Good evening Penguins fans, and welcome to the latest edition of Big Dave's Pens Pregame. Please excuse my absence on Sunday, as Saturday's St. Paddy's festivities, well, they got in the way of any coherent pregame writing on my part. Thank you for joining me today as the Penguins look to exact some revenge on the team that handed them a tough loss exactly a week ago. That's right! The Islanders are in town tonight for yet another Metropolitan Division showdown.
Puck drops on Pens/Isles at 7:00pm tonight, but you can enjoy the Pregame starting now...
Today's "Big Dave's Gameday Jam" comes from one of my favorite bands of my teenage years. They were always a fun live show and their soft rock tunes were always fun to jam to whether it was in the car, by the water, or, well, just about anywhere. I am talking about the great band, Motion City Soundtrack. This song comes off my favorite album of theirs, which celebrated its 10 year anniversary in 2015. From 2005's "Commit This to Memory," this song is called "Hold Me Down." Enjoy!
The State of the Penguins
The Penguins enter tonight after an up-and-down week last week. First, the downs. The Penguins began last week on a good run of play, but fell just short of taking down the Islanders in their own building. Pittsburgh played well enough to win that game, but just couldn't get it done in the end. It was a disappointing loss, and two points that would have been huge in the Metropolitan race. That was followed up by the loss of Evgeni Malkin during Friday's game. The Penguins will be without their star center for the next 6-8 weeks after Malkin absorbed a Dalton Prout hit in the second period. The nature of the injury hasn't been revealed, but the Pens will be without their second leading scorer for the rest of the stretch run. The Pens also lost Scotty Wilson for the interim, as he was also shook up in the game v. Columbus on Friday.
But with that bad, there is some good as well. Firstly, and most importantly, the Penguins enter tonight's game on a two-game win streak and winners of their last six games. That tidbit means the Penguins are playing solid hockey at the present. Couple that with the fact that all four of those wins, and only one of those loses, came against the Metropolitan Division. March has the Penguins playing 12 of their 16 games within the division, which is crucial for the team's chances of getting into the Stanley Cup Playoffs. So far, so good, as the Penguins are halfway through this 9-straight stretch against the Metro and they've won three of four. Finally, the Penguins are getting excellent production out of their bottom six and young players. Conor Sheary was the hero in Manhattan on Sunday when the rookie potted two goals on Henrik Lundqvist. Tom Kuhnhackl had two assists, while Bryan Rust has averaged a point per game over his last four. Veteran Matt Cullen continues to add points on this unit as well, plus Eric Fehr has returned from injury to man the fourth line now with Malkin out.
But tonight is about revenge, and a huge game it could be. The Islanders, having played last night, enter this game just four points ahead of the Penguins. Even with the Islanders win Monday night, the Penguins still need this game. They have the skill set to beat New York, and the two points (and essentially four-point swing) would be huge in the grand scheme of things. It's just a week after their last matchup, and if I'm the Penguins, I have a bad taste in my mouth after that loss.
Tonight, its all about vengeance.
Revenge on the Island: The NY Islanders
I wrote last week for this very same matchup that the Islanders have done little to overly impress me this year. They have played solid hockey, good enough to be holding down a playoff spot, but they have been far from flashy or dynamic. I think many would agree with that assessment, maybe even some within their own fan base.
Yet, the Islanders are rolling and they continue to hold down a spot in the Metro, with a couple games in hand as well. Entering tonight's game, the Islanders are 3rd in the Metropolitan Division with 84 points. They sit just a point behind the Rangers with two games in hand against their cross-town rivals. The race is on between them.
But the race is also on between them and the teams chasing them. The Penguins enter this game must 4 points behind the Islanders, with this game and one more head-to-head matchup to go. If the Penguins could take this game, it is not inconceivable that they could finish ahead of the Islanders. With that in mind, I think the Islanders will hold on to the third spot, maybe even leap frog the Rangers for the second spot.
The Isles will only do this if they continue to get solid goaltending out of Thomas Greiss. With Jaroslav Halak expected to miss 4-6 weeks after injuring himself in last Tuesday's matchup with the Pens, Greiss will be counted on to take this team to playoffs and play a significant role. He enters tonight with a 19-7-4 record and a 2.25 goals against average. Greiss will be key to the Isles success.
