(UPDATED) Penguins Game 42, Puljujarvi IN; Lines, Notes & How to Watch vs. Blue Jackets
The Pittsburgh Penguins (17-17-7) have been trending sideways since the holiday break ended. They have just one win in five games but have lost only two of those five in regulation. The Penguins remain in the thick of the Eastern Conference playoff race and are one of four teams with 40 or 41 points.
Another team in the gaggle is the Columbus Blue Jackets (17-17-6), the Penguins’ opponent on Tuesday. The puck drops just after 7 p.m.
Update: Evgeni Malkin was a surprise absence from the game. He did not appear in warmups. The Penguins have not yet clarified as of this update.
The Penguins have lost their last two games in shootouts and overtime, respectively. While they felt good about their effort in last Friday’s shootout loss to the Florida Panthers, they were decidedly angry with themselves after an OT loss to the Carolina Hurricanes.
Read more: Penguins Grades: ‘A Bad Point,’ Players Salty, Coach Angry
Kevin Hayes, Erik Karlsson, and Michael Bunting scored for the Penguins, but the team had only 19 shots on goal. Alex Nedeljkovic made his second straight start in the shootout loss.
Like the Penguins, Columbus has traded wins and losses since the holiday break (3-2-0). The rebuilding Blue Jackets are making the most of their roster full of young players and veterans needing a second chance, including center Sean Monahan, who has 40 points (14-26-40) in 40 games. Rising young star Kirill Marchenko has 43 points (17-26-43) and is a team-best plus-22.
Columbus beat St. Loius 6-4 on Saturday.
The Penguins’ lines didn’t get an overhaul, but it seems recently waived forward Jesse Puljujarvi will get a chance Tuesday. He took a spot on the third line during the morning skate. Puljuajrvi has eight points, including three goals, in 21 games.
Tristan Jarry will start for the Penguins.
Penguins Injury Update: Philip Tomasino skated individually Tuesday morning. He’s currently out week-to-week.
Penguins Lines (Updated)
Rickard Rakell-Sidney Crosby-Bryan Rust
Michael Bunting-Cody Glass-Anthony Beauvilleilr
Drew O’Connor-Kevin Hayes-Jesse Puljujarvi
Matt Nieto-Blake Lizotte-Noel Acciari
Defense
Marcus Pettersson-Kris Letang
Matt Grzelcyk-Erik Karlsson
Owen Pickering-P.O Joseph
Goalies: Tristan Jarry, Alex Nedeljkovic
Blue Jackets Lines
Dmitri Voronkov-Sean Monahan-Kirill Marchenko
James van Riemsdyk-Cole Sillinger-Kent Johnson
Zach Anton-Reese-Adam Fantilli-Mathieu Olivier
Mikael Pyyhtiä-Sean Kuraly-Kevin Labanc
Defense
Zach Werenski-Dante Fabbro
Denton Mateychuk-Ivan Provorov
Jack Johnson-Damon Severson
Starter: Elvis Merzļikins
Special Teams
Penguins power play: 25.6%, 5th. Penguins penalty kill: 81.7%, 12th.
Blue Jackets Power Play: 22.4%, 14th. Blue Jackets Penalty Kill: 73.5%, 27th.
Penguins Game Notes
The Penguins have points in 13 of their last 14 games (11-1-2) against the Blue Jackets dating back to Dec. 12, 2019. The only loss was earlier this season.
The Penguins have scored three or more goals in 20 of their last 25 games against the Blue Jackets, while 15 of those 25 games have been four-plus goal efforts.
Sidney Crosby is just four face-off wins shy of becoming the NHL’s all-time faceoff wins leader since the stat started in the 1997-98 season.
Tristan Jarry has picked up points in nine of his last 12 starts, going 7-3-2 in that span.
How to Watch
TV: SportsNet Pittsburgh;
Radio: 105.9 The X
Categorized:Penguins Penguins Pregame
Oh boy. Expecting big things from Jesse. We’re talking Chuck Norris level performance.
🤣
OUR SAVIOR AND BISON KING JESSE PULJUJARVI IS BACK. Incoming hat trick legacy game.
In all seriousness, I was one of the ones clamoring for Jesse to be in the lineup when he was first scratched. Reading PHN’s assessments and their analysis of Jesse’s stats, I hopped off that soapbox a while ago. No matter what he does, he won’t live up to the pedestal that some fans put him on. But I am hoping he provides a spark and can play his way into a consistent role.
