Lizotte has been out with a concussion since being injured in Pittsburgh's pre-season Hockeyville matchup against the Ottawa Senators
After missing the first 11 games of the season, it appears that a new Penguins' forward might make his Pittsburgh debut on Halloween.
Blake Lizotte, who was diagnosed with a concussion after being injured in Pittsburgh's pre-season Hockeyville game against the Ottawa Senators, will be a "game-time decision" for the Penguins' Halloween tilt against the Anaheim Ducks on Thursday.
"It's been a long few weeks, a month or so," Lizotte said. "So, being with a new team, it's exciting that I have a chance to get in the action and be with the guys."
Lizotte, 26, spent the first six seasons of his career with the Los Angeles Kings before joining the Penguins on a two-year, $3.87 million free agent contract this summer. Over the course of his Kings career, he registered 37 goals and 106 points in 320 games.
He brings an energy and a tenacity that the Penguins have largely been lacking over the last several seasons, so he should be a welcome addition to the Penguins' bottom-six.
In other transactional news, forward Vasily Ponomarev was activated from non-roster injured reserve and optioned to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (WBS), Pittsburgh's AHL affiliate.
Ponomarev was acquired by the Penguins in the Jake Guentzel trade last spring, and after an impressive training camp preceding his upper-body injury, he figures to be one of the first call-ups from WBS.
Goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic will get the start in goal tonight for the Penguins, and if Lizotte starts, it appears that forward Jesse Puljujarvi will be the odd-man out.
Here were the forward lines today at practice:
Puck drop for tonight's Halloween-themed game is at 7:00 p.m.