Likewise, New York will need continued production out of their big named players. John Tavares and Kyle Okposo lead the way, but guys like Anders Lee, Josh Bailey and Casey Cizikas continue to have solid years. Lee has produced 31 points on the Isles third line, while Bailey has chipped in 28 skating along Tavares. Cizikas, with 26 points in 67 games, centers the best fourth line in the entire NHL. Flanked by Cal Clutterbuck and Matt Martin, the trio have combined for 62 points on the season. In comparison, the Pens projected 4th line at season's beginning has 32 points; 22 from Cullen, 10 from Bennett and Sergei Plotnikov plays for a different team now.
The Islanders are sneakily good, but tonight is a night to exact some revenge for last week's loss. Two points are crucial for both sides, but the Penguins need them more at this point.
What to Know About the Islanders:
- 38-21-8 overall record.
- 84 points on the year is good for 3rd in the Metropolitan Division.
- The Isles are hot of late, winning last night and going 7-2-1 over their last 10 games.
- Road has been friendly to the Islanders, as they are 17-13-4 away from the Barclays Center.
Scoring Leaders:
- C John Tavares - 55pts (26G-29A)
- RW Kyle Okposo - 54pts (18G-36A)
- C Frans Nielsen - 45pts (19G-26A)
- D Nick Leddy - 36pts (5G-31A)
- LW Brock Nelson - 34pts (22G-12A)
Injury Report:
- C Mikhail Grabovski (upper-body) is a game-time decision tonight. Grabovski has missed the last few games with an undisclosed upper-body issue. However, he was taken off IR yesterday and could return tonight for the Islanders.
- G Jarsolav Halak (lower-body) is OUT tonight. Halak pulled his groin against the Penguins last Tuesday, and the Czech netminder is expected to miss at least 6 weeks with the injury.
- D Marek Zidlicky (upper-body) remains OUT tonight. There has been no timetable for the veteran defenseman's return to the lineup.
- D Adam Pelech (undisclosed) is OUT tonight, but could return before the playoffs. The young defenesman hasn't played since January 17th, but has resumed skating on his own. The team is hopeful to have him for the playoffs.
Projected Lines:
- Josh Bailey - John Tavares - Kyle Okposo
- Nikolay Kulemin - Frans Nielsen - Ryan Strome
- Shane Prince - Brock Nelson - Anders Lee
- Matt Martin - Casey Cizikas - Cal Clutterbuck
Projected Pairs:
- Nick Leddy - Johnny Boychuk
- Calvin de Haan - Travis Hamonic
- Ryan Pulock - Thomas Hickey
Thomas Greiss is expected to get the start for the Islanders tonight.
News & notes From Around the Penguins
- C Evgeni Malkin will miss the next 6-8 weeks with what is being called an upper-body injury. Malkin absorbed a hit from Dalton Prout on Friday night to the forearm/hand/wrist area that forced him from the game. Even if he comes back early, it is a tough blow for the Penguins in the middle of the playoff hunt.
- F Scott Wilson (undisclosed) is a game-time decision for tonight's game. Wilson was shook up in Friday's win in Columbus as well and, like Malkin, missed Sunday's tilt with the Rangers. It is possible Wilson is back in today, but with Dominik Simon still on the roster, I think its safe to assume the rookie will remain in there, and Wilson out of the lineup.
- D Ben Lovejoy has skated with the Penguins the last few days, but his return has not been announced as of yet. He is likely to remain out, at least for tonight.
Roster News:
- The Penguins recalled rookie forward Dominik Simon on Saturday from Wilkes-Barre. The 2015 5th round pick made his NHL debut on Sunday v. the Rangers wearing number 49.
- The Penguins announced Monday that they signed F Bryan Rust, F Scott Wilson and F Tom Kuhnhackl each to a two-year, one-way extension. Rust's contract is worth 640k annually, while both Wilson and Kuhnhackl's deal are worth 625k annually. It's a great move by the Penguins, as all three were set to become restricted free agents this summer.
Pens/Isles Matchup Notes:
- Tonight is the third of four regular season matchups between the two sides.
- Each team has won a game entering tonight, and each did so at home.
- D Kirs Letang leads Pittsburgh scorers in the season series with a goal and four points. Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin each have three.
- Marc-Andre Fleury has been the goalie of record for both games, winning the home contest 5-2 on January 2nd.
- D Nick Leddy and C Frans Nielsen lead the Islanders scorers v. Pittsburgh. Each has three points in the season series.
