Senators at Penguins
Marc-Andre Fleury and the Pittsburgh Penguins are on quite the roll, and that could spell negative news for the sputtering Ottawa Senators. With two shutouts in his last four starts and a 5-0-1 mark in his last six at home, Fleury looks to send the surging Penguins to their fourth straight victory when they host the Senators on Tuesday.
Fleury turned aside all 25 shots he faced in Pittsburgh's 2-0 victory over Metropolitan Division-rival New Jersey on Wednesday and also aided the Penguins to a 2-0 triumph over Ottawa in the teams' first meeting on Oct. 15. Evgeni Malkin scored one of his team-leading 23 goals versus the Senators and has 11 tallies and three assists in his last 10 home meetings with Ottawa. Captain Erik Karlsson continued his strong season by scoring in the Senators' 3-2 setback to Atlantic Division-rival Buffalo last Tuesday, marking the team's 11th loss in 17 outings (6-10-1). The two-time Norris Trophy winner has a club-best 52 points this season and 18 (three goals, 15 assists) in 19 career meetings with Pittsburgh.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, RDS2, WPCW (Ottawa), ROOT (Pittsburgh)
ABOUT THE SENATORS (23-21-6): Bobby Ryan has scored five goals and set up two others during his blistering six-game point streak, but has just two tallies in 11 career meetings with Pittsburgh. "One step forward, one step back," Ryan told reporters of the team's troubles. "We're not making the playoffs if we don't figure it out quickly. Very quickly." Craig Anderson turned aside 34 shots in the first meeting to fall for the eighth time in 13 career encounters with Pittsburgh.
ABOUT THE PENGUINS (24-17-7): Captain Sidney Crosby has rebounded from a sluggish start in a big way, recording 31 points in his past 28 games - with 11 goals in his last 15 contests. The two-time Hart Trophy winner is also giving the fans at Consol Energy Center a thrill, scoring nine times during his career-long seven-game home goal streak. Crosby isn't the only one on a roll as defenseman Kris Letang secured NHL Third Star of the Month (for January) honors on Monday after collecting three goals and 11 assists in his last 10 contests.
OVERTIME
1. Pittsburgh LW Carl Hagelin is riding a career-high four-game assist streak.
2. Ottawa D Marc Methot is in line to return following a five-game absence with an undisclosed injury.
3. Penguins LW Chris Kunitz will be a game-time decision after missing two contests with a lower-body injury.