The Pittsburgh Penguins will try to take down the Carolina Hurricanes in a Metropolitan Division battle on Tuesday night.
The Pittsburgh Penguins will welcome the Carolina Hurricanes to PPG Paints Arena on Tuesday night for the first of four meetings this season.
The Hurricanes are coming off a 3-2 overtime win over the New York Rangers on Monday, while the Penguins got back in the win column on Sunday with a 7-3 thrashing of the Chicago Blackhawks. The Hurricanes and Penguins played three times last year, with the Hurricanes winning each matchup. The Penguins have lost four of their last five to the Hurricanes heading into Tuesday's contest.
Sebastian Aho has been great once again for the Hurricanes in the first half of the season, compiling 14 goals and 35 points in 38 games. Seth Jarvis leads the team in goals with 19, but is currently out with an injury.
Star defenseman Jaccob Slavin is also out with an injury, which is a big deal since he's one of the best defensive defenseman in the NHL. He gets all the matchups against each team's top line and is elite in his own end.
The Hurricanes have gotten good production from forward Jackson Blake this season (12 goals and 24 points). Nikolaj Ehlers, who is in his first season with the team, only has eight goals in 38 games but does have 26 points.
This has been a tough matchup for the Penguins over the last few years, due to the Hurricanes' relentlessness and their elite ability to shut things down in their own zone. High-danger chances may be hard to come by, so if the Penguins get one, they'll have to do whatever it takes to bury it.
As for lineup changes, Penguins head coach Dan Muse confirmed after the morning skate that Stuart Skinner will start in goal. He's continuing to rotate starts between Skinner and fellow goaltender Arturs Silovs.
Yegor Chinakhov, who was acquired via trade from the Columbus Blue Jackets on Monday, will not be in the lineup.
Here's a look at the projected lineup:
Forwards:
Rakell-Crosby-Rust
Mantha-Novak-Brazeau
McGroarty-Kindel-Koivunen
Dewar-Lizotte-Acciari
Defensive pairs:
Wotherspoon-Karlsson
Kulak-Letang
Shea-St. Ivany
Puck drop is set for 7 p.m. ET on SportsNet Pittsburgh. Fans can also listen to the game on 105.9 'The X.'
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