Penguins vs. Lightning: Striking Twice in Tampa
The Pittsburgh Penguins continue their brief road trip with another contest against the Tampa Bay Lightning.
The Pittsburgh Penguins fell short twice in a row against their bitter rivals, the Philadelphia Flyers, picking up only two out of a possible four points in the home-and-home series.
Stuck at the bottom of a crowded Metropolitan Division, the Penguins are desperate to start picking up points and ascend the standings. Up next is their second contest against the Tampa Bay Lightning in a week. Here's what to watch for.
1. Even Strength Producers
One of the most intriguing aspects of this matchup is the elite scoring ability from both teams on display. The top three even strength point producers in the NHL this season will all be on the ice for this game. Pittsburgh's Jake Guentzel leads the the pack with 25 points, followed by Sidney Crosby with 23, and then Tampa Bay's Nikita Kucherov with 22. As the Penguins continue to be mired in power play failures, they'll need their big guns to keep scoring 5-on-5.
2. Which Lightning Team Will Show Up?
The Penguins aren't the only team failing to live up to expectations and standards. The Lightning are struggling with the same issues. Their most recent home-and-home set against the Dallas Stars is a prime example of that. They dropped the first game and allowed a ridiculous eight goals. In a complete reversal, the Lightning shut out the Stars in the second game, winning by a score of 4-0.
When the Penguins met the Lightning a week ago, it was a tough matchup for both teams that could've gone either way. Will that same, competitive Bolts squad show up in this contest?
3. Eller Scoreless in Five Straight
The Penguins placed a large amount of expectations on Lars Eller when they signed him to a multi-year deal this past offseason. While the bottom six has fluctuated and changed combinations all season, Eller has been just as advertised. He’s put up eight points in 24 games, putting him on pace for a 20-30 point season.
In the last five games though, Eller has been held off of the scoresheet. As the bottom six shuffle continues, the Pens need their third line pivot involved on offense.
The Penguins and Lightning face-off at 7:00 p.m. at Amalie Arena.
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