Pittsburgh Hockey Insider has no direct affiliation to the Pittsburgh Penguins, NHL or NHLPA
Dan Muse confirms Arturs Silovs start, Blake Lizotte trending back for Penguins
Photo credit: Winslow Townson-Imagn Images
Dan Muse confirms Arturs Silovs starts for the Pittsburgh Penguins, with Blake Lizotte trending back and Sidney Crosby still stuck in limbo.
Silovs is 24, a 2019 sixth round pick by the Vancouver Canucks, and he carries an $850,000 cap hit on a deal that ends after this season.
That's a cheap crease bet on a loud night, because Buffalo is in town and the Penguins sit 31-16-13.
Lizotte's return sounds close, but Muse made it clear it still hinges on the medical green light after a full morning skate.
He's on a $1.85 million cap hit and, if he's good to go, it's an easy fit at fourth line center with pace and bite