Penguins Game Day! Preview, Scouts & Lines vs Boston

It’s Beantown vs. the City of Bridges as the Pittsburgh Penguins (8-5-1) travel up north to face the Boston Bruins (10-1-2) at TD Garden, Monday. Boston has started hot thus far this season as they continue to pile up points and currently lead the NHL in goal differential. Despite playing two less than most teams, Boston holds a +19 differential and second for the lead in overall points. The Penguins injury woes were thought to end Saturday as the team had it’s full roster for the first time but winger Patric Hornqvist suffered a lower body injury later in the third period and the Penguins will be without the player head coach Mike Sullivan called “the bull in a china shop,” longer term.

Boston holds the lead in the all-time series against the Penguins with a record of 127-82-21 and won six of the last ten games.

Matt Murray starts his fourth straight game for the Penguins. Murray has won six of his last eight starts while posting a 1.85 GAA, .932 SV% and one shutout. Jaroslav Halak will man the opposite net. Halak gave up four goals on 29 shots in his previous start. Despite this he earned the win.

The Penguins salvaged a point in a low scoring track meet against Edmonton, Saturday. Despite forcing the majority of the chances and having several opportunities on the powerplay, the Penguins lost in OT by the score of 2-1. Both teams could not breakthrough in the first period, but the Penguins did come close a few times. After a four-goal first period in their previous game, The Penguins appeared to be channel the same vibe, but Edmonton batted away the early storm.

After the scoreless first, Edmonton struck first on the scoresheet in the second period. Colby Cave (1) put the Oilers ahead 1-0 with his first goal of the season at 7:21 of the second. The play was one of the Penguins few defensive lapses in the game, but it cost them momentum and the lead for the majority of the game. The Penguins buzzed the rest of the period and most of the third but they could not find the back of the net. Fortune struck however in an unlikely situation on the penalty kill. Brian Dumoulin scored on a snapshot with Penguins defenseman John Marino in the penalty box, tying it 1-1 at 13:14 of the third period. It was his first shorthanded goal in 329 NHL games.

The teams exchanged blows up until the OT period, but Leon Draisaitl played the hero. Draisaitl scored at 2:37 of overtime to give his team the extra point. Matt Murray started for the Penguins and made 26 saves in the loss but Mike Smith’s effort upstaged him. Smith ended the game with 51 saves.

You can read more about the Penguins’ loss in Dan’s Recap and The PHN Extra Report Card.

Boston rode an explosive third period to a 5-2 win against Ottawa, Saturday. After a 2-2 tie through two periods, Danton Heinen (3) scored an unassisted marker to give Boston an early lead. Brad Marchand (8) and Jake DeBrusk (2) also had goals in the period to ice the game. Anthony Duclair and Connor Brown scored, and Craig Anderson made 27 saves for Ottawa. Tuuka Rask earned the win with a 30 save effort.

Notes:

Brian Dumoulin’s status for Monday’s game remains uncertain due to the birth of his child.

Monday’s game in Boston marks a homecoming for John Marino as he will be playing in his home state. Marino also played his collegiate hockey in the state of MA at Havard.

Kris Letang continues to put up notable numbers so far this year but looks to be adapting his role on the power play. Despite the firepower, the team hasn’t scored a power-play goal in their last eight games and is 0-19 in that span.

Scouts:

Scouts in attendance:

NJ
NSH (2x)
AZ
OTT
NYR (2x)
WPG
Dallas
MN
TB
Chi (Dir. Player Personnel)
Cgy

— Dan Kingerski 🇺🇦 (@TheDanKingerski) November 4, 2019

Injuries

Pittsburgh Penguin

N/A

Boston Bruins

David Backes (Upper Body)

Par Lindholm (Upper Body)

Joakim Nordstrom (Infection)

Special Teams

Expected Lines