The Pittsburgh Penguins take on the Arizona Coyotes looking to avoid a seventh straight loss.
The Pittsburgh Penguins are on the brink of their second seven-game losing streak this season as they take on the Arizona Coyotes for the final time of the year. The Penguins (19-13-6) are on the outside of the playoff race in the midst of this losing streak, and are a desperate for win to stop the bleeding. The Coyotes (13-20-3) are bumbling through another mediocre season in the desert. Here's three things to watch for in this matchup.
1. Will Rakell and Crosby be Reunited?
While the Penguins continue to drop in the standings, the team's top two lines remain untouched. Sidney Crosby is playing alongside his usual running mates of Jake Guentzel and Bryan Rust while Evgeni Malkin centers Jason Zucker and Rickard Rakell.
The problem is that since Rakell's arrival, he's shown an impressive amount of chemistry with Crosby. The two saw some ice time together in the team's most recent game, and teamed up for a goal late in the third period. Rakell is the team's fourth leading scorer this season with 13 goals and 24 points, and he plays his best on Crosby's wing. Hopefully, Mike Sullivan will return Rakell to the first line with Crosby and jumpstart that line's stale offensive output.
2. DeSmith Trying to Take Charge
With the injury to Tristan Jarry, Casey DeSmith is the presumptive starter until Jarry's return. His first outing as the number one goaltender didn't go as planned, with the Vegas Golden Knights putting up five goals. Still, the Penguins and DeSmith expect more from him. He'll get another shot to take control of the crease and backstop the Penguins to a win against the Coyotes.
3. Keller Does All for Arizona
The lone bright stop in another forgettable season in Arizona is the play of Clayton Keller. The Coyotes' offense runs solely through the 24-year-old forward, and he's leading the team in every offensive statistic as proof. In 38 games, he has 14 goals and 36 points. The Penguins number one focus will be on limiting Keller's chances in this matchup.
The Penguins face-off against the Coyotes at 7:00PM.
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