Penguins Game 23, Help Wanted; Lines, Notes, & How to Watch vs. Utah

The Pittsburgh Penguins (7-11-4) are in a sorry state after 21 games, with just a few regulation wins this season and defensive indifference piling on top of defensive mistakes. The team will face the former Arizona Coyotes, temporarily known as the Utah Hockey Club (7-9-3), for the first time ever at PPG Paint Arena on Saturday.

The puck drops just after 7 p.m., and the Utah team will unveil a name next year.

The Penguins are just 4-5-2 at home and were controlled by the Winnipeg Jets 4-1 at home Friday. The Penguins surrendered a goal on the first shot of the game for the sixth time this season after a ghastly turnover by Evgeni Malkin in the defensive zone and little support from Erik Karlsson. The Penguins’ ship was sunk just 1:22 into the game, and the Penguins never recovered. The team had just 13 shots on goal in the first two periods before finally scoring in the first, but registering just five shots on goal.

Coach Mike Sullivan had a tense moment postgame when asked about the anomaly of giving up the first goal on the first shot of the game six times.

“I can’t explain it. Can you,” he said tersely.

Read More: Penguins Report Card: Crosby Fight, Heavy Pressure, Is Team Prepared to Play?

Michael Bunting scored the Penguins’ lone goal–a power play tally.

Utah has lost three in a row, including a hard-fought 1-0 loss to the Boston Bruins on Thursday. Clayton Keller leads the team with 16 points (6-10-16). Pittsburgh native Logan Cooley, who started as part of Sidney Crosby’s “Learn to Play Hockey” local youth program, has 13 points this season.

Alex Nedeljkovic will most likely start for the Penguins, as Tristan Jarry played Friday. Nedeljkovic has been the victim of the Penguins’ porous team defense and has a .886 save percentage in 10 appearances. Karel Veljkmelka is the likely starter for Utah. Veljmelka has just a 1-5-0 record but a robust .922 save percentage.

Kris Letang returned to the lineup Friday, but Kevin Hayes did not. Both were game-time decisions. Valtteri Puustinen, Jack St. Ivany, and Ryan Graves were healthy scratchers.

An interesting note: the Utah blue line features three former Penguins, including a pair from the 2016 and ’17 Stanley Cup-winning teams.

Possible Penguins Lines

Anthony Beauvillier-Sidney Crosby-Rickard Rakell

Michael Bunting-Evgeni Malkin-Bryan Rust

Jesse Puljujarvi-Drew O’Connor-Sam Poulin

Kevin Hayes-Noel Acciari-Vasily Ponomarev

Defense

Marcus Pettersson-Erik Karlsson

Matt Grzelcyk-Kris Letang

Owen Pickering-Ryan Shea

Goalie: Alex Nedeljkovic

Utah Lines

Clayton Keller-Barrett Hayton-Nick Schmaltz

Jack McBain-Logan Cooley-Dylan Guenther

Mattias Maccielli-Nick Bjugstsad-Lawson Crouse

Alex Kerfott-Kevin Stenlund-Michael Carcone

Defense

Mikhail Sergachev-Olli Maatta

Ian Cole-Maveric Lamoureux

Michael Kesserling-Robert Bortuzzo

Special Teams

Penguins power play: 20.3%, 15th. Penguins penalty kill: 81.8%, 9th.

Utah power play: 12.7%, 30th. Utah penalty kill: 76.1%, 26th.

Penguins Game Notes

Michael Bunting has four points (2-2-4) in his last five games.

Sad or good stat: Sam Poulin has been plus, or even in all five games he’s played this season (+2). Since being recalled, his plus-2 is tied for first on the Penguins.

Sidney Crosby is searching for goal No. 600. He has just one tally in his last eight games.

Since 1992, the Penguins are 9-2-0 in their first-ever meetings with new franchises.

Erik Karlsson is tied with Borje Salming for the second-most assists by a Swedish defenseman in NHL history (637).

How to Watch