Penguins
Penguins Game 71, Ned is Back; Lines, Notes, & How to Watch
The Pittsburgh Penguins (28-32-10) four-game winning streak was dashed Tuesday as well as the faintest glimmer of playoff hope. The Penguins begin their final 12 games fighting for jobs, pride, and maybe just to spoil a few others’ playoff hopes. They’ll get the chance to play spoiler Friday when they host the Columbus Blue Jackets (31-28-9) at PPG Paints Arena.
The puck drops just after 7 p.m.
Penguins coach Mike Sullivan said Alex Nedeljkovic will start in goal. Tristan Jarry started the previous five games as the team tried in vain to climb back into the playoff race.
Nedeljkovic hasn’t started since the team’s lifeless performance in Vegas.
This season, the goalie has flirted with claiming the Penguins’ top role, though his numbers belie his performance. He’s posted a 12-14-5 record with a 3.17 goals against average and an .891 save percentage.
Until recently, those were the best numbers of the Penguins goalies who have struggled behind the Penguins’ often careless defense.
Sullivan may give the lines a good shuffle Friday. On Thursday, he “experimented” with putting defenseman Kris Letang on the left side with Conor Timmins on the right, though the coach didn’t commit to keeping it for the game.
Read More:Â Penguins Practice: Dewar Promoted; Letang Shifted; Injured Guys Skate
Also at practice, Sullivan elevated Connor Dewar to the Evgeni Malkin line with Philip Tomasino. The line with Blake Lizotte, Acciari, and Dewar had been quite good for the Penguins in the previous few games, including Dewar’s three goals in two games, but most of the Penguins lineup has been struggling.
We will learn tonight if Sullivan stacks the line or spreads out the physical energy.
Columbus has been the feel-good story of the season. The plucky group wasn’t supposed to be competitive but have dumped hockey analysts on their head with a strong season, including five 20-goal scorers. Columbus is currently three points out of a playoff spot.
They’ve been without top center Sean Monahan due to injury, so Adam Fantilli has centered the top line with the emerging Kent Johnson and the vastly underrated Kirill Marchenko.
The CBJ are in desperate need of a regroup, with no wins in their last five games (0-4-1). They lost a fierce goaltending duel to the Florida Panthers Wednesday, 1-0 in overtime. Elvis Merzlikins was the hard-luck loser, stopping 27 of 28.
He figures to start again Friday against the Penguins.
Penguins Lines
Rickard Rakell-Sidney Crosby-Bryan Rust
Connor Dewar-Evgeni Malkin-Philip Tomasino
Joona Koppanen-Blake Lizotte-Noel Acciari
Danton Heinen-Kevin Hayes-Boko Imama
Defense
Conor Timmons-Kris Letang
Matt Grzelcyk-Erik Karlsson
Ryan Graves-Vladislv Kolyachonok
Goalie: Alex Nedeljkovic
Blue Jackets Lines
Kent Johnson-Adam Fantilli-Kirill Marchenko
Dmitri Voronkov-Boone Jenner-Yegor Chinakhov
Zach Aston-Reese–Danforth–Mathieu Olivier
James van Riemsdyk-Sean Kuraly-Luke Kunin
Defense
Zach Werenski-Dante Fabbro
Denton Mateychuk-Ivan Provorov
Jack Johnson-Damon Severson
Goalie: Elvis Merzlikins
Special Teams
Penguins power play: 24.0%, 11th. Penguins penalty kill: 77.3%, 19th.
Blue Jackets power play: 19.0%, 23rd. Blue Jackets penalty kill: 75.3%, 25th.
Penguins Game Notes
The Penguins have points in 14 of their last 15 games (11-1-3) against the Blue Jackets dating back to Dec. 12, 2019.
Danger zone: Since the Metropolitan Division was formed for the 2012-13 season, the Penguins have lost the season series with Columbus just once (2014-15). They are 0-1-1 against Columbus this season.
The Blue Jackets have just four wins in Pittsburgh since the franchise’s inception in 2000-01. The Penguins are 23-4-1 in that time, and are 15-0-1 in the last 16 dating back to Dec. 21, 2015.
With his goal on Saturday, Erik Karlsson is now three points away from tying Markus Naslund for the ninth most points by a Swedish-born player. Perhaps the Penguins will trade him for Alex Stoyanovich, too.
How to Watch
TV: SportsNet Pittsburgh
Radio: 105.9 The X