Miscellaneous Notes:
- The Penguins have won 10 of their last 14 games v. the Metropolitan Division entering tonight.
- Pens prospect Daniel Sprong (QMJHL) was named the league's "2nd Star of the Week" last week. Sprong had six assists over the two games last week and now has 44 points in 31 games for the Charlottetown Islanders.
- With a win tonight, G Marc-Andre Fleury will win his 30th of the season and make it 8 times in his career he's won 30 games in a season.
- C Sidney Crosby enters tonight on an 8-game point streak. (4G-9A-13pts)
- LW Tom Kuhnhackl's two-assist game on Sunday was his first career multi-point game in the NHL.
- F Dominik Simon became the 8th Penguin to make his NHL debut this season on Sunday v. NY Rangers. He also scored his first career point in the Pens 5-3 win.
- F Conor Sheary scored two-goals v. NY Rangers Sunday, his first multi-goal game in the NHL.
#AskBigDave
From Tyler M on Facebook: "Can the Pens win more games if the bottom six step up and possibly move up in the playoff race?"
Simply put Tyler, absolutely. The Penguins could absolutely win more games and move up in the playoff race if the bottom six scores more. I don't think there is a team in the league you could say that about. But to be honest, it isn't the bottom six that needs to step up, its the top six and particularly the second line.
The bottom six has played incredibly well since Mike Sullivan took over. Just look at some of these numbers: Matt Cullen, 22 points in 68 games. Bryan Rust, 8 points in 33 games. Conor Sheary, 7 points in 30 games. Tom Kuhnhackl, 6 points in 28 games. Scott Wilson, 6 points in 24 games. Is that great production? No, but that is good production from a group of guys that had very little NHL experience entering this season. If they could score more down the stretch, it will absolutely help this team. Hell, just look at the damage they inflicted on the Devils 10 days ago and the Rangers on Sunday.
Tyler, the group that needs to step up over the next few weeks is the top six, particularly the second line. Sidney Crosby has been great since Sullivan took over, and Patric Hornqvist has taken off too. Kunitz is a dud up there, but he unforunately won't be going anywhere right now. The key to any success the Penguins have over the next few weeks, especially without Malkin, comes from the second line. Carl Hagelin has played very well. His speed, forechecking and hockey IQ have really impressed me. I'd love to see him score a little more, but I'm happy with what he brings. Same cannot be said for Nick Bonino or Phil Kessel, and now is the time for them to step up and shut up the haters like myself. Kessel has 45 points on the year but he has been incredibly frustrating. He hasn't even been streaky, just outbursts for a game or two then silence for two weeks. A world class scorer should have much more consistency. With Malkin out, he HAS to become the offense on that line. Same for Bonino. Bonino was never going to be a 60, 70 point per season guy, but 40, 50 was not asking too much of him. He currently has 13. That is atrocious. He has the skill set, he needs to prove he is still that player. He will get second line minutes, he needs to make something happen.
I hope that answers your question Tyler.
The next question comes from Lets Talk Pens on the Tweety: "You have to resign one of the two for next season, who do you pick…Beau Bennett or Matt Cullen?"
I'm taking Matt Cullen without a doubt. I am so done and over Beau Bennett. He has been nothing but a complete disappointment for the past three years. Misused? At times. Underachieved? Absolutely. Infuriating that he can't stay healthy? Unlucky, but you bet your bottom it's infuriating. Bennett is about as useful as a bag of pucks at this point. If I'm GMJR, I would let him walk. If he catches fire somewhere else, so be it, but I doubt that will happen.
No, I'll take Matt Cullen again. I have been so impressed by this 39-year-old veteran. He has 22 points in 68 games. That's great production for a fourth line center. He has played in every game, which has been huge for this team. He is outstanding on the penalty kill and in the faceoffs.
It's a no brainer for me, I'd take a 40-year-old Matt Cullen in 2016-17 than Beau Bennett, even if Bennett took a paycut.
Another Facebook question, as Jeff W. asks: "If Geno could switch hands with any other player, currently active or otherwise, who, why and what differences would it make? To narrow it down, it's both hands, Geno can come back and play immediately, player he swaps with its their hands at their prime, but if the player is currently active, they get his broken hand."
Incredibly weird question, but what the hell, I'll have a go.
If Geno could switch hands with anyone right now, I'd have him switch hands with Chicago's Patrick Kane. I also considered Jaromir Jagr, Tyler Seguin, and Jamie Benn, but I'm going to go with Kane. Here's why...
