Penguins at Senators
Matt Murray and the Pittsburgh Penguins look to continue their respective torrid streaks as the regular season winds down. Named as the NHL's Third Star of the Week, Murray is expected to return to the crease and vie to win his sixth straight start on Tuesday as the white-hot Penguins visit the Ottawa Senators.
The 21-year-old Murray recorded his first career shutout in a 5-0 win over the New York Islanders on Saturday and made 28 saves the following day as Pittsburgh posted its sixth consecutive victory and 12th in 13 outings with a 6-2 rout of Philadelphia. Captain Sidney Crosby is riding a six-game point streak (two goals, four assists) and scored three unanswered goals in the Penguins' 6-5 victory over Ottawa on Feb. 2. The two-time Hart Trophy recipient has recorded at least one point in 18 of his last 19 contests (eight goals, 18 assists) for second-place Pittsburgh, which is closing in on home-ice advantage for its first-round series. Ottawa captain Erik Karlsson is finishing the season with a flourish, collecting two goals and four assists in his last six contests.
TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, ROOT (Pittsburgh), RDS2, WPCW, TSN5 (Ottawa), NHL.TV
ABOUT THE PENGUINS (46-25-8): While Karlsson is the two-time - and reigning - Norris Trophy recipient, coach Mike Sullivan told reporters that Kris Letang should receive consideration for the award this season. "I honestly think that he doesn’t get the recognition in the hockey world that he deserves. I think he's that good," Sullivan told the team's website of Letang, who has two goals and seven assists during his current six-game point streak. "He's an elite defenseman. He's one of the most elite defensemen this league has, in our opinion, as a coaching staff."
ABOUT THE SENATORS (36-34-9): Ottawa opens a two-game homestand on Tuesday with little more than pride on the line, an awkward feeling for a team that provided a feel-good story with last year's spirited dash for the playoffs. "There's nothing worse (than a long summer)," forward Bobby Ryan told the Ottawa Citizen on the heels of a 3-2 loss to Philadelphia on Saturday. "I've had it a few times and then you've got to add it up over and over again. It makes for a very long summer." Ryan is third on the team in both goals (22) and assists (34), but has been held off the scoresheet in both meetings this season with Pittsburgh.
OVERTIME
1. Pittsburgh RW Phil Kessel has five goals and six assists in his last six games.
2. Ottawa recalled F Buddy Robinson from Binghamton of the American Hockey League on Monday.
3. Penguins RW Patric Hornqvist has scored a goal in three consecutive contests.