{"id":390248,"date":"2026-01-04T13:39:08","date_gmt":"2026-01-04T13:39:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/390248\/"},"modified":"2026-01-04T13:39:08","modified_gmt":"2026-01-04T13:39:08","slug":"lines-goalies-how-to-watch-vs-cbj","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/390248\/","title":{"rendered":"Lines, Goalies, & How to Watch vs. CBJ"},"content":{"rendered":"

COLUMBUS, Ohio \u2014 The Pittsburgh Penguins<\/a> (19-12-9) have won four in a row, are in a playoff position, and are feeling pretty good about their game. The Penguins finish back-to-back weekend games when they visit the Columbus Blue Jackets (18-16-6) Sunday at Nationwide Arena.<\/p>\n

The puck drops just after 3 p.m. <\/p>\n

The Penguins\u2019 winning streak isn\u2019t the only storyline Sunday, as winger Yegor Chinakhov<\/a> will make his homecoming to Columbus. Chinakhov publicly requested a trade after last season, due in large part to issues with coach Dean Evason and his reduced fourth-line role. <\/p>\n

The Penguins acquired Chinakhov last Monday in exchange for a 2026 second-round pick, a 2027 third-rounder, and Danton Heinen. <\/p>\n

The Penguins squelched any and almost all offense against the Detroit Red Wings<\/a> Saturday. The Penguins allowed just 12 shots, a franchise record-low for a road game. Bryan Rust scored early in the first period, and newly acquired Chinakhov scored a breakaway goal sprung by a perfect pass from rookie Ben Kindel<\/a> later in the first period.<\/p>\n

Rickard Rakell<\/a> and Connor Dewar scored empty netters in the win. Penguins goalie Stuart Skinner won his second consecutive game by stopping 11 of the 12 shots.<\/p>\n

It was an impressive, if not stunning, display of discipline and defensive will. <\/p>\n

\u201cObviously, (we\u2019ve got) four wins in a row coming off the break, which is huge. We\u2019ve been scoring a lot of goals and playing amazing defensively. Our (penalty kill) has been fantastic. The power play has been working and is doing really well,\u201d said Skinner Saturday postgame. \u201cI mean, we\u2019re just \u2026 I feel like the team has got a really solid amount of chemistry right now, where just everyone is going. We\u2019re using everybody, every guy is going and playing their game and playing their role. <\/p>\n

\u201cAnd from my perspective, it\u2019s really fun to watch.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Penguins now have the third-best winning percentage in the Metro Division and seventh-best in the Eastern Conference. Based on overall points, they have the second wild-card position. <\/p>\n

Columbus has fallen back in the East and is the last-place team in the conference, though they are only five points out of a playoff spot and are over .500 (.525). Columbus has also won four of their last five games, including a solid 5-1 stomping of the Buffalo Sabres at Nationwide Arena Saturday. <\/p>\n

Columbus\u2019s win ended Buffalo\u2019s 10-game winning streak. <\/p>\n

The bottom of Columbus\u2019s lineup provided the offense as Cole Sillinger, Brendan Gaunce (SHG), and Mathieu Oliver added goals in addition to the offense from defenseman Denton Mateychuk and Dmitri Vronkov. <\/p>\n

Jet Greaves stopped 32 of 33 shots for the win. <\/p>\n

Since both teams are on the tail end of a back-to-back, the Penguins are most likely to face Elvis Merzlikins in goal Sunday. And Arturs Silovs is the probable Penguins starter.<\/p>\n

How to Watch <\/p>\n

TV: SportsNet Pittsburgh<\/p>\n

Radio: 105.9 The X<\/p>\n

And here is the SNP360 customer support<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Expected Penguins Lines<\/p>\n

Rickard Rakell-Sidney Crosby<\/a>-Bryan Rust<\/p>\n

Anthony Mantha-Tommy Novak-Justin Brazeau<\/p>\n

Rutger McGroarty-Ben Kindel<\/a>\u2013Yegor Chinakhov<\/p>\n

Connor Dewar-Blake Lizotte-Noel Acciari<\/p>\n

Defense<\/p>\n

Parker Wotherspoon-Erik Karlsson<\/p>\n

Brett Kulak-Kris Letang<\/p>\n

Ryan Shea-Jack St. Ivany<\/p>\n

Goalie: Arturs Silovs, expected<\/p>\n

Expected Blue Jackets Lines<\/p>\n

Mason Marchment-Adam Fantilli-Kirill Marchenko <\/p>\n

Dmitri Voronkov-Cole Sillinger-Danton Heinen <\/p>\n

Boone Jenner-Charlie Coyle-Mathieu Olivier <\/p>\n

Zach Aston Reese-Brendon Gaunce-Kent Johnson<\/p>\n

Defense <\/p>\n

Zach Werenski-Denton Mateychuk <\/p>\n

Ivan Provorov-Damon Severson <\/p>\n

Jake Christiansen-Dante Fabbro<\/p>\n

Goalie: Elvis Merzlikins, expected<\/p>\n

Special Teams<\/p>\n

Penguins\u2019 power play: 29.6%, 3rd. Penguins penalty kill: 81.5%, 10th.<\/p>\n

Blue Jackets power play: 18.4%, 21st. Blue Jackets penalty kill: 76.1%, 28th.<\/p>\n

Penguins Game Notes<\/p>\n

One-sided rivalry: The Penguins have points in 17 of their last 18 games (13-1-4) against the Blue Jackets dating back to Dec. 12, 2019, and are 5-1-2 in their last eight games at Nationwide Arena. <\/p>\n

The Penguins are also becoming road warriors. They are 5-3-3- in their last 11 roadies. <\/p>\n

Parker Wotherspoon<\/a> is riding a career-long three-game point streak (4A) and
has five points (5A) over his last five games.<\/p>\n

Sidney Crosby\u2019s 23 goals mean he is tied for seventh in the NHL, and only
Boston\u2019s Morgan Geekie (25) has more goals in the Eastern Conference. <\/p>\n

With Blake Lizotte in the lineup, the Penguins are 18-7-6.<\/p>\n

Kris Letang<\/a> will tie Montreal Canadiens great Larry Robinson with 1202 games played for one team today. <\/p>\n

With his tally Saturday, Chinakhov became the 24th different Penguins player to score a goal this season. Only the Vancouver Canucks (25) have more goal scorers. <\/p>\n

\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tTags: Columbus Blue Jackets<\/a> how to watch penguins game<\/a> Penguins game<\/a> Penguins lines<\/a> Penguins starting goalie<\/a> Pittsburgh Penguins<\/a> <\/p>\n

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