Penguins at Panthers
THE STORY: Pittsburgh will attempt to overcome some road struggles against an opponent it has enjoyed success against in recent times. And they’ll again attempt to do it without the services of their captain. The Sidney Crosby-less Penguins, losers of four of five away from home, will eye their sixth consecutive win over the Florida Panthers when the teams tangle at the BankAtlantic Center on Saturday night. The Panthers have dropped two of three games overall but will attempt to get on a roll as they open a four-game homestand. They are winless in their past four at home.
TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, Fox Sports Pittsburgh, Fox Sports Florida.
ABOUT THE PENGUINS (11-5-3): James Neal has been a pleasant surprise on the offensive end for the Penguins, doing a more than adequate job of filling the scoring void left by Crosby. Despite having his seven-game points streak snapped in Thursday’s loss to Tampa Bay, Neal leads the club in goals (12) and points (20). The 24-year-old left wing scored a goal as the Penguins skated to a 4-2 win over Florida in the teams’ first meeting on Oct. 11. He has four points in the last five meetings.
ABOUT THE PANTHERS (9-6-3): The Panthers seem to go as Kris Versteeg goes. The right wing leads the team with nine goals and 20 points, but Florida is just 2-4-1 when he fails to register a point. Versteeg was held off the scoresheet in Thursday’s 4-1 setback to St. Louis. Goaltender Jose Theodore has taken losses in his last two starts, allowing six goals on 65 shots. But he should be in line for a strong performance versus the Penguins, against whom he is 19-5-1 with 2.38 goals-against average in 27 career starts.
OVERTIME:
1. Panthers center Marcel Goc will not play as he recovers from an upper-body injury that forced him to miss Thursday’s tilt against St. Louis.
2. Crosby won’t be making his much-anticipated season debut Saturday because doctors have yet to clear the star center.
3. Pittsburgh has won eight of nine in the series.