Penguins Game 64, New Defenseman; Lines, Notes, How to Watch vs. Avalanche

DENVER — The Pittsburgh Penguins (24-29-10) are in the quicksand and grasping for wins as the season hits the home stretch. The team has won just once in six games since the break and will not get an easy task Tuesday as they begin a three-game road trip against the Colorado Avalanche at Ball Arena.

The puck drops just after 9 p.m. ET.

And no, the Penguins do not plan to leave Sidney Crosby in Colorado so he can join forces with good friend Nate MacKinnon.

The Penguins kept pace with the high-powered Toronto Maple Leafs in a track meet Sunday at PPG Paints Arena. The Penguins made a game of it after trailing 2-0 within the first four-plus minutes but gave up a pair of goals within the final 50 seconds of the second period and never again led. William Nylander sniped an overtime winner 1:00 into the extra period.

Read More: Penguins Room: Karlsson Addresses Trade Talk; Blomqvist Has Rookie Pains

The Penguins are 1-4-1 in their last six.

The Colorado Avalanche have been busy on the NHL trade market, acquiring defenseman Ryan Lindgren from the New York Rangers in a multi-player/picks deal. On the ice, the Avalanche have won two straight, hanging five goals on both the New Jersey Devils (5-1) and Minnesota Wild (5-2) win.

The Penguins made a couple of roster tweaks Monday. They recalled goalie Tristan Jarry, re-assigned Joel Blomqvist, and placed defenseman P.O Joseph.

Penguins Lines

Rickard Rakell-Sidney Crosby-Bryan Rust

Anthony Beauvillier-Evgeni Malkin-Philip Tomasino

Danton Heinen-Kevin Hayes-Emil Bemstrom

Blake Lizotte-Cody Glass-Noel Acciari

Defense

Ryan Shea-Kris Letang

Matt Grzelcyk-Erik Karlsson

Vladislav Kolychonok-Vincent Desharnais

Goalie: Alex Nedeljkovic

Avalanche Lines

From Colorado Hockey Now:

Artturi Lehkonen-Nathan MacKinnon-Martin Necas
Valeri Nichushkin-Casey Mittelstadt-Jonathan Drouin
Joel Kiviranta-Jack Drury-Ross Colton
Miles Wood-Parker Kelly-Logan O’Connor

Devon Toews -Cale Makar
Samuel Girard-Oliver Kylington
Ryan Lindgren-Sam Malinski

Goalie: Scott Wedgewood

Special Teams

Penguins power play: 24.2%, 8th. Penguins penalty kill: 78.8%, 18th.

Avalanche power play: 22.5% 15th. Avalanche penalty kill: 79.9%, 14th.

Penguins Game Notes

The Penguins’ last visit to Colorado was a wild one. On March 24, the team raced to a 4-0 lead but lost 5-4 in overtime. It was Tristan Jarry’s final start of the season, as Alex Nedeljkovic started the final 12 games.

Bryan Rust has nine points (5-4-9) in his last eight games played against the Avalanche. He has an active six-game point streak (4-3-7) versus them.

Sunday, Crosby (1-2-3) surpassed Bobby Hull (610) for the 18th-most goals in NHL history, and also Gordie Howe (1,049) for the 10th-most assists in NHL history.

Ryan Shea’s 23:48 of ice time Sunday against Toronto was a single-game career high.

How to Watch

TV: SportsNet Pittsburgh; Radio: 105.9 The X