Just a hat trick, really? I am thinking 4 goals and 6 assists while his skate lace is untied.
I have no idea how someone with 3 goals in 21 games has reached legendary status with some fans. My opinion is that he is an ok fill in player for the bottom lines. A Finnish version of Cody Glass.
I am a fan of the team, so of course I am rooting for the guy. But with this build up, nothing less than the second coming of Gary Roberts is now a story of its own. And truthfully, that sucks for Puljujarvi. #WWJPD
He has reached legendary status because of the guys Sully plays ahead of him-
O’Connor-had 0 goals in 30 games, still only 5 in 41-MINUS 13
Glass-1 goal in 28 games, MINUS 9
Nieto-1 goal in 20 games, minus 2-32 years old
Acciari-4 goals in 41 games-MINUS 11-33 years old-2.0 Million!!!
Now 72 will sit, he has 9 goals compared to Malkin’s 8 and is even compared to Malkin’s MINUS 17!!!
Puljujarvi is not an upgrade, just more of the same. Anyone who believes he is any better is kind of delusional. Coaches should rotate struggling players in and out of the lineup to keep players in rhythm, but that is something they rarely do.
Anybody who believes he is any worse is delusional. So tired of hearing about Sullivan’s love of small forwards, the lack of physicality and how they get pushed around. Puljjjarvi provides that but hey let’s resort to citing his lack of defense even though they are one of the worst defensive teams in the league. Who are these other defensively responsible forwards?
Well no, Puljujarvi is not any worse than who has been playing. I think the point some are missing is that he isn’t any better. He is on some mythical pedestal for some like he is going to make a huge difference and push the Penguins single handedly to the top of the standings. If that happens, great! Just don’t see it happening. He is going to provide solid play and create some offense, hopefully, and that is all which should be expected of a journeyman NHL player with a surgically repaired hip.
He became Sullivan’s whipping boy for some reason when others with worse stats continued to get a sweater. That is what pissed some of us off. Whether he is better or worse time will tell.
Every one of those guys you named (except 72 and 71) are critical PK guys and very good defensively…which is what we need on 3rd and 4th lines. It ain’t just about how many goals a guy has, bud. Jesse is not good enough offensively to play on top 6; he has to be able to fill role that is available on this team. And it is not clear that he can. That said, beauvillier has been utter disappointment so far as well. Not sure what role he can fill either.
Did you see the plus/minus of those guys???-very good defensively-I think NOT! 72 a disappointment-really-he is 5th on the team in goals scored(ahead of Malkin) and only Lizotte has a better plus/minus among forwards!!! And he only makes 1.25!!!(Glass-2.5, 55-2.0) He is also only 11th among forwards in TOI per game, yet still 5th in goals!!!
Teddy Bleuger was 20 times better than any of them on the PK. The 4th line shouldn’t just be good at defending, they need to create momentum with some zone time and hits and that is as rare as a Malkin shot the last 3 games. As much as I’m not a fan of Geno’s 2024-25 game, I knew immediately without him we were much worse off. When he skated with Sid he wasn’t producing either – so how about less of the Geno would be Gretzky if he had line mates (As Bunting scores again without him).
Dan won’t reply to your post. He’ll join in the attack on Puljujarvi instead.
That’s correct. I’ve talked to FSG about allowing fans to coach and GM the team, but they said they’re saving that experiment for Liverpool.
That is SO funny, Liverpool is leading the Premier League, so maybe it should be tried on a team that has not made the playoffs for last 2 years and has not won a playoff series in 6 years!!!
Good research…people complaining about Malkin’s lack of wingers need to stop…his defense is terrible along with his effort…wingers won’t help that
There’s a 50/50 shot he scores a goal Tuesday. Actually, I’d say 75%!
🙄
Over/Under JP playing greater than 10 min?
I’ve got over. Third line’s been clocking about 14 minutes a game, I think. So naturally he’ll play all 60 tonight.
Under for me
13:37 and 1 shot. What do I win?
Jack Johnson with the game winner!! LOL
Go Jesse Go!
Guess here is that this is last chance for Jesse to show he can fill a helpful role on 3rd line. First and fourth lines set. Second and third line RWs in flux. Seems Glass might be better on 3rd line. So, if this doesn’t work, maybe mcgroarty gets a shot for a few weeks until Tomasino gets back?
Hell has frozen over.