Sullivan Makes Sweeping Changes to Defense; Coach Speaks on New Lineup

CRANBERRY, Twp — The Pittsburgh Penguins’ optional morning skates are typically a chance for the extra players to get some ice time and a few players who can’t break the morning skate habit to participate. On Wednesday, coach Mike Sullivan’s new lineup began to emerge, and there will be some sweeping changes when the Penguins host the Vancouver Canucks at PPG Paints Arena.

Penguins fans are getting some of what they want. It appears Matt Grzelcyk and Ryan Graves will be healthy scratches.

No one should argue why the veteran defensemen are getting a seat, as they have battled themselves and their opponents this season. The mistakes have been significant, if not egregious, and when paired together on Saturday, their mistakes led to the first goal of the game.

Instead, Sullivan will return to the pairing he deployed during the Penguins’ frantic run toward the playoffs late season. Ryan Shea will take the left side of the third pairing with Jack St. Ivany on the right.

“They (also) played a fair amount together last year in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. I think there is something to chemistry with tandems, just like lines at the forward position. So, they’ve played a fair amount together (and) I think they like to play together. They know one another’s tendencies really well and I think they can play off each other really well,” Sullivan said. “When both of those guys are at their best, they have similar games in the sense that they defend well. They use their their size, their reach, their their smarts to defend, anticipate, and close on people.

“And they do a pretty good job defending the rush. They make the entries difficult. I think Ryan Shea has the ability to make some really subtle plays that help us get out of our end with possession. I think Jack has a little bit of hardness to him at the net front and in the battle areas, and he can bring that element to that tandem.”

Rookie Owen Pickering will play his second game on the top pair with Kris Letang. Pickering played their Saturday and acquitted himself well, but the lopsided 6-1 loss to the Utah Hockey Club left the rookie in a dejected mood and unable to speak positively about his performance.

Sullivan will also make more lineup changes on the forwards crew.

Drew O’Connor will move from the center position, where he’s been for a couple of weeks, back to the wing. Despite some offensive pop on a line with Jesse Puljujarvi and Sam Poulin, Sullivan cited specific beliefs for O’Connor’s return to the wing.

“Yeah (we like him better on the wing). I think it frees guys up to just play more of a more subtle straight-ahead game. Use his speed. Use his size,” Sullivan replied. “And then on the forecheck, I think–in the way we play with our team concept, there’s a lot more defensive responsibility on centers, so it tends to be a more cerebral position–I think when he plays on the wing, it frees him up a little bit to play a more straight-ahead game, which we think sets up for the game that brings some success.”

Wednesday, Puljujarvi remained on the ice well past the morning skate, working with assistant coach Ty Hennes on individual skills. Valtteri Puustinen, whom the team waived on Tuesday, also worked out past 11:30 a.m. (the optional morning skates wrap around 11:00 a.m.)

This season, Shea has shuffled between the press box, the left side of the third pair, and the right side of the third pair.

Shea, 27, has played in just eight games this season. He doesn’t have a point and is a minus-4. St. Ivany has similarly been banished to the press box after a rough start to the season. St. Ivany has played in 17 of the first 23 games and has one assist with a minus-3 rating.

The pair will constitute the Penguins’ biggest and most shutdown D-pair. St. Ivany is 6-feet-4 inches and weighs 198 pounds, while Shea is 6-feet-3 inches and weighs 200 pounds.

Newly acquired Philip Tomasino will slot into the lineup on Evgeni Malkin’s right wing, while it appears Drew O’Connor will slot on the third-line right wing with Blake Lizotte in the middle–if Lizotte is cleared to play.

From the PHN pregame post:

Penguins Lines

Rickard Rakell-Sidney Crosby-Bryan Rust

Anthony Beauvillier-Evgeni Malkin-Philip Tomasino

Michael Bunting-Blake Lizotte-Drew O’Connor

Matt Nieto-Noel Acciari-Kevin Hayes

Defense

Own Pickering-Kris Letang

Marcus Pettersson-Erik Karlsson

Ryan Shea-Jack St. Ivany