Sidney Crosby opens up about his All-Star Game selection and where the Pittsburgh Penguins stand heading into game 41. The Pittsburgh Penguins look to win their third game in a row when they take on the Winnipeg Jets for the second time this season. The Penguins (21-13-6) are trending in the right direction again with back-to-back wins. The Jets (26-14-1) are 4-1 in their last five games and in the midst of a division championship battle. Here's three things to watch for at PPG Paints Arena. 1. Geno Building on Phenomenal Performance Evgeni Malkin has been quietly producing another great offensive season for the Penguins. At age 36, he has 39 points in 40 games, and it's clear that Malkin is still a force with the puck. He put it on display for the full league to see with his two goal, four point outing against the Vancouver Canucks. Malkin has five points in his last two games, and it appears he and the second line are picking up steam in the new year. The Penguins are counting on him to keep bringing his vintage offensive game as they make up ground in the Metropolitan Division. 2. Winnipeg's Depth Will Test Penguins Defense The Jets are a strong team, and a massive part of their success this year is the production of their top-six forwards. They are getting massive production from their top two lines, and just added the incredibly underrated Nikolaj Ehlers back into their lineup. Ehlers has five points in three games since his return. The team is led in scoring by Kyle Connor, with 20 goals and 50 points in 41 games. Behind those top two lines, they have a third and fourth line that can score and is a nightmare matchup for opposing teams. Third-line center Adam Lowry is a defensive force, likely drawing the matchup against Sidney Crosby, and also has 23 points on the year. The Penguins won't get a shift off against this deep Jets team, and it will be quite the challenge to outplay the Jets for 60 minutes. 3. Will DeSmith Show Up? The Penguins are desperate for starting goaltender Tristan Jarry to return from injury. His backup and temporary starter, Casey DeSmith, has had an inconsistent season and is struggling since Jarry's injury. He was pulled after just seven minutes in the Penguins' previous game, and head coach Mike Sullivan used the term "volatility" when describing his season performance. The Penguins cannot afford to have a question mark in net, and DeSmith faces one of his toughest challenges in this start against the Jets. If DeSmith struggles again, look for Dustin Tokarski to keep getting playing time until Jarry returns. The Penguins and Jets face-off at 7:00PM Make sure you bookmark Inside the Penguins [http://insidethepenguins.com/]for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns and so much more! Mike Sullivan Expects More From Penguins Goalie Casey DeSmith [https://www.si.com/nhl/penguins/news/mike-sullivan-expects-more-pittsburgh-penguins-casey-desmith] Sidney Crosby Hopes Evgeni Malkin, Other Penguins Join Him At All-Star Game [https://www.si.com/nhl/penguins/news/sidney-crosby-evgeni-malkin-other-pittsburgh-penguins-all-star-game] Still No Word on Kris Letang's Return to Penguins [https://www.si.com/nhl/penguins/news/no-word-kris-letang-return-pittsburgh-penguins] Penguins Hope for More Consistency in Second Half [https://www.si.com/nhl/penguins/news/pittsburgh-penguins-hope-consistency-second-half] Penguins Beginning to Trend in Right Direction [https://www.si.com/nhl/penguins/podcasts/pittsburgh-penguins-beginning-trend-right-direction] * undefined * undefined
