Penguins will debut their Hometown Remix jerseys Tuesday.
The Penguins were badly beaten by Vegas at T-Mobile Arena on Oct. 17, 6-2, but the Penguins have never lost a season series against Vegas.
Crosby has 13 points (6-7-13) in 14 games played against Vegas and seven points (2-5-7) in seven games against Vegas at PPG Paints Arena.
Crosby is tied with Marcel Dionne for the sixth-most points in NHL history (1771).
Nick Robertson is a team-high plus-7 and has been plus or even in 12 of 14 games.
Tommy Novak will play in his 300th career game Tuesday.