Penguins Game Preview: Lines, Odds, and Scouts vs. Vegas

The Pittsburgh Penguins (6-2-0) face friends and former teammates Saturday against the Vegas Golden Knights (5-3-0) at PPG Paints Arena. The Penguins seek their sixth win in a row and second win in two days. Vegas should be rested as their last game was two days ago and they have yet to play games on back to back days.  Last season, the Penguins went 1-1 against the Vegas, as each team won at home. The Penguins are undefeated (2-0-0) all-time at home against Vegas and have scored nine goals in those two games.

Tristan Jarry will start in goal for the Penguins. The 24-year old Jarry won his only start this year while only surrendering two goals on 29 shots. Marc-Andre Fleury starts for Vegas against his former team for just the second time in Pittsburgh. Fleury allowed five goals on 33 shots in a 5-4 loss to the Penguins in his return on Feb. 6, 2018.

The Penguins capitalized on the chance to secure a win against an unsettled Dallas team, Friday. Despite a close game for two periods, the Penguins used a lethal third period to chalked up their fifth straight win with a 4-2 victory. After a scoreless first period, Dallas opened the scoring in the second with a Roope Hintz goal. Hintz put the Stars ahead just 5:10 into the period. After a pass from Jamie Benn went off Penguins defenseman John Marino’s stick, Hintz got to the puck for a breakaway and shot a “frozen roope” through Matt Murray’s five-hole. The goal gave Dallas jump for majority of the period, but the Penguins replied with a Jared McCann (3) redirection late in the period to force a tie at the 2/3 mark.

The third period started with each team unable to capitalize on early chances, but that was before Kris Letang had a say. At 6:34 into the period, Letang scored a highlight-reel goal that showcased the stellar aspects of his playing style. Letang took a feed at the blue line and outwaited two Dallas defenders before smacking a shot short side.  The goal brought down the house and jarried the Penguins offense back into drive. Penguin’s Patric Hornqvist (4) and Dallas’ John Klingberg (1) scored before Letang added an empty-net tally to end the threat.

Matt Murray started for the Penguins and turned in a 22 save effort while Anton Khudobin stopped 29 of 32 shots in the losing effort. You can read more about the Penguins win in Dan’s recap and the PHN Extra Report Card.

Vegas scored early, blew the lead, but held on for a 3-2 shootout win against Ottawa, Thursday. Both teams found the back of the net in the first period as Reilly Smith (6) and Nick Holden (1) scored for Vegas while Ottawa defenseman Thomas Chabot scored his first of the year. The teams exhanged chances in the second but neither could add on to their goal total. Ottawa however eventually broke through with the tying goal in the third on a Jean-Gabriel Pageau (2) rebound shot that eventually forced OT.  After neither team scored in the 4 on 4 OT, Jonathan Marchessault’s goal in the fifth round of the shootout gave the Vegas the win.

Notes

Oh, Marc-Andre couldn’t resist pranking AT&T Sports Dan Potash one more time.

You’ve been caught red handed! 🌸 pic.twitter.com/rOSmwigdoO

— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) October 19, 2019

Penguins’ Marcus Pettersson picked up another assist Friday night against Dallas, extending his assist/point streak to three games,. The effort gives him five points (1G-4A) in eight games this season. Pettersson didn’t register his fifth point until his 24th game of the season while with Anaheim in 2018-19. Daniel Sprong has a goal and assist through four games in the AHL.

Although his goal-scoring streak was snapped at four games, Jake Guentzel picked up an assist last night against the Dallas, extending his point streak to seven games, establishing a new career high.

Saturday’s game marks the second of 15 games that the Penguins will wear their third jerseys. The Penguins first wore their thirds on October 5th against Columbus, and proceeded to take them down, 7-2. All the slated games for the third jerseys will take place on weekend games this season.

Scouts

Scouts in Attendance (2 heavy hitters):

Philly (again)
St. Louis (Dir. Player Development. 2nd straight).
Detroit (Assistant GM)
Dallas

— Dan Kingerski (@TheDanKingerski) October 19, 2019

Injuries

Pittsburgh Penguins

Bryan Rust (Hand, LTIR)

Zach Trotman (Sports Hernia, IR)

Evgeni Malkin (Lower Body, Long Term)

Nick Bjugstad (Lower Body)

Alex Galchenyuk (Undisclosed, IR)

Vegas Golden Knights

Malcolm Subban (Lower Body, DTD)

Nate Schmidt ( Knee, Week to Week)

Special Teams

Betting Odds

Penguins, -110, -10, (U 6.5)

Expected Lines