Penguins vs. Islanders, Game 64: Lines, Notes & How to Watch

The Pittsburgh Penguins shouldn’t have many questions about the significance of their game against the New York Islanders tonight at 7:08 at PPG Paints Arena.

Win in regulation, and they will leapfrog the Islanders and take sole possession of the first wild-card berth in the Eastern Conference playoff race.

Lose in overtime or a shootout, and they will slip two points behind New York.

Be defeated in regulation, and the gap between the two teams will swell to three.

Regardless of how this game turns out, however, the Penguins still will have played three fewer than the Islanders.

But after losing their three previous meetings with New York — all in regulation, no less — the Penguins would like to finish the season series with a victory.

Setting that goal is much easier than actually achieving it figures to be, though.

New York has a handful of forwards, particularly Anders Lee and Brock Nelson, who routinely torment the Penguins, and the Islanders’ strong goaltending and stingy team defense have combined to limit opponents to 2.64 goals per game, fifth-lowest average in the NHL.

“They’re a team that plays a strong defensive game and waits for teams to make mistakes,” Penguins defenseman Jeff Petry said. “They’re a patient group. We know we have to play a strong defensive game and that we’re going to have to work to get our (scoring) chances.

“I don’t think we can get frustrated that offense isn’t coming. We have to play a structured game, that patient game, and not try to open things up to get on the scoresheet, because they’re a team that’s strong defensively and kind of waits for teams to turn the puck over and then they capitalize.”

New York’s most dynamic offensive talent, Mathew Barzal, is injured, but Bo Horvat has helped to limit the impact of his absence.

Horvat, acquired from Vancouver Jan. 31, has five goals and three assists in 14 games with New York.

“With Barzal out, he helps fill that void,” Petry said.

The Penguins failed to protect leads of 3-1 and 4-2 in what became a 5-4 loss to the Islanders Feb. 17 at UBS Arena, part of a 0-6-3 skid against Metropolitan Division opponents that didn’t end until their 5-4 overtime victory against Columbus Tuesday.

Their struggles inside the division during the past 2 1/2 months are a major reason the Penguins don’t have a more secure grip on a playoff spot.

“We find ways to lose against (the Islanders), which has been the case in most of the games against our division lately,” defenseman Marcus Pettersson said. “Those are the games we have to find a way to win.”

Expected Pittsburgh Penguins Lines

Guentzel-Crosby-Rakell

Zucker-Malkin-Rust

O’Connor-Granlund-Carter

Heinen-Bonino-Archibald

Defense

Pettersson-Letang

Dumoulin-Petry

Kulikov-Rutta

Goalie

Jarry

Expected New York Islanders Lines

Lee-Horvat-Engvall

Parise-Nelson-Palmieri

Martin-Cizikas-Fasching

Holmstrom-Koivula-Bailey

Defense

Pelech-Mayfield

Romanov-Pulock

Aho-Dobson

Goalies

Sorokin

Varlamov

Special Teams

Penguins power play: 46 for 218, 21.1%, 17th in NHL

Penguins penalty-kill: 42 for 203, 79.3%, 16th (tie) in NHL

Islanders power play: 31 for 182, 17%, 29th in NHL

Islanders penalty-kill: 33 for 188, 82.5%, 9th in NHL

Pittsburgh Penguins Game Notes

Evgeni Malkin’s next minor, major or misconduct will make him the Penguins’ all-time leader in penalty minutes. He is tied with Kevin Stevens for the top spot.

Sidney Crosby’s three-point game Tuesday was his 10th of the season and the 169th of his career, tying Paul Coffey for eighth place on the NHL’s all-time list. He also has 131 career points against the Islanders, the most of any active NHL player against a single opponent.

Second-line left winger Jason Zucker has eight goals in his past 10 games.

The Penguins have allowed at least one power-play goal in seven of the past 10 games.

Mike Sullivan needs one victory to have 400 as an NHL coach.

Islanders center Bo Horvat has scored four shorthanded goals this season. The rest of the Islanders have combined for three.

New York is 21-8-4 when it gets the first goal of the game.

Their three victories against the Penguins have helped the Islanders run up a 12-5-1 record inside the Metropolitan Division.

The Islanders are 0-5 in shootouts, with Mat Barzal their only shooter who has scored in one.

How to Watch

TV: AT&T SportsNet

Radio: 105.9 the X