The Pittsburgh Penguins visit the Arizona Coyotes to finish their brief road trip.

PITTSBURGH — The Pittsburgh Penguins fell apart in their most recent game, surrendering a two-goal lead and missing out on two critical points. It’s become a bit of a calling card for this season’s Penguins to give up leads in the third period, and it could be what keeps them out of the playoffs for a second straight season. 

Coming off of a bitter loss, the Penguins have a chance to course correct again on the road against the Arizona Coyotes. Here’s what to watch for when the Penguins face the Coyotes.

1. Letang’s Even Strength Dominance

With the arrival of Erik Karlsson, Kris Letang has gone from the most scrutinized player on the roster to the the most under appreciated. He’s been relegated from the first power play unit and has responded with a huge improvement in his penalty killing and even strength game. 

Letang’s even strength play has paced the Penguins, and also stood out across the NHL. He has scored 27 of his 29 points at 5-on-5 which is good for the second most among all defenders this season. Looking for a win, the Pens will need their number one defenseman to lead the way in every situation. 

2. Durzi Succeeding in the Desert

The Coyotes acquired defenseman Sean Durzi in a trade with the Los Angeles Kings this past summer. The move that many saw as the Kings maximizing the return for a depth player has become a success for the Yotes through his first 40 games. Durzi is leading all Arizona defenders in scoring with 27 points, and is getting ample opportunity to play. He’s averaging just a touch over 22 minutes of ice-time per game. The Coyotes are just a few points out of a playoff spot in a tightly packed Western Conference, and a huge part of their success is due to Durzi’s play.

3. Penguins Dominating Arizona

The Penguins have had the Coyotes’ number over the past eight years. Dating back to 2016, the Pens have earned a point in 14 straight games against the Yotes (13-0-1). To put that in perspective, that is the entirety of head coach Mike Sullivan’s tenure in Pittsburgh.

Heading into a game the Penguins need at least a point to keep up in the standings, they’ll hope to extend their streak to 15 straight against Arizona.

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