Post-Morning Skate Buzz: Orpik out for tonight’s game; Long-term or short-term stay for Thiessen?

— Defenseman Brooks Orpik will not play tonight due to an upper body injury, head coach Dan Bylsma confirmed during his media session. The Penguins are currently calling Orpik’s injury a short-term one and for now they don’t expect him to miss much time.

Ben Lovejoy will return to the lineup.

— Goaltender Brad Thiessen will be the Penguins primary backup tonight. Dan Bylsma called Johnson ill but there’s been some whispers coming out of the organization that this might not be a short-term stay for Thiessen as the team is evaluating the situation. The team intends to carry three goaltenders for now.

— Eric Tangradi will be in the lineup tonight as the Penguins feel they need to have size and a gritty presence on their third and fourth lines. Bylsma mentioned the need for a “presence like Tangradi” is there for this hockey club . “We need that size…. we need that physicality, ” Bylsma said.

— With no Brooks Orpik tonight, it will be interesting to see how effective the Penguins are defensively in around the crease area and down low defending the cycle. The Rangers are a team that comes hard and they could have a major advantage in that area.

PROJECTED LINEUP

Kunitz – Malkin – Neal

Sullivan – Staal – Dupuis

Cooke – Vitale – Asham

Tangradi – Park – Adams

DEFENSEMEN

Martin – Letang

Niskanen – Michalek

Lovejoy – Engelland

Marc Andre Fleury in goal