No Excuses for Penguins Against Sharks
The Pittsburgh Penguins must win on an important night for two of their stars.
The Pittsburgh Penguins open their first three-game road trip of the season tomorrow night against the San Jose Sharks. Pittsburgh enters the game carrying a two-game losing streak, including a last-second loss to the Anaheim Ducks on Monday.
Fortunately for the Penguins, the Sharks enter on a ten-game losing streak, beginning the season 0-9-1. The Sharks were blown out 10-1 on home ice yesterday by the Vancouver Canucks and are 32nd in the NHL in goals scored (10) and in goals allowed (45).
This game has added meaning for a pair of the Penguins' top players. Erik Karlsson will return to San Jose for the first time since being traded to Pittsburgh in August. Karlsson spent five seasons with the Sharks, scoring 243 points (52G-191A) in 293 games.
Karlsson experienced other highlight moments with the Sharks, including a run to the Western Conference Finals in 2019 and winning his third Norris Trophy for his performance last season.
Tomorrow's matchup carries added meaning for Sidney Crosby as well. The captain will be skating in his 1,200th regular season game. He becomes the 130th player in NHL history to reach that milestone and the first to play all 1,200 with the Penguins.
Crosby has excelled in milestone games throughout his career. He collected a goal and an assist in his 100th game in 2005 against the Philadelphia Flyers, three assists in his 500th game against the San Jose Sharks, and two assists against the New York Islanders in his 1,000th game in 2021.
It's fair to assume that Crosby will again play a factor in this game as the Penguins look to turn the tide of their season.
The Penguins are hungry for a victory to kick off their California road trip, and the lowly Sharks may be the perfect bait.
[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H4CaB8ukudw[/embed]
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