Penguins vs. Kings: Next Man Up
The Pittsburgh Penguins look for their third straight win against the Los Angeles Kings.
The Pittsburgh Penguins have rattled off two wins in a row on their most recent road trip, picking up victories over San Jose and Anaheim. The Penguins conclude their California road trip against the Los Angeles Kings, looking for a third straight win. Here's what to watch for as the Pens take on the Kings.
1. Guentzel Pacing Offense
Through 11 games, the Penguins are led in scoring by Jake Guentzel. While there was speculation of Guentzel missing time to begin the campaign due to offseason surgery, he made it back in time for opening night and hasn't showed any signs of rust. He has four goals and 10 assists for 14 points, and just hit the 200 goal milestone faster than any other player from his 2013 draft class.
In a contract year, it's unsurprising to see such a hot start from Guentzel. As the Penguins battle back from a slow start to the season, they will continue to rely on the scoring touch of their highly skilled forward.
Going against the Kings, look for Guentzel to keep up his hot streak.
2. Byfield Flourishing
When the Kings selected Quinton Byfield second overall in the 2020 draft pick, they were hoping to select a foundational franchise player. At age 21, the lofty expectations are still waiting to be met by Byfield, but he has the looks of an All-Star player so far this season.
Through his team's first 11 games, Byfield already has 10 points. Last season it took him 53 games to collect 22 points, putting him on a much better pace this year. The Kings have a potent offense, but the Penguins will need to pay special attention to the young phenom.
3. Next Man Up
With goaltending already taking a hit due to injuries, the Penguins are digging deep into their bench far earlier than they hoped. First, it was backup Alex Nedeljkovic, and now starter Tristan Jarry appears likely to miss some time. The Pens are now turning to third stringer, Magnus Hellberg. He performed admirably in relief of Jarry in Anaheim, but it set to face a much stiffer test against a loaded Los Angeles team.
The Penguins and Kings face-off at 10:30pm at Crypto.com Arena.
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