Penguins
Penguins Game 24, More Changes; Lines, Notes, & How to Watch vs. Canucks
The Pittsburgh Penguins (7-12-4) need wins and a few good things to go their way. They are just 1-4-2 since a convincing win over the Washington Capitals on Nov. 8. Since then, it’s been a freefall, and their only win was over the rebuilding San Jose Sharks, in which they yielded a three-goal lead before winning in a shootout.
The puck drops just after 7 p.m. 7:30 p.m.
Things will not be easy Wednesday as they face the stout Vancouver Canucks (11-6-3), who blanked the Boston Bruins Tuesday night at TD Garden. Vancouver will be without Pittsburgh native J.T. Miller, who has taken personal leave, but the Canucks are finding enough offense elsewhere and remain among the emerging powers in the Western Conference.
The Penguins will have new lines and another new face in the lineup Wednesday. The team acquired Philip Tomasino on Monday for a 2027 fourth-round pick (the one acquired from the New York Rangers for Chad Ruhwedel at the 2023 NHL trade deadline). Tomasino has just one assist in 11 games this season, but the Penguins are hopeful they can mine the talent from the 2019 first-round pick.
Tomasino will likely start on Evgeni Malkin’s right-wing, so his opportunity will be immediate. Based on practice Tuesday, it was not a good day for the Finnish players; Jesse Puljujarvi will be the odd man out, and the team put Valtteri Puustinen on waivers.
UPDATE: Coach Mike Sullivan said Tristan Jarry will start in goal. Blake Lizotte is a game-time decision, but Cody Glass will not be available.
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
Goalies: Tristan Jarry/Alex Nedeljkovic
Canucks Lines
Per Daily Faceoff
Jake DeBrusk-Elias Pettersson-Kieffer Sherwood
Danton Heinen-Teddy Blueger-Brock Boeser
Dakota Joshua-Pius Suter-Conor Garland
Arshdeep Bains-Aatu Raty-Nils Hoglander
Defense
Quinn Hughes-Filip Hronek
Erik Brannstrom-Tyler Myers
Carson Soucy-Noah Juulsen
Goalies: Arturs Silovs/Kevin Lankinen
Special Teams
Penguins power play: 20.6%, 15th. Penguins penalty kill: 78.6%, 17th.
Canucks power play: 21.3%, 11th. Canucks penalty kill: 79.7%, 13th.
Penguins Game Notes
The Penguins gave up a 2-0 lead to Vancouver on Oct. 26. Vancouver set a franchise record with three goals in 65 seconds, leading to a 4-3 Vancouver win.
Sidney Crosby has 24 points (12-12-24) in 24 career games against the Canucks. With two more even-strength goals, Crosby will move into 12th place all-time for even-strength tallies. He currently has 421, one behind Teemu Selanne.
Tristan Jarry is very good against his hometown team. In six games, he is 4-1-1 with a 2.38 goals-against average and a .921 save percentage.
Philip Tomasino will make his Penguins debut this season and be the eighth player to do so this season.
How to Watch
TV: SportsNet Pittsburgh
Radio: 105.9 The X
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Put Jesse in the lineup and leave him there for god’s sake. He has some tools, skates well, and hits people.
I can’t understand why Puljujarvi keeps getting the short end of the stick, he does seem to take some untimely penalties. But I thought the Puljujarvi O’Connor Poulin line had a chance as a 3rd line staple.
Anyone with promise needs to be traded for future assets or sent back to WBS to be shielded from negative thoughts. Any vacancies are filled in a wash, rinse, repeat manner. Too many wins = lower chance of a number 1 pick.
April is a long ways away. The first overall would be a nice addition, and perhaps down the lane KD will be applauded for his tactics, but in the meantime it’s hard to watch when the teams quits, especially with the cost of upper/lower bowl tix, concessions, streaming service, etc.
Purposely tanking seems the only way to explain what is happening.
Defense
Are you saying Puljujarvi is lacking in his defensive abilities ? I didn’t think he was a defensive stalwart, but certainly not the worst forward on the ice. Collectively this team has been a defensive liability. They need to put pucks in net, it’s always come down to how you finish.
Defense
100%!!! Put Jesse 3rd line, move Lizotte to 4th, scratch Nieto
If Dubas lands Jiricek, I wonder if he continues his crusade, takes a look and tries to acquire any of the following Kappa Kakko, Alex Laferriere (LAK), Morgan Frost or any of the MTL players on the table? If so, I hope that sends a few of the vet contracts the other way.