MATCH:Penguins vs. Blue Jackets
TIME:7 p.m. EST
PLACE:Nationwide Arena
TV:AT&T SportsNet
RADIO:105.9 FM, the X
5 THINGS
1.The Pens and Jackets are tied for the No. 2 seed in the Metro, a position that claims home-ice in the opening round. Both clubs have 96 points through 80 games played on the season, but Pittsburgh holds the tie-breaker advantage with 43 regulation/overtime wins to Columbus' 39. A regulation win against the Jackets would ensure that the Pens will finish ahead of the Jackets. Pittsburgh's magic number to do so is 4.
2.The Pens are also battling with Philadelphia and New Jersey for home-ice advantage in the First Round. A win in any fashion tonight would ensure that the Pens will finish ahead of the Flyers. Pittsburgh's magic number to finish the season ahead of Philly is 2. Pittsburgh's magic number to finish the season ahead of New Jersey is 3. To finish the season ahead of New Jersey, the Pens would need to win in any fashion and the Devils would have to lose in any fashion.
In the simplest terms, tonight the Pens can lock up home-ice advantage in the First Round if they defeat Columbus in regulation and New Jersey loses to Toronto in any fashion.
3.The Pens are 3-0 so far this season against Columbus and are looking to sweep the series for the first time since the 2013-14 season. A big reason for Pittsburgh's success has been the power play, which scored twice in each of their two wins at home before not getting a power-play opportunity on the road. Overall, the Pens are aiming at the franchise record for single-season power-play success rate. Right now it's clicking at 25.9% and the club record is 26%, set in 1995-96.
4.Tonight the Pens will face Ian Cole for the first time since the defenseman was traded in the three-team deal on Feb. 23 that brought Derick Brassard to Pittsburgh. A two-time Stanley Cup champion in Pittsburgh, Cole was a physical presence on the blue line, blocking shots and killing penalties while recording 59 points (9G-50A) in 218 regular season games.
5.The Pens will have their hands full with the Jackets' top line of Artemi Panarin, Pierre-Luc Dubois and Cam Atkinson, which has been scorching hot. Over the last 4 games, Dubois has scored 5 goals while Panarin has 11 points (2G-9A). Meanwhile, Atkinson enters this game on an 8-game point streak (7G-5A-12P).
INJURIES
PIT - Derick Brassard (lower-body),
Carter Rowney
(upper-body).
CBJ - Josh Anderson (knee), Lukas Sedlak (upper-body), Nick Foligno (lower-body), Markus Nutivaara (upper-body).
MORNING SKATE
The Pens held an optional morning skate at Nationwide Arena. Dumoulin, Schultz, Sheahan, Letang, Hagelin, Kessel and Crosby all took the option not to skate. Brassard and Rowney were also absent.
