Blown leads, meltdowns, and a search for answers are beginning to haunt the Pittsburgh Penguins (14-8-9), who have had their 15th win within their grasp no fewer than four times but have instead seen leads large and small evaporate in moments. Their journey will get no easier Tuesday when they host Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers (15-12-6) at PPG Paints Arena.

Note the later start time. The puck drops just after 7:30 p.m., and the Hillel Academy performs the National Anthem.

The Penguins are home underdogs according to the FanDuel NHL odds, but both teams are heavy favorites to be within one goal at the final horn. The FanDuel research staff has a few prop bets for the Penguins game, too.

It’s been a rough go for the home team.

The Penguins led by four goals Saturday and lost in overtime to the San Jose Sharks, 6-5. They led by three goals and lost in overtime to the Utah Mammoth, 4-3.

“I think we tried to play the right way, we tried to have the intensity and it was more a case of they beat us today and scored the goals, we didn’t beat ourselves which is a good sign, but then again, situations like this sometimes confidence plays a big role and obviously right now we’re lacking that,” defenseman Erik Karlsson said.

Remarkably, the Penguins still have the fifth-best winning percentage in the Eastern Conference despite just four wins in their last 10 and being winless in five games. Through the turmoil of four extra-time losses in five games that stemmed from blown third period leads, the team is just one point behind the Boston Bruins for the second wild-card spot and has two games in hand.

The Penguins will also have goalie Stuart Skinner and Brett Kulak available Tuesday. The team acquired them from the Edmonton Oilers Friday in the Tristan Jarry trade.

Of course, the Penguins may also face their old mate Jarry Tuesday. The goaltender was the centerpiece of the deal as Edmonton sought to shore up its goaltending situation, and Jarry was 9-3-1 with a .909 save percentage at the time of the trade.

He earned his 10th win Saturday over the Toronto Maple Leafs in a 6-3 Edmonton win on Hockey Night in Canada.

Edmonton’s lineup and season mission are well known. They have only one goal, and it is to win the Stanley Cup. After a pair of failed Stanley Cup Final appearances, which ended with the Florida Panthers’ jubilant celebrations, McDavid needs his own moment.

And Jarry now wears that pressure, too.

After beating Toronto Saturday, Edmonton was listless in a 4-1 loss to the Montreal Canadiens Tuesday. It may have been the Canadiens’ best game of the season, but Edmonton gave in.

Star center Leon Draisaitl is also just one point short of 1000 in his career.

If there is any justice, the game will feature a Jarry vs. Skinner goaltending matchup, which is quite likely.

How to Watch

Biz Nasty incoming. For streaming purposes, note the game is not on Pittsburgh Sportsnet.

TV: TNT

Radio: 105.9 The X

Expected Penguins Lines

Rickard Rakell-Sidney Crosby-Bryan Rust

Rutger McGroarty-Ben Kindel-Justin Brazeau

Kevin Hayes-Tommy Novak-Anthony Mantha

Connor Dewar-Danton Heinen-Noel Acciari

Defense

Parker Wotherspoon-Erik Karlsson

Ryan Shea-Kris Letang

Brett Kulak–Jack St. Ivany

Goalie: Stuart Skinner, expected

Expected Oilers Lines

Ryan Nugent-Hopkins–Connor McDavid–Zach Hyman

Vasily Podkolzin-Leon Draisaitl-Matthew Savoie

Trent Frederic-Adam Henrique-Mattias Janmark

Max Jones-Curtis Lazar-Andrew Mangiapane

Defense

Mattias Ekholm-Evan Bouchard

Darnell Nurse-Alec Regula

Spencer Stastney-Ty Emberson

Goalie: Tristan Jarry, expected.

Special Teams

Penguins’ power play: 32.1%, 1st. Penguins penalty kill: 84.0%, 5th.

Oilers power play: 30.6%, 3rd. Oilers penalty kill: 79.1%, 20th.

Penguins Game Notes

The Penguins are 8-3-2 in their last 13 home games against Edmonton dating
back to Nov. 6, 2008.

Despite the justified headlines over the lost leads and games, the Penguins have points in nine of their last 11 games (4-2-5) overall.

Bryan Rust (464) is two points shy of tying Jake Guentzel (466) for the 11th
most points in franchise history. Rust is on a three-game points streak and has six points (3-3-6), including three goals.

Sidney Crosby notched two power-play points (1-1-2), making
him the 12th player in NHL history to record 600 or more power-play points.

Crosby is also two points shy of tying Mario Lemieux for the franchise’s all-time points record (1723). If Crosby doesn’t break the record on Tuesday, he will have a chance to do so in Montreal, a place that is also special to both Lemieux and Crosby.

Tags: Edmonton Oilers oilers lines Penguins game Penguins lines Penguins starting goalie Pittsburgh Penguins

Categorized: Penguins Pregame