The Pittsburgh Penguins (28-15-11) were spouting the old cliche on Monday night after a lackluster 3-2 loss at home against the Ottawa Senators — they were grateful for the chance to play again one night later, affording them the chance to get back to the type of game that carried them to six straight wins before that loss.
Not only is it a chance for quick redemption for the Penguins, but Tuesday is also an important Metropolitan Division contest against the New York Islanders (30-21-5) on the road. The Penguins are in second place in the division, two points ahead of the third-place Islanders and with two games in hand.
The puck drops just after 7:30 p.m., and note that this is a national TV game.
The Penguins will welcome back top-line winger Bryan Rust, who on Monday served the third and final game of a three-game suspension for a hit to the head of Vancouver’s Brock Boeser. The Penguins were critical of the length of Rust’s suspension, and the team has missed him.
Rust ranks third on the team with 18 goals and fourth with 39 points. In addition, his center, team captain Sidney Crosby, could get a boost from having him back. Crosby has one point, an assist, in the three games without Rust, and has no shots in each of the past two games. Crosby remains the team’s leading scorer with 58 points, and remains on pace to average more than a point a game for the 21st straight season.
With Rust back, the question becomes who comes out of the lineup. Justin Brazeau, who filled in on the top line, would probably drop back to the Ben Kindel third line, where Brazeau and winger Anthony Mantha have had great chemistry. That could mean that rookie Rutger McGroarty is the odd man out.
Goaltender Arturs Silovs kept the Penguins in the game Monday, but with back-to-backs, it would seem likely that Stuart Skinner would start against the Islanders.
Penguins defenseman Kris Letang, who has a broken foot, remains out.
The Islanders also played and traveled Monday night. They gave up four unanswered goals in dropping a 4-1 game against the Capitals in Washington. They have lost two in a row following a three-game winning streak.
TV: TNT
Radio: 105.9 The X
Rickard Rakell-Sidney Crosby-Bryan Rust
Igor Chinakhov-Tommy Novak-Evgeni Malkin
Anthony Mantha-Ben Kindel-Justin Brazeau
Connor Dewar-Blake Lizotte-Noel Acciari
Brett Kulak-Ryan Shea
Ilya Solovyov-Connor Clifton
Parker Wotherspoon-Erik Karlsson
Goalie, Stuart Skinner, expected
Ondrej Palat-Bo Horvat-Mathew Barzal
Emil Heineman-Jonathan Drouin-Simon Holmstrom
Anders Lee-JG Pageau-Anthony Duclair
Kyle MacLean-Casey Cizikas-Marc Gatcomb
Matthew Schaefer-Ryan Pulock
Adam Pelech-Tony DeAngelo
Carson Soucy-Scott Mayfield
Goalie, Ilya Sorokin, expected
Penguins power play: 26.8%, 4th
Penguins penalty kill: 84%, 4th
Islanders power play: 16%, 26th
Islanders penalty kill: 82.1%, 9th
The Penguins are 8-6-4 in their past 18 games against the Islanders.
The Penguins have won four straight road games and are 7-1-0 in their past eight games away from PPG Paints Arena.
Even with the loss Monday, the Penguins are 13-3-2 since the Christmas break.
Winger Anthony Mantha has five goals, 10 points over the past seven games. Winger Igor Chinakhov has seven goals, 10 points in 16 games since joining the Penguins. Sidney Crosby has 44 goals, 139 points in 91 career games against the Islanders.
The Penguins are 3-3-3 on the second half of back-to-back games. The Islanders are 5-2-0 on the second of back-to-back games.
Categorized:Penguins Pregame
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