Penguins

Penguins Game 57 vs. Kraken: Lines, Notes & How to Watch

Published

2 months ago

February 29, 2024

It’s Leap Day, and while the Pittsburgh Penguins will need more than one win to jump ahead of some of the teams ahead of them, they will get a chance Thursday to continue an important road trip on a positive note when they meet the Kraken in Seattle.

The Penguins (27-21-8) play the second of four games out west after opening the trip Tuesday with an impressive 4-3 overtime win at Vancouver.

In Seattle (25-22-1), the Penguins face a team with a similar record and that likewise is desperate for wins and points in a chase to try to get into the playoffs.

Game Time

The game starts a little after 10 p.m.

Penguins Preview

The Penguins have won three games in a row, have points in four straight games (3-0-1) and are 4-1-1 in their past six games.

It sure seems as if they will need to continue that type of pace to have a shot at a spot in the postseason. They are seven points out of the second wildcard spot in the Eastern Conference and third place in the Metropolitan Division, with a couple teams in their way but with games in hand.

With the NHL’s trade deadline one week away, how the Penguins do on this road trip also could help influence what moves, or what type of moves, president of hockey operations and general manager Kyle Dubas might make.

The Penguins continue to be without top-line wingers Jake Guentzel and Bryan Rust because of injuries.

Molinari: Penguins Should Ride This Guy to Get Answers. Maybe Some Points, Too

Seattle has followed a three-game losing streak with a 4-1-1 stretch, including a 4-3 shootout win Monday over the Boston Bruins.

The Kraken are seven points out of a wildcard spot in the Western Conference.

Unlike the Penguins on an important road trip, Seattle is in four games into a critical six-game homestand.

Seattle tweaked its forward lines for the game against Boston, and with the result might stick with the changes.

Like Vancouver, the Kraken have a large Penguins connection – former Penguins players Jared McCann, Brandon Tanev, Jamie Oleksiak, Brian Dumoulin and Justin Schultz; general manager Ron Francis; and assistant GM Jason Botterill.

Expected Penguins Lines

Reilly Smith-Sidney Crosby-Rickard Rakell

Drew O’Connor-Evgeni Malkin-Valtteri Puustinen

Emil Bemstrom-Lars Eller-Jesse Puljujarvi

Jansen Harkins-Noel Acciari-Jeff Carter

Defense

P.O Joseph-Kris Letang

Marcus Pettersson-Erik Karlsson

Ryan Graves-Chad Ruhwedel

Goalies

Tristan Jarry

Alex Nedeljkovic

Expected Kraken Lines

Jared McCann-Matty Beniers-Jordan Eberle

Jaden Schwartz-Alex Wennberg-Oliver Bjorkstrand

Eeli Tolvanen-Yanni Gourde-Andre Burakovsky

Tomas Tatar-Kailer Yamamoto-Brandon Tanev

Defense

Vince Dunn-Adam Larsson

Jamie Oleksiak-Will Borgen

Brian Dumoulin-Justin Schultz

Goalies

Phillip Grubauer

Joey Daccord

Penguins Special Teams

Penguins power play: 14.8%, 28th

Penguins penalty kill: 82.1%, 8th

Kraken power play: 20.9%, 17th

Kraken penalty kill: 78.5%, 20th

Penguins Game Notes

In the first of the two meetings between the clubs this season, the Penguins topped Seattle 3-0 Jan. 15 at home behind Sidney Crosby’s two goals and Tristan Jarry’s 22-save shutout.

The Penguins are 13-9-2 against Western Conference teams.

Sidney Crosby has a three-game point streak (1 goal, 6 assists) to match the team’s winning streak.

Reilly Smith has eight points (5 goals, 3 assists) in six career games against the Kraken.

Smith also is two points shy of 500 for his career.

Rickard Rakell has seven points (3 goals, 4 assists) in the past six games.

Erik Karlsson, who scored the overtime winner Tuesday in Vancouver, has 10 overtime goals in his career and leads all NHL defensemen in all-time overtime points with 35, two more than teammate Kris Letang.

Karlsson also has a five-game point streak (1 goal, 5 assists).