Penguins vs Maple Leafs: No Changes in Final Stretch
The Pittsburgh Penguins will stick with their winning formula for one of their toughest late-season tests.
PITTSBURGH – The Pittsburgh Penguins were bumped out of their playoff spot after just a day but will have plenty of opportunities to work their way back in. Just one point out of a playoff spot, the Penguins will have a tough test against the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Regardless of the opponent, the Penguins are looking to extend their winning streak to five games in the most crucial time of year. A win over the Maple Leafs will push them back into the second wild card spot.
With five games remaining in the lineup, the Penguins may have found a winning combination that they won’t soon be making changes to.
Forward Lines
Drew O’Connor – Sidney Crosby – Bryan Rust
While the Toronto and Western Pennsylvania area took time to catch a glimpse of the solar eclipse, Sidney Crosby was not breaking from his game-day routine. The Athletic’s Josh Yohe said Crosby missed the eclipse for his game-day nap.
The NHL’s most recent Second Star of the Week, Crosby will be well rested and looking forward to continuing his domination in the Penguins recent stretch.
Michael Bunting – Evgeni Malkin – Rickard Rakell
Michael Bunting has become a secret weapon for the Penguins and is one of the most significant contributors to their recent success. Returning to the town where he started his NHL career, Bunting is primed for another outstanding performance.
Reilly Smith – Lars Eller – Valtteri Puustinen
The Penguins swapped Valtteri Puustinen and Emil Bemstrom to start against the Tampa Bay Lightning, but quickly put them back to normal. Their normal spots will stick heading into to Toronto.
Jesse Puljujarvi – Jeff Carter – Emil Bemstrom
The Penguins don't quite roll four lines with regularity as Bemstrom and Puljujarvi have some of the lowest minutes over recent games, but they aren't failing in their spots. They've done perfectly fine work on the fourth line.
Defensive Pairings
P.O. Joseph – Kris Letang
Marcus Pettersson – Erik Karlsson
Ryan Shea – Jack St. Ivany
Despite some issues at the United States/Canada border, Ryan Shea made it to the rink on time and is in the Penguins' lineup.
Defenseman John Ludvig is still sidelined on a day-to-day basis while Ryan Graves continues to recover from a concussion.
Starting Goalie
Alex Nedeljkovic
Many thought this would be the game where Alex Nedeljkovic finally gets a break, but he will start for the ninth straight time. Tristan Jarry is likely to get at least another game or two in before the end of the season, but it won’t come in Toronto.
Make sure you bookmark Inside the Penguins for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more.
- Subscribe to Inside the Penguins on YouTube
- Follow Inside the Penguins on Twitter: @InsidePenguins