Kane currently leads the NHL in points. He has some filthy hands and can snipe from just about anywhere. On the flip side, it knocks him out of the lineup and could keep the Blackhawks from winning back-to-back Stanley Cups. That idea tickles me most about this scenario, so I'll go with Patrick Kane.
A double question from Danny P. on the Tweety: "How long do you think the Baby Pens will be able to help the Pens? And, what's your opinion on Kessell & will he step up his game?"
Danny, as I mentioned above in my answer to Tyler, I think the Baby Pens will be able to help the Penguins down the stretch and into the playoffs. They play with so much heart and energy that I think it will be a huge bonus for this team during the dog-days of the season. And with the way they have played over the last few games, I have no doubts they will only get better and add secondary scoring for this team down the stretch. Bryan Rust is becoming one of my favorite players to watch right now, and Conor Sheary and Tom Kuhnhackl have been great as well. If Sullivan would get his head out of his kiester and put Pouliot back in the lineup over Ian Cole, I'd really be tickled pink.
As for Kessel, I think he's been a complete disappointment to this point and I don't think that is an unfair assessment. Sure, he has 45 points which is fourth or fifth on the team. But this is a guy we were talking about having 40 goals on the season; he's currently on pace for 25. This was a guy were were expected 70-80 points from and be a dynamic player; he'll be lucky to 60 at this rate and he's looked about as dynamic as I would be on skates, and I can't skate. Kessel has the tools, he has the talent within him and around him, he just needs to take it to that next level. I think he is capable of doing it, but will he actually do it? I want to say yes, but my gut says no. I hope he does step his game up Danny, I really do. But at this point, I'm not holding my breath.
Hey, I hope he proves me wrong.
Here comes controversy with a question from my buddy Rob A on the Tweety: "Of the Pens with long term deals left, which of Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Kris Letang and Phil Kessel will not be back next season?"
Rob, you and I have had multiple conversations about this. I know you feel the Penguins should get rid of Letang and Kessel if possible, and free up nearly 13 million dollars in cap space. Hey, I'd love to have 13 million dollars to play with going into next year too, but I just don't see the Penguins trading any of these four guys.
Malkin and Crosby aren't going anywhere. Both have full no-movement clauses and they are the two guys that fill the seats on Consol Energy Center. They might as well be on the deed, because they're here forever. Throw Marc-Andre Fleury in that mix too. Despite Matt Murray's emergence, I don't see Fleury going anywhere any time soon.
Now, Kessel would be the name to deal, especially after the way he has played this season. As I've mentioned multiple times in this section already, I'm completely underwhelmed by the Phil to this point. If the Penguins could get a solid return for him, then I'd definitely consider trading him. However, I don't see the Penguins trading him, especially without eating money on the deal, and I don't think you can get the return because of that. I'm thinking Kessel stays.
As for Letang, he would be the logical choice, but I doubt he's going anywhere either. Letang's defense has been bad this year, and it is on him as much as it is on Olli Maatta. Letang puts himself in precarious situations from time to time and doesn't cover his guy just as often. He's an incredibly talented player, but he has some defensive deficiencies that concern me. Now, they'd concern me a hell of a lot more if he didn't post so many points. He currently is third on the team and could over take Malkin with a big finish. Letang is a solid player, and one that you could probably get a worthy return for in a summer deal. That being said, I don't see him moving either, even if it made sense with the return you'd get and the money you'd free up.
Finally, this one comes from Matt on the Tweety: "Who is your favorite team other than the Pens?"
Matt, this is an incredibly tough question to answer. I honestly don't have another favorite team besides the Penguins and I honestly don't watch many games that aren't Pittsburgh's. I keep a close eye on everyone around the league, there numbers and such, but I don't watch many other games besides the Penguins.
And to be completely honest Matt, I really root for other players more than other teams. I root for a lot of ex-Pens, especially Brooks Orpik, Deryk Engelland and Jordan Staal. I don't really root for their teams, especially since two are in our own division, but I root for them still.
If I had to pick another team, I think I would probably pick either the Detroit Red Wings or the Los Angeles Kings. I've always had a lot of respect for the Red Wings franchise and have really liked some of their players of the years. I am still a huge Niklas Kronwall fan and also really like Gustav Nyquist and Danny DeKeyser currently, and Nicklas Lindstrom and Sergei Federov of old. Same can be said for the Kings. I have always been a big fan of Rob Scuderi, so I'm glad to root for him with the Kings again right now. I also really like Anze Kopitar. I think he is one of the most underrated players in the entire league.
So Matt, if you're really twisting my arm, I'd say the Kings and Red Wings for my other teams.
Projected Lines & Pairs
- Chris Kunitz - Sidney Crosby - Patric Hornqvist
- Carl Hagelin - Nick Bonino - Phil Kessel
- Dominik Simon - Matt Cullen - Bryan Rust
- Tom Kuhnhackl - Eric Fehr - Conor Sheary
Pairs:
- Kris Letang - Olli Maatta
- Brian Dumoulin - Trevor Daley
- Ian Cole - Justin Schultz
Marc-Andre Fleury will start in net for the Penguins tonight.
My 3 Keys to the Game
2. Get to Greiss: The Penguins took Halak out in last week's matchup, and Greiss was tested often in his five short minutes afterward. If the Penguins hope to win this game, they need to get to Greiss early and often. If the Pens can get to him, and get Consol rocking, they should be able to steal two points from a current playoff team.
3. Second Line: The Penguins second line needs to score, especially Phil Kessel. The top line is producing, and the bottom six/WBS guys have been solid. The weak link? Kessel and the second line. The Penguins need Kessel, Hagelin and Bonino to figure out a way to score more often than they have to this point of the season. Without it, Malkin's absence will really be felt.
My 3 Penguins to watch
2. Sidney Crosby: The Captain will need to be even better than he has been with Malkin out. He is currently running with an eight-game point streak and he really needs to keep that going for the team's benefit. Like Schultz, the key will be for the production to come on the PP. If Sid puts shooting before passing first on that unit specifically, he should be able to keep the points rolling.
3. Dominik Simon: Made his NHL debut on Sunday in New York, and all he did was assist on the game-winning goal. Simon is a special talent, and he could be something special for the Penguins down the road. Tonight, I'm just looking for him to play his game and make things happen in the limited time he has. Maybe he gets his first goal tonight in front of the home crowd.
What to Know for Attending/Watching/Listening
- Puck drop is at 7:00pm with the doors to CEC opening at 6:00pm.
- The Penguins will wear their traditional home jerseys tonight.
- It's a giveaway night, as all fans in attendance will receive a Penguins hat (pictured above) courtesy of Consol Energy.
- Stop by Pens Gear tonight for the gameday special. Tonight, it's buy one t-shirt, get one 50% off.
- Dollar Energy Fund volunteers will be selling tickets for their Fan Appreciation Night Raffle during Tuesday’s game. Buy a $5 ticket to enter to win two tickets to the April 3 game and the chance to participate in the Shirts Off Our Backs ceremony! Proceeds benefit the Dollar Energy Fund.
- “The Bulliest Dozer,” co-written by Penguins center Eric Fehr, is now available for sale at the Pittsburgh Penguins Foundation’s silent auction stand outside of the First Niagara Club. This children’s book about why bullying doesn’t pay is signed by Fehr for just $20. You can also purchase the book by using the Foundation’s mobile bidding app at http://bidpal.net/pens
Here is what you need to know for WATCHING tonight:
- ROOT Sports has the coverage tonight. Paul Steigerwald and Bob Errey with the call beginning at 7:00pm. Dan Potash will have the interviews.
- Penguins Pregame will precede the game coverage beginning at 6:30pm.
- Penguins Post Game will follow the game action.
- A new episode of PensTV’s Emmy award winning show - "In The Room” presented by RAM - debuts Tuesday night on ROOT Sports.
Here is what you need to know if you're LISTENING to tonight's game:
- 105.9 The X, the Penguins app, the Penguins website and iHeart Radio app are all places you can pick up the game tonight.
- Mike Lange and Phil Bourque will have the game call beginning at 7:00pm.
- Penguins Pregame will precede the game coverage at 6:00pm. Josh Getzoff will host.
- Penguins Hot Line will follow the game action.
Pens Points:
- Game Attendance: 50pts
- Concession Purchase: 10pts
- Merchandise Purchase: 10pts
- ROOT Sports Pregame Keyword: 5pts
- ROOT Sports Post Game Keyword: 5pts
- Pens Radio Keyword: 5pts
- Miller Lite Nite at Ground Round in Greensburg: 25pts
- Miller Lite Nite at North Park Lounge in Pittsburgh: 25pts