Blue Jackets' Tyutin, Murray expected back for Game 5

PITTSBURGH -- The Pittsburgh Penguins and Columbus Blue Jackets could each have their lineups bolstered by returning players when they meet in Game 5 of their Eastern Conference First Round series Saturday at Consol Energy Center (7 p.m. ET; NBCSN, CBC, RDS, FS-O, ROOT).

Columbus defenseman Fedor Tyutin confirmed he will play Saturday after missing two games with a lower-body injury, and defenseman Ryan Murray (lower body) said he is a game-time decision. Blue Jackets coach Todd Richards said he expects each to return to the lineup.

Penguins forward Marcel Goc, who has been sidelined for 13 games with a foot injury, will be a game-time decision.

Tyutin was paired with defenseman Nikita Nikitin and Murray skated with defenseman James Wisniewski during Columbus' skate Saturday morning. With the best-of-7 series tied 2-2, Murray expects each team to play with desperation.

"They've been a pretty intense four games," Murray said. "It's been a strange series. Each team has come back every game and has come back from deficits. We stole one in one another's barns and just know that no team is going to quit out there no matter what the score is.

"If you get a lead, it's not safe."

Goc centered Pittsburgh's fourth line between forwards Tanner Glass and Craig Adams on Saturday. With Goc's addition, the Penguins rearranged their bottom six by moving Joe Vitale, who had played on the fourth line during Goc's absence, to right wing on the third line.

Goc said he does not expect rust to play a factor in his performance.

"I've had a couple of practices here and I'll try to get in the game quick, get a hit or take a hit, give a hit and should be good," Goc said. "I'm sure my linemates will help me out. Shouldn't be a big problem there."

Forward Brian Gibbons, who has missed two games with an undisclosed injury, skated on his own Saturday but did not return for Pittsburgh's morning skate.

Here are the projected lineups:

BLUE JACKETS

Boone Jenner – Ryan Johansen – Jack Skille

Matt Calvert – Brandon Dubinsky – Cam Atkinson

Nick Foligno – Artem Anisimov – RJ Umberger

Derek MacKenzie – Mark Letestu – Blake Comeau

Ryan Murray – James Wisniewski

Dalton Prout – Jack Johnson

Nikita Nikitin – Fedor Tyutin

Sergei Bobrovsky

Curtis McElhinney

Injured: Nathan Horton (abdominal)

Scratched: Matt Frattin, Nick Schultz, Jared Boll, Corey Tropp, David Savard

PENGUINS

Chris Kunitz – Sidney Crosby – Lee Stempniak

Jussi Jokinen – Evgeni Malkin – James Neal

Beau Bennett – Brandon Sutter – Joe Vitale

Tanner Glass – Marcel Goc – Craig Adams

Kris Letang – Olli Maatta

Brooks Orpik – Paul Martin

Matt Niskanen – Rob Scuderi

Marc-Andre Fleury

Jeff Zatkoff

Injured: Brooks Orpik (undisclosed), Brian Gibbons (undisclosed), Pascal Dupuis (knee), Tomas Vokoun (pelvis)

Scratched: Jayson Megna, Taylor Pyatt, Robert Bortuzzo, Deryk Engelland, Chris Conner.