Penguins at Blue Jackets
The Pittsburgh Penguins again will be without their captain when they attempt to slow down the host Columbus Blue Jackets on Saturday. Sidney Crosby will miss his second game in as many nights as he deals with an undisclosed illness that has left the superstar with a swollen right cheek. Pittsburgh prevailed without its co-leading scorer on Friday as it posted a 3-1 triumph over visiting Calgary.
After ending November with six straight losses, Columbus has been perfect this month, winning each of its five games - including two in overtime and one in a shootout. One of the extra-session wins came on Thursday as Nick Foligno scored his second goal of the night at 4:41 after defenseman Kevin Connauton netted his second tally in two games midway through the third period to forge a tie. Pittsburgh swept last season's five-game series before knocking off Columbus in the first round of the playoffs.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, ROOT (Pittsburgh), FSN Ohio (Columbus)
ABOUT THE PENGUINS (19-6-3): Crosby was not the only player Pittsburgh was missing Friday, as Chris Kunitz (foot), Pascal Dupuis (blood clot), Beau Bennett (lower body) and defenseman Olli Maatta (upper body) also were sidelined. It also lost rookie Zach Sill, who left the game after one shift due to an upper-body injury. Evgeni Malkin recorded two assists against Calgary to raise his point total to 35 - tying Crosby for the team lead.
ABOUT THE BLUE JACKETS (11-15-2): Columbus will be without Scott Hartnell, who was placed on injured reserve Friday with a broken finger. The left wing, who has recorded six goals and 11 assists in 28 games, was injured in Thursday's victory and will miss approximately two weeks. To replace Hartnell, the Blue Jackets recalled 20-year-old left wing Kerby Rychel, who notched three assists in four games during his first stint in the NHL earlier this season.
OVERTIME
1. Penguins C Rob Klinkhammer on Friday scored his first goal in three games since being acquired from Arizona.
2. Columbus G Sergei Bobrovsky has posted a 1.80 goals-against average and .946 save percentage during the team's winning streak.
3. Malkin has been held without a point in only five of his 28 games this season.