Penguins/NHL
Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan will tweak his top three lines in a do or die Game 4 tonight. Among the changes is Jared McCann moving back up to the line with Jake Guentzel and Sidney Crosby. Bryan Rust who has yet to get going this series, will start tonight’s game on Evgeni Malkin’s left wing while Sullivan and his staff will reunite the third line of Dominik Simon – Nick Blugstad – Patric Hornqvist.
Despite Jack Johnson struggling badly in Games 2 and 3, the coaching staff is sticking with the Jack Johnson – Justin Schultz pairing as Olli Maatta is expected to be scratched for the third straight game.
GAME 4 PROJECTED LINEUP
FORWARDS
McCann-Crosby-Guentzel
Rust-Malkin-Kessel
Simon-Blugstad-Hornqvist
ZAR-Cullen-Wilson
D-Pairs
DuMoulin-Letang
Johnson-Schultz
Pettersson-Gudbranson
Goalie
Murray
This is the right lineup with the exception that bluger should be in over wilson
i’d say it’s just a bit too late taking simon and aston reese out of the top 6. sid and guentzel are putting up 3 points each tonight and then the coach can look like the total A hole that he is.
Still no love for Blue but Wilson getting the call. Sullivan seems to be overthinking this. I get that coaches, especially those who played in an era where it mattered, will naturally gravitate to the “energy” guys and in fairness to Wilson he is one of what, 5 Pens to score in the series however Blue brings more skill and would allow Cullen to play on the wing which would conserve some of that energy for PK duties.