The New York Islanders got the upper-hand in their last meeting, but the Pittsburgh Penguins will look for a different outcome.
PITTSBURGH - The big news of the day goes to the return of Tristan Jarry, but the Pittsburgh Penguins as a team are looking to bounce back in the proper direction.
The Penguins are set to take on the New York Islanders for the second time in three nights this time on PPG Paints Arena ice.
It was the Islanders who walked away victorious in the last contest, but it can be argued that they weren’t the better team for a majority of the meeting.
The Penguins rang off 44 shots to the Islanders 28, but it was three unanswered goals from the Islanders that made the difference.
“I thought we did some good things, try and build off of that,” captain Sidney Crosby said. “I think it’s a combination of trying to learn from it but also understand it’s a new game.”
Crosby believes that the Penguins looked like the better team on Long Island and stating that’s how the team should play more often.
“Definitely the first two periods,” Crosby said. “I think we did a lot of good things. You try to learn from that and try to do the same thing here tonight.”
No matter the game or the competition, every game from here on out will be an important battle for the Penguins, but a game against a team they’re tied with in the standings adds a little more pressure.
There are no excuses for the Penguins this time, too, as the Isladners will be without one of their leading offensive drivers in Mat Barzal.
For Crosby, though, the Penguins minset should be shifted; the Islanders still have other players that always play well in Pittsburgh and a Vezina caliber goalie.
“They have other guys that have stepped up,” Crosby said. “Regardless of who’s in the lineup, our mentality has to be the same.”
With Jarry back in the fold and the Islanders missing a massive piece of offense, the Penguins should have an easier ride to a win.
Make sure you bookmark Inside the Penguins for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns and so much more!
- Subscribe to Inside the Penguins on YouTube
- Follow Inside the Penguins on Twitter: @InsidePenguins