Lightning at Penguins
The Pittsburgh Penguins will be without captain Sidney Crosby for the third straight game when they host the Tampa Bay Lightning on Monday after he was officially diagnosed with mumps. The Penguins announced the news Sunday morning, adding another obstacle as they attempt to increase their winning streak against the Lightning to 10. Tampa Bay has its own problems, managing two wins in its last six games (2-3-1) after losing at Washington on Saturday to start a five-game road trip.
Despite the adversity, Pittsburgh leads the Eastern Conference with 42 points and the Lightning are tied for second with Detroit (41) as they prepare to meet for the first time this season. The Lightning will likely be without left wing Ondrej Palat (upper body) while the Penguins are dealing with the absence of top-six forwards Pascal Dupuis (illness) and Chris Kunitz (foot) along with defenseman Olli Maatta (illness). Pittsburgh goalie Marc-Andre Fleury (16-4-2) was rested Saturday and is expected back in net.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, NBC Sports Network, TVA, SNET, ROOT (Pittsburgh)
ABOUT THE LIGHTNING (19-9-3): Tampa Bay could not convert with a full two minutes of a 5-on-3 advantage in the second period of a scoreless game Saturday and is 2-of-19 on the power play the last six games. “Our power play needs to capitalize on those opportunities,” Lightning right wing Ryan Callahan told the Tampa Tribune. “The last couple games it has definitely been hurting us.” Tampa Bay is converting on 21.7 percent of power plays overall – in the top 10 of the league – but is at 15.2 on the road.
ABOUT THE PENGUINS (19-6-4): Evgeni Malkin has taken over the team lead in Crosby’s absence with 36 points while notching at least a point in 12 of 14 games and registering 19 in that span. Malkin also boasts 18 goals in 27 career games against Tampa Bay and totaled seven points in three contests versus the Lightning last season. Defenseman Kris Letang has collected four goals and four assists with a plus-8 rating over the last five contests, scoring twice in the 4-3 shootout loss against Columbus on Saturday
OVERTIME
1. The Lightning have not won at Pittsburgh since Game 7 of the first-round playoff series on April 27, 2011 – losing five times since.
2. Pittsburgh RW Patric Hornqvist has been held without a point for five straight games and managed one goal in his last seven contests.
3. Tampa Bay captain Steven Stamkos has recorded 22 points in 21 career games against the Penguins.