Penguins/NHL
The Pittsburgh Penguins will be shorthanded against an excellent San Jose Sharks team tonight at the Consol Energy Center. Already down top defensemen Paul Martin and Rob Scuderi, Evgeni Malkin will miss tonight’s game vs the Sharks due to a lower body injury. Malkin is listed by the team as day to day. He left the morning skate after about 10 minutes.
Malkin second in the NHL with 37 points, has been on a tear over the last month with 27 points in his last 16 games. During that span, he has points in 15 of his last 16 games.
With Malkin sidelined, will the Penguins load up the first line with Chris Kunitz, Sidney Crosby and James Neal?
That appears likely and it’s what Bylsma did last year when Malkin was injured. It’s no secret that Sidney Crosby needs a right winger. Pascal Dupuis has 1 goal and 3 assists and an even rating in his last 21 games.
MORE BUZZ
— Marc Andre Fleury will start in goal
— Chuck Kobasew has deemed himself healthy enough to return to the lineup. Kobasew is a coaches decision on when he gets in. With Malkin’s injury, chance he gets in tonight over Jason Megna
— Rob Scuderi skated on his own today for the fourth time, according to head coach Dan Bylsma. The last two skates were very hard. The talk a few weeks ago was Scuderi was on track for a mid-to-late December return. Barring a setback, he’ll be back this month.
— All signs in the morning skate point to Robert Bortuzzo being a healthy scratch again.
