After eight straight home games, the Penguins travel to Chicago tonight to play the Blackhawks, a team they routed 5-2 on October 16th in their home opener.
The team remains under the direction of assistant coach Todd Reirden, with head coach Mike Sullivan continuing in covid protocol, and Reirden said yesterday that the four Penguins players in the protocol remain “status quo.” That means Sidney Crosby, Brian Dumoulin, Chad Ruhwedel, and Marcus Pettersson will be out of the lineup.
The Penguins have lost five of their last seven games, two of them in shootouts and one in overtime. Saturday’s loss to Minnesota came after the Penguins blew a two-goal lead late in the game when the Wild pulled their goaltender.
Not only have they struggled when down a man, they continue to scuffle when they are up a man. Reirden says they are playing the same system as they did last year, but with the injuries and covid that have struck the team, it’s not as consistently successful.
Probably the best line for the Penguins this season has been the Teddy Bleuger line, with wingers Zach Aston-Reese and Brock McGinn. Reirden says those three play the “Penguins way.”
Tonight’s game faces off at 8:30, with the pregame on 92.5 FM U92 at 7:30.
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