Penguins @ Bruins
TD Garden | Boston, MA
Tuesday, January 26 | 7:00 PM Eastern
NESN | AT&TSN-PT
The Penguins (4-2-0) are shippin’ up to Boston (get it, like the song?) to take on the Bruins for the first time this year, and the first of two times in the next 3 days.
The Penguins have won their last four in a row, sweeping 2-gamers with Washington and the Rangers in the friendly confines of PPG Paints Arena. Though that positions them one point back of the Capitals for first in the MASSMUTUAL EAST division, the Penguins haven’t been overly impressive nor convincing during this streak.
Of course, banking these points early in the season is great, irrespective of how it happens. But the Penguins needed extra time in 3 of the 4 victories, and the only thing that prevented it in the 4th was a GWG from Jake Guentzel with 1:31 left in the game.
The Penguins announced that Evan Rodrigues would be out longer term with an injury, prompting them to rotate in Drew O’Connor, who looks slated to make his NHL debut tonight. He skated on the fourth line with Mark Jankowski during practice Monday. The rest of the alignment looked like this:
Forwards
Guentzel – Crosby – Rust
Zucker – Malkin – Kapanen
McCann – Blueger – Tanev
O’Connor – Jankowski – Sceviour
Defensemen
Dumoulin – Letang
Marino – Ceci
Joseph – Ruhwedel
In Net
Jarry
The Bruins come in at 3-1-1 on the season, most recently trouncing the Flyers 6-1 at TD Garden. They went their first 3 full games without recording an even strength goal; and still managed to win on the strength of their defense (2.00 GAA, fourth in the league) and their Powerplay (35.3%, fifth in the league).
It’s a pretty significant refresh for the Bruins in some ways, and the same old song in some others. Bergeron, Marchand, and Krejci remain the talented dickheads they’ve always been, and Boston still plays a heavy game that doesn’t sacrifice all that much on speed.
Gone, however, are Zdeno Chara and Torey Krug, as Charlie McAvoy leads a young but talented blue line group out in front of Tuukka Rask and the Bruins traditionally solid back end.
Forwards
Marchand – Bergeron – DeBrusk
Ritchie – Krejci – Studnicka
Frederic – Coyle – Smith
Bjork – Kuraly – Wagner
Defensemen
Lauzon – McAvoy
Clifton – Carlo
Zboril – Miller
In Net
Rask
It’s time for an ICE T Party at the Hahbah.
ICE Cold Fact: “If it seems like you’re going in circles.. It’s probably because you’re cutting corners… ‘ 💎
— ICE T (@FINALLEVEL) January 25, 2021
Go Pens.
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