Penguins at Devils
After recording a 7-1-1 mark during a nine-game stretch, the high-octane Pittsburgh Penguins have been slowed considerably by injuries over the last two contests. The Penguins will begin life without former Hart Trophy winner Evgeni Malkin and fellow forward Patric Hornqvist when they open a three-game road trip against the New Jersey Devils on Tuesday. Malkin has missed the majority of the last two contests - both losses - after he suffered a lower-body injury in a 2-0 setback to Boston on Saturday afternoon.
"He's a hard read because he heals so quick, but I'll say seven to 14 days," Pittsburgh general manager Jim Rutherford said of Malkin's impending absence. "For Hornqvist (undisclosed), I'll say probably a week. He's not travelling with us this week." While the Penguins reside two points behind the second-place New York Islanders in the Metropolitan Division with two games in hand, the Devils likely will miss the postseason for the third straight year as they sit 13 points out of a playoff spot with 13 games remaining.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, ROOT (Pittsburgh), MSG-Plus (New Jersey)
ABOUT THE PENGUINS (39-20-10): Captain Sidney Crosby, who had an assist in Pittsburgh's 5-1 loss to Detroit on Sunday afternoon, has scored three goals and set up another to help his team win three of the four meetings against New Jersey this season. Although Crosby has four goals and nine assists in his past 10 games and a team-leading 71 points this season, critics have argued that he hasn't been as productive as in years past. "That's total nitpicking," Rutherford said on Monday. "There is nothing wrong with Sid."
ABOUT THE DEVILS (29-29-11): Patrik Elias sat out with back spasms in Saturday's 4-1 victory over Arizona and did not attend practice two days later due to the same ailment. "He's better, but it's a day-to-day situation," New Jersey general manager Lou Lamoriello told reporters before adding that "he's not ruled out and he's not ruled in." Cory Schneider has been ruled in as the starting goaltender against the Penguins, against whom he owns a 1-4-1 career mark with a 2.65 goals-against average.
OVERTIME
1. Penguins LW David Perron, who scored versus the Red Wings, has collected three goals and four assists in his last nine games.
2. New Jersey is just 1-for-12 on the power play versus Pittsburgh this season.
3. Penguins LW Chris Kunitz has recorded two goals and four assists in his six-game point streak versus the Devils.