Penguins vs. Bruins
PPG Paints Arena – Pittsburgh, PA
7:00PM Eastern – AT&TSN | NESN | TVAS
The Penguins return home for the front end of a weekend homestand as they host the Boston Bruins in a Friday night rematch of the forgettable 2013 Eastern Conference Finals.
The Penguins will look to rebound from a 6-3 loss to the lowly Chicago Blackhawks at the Madhouse on Madison on Wednesday night. The game was much closer than the final score indicates, with the Hawks filling out the scoresheet with two empty netters. Though the loss was a disappointing one, the Penguins had posted points in 4 straight contests and have a chance to bank some more points with this three-game stretch at home before the holidays.
In the “bright spots” column, Bryan Rust snapped a long goal-scoring drought and as is often the case, he did so spectacularly, posting a hat trick for all 3 Penguins markers, and being one of the most dominant players on the surface. Huge for his confidence, and by degrees, big for the team if he can produce in a depth role for a team that has at times struggled to fill the net.
The Penguins will roll with some new lines into the matchup, rewarding Tanner Pearson, who has been an absolute unit since joining the Penguins a few weeks back.
Guentzel – Crosby – Pearson
Aston-Reese – Malkin – Kessel
Brassard – Sheahan – Rust
Grant – Cullen – Wilson
Dumoulin – Letang
Maatta – Oleksiak
Pettersson – Johnson
The Smith
Boston enters the evening couched in the first Wild Card slot in the East, boasting a 17-10-4 record and 38 points in their 31GP. They’ve won their last three contests.
They’re without Patrice Bergeron, who has a sternoclavicular and rib injury. They’re also missing Jake DeBrusk (upper body) and Zdeno Chara (lower body). Although David Backes took a skate to the face the other night, he looks like he’ll be set to play this evening. Couldn’t have happened to a nicer guy. Fuck David Backes.
Chuckie McAvoy took a hard, late hit in a tasering of the Leafs last weekend, but it appears the big young blueliner avoided major injury on the hit from Hyman, who was suspended two games for popping him.
David Pastrnak is tied for 4th in the league with 21 goals this year, while Boston’s power play is 6th in the league at a 26.3% conversion rate. Their PK, however, has struggled, killing only 76.6% of opportunities, 24th best in the league.
The Penguins will need to be on their guard while the B’s are on the PK, though. Brad Marchand leads the league with 23 SHG since he entered the league 9 seasons ago, and the Penguins have allowed a league-worst 8 SHG in 84 of their own PP opportunities. Giving up a goal on 9.5% of your own power plays is… not great!
Marchand – Krejci – Pastrnak
Nordstrom – Cave – Backes
Donato – Forsbacka-Karlsson – Heinen
Kuraly – Acciari – Wagner
Krug – Carlo
Grzelcyk – McAvoy
Moore – Kampfer
Halak
Poke the Bruins.
Go Pens.
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