The Pittsburgh Penguins head into Friday night’s matchup in Columbus trying to stop a two-game slide, and they’ll do it with a reset in net and the same forward combinations they used to finish Wednesday’s loss to Washington.
After a messy 5-3 defeat to the Capitals, coach Dan Muse is turning to Sergei Murashov against the Blue Jackets at Nationwide Arena. Muse said he’ll keep the lines he used in the second half of the Washington game, which includes putting Bryan Rust back alongside Sidney Crosby. He also said newly acquired Spencer Stastney will sit as a healthy scratch while he gets settled.
Pittsburgh was sloppy against Washington, with giveaways piling up all over the ice. Four of the six Penguins defensemen had multiple turnovers, and Kris Letang led the way with four giveaways.
Washington struck on the opening shift when Anthony Beauvillier picked Trevor van Riemsdyk’s pocket at center ice and turned it into a breakaway goal. The Penguins never really cleaned it up from there.
Even in defeat, Bryan Rust, Nick Robertson and Tommy Novak found the net. Arturs Silovs made 22 saves on 27 shots and, according to the source material, was better than the numbers show.
Columbus comes in off a 4-1 loss to Utah at Nationwide Arena on Saturday. Kent Johnson scored 1:30 into the second period to cut the deficit to 2-1, but that was as close as the Blue Jackets got. Jet Greaves stopped 27 of 31 shots in that one.
The Penguins have had the upper hand in this series for a long time. They’ve earned points in 19 of their last 20 games against Columbus dating back to Dec. 12, 2019, and they’ve also picked up points in eight of their last nine trips to Nationwide Arena dating back to Jan. 21, 2022.
Pittsburgh’s projected top six features Rickard Rakell, Sidney Crosby and Bryan Rust together on the first line, with Egor Chinakhov, Tommy Novak and Evgeni Malkin on the second. The third line is Hendrix Lapierre, Ben Kindel and Ville Koivunen, while Connor Dewar, Blake Lizotte and Nick Robertson make up the fourth unit. On defense, Declan Carlile skates with Erik Karlsson, Sam Girard with Kaedan Korczak, and Trevor van Riemsdyk with Kris Letang.
Columbus is projected to roll out Matthew Knies, Adam Fantilli and Kent Johnson up top, followed by Valeri Nichushkin, Sean Monahan and Dmitri Voronkov. Their third line features Cole Sillinger, Charlie Coyle and Mathieu Olivier, with Ryan Lomberg, Danton Heinen and Conor Garland on the fourth line. The Blue Jackets’ defense pairs Zach Werenski with Damon Severson, Carson Soucy with Denton Mateychuk, and Emil Andrae with Erik Gudbranson.
In goal, Columbus is expected to go with Cam Talbot.
Special teams have been a strength for Pittsburgh and a mixed bag for Columbus. The Penguins’ power play is clicking at 30.8%, which ranks seventh, and their penalty kill sits at 90%, good for eighth. The Blue Jackets’ power play is scorching at 40%, tied for first, but their penalty kill is at 66.7%, tied for 25th.
There’s also a notable start to Declan Carlile’s season. He has four points through his first four games, setting a new single-season career high and matching his career totals for goals, assists and points. Tommy Novak has also been productive against Columbus, riding a four-game point streak against the Blue Jackets and owning 10 points in nine career games versus them.
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The concern now is less about one cold stretch than what it might mean over time. Crosbys overall impact has dipped, and there is at least some question about whether the knee injury he dealt with during the Olympics is still lingering and affecting his play. For Penguins fans, the uncomfortable part is obvious: when the captain is still involved but not driving results the way he once did, it invites a harder conversation about age, wear and what comes next. [Read more 🡒]
Penguins Fought Back But One Familiar Problem Ruined It
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Sergei Murashov was a huge part of that fight, turning aside 43 of 45 shots and making several important stops in overtime to give Pittsburgh every chance to steal it. But once the game got to the skills competition, the familiar issue surfaced again, and the Penguins could not cash in on their chances while the Blue Jackets did just enough to take the 3-2 decision. [Read more 🡒]
Penguins Have A Sidney Crosby Problem They Can't Ignore
Sidney Crosbys start to the season has been quieter than the Penguins would like, and it has only added to the unease around a stretch that has now carried over from late last season. Pittsburgh has been cycling through different line combinations in an effort to spark him, a reminder that even with a player of Crosbys stature, finding the right chemistry can still be a moving target.
The concern is not just about one slow opening, but about how long this has been building for the Penguins captain. He has struggled to consistently finish chances for months, and the team is clearly looking for familiar faces to help settle things down. A reunion with Bryan Rust on his wing could be one of the cleaner fixes available, but the Penguins still have to see whether the answer is as simple as putting Crosby back with the players who know his game best. [Read more 🡒]