MATCH: Penguins vs. Capitals
TIME: 7 p.m. EST
PLACE: PPG Paints Arena
TV: ROOT Sports
RADIO: 105.9 FM, the X
WHAT TO WATCH FOR:
Pittsburgh returns from an 0-3 road trip hoping for some home cooking to help flip the script … The Pens are 18-2-2 at home with a 5-game home winning streak. Pittsburgh is unbeaten in its last 12 home games (11-0-1) … Defenseman Kris Letang, who left Saturday's game in Detroit with an injury, was placed on IR … Evgeni Malkin has 4 goals in his last 5 games against the Caps, and points in 6 of his last 7 (4G-5A) … The Pens recalled Jake Guentzel and Chad Ruhwedel from WBS … Guentzel leads the AHL with 21 goals and places 2nd with 42 points …
Ian Cole will appear in his 300th career NHL game tonight … Washington is on a 9-game winning streak, which includes a 5-2 victory against the Pens last week … The Caps have recorded back-to-back shutouts after blanking the Philadelphia Flyers, 5-0, on Sunday afternoon. Washington has recorded 4 shutouts in its past 6 games … Alex Ovechkin, who scored 2 goals against Pittsburgh last week in that 5-2 win, has 30 goals in 49 career games against the Pens … Justin Williams, who scored 2 goals against Philly, has 13 points in his past 11 games (7G-6A) … Evgeny Kuznetsov has 12 points in the past 11 contests (2G-10A).
MORNING SKATE REPORT:
\The only missing player at the Pens practice was defenseman Kris Letang, who was placed on IR after suffering an injury Saturday night in Detroit
\The Pens used the following workflow…
Sheary-Crosby-Rust
Guentzel-Malkin-Hornqvist
Hagelin-Bonino-Kessel
Kunitz-Cullen-Wilson
Cole-Schultz-Oleksy
Maatta-Daley
Warsofsky-Ruhwedel
(Fehr, Kuhnhackl)
*Matt Murray will start in goal
