Islanders at Penguins
The Pittsburgh Penguins look to snap out of their defensive funk and end a three-game losing streak when they host the struggling New York Islanders in a Metropolitan Division battle on Saturday. The Penguins were cruising along with six straight wins before allowing 17 goals over three consecutive losses, including an embarrassing 8-4 setback at Boston on Thursday, and losing Matt Murray indefinitely due to a concussion.
“We’ve all got to be better,” Pittsburgh coach Mike Sullivan told reporters. “I’ve got to do a better job as a coach to make sure that the details, the focus that’s necessary to play the game, is there. I know we’re a good hockey team when we play the game the right way.” Evgeni Malkin is second in the league with 78 points after posting 15 in his last eight contests and has notched 68 in 55 career games against the Islanders, who have lost five straight (0-4-1) and are sinking in the playoff race. New York gave up three unanswered goals in the third period en route to Friday's 6-3 setback against Montreal and heads out on the road for the next four contests. “It’s tough,” Islanders forward Josh Bailey told reporters after playing in his 700th NHL game on Friday. “We all want to win and we all want to be in the postseason. It’s gonna take a lot of work from here out, obviously. It’s gonna be difficult, but we’re certainly not gonna throw in the towel.”
TV: 5 p.m. ET, MSG Plus (New York), AT&T SportsNet-Pittsburgh
ABOUT THE ISLANDERS (29-29-7): Captain John Tavares, who is second on the team with 64 points and tied for the top spot with 30 goals, has been kept off the scoresheet in five consecutive games. Leading scorer Mathew Barzal (67 points), a candidate for the Calder Trophy, also was contained in Friday’s loss and Anders Lee (30 goals) has not notched a point while posting a minus-5 rating in his last four games. Jordan Eberle (22 goals, 46 points) missed Friday’s game with an undisclosed injury, and his status for Saturday is uncertain.
ABOUT THE PENGUINS (36-25-4): Phil Kessel needs two assists to reach 400 for his career and has recorded six of his 72 points over the last four games to sit second on the team behind Malkin. Captain Sidney Crosby is third with 69 after scoring two goals and setting up another over his last four contests, bringing him within four of 1,100 career points. Jake Guentzel has warmed up with eight points and a plus-4 rating in his last five games while the newly acquired Derick Brassard has notched one assist in two contests since coming over from Ottawa.
OVERTIME
1. New York G Christopher Gibson is expected to make his season debut on Saturday.
2. Pittsburgh recalled C Dominik Simon, who recorded 11 points in 28 games earlier this season, from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the American Hockey League on Friday.
3. The Penguins are 6-1-1 in their last eight meetings with the Islanders, including a pair of victories this season.