The Penguins tangle with Jake Guentzel and the Tampa Bay Lightning tonight at PPG Paints Arena. The Pens are seventh in the eight-team Metro Division, but are just a point behind the Flyers and Islanders. The Lightning are third in the Atlantic Division, but with only two more points than the Penguins.
Coach Mike Sullivan says he remains confident that the Penguins can start winning consistently, even against the NHL’s better teams.
Sidney Crosby’s record book continues to fill up. He’s just one goal shy of 600 for his career. And he now holds the NHL record for faceoffs won, with 14,850, a win rate of 52.66 percent. He set the record against Carolina on November 7th. Sullivan says it’s another indication of Crosby’s determination to be the best two-way player he can be.
Crosby is looking forward to seeing Jake Guentzel back on Pittsburgh ice tonight. He says he wasn’t on the ice much when Guentzel returned last year with the Hurricanes, but the two are very familiar with each other after playing on the same line for years.
Rookie defenseman Owen Pickering played his first NHL game on Saturday and was praised by Sullivan for his effort. Pickering says he proved to himself that he can play at the NHL level.
Defenseman Kris Letang missed practice again yesterday with his undisclosed illness. He did skate before practice along with injured teammates Kevin Hayes and Cody Glass. Letang has missed two straight games. Forward Blake Lizotte remained off the ice with a concussion.
Sullivan will have to do without assistant coach Tom Vellucci as well, as he is away from the team after having a “minor medical procedure.”
Tonight’s game faces off shortly after 7 o’clock. The pregame airs on 92.5 FM U92 at 6.
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