The Penguins return to the ice tomorrow night at PPG Paints Arena against the Stanley Cup champion Tampa Bay Lightning. The Pens beat the Lightning in the season opener two weeks ago, and that kicked off a great run to start the season. Playing without some of their best players, Pittsburgh is off to a 3-0-2 start, including Saturday’s 7-1 win over Toronto.
Coach Mike Sullivan says it doesn’t matter to his players that Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Bryan Rust, Jeff Carter, and Kris Letang are currently out of the lineup, they believe they can win every time they play a game.
Rookie forward Drew O’Connor has looked a lot like Kevin Stevens on the ice for the Penguins. He’s big, fast, and can handle the puck, and he’s even moved from the wing to center because of the three star centers missing from action right now. O’Connor had two goals Saturday night. Sullivan says he has a power forward type of game.
Another player who has stepped up his game in the young season is Evan Rodrigues. The Pens traded him to Toronto before last season in the Kasperi Kapanen deal but when the Maple Leafs later failed to offer him a contract, he re-signed with the Penguins. This year, the versatile forward been able to play not only his regular wing position on the second line, but on Saturday night, with Carter out, he centered the top line.
Tomorrow night’s game faces off shortly after 7 o’clock. It’s a 6 o’clock pregame on 92.5 FM U92.
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