Penguins at Avalanche
THE STORY: When the Pittsburgh Penguins embarked on a two-game road trip that wraps up Saturday in Colorado, Sidney Crosby came along for the ride. With two days between each game, it allowed him valuable practice time as he works his way back from the concussions which have limited him to eight games this season. The Penguins remain a Stanley Cup contender – with or without Crosby. The Avalanche, the youngest team in the NHL, aspire to be one.
TV: 9 p.m. ET, ROOT Sports (Penguins), Altitude (Avalanche)
ABOUT THE PENGUINS (37-21-5): Pittsburgh has won four straight following its 4-3 shootout victory at Dallas on Wednesday, and is 10-0-3 on the road against the Western Conference in its last 13 games. The Penguins, though, again lost All-Star defenseman Kris Letang because of a concussion. Letang, a key component as the quarterback of Pittsburgh’s power play, had already missed 21 games this season. Evgeni Malkin, the Hart Trophy favorite who leads the NHL with 79 points and is second with 37 goals, continues to carry the Penguins in Crosby’s absence. Malkin has a six-game point streak (five goals, five assists).
ABOUT THE AVALANCHE (33-28-4): Colorado learned a valuable lesson Thursday: It can’t take anyone lightly. The Avalanche had their four-game winning streak snapped with a 2-0 loss to the league’s worst team – Columbus. Colorado had a chance to move into eighth in the tightly packed Western Conference, but remains on the periphery of playoff position. Captain Milan Hejduk, 36, who hasn’t scored in 13 games, was dropped from the second line to the fourth for a large chunk of Thursday’s game. Goaltender Semyon Varlamov had his three-game winning streak snapped, but is 3-1-0 with a 1.01 goals-against average and .966 save percentage during that span.
OVERTIME:
1. The Penguins have won the last three meetings, including a 6-3 decision at Pittsburgh on Nov. 15. James Neal scored twice.
2. Colorado’s Gabriel Landeskog was named Rookie of the Month for February. Landeskog leads first-year players with 18 goals.
3. Pittsburgh’s Marc-Andre Fleury is tied for second in the NHL with 33 victories.