SEATTLE — The Pittsburgh Penguins (22-14-11) are riding the roller coaster of wins and losses as they deal with the fallout of yet another shootout loss in which they were uncompetitive in the final portion of the game. The Penguins begin a four-game western road trip Sunday when the team visits the Seattle Kraken at Climate Pledge Arena.
The puck drops just after 5 p.m. ET (2 p.m. local time).
The Penguins tussled with the Columbus Blue Jackets Saturday, and needed a late goal by Sidney Crosby with the extra attacker to force overtime. The Penguins submitted an alternating sloppy and strong performance in front of goalie Arturs Silovs. However, despite dominating the overtime period, the Penguins failed to score and dropped their seventh shootout in eight tries.
The shootout has become an albatross upon the Penguins season, and specifically goalie Arturs Silovs, who is 1-6.
In front of Silovs, Connor Clifton scored an early first period goal, his first of the season, and Rickard Rakell scored an impressive redirect goal in the second. Silovs held the fort and stopped two of four in the shootout, but of the Penguins shooters (Rakell, Crosby, Egor Chinakhov, and Bryan Rust) only Chinakhov scored.
The Penguins remain in third place in the Metro Division, two points behind the New York Islanders for second, with one game and the tiebreaker in hand.
Coach Dan Muse appears ready to make a small change on defense, too. At practice Sunday, D-man Ryan Graves was in place of Ryan Shea on the third pairing with Connor Clifton.
On the home side, Seattle has just one win in their last six games (1-3-2), losing their last two in regulation. The Utah Mammoth doubled up Seattle 6-3 on Saturday. Matty Beniers, Chandler Stephenson, and Jordan Eberle scored for Seattle, but Utah scored three third period goals to pull away for the win.
Philipp Grubauer stopped 24 of 29 shots.
Seattle has not be a good team on home ice, posting a mere 10-7-5 record at Climate Pledge Arena. The team is in third place in the Pacific Divsion, and part of a four way tie at 51 points for the spot.
One battle to watch is special teams. Seattle has the worst penalty kill in the league (71.2%), while the Penguins have the second ranked power play (28.7%).
Seattle coach Lane Lambert has recently begun to shuffle his forward lines in an effort to find more offense. Seattle ranks 27th in the NHL in goals scored (130).
In keeping with the Penguins goalie rotation, Stuart Skinner is expected to start for the Penguins. Grubauer for Seattle.
How to Watch
TV: SportsNet Pittsburgh
Radio: 105.9 The X
Expected Penguins Lines
Rickard Rakell-Sidney Crosby-Bryan Rust
Egor Chinakhov-Tommy Novak-Evgeni Malkin
Anthony Mantha-Ben Kindel-Justin Brazeau
Connor Dewar-Blake Lizotte-Noel Acciari
Defense
Brett Kulak-Kris Letang
Parker Wotherspoon-Jack St. Ivany
Ryan Graves-Connor Clifton
Goalie: Stuart Skinner, expected
Expected Kraken Lines
Jared McCann-Matty Beniers-Jordan Eberle
Berkley Catton-Shane Wright-Kappo Kakko
Eli Tolvanen-Chandler Stephenson-Frederick Gaudreau
Jaden Schwartz-Ben Meyers-Ryan Winterton
Defense
Vince Dunn-Adam Larsson
Ryan Lindgren-Brandon Montour
Ryker Evans-Jamie Oleksiak
Goalie: Philipp Grubauer, expected
Special Teams
Penguins’ power play: 28.7%, 2nd. Penguins penalty kill: 83.5%, 5th.
Kraken power play: 23.1%, 9th. Kraken penalty kill: 71.2%, 32nd
Penguins Game Notes
The Penguins have lost the last four games against Seattle, (0-3-1) but have won three of their last four games on the road (3-1-0).
Kris Letang has seven assists and is plus-2 in nine career games versus Seattle.
Penalty killers. The Penguins have killed off their last 18 penalties over the past five games.
Egor Chinakhov has four points (3-1-4) in eight games since the the Penguins acquired him from the Columbus Blue Jackets.
Sidney Crosby will play in his 1400th regular season game Monday. He is the 45h player to do so, but his point total is second all time:
Wayne Gretzky 2,772
Sidney Crosby 1,740*
Jaromir Jagr 1,694
Steve Yzerman 1,688
Mark Messier 1,654
Categorized: Penguins Pregame
