Penguins

Penguins Game 11, Fleury Night; Lines, Notes & How to Watch vs. Wild

Published

9 hours ago

October 29, 2024

The Pittsburgh Penguins (3-6-1) completed their first 10-game segment with a resounding thud. The team is winless in five games, including earning a mere point on their four-game Western Canada road trip that ended with a 4-3 loss to the Vancouver Canucks on Saturday. The Penguins face the Minnesota Wild (5-1-2) on Tuesday, as well as old friend Marc-Andre Fleury one more time.

The puck drops just after 7 p.m., but fans may very well delay proceedings when Fleury is introduced for what will likely be his final game in Pittsburgh.

The NHL’s second all-time winningest goalie was the Penguins first pick and first pick overall in 2003 and has three Penguins Stanley Cup rings.

The highlights and lowlights of the Penguins’ road trip finale were allowing four goals in under six minutes, including three in 65 seconds. However, we also got a glimpse of what’s to come with coach Mike Sullivan pairing Evgeni Malkin and Sidney Crosby on the top line with Rickard Rakell.

Of note, winger Bryan Rust did not practice Monday after leaving the game early Saturday with a lower-body injury.

Tuesday night is most likely the final time Fleury will play in Pittsburgh. The goalie spent the first 13 years of his career with the Penguins organization, winning three championships and becoming a fan favorite. The soon-to-be 40-year-old announced this would be his final season.

Fleury played 691 games with the Penguins, earning a 375-216-68 record, a 2.58 goals-against average, a .912 save percentage, and 44 shutouts.

Joel Blomqvist was the first goalie off the ice at the morning skate. Fleury will start for Minnesota.

Expected Penguins Lines

Evgeni Malkin-Sidney Crosby-Rickard Rakell

Anthony Beauvillier-Kevin Hayes-Jesse Puljujarvi

Drew O’Connor-Lars Eller-Noel Acciari

Michael Bunting-Cody Glass-Valtteri Puustinen

Defense

Marcus Pettersson-Kris Letang

Matt Grzelcyk-Erik Karlsson

Ryan Graves-Jack St. Ivany

Penguins Special Teams

Penguins power play: 20.7%, 14th. Penguins penalty kill: 82.1, 11th

Wild power play: 30.8%, 5th. Wild penalty kill: 73.3%, 26th.

Penguins Game Notes

*The Penguins have points in 10 of their last 11 games vs. the Wild (9-1-1). They also have an active six-game home point streak (5-0-1) against Minnesota dating back to Jan. 25, 2018.

*Evgeni Malkin has dominated the Wild in his career. He has 11 goals and 15 assists in 20 career games.

*Malkin is in the midst of the second-best start by a 38-year-old in history. Malkin has 14 points, including three goals in 10 games. Only Gordie Howe in 1968-69 had more points (17) in his first 10 games.