The Penguins play the New York Islanders tonight in the second game of a crucial five-game homestand against Eastern Conference rivals. Pittsburgh is 0-3 against the Islanders this season and trail them by a single point for the fifth spot in the Metro Division. They also are clinging to the second and final Wild Card spot in the Eastern Conference, three points up on the Florida Panthers. Coach Mike Sullivan says the Pens are well aware of the playoff implications tonight.
At practice yesterday, Bryan Rust and Mikael Granlund returned after one-day absences. Both missed Tuesday’s game, Rust for personal reasons and Granlund due to illness. Ryan Poehling, who was just placed on long term injured reserve, also practiced, wearing a full-contact jersey.
Sullivan has had to put together a new penalty killing unit with the exits from the team of Teddy Blueger and Brock McGinn. He says newly re-acquired Nick Bonino and Granlund will be keys to getting the PK back to where it needs to be, but it will take some time.
The Pens are coming off a wild 5-4 overtime win over Columbus on Tuesday, a game in which they fell behind 4-0 before rallying to win on Sidney Crosby’s overtime game-winning goal. Crosby says they can’t afford to keep starting games slowly.
Tonight’s game airs at seven o’clock, immediately after Hawk Talk, on U92.
The Penguins were active yesterday, adding four new members to the team. They are all Make-A-Wish kids who were signed to one-day contracts with the Pens. Dominic Lettrich, Luke Coughlan, Logan Ferriss and Chayce Taylor are all Penguins fans and represent the Pennsylvania/West Virginia chapter of Make-A-Wish and three chapters from Canada. They will watch tonight’s game from Sidney Crosby’s charity suite at PPG Paints Arena.
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