Just the facts
When: Tonight, 7 PM
Where: PPG Paints Arena - Pittsburgh, PA
How to follow: NESN, 98.5 The Sports Hub
Rival SBN site: Pensburgh
Know your enemy
- 13-11-6, 32 PTS, T-3rd in the Metropolitan Division
- Phil Kessel: 12G-21A-33PTS; Evgeni Malkin: 10G-23A-33PTS; Sidney Crosby: 15G-17A-32PTS
- Casey DeSmith: 9-5-4, 2.43 GAA, .921 save percentage
Game notes
- It’s weird to be in mid-December and see the Pittsburgh Penguins floundering in the middle of their division, but here we are. The Penguins haven’t gotten off to the best start this season and have developed a bad habit of losing to bad teams.
- Regardless of their struggles, this is clearly a team that could pop off for 10 goals at pretty much any time. The high-end firepower on this Penguins team remains pretty much unrivaled through the rest of the NHL, as guys like Crosby, Malkin and Kessel are bolstered by players like Patric Hornqvist and Jake Guentzel.
- Speaking of Patric Hornqvist, he seems to do something borderline cheap every time the Bruins and Penguins play. Weird.
- The Penguins may get a big boost tonight, as goalie Matt Murray could start for the first time in quite a while. Murray was activated from IR earlier this week, but Mike Sullivan is taking his time working him back up to speed. If he doesn’t play tonight, the Bruins will see Casey DeSmith, who has played well in Murray’s absence.
- For the Bruins, it’d make sense to see Jaroslav Halak in goal tonight. Bruce Cassidy could roll with Tuukka Rask again, but it’s been six days since Halak’s last appearance, a win over Toronto.
- It’s unclear if the Bruins will make any lineup changes tonight, but it doesn’t seem that likely. Jake DeBrusk remains out, as he’s in concussion protocol. Zdeno Chara and Patrice Bergeron are more likely to return next week, and Kevan Miller still isn’t taking contact.
- Friday night hockey games are weird.
See ya tonight!