Game Day Notes

Pittsburgh Penguins (35-19-4, 74pts) @ Colorado Avalanche (25-26-6, 56pts)
Streaks: Pittsburgh has lost 2 straight and 4 of 5 | Colorado has lost 9 straight
Duchene Out: Matt Duchene, the Av’s best player and leading scorer will not play tonight and is out indefinitely because of a hand injury. Duchene leads Colorado in goals (21) and points (47
Depleted Lineup: As expected, none of the Penguins injured players will return to the lineup tonight. However, the Penguins are close to getting some regulars back.
Neither Arron Asham or Chris Kunitz made the trip to Denver. Kunitz is a possibility to return Sunday afternoon against Chicago. Asham is not close.
Meanwhile, Dustin Jeffrey is expected back next week and Matt Cooke will return to the lineup on Sunday.
Changes to D-Pairs: The Penguins are expected to alter their D-pairings tonight after giving up 14 goals in their last two games. The current pairings of Orpik – Letang, Martin – Michalek, Goligoski -Engelland/Lovejoy have been together for several months.
Ben Lovejoy will sit once again.
Crosby still not symptom free: Pens center Sidney Crosby is said to have been experiencing headaches as recently as Saturday and Dan Bylsma told the media following today’s morning skate that Crosby is still not symptom free. If things don’t begin progressing in the next couple weeks, Crosby’s season will be in doubt.

Pens Lineup

Sterling – Staal – Johnson
Dupuis – Adams – Kennedy
Rupp – Talbot – Conner
Craig – Vitale – Wallace
Defensemen
Orpik – Michalek
Martin – Letang
Goligoski – Engelland
Marc Andre Fleury in goal