Penguins vs. Senators: Changing Tides
The Pittsburgh Penguins look to win back-to-back games when they face the Ottawa Senators.
The Pittsburgh Penguins are fresh off of a much needed and impressive win over the Colorado Avalanche. The Penguins have a serious case of the inconsistencies, and after stinking their way through the three prior games, they suddenly came to life against the Avalanche.
Can they keep this up? To do so, they'll need to get by the Ottawa Senators. Here's what to watch for when the Pens battle the Sens.
1. Third Line Connects
The bottom six forwards in Pittsburgh remain the biggest question mark on the team. There was a glimmer of hope, however, against Colorado. Lars Eller tallied his first goal of the season, finishing off an excellent effort from his linemates, Radim Zohorna and Drew O'Connor.
Since the recall of Zohorna, the third line has suddenly generated more offensive chances and a pair of goals. With a bit of traction established, the third line looks to keep building momentum and supplying the energy against the Senators.
2. Jarry Looks to Build On Shutout
Tristan Jarry has two wins so far this season; both of which have come from shutouts. While his other three appearances resulted in lackluster losses, his two winning starts have been nothing short of elite.
The constant peaks and valleys in performance are becoming normal parts of Jarry's game, but that doesn't bode well for him or the Penguins. Expected to start against the Senators, Jarry needs to use his shutout performance against Colorado as a springboard towards consistency. If he can have another solid performance and earn a win against Ottawa at home, Jarry could get himself and his game back on track.
3. Defensive Studs
One of the most exciting aspects of this game is the battle of skilled defenders. The Penguins boast arguably the most talented defensive duo in the NHL in Kris Letang and Erik Karlsson. The Senators have two less accomplished, but highly impressive defenders of their own in Jakob Chychrun and Jake Sanderson.
The Senators also have Thomas Chabot, but he was just taken out of the lineup for four-six weeks.
Chychrun and Sanderson are currently outscoring Letang and Karlsson, as both Sens' defensemen have seven points through the team's first seven games. The Senators are hopeful their pair of defenders can achieve half of the success that the Penguins' duo has been through, and the Penguins are hopeful their all-star veteran defensemen can outshine their youthful counterparts.
The Penguins and Senators face-off at PPG Paints Arena at 7:00 p.m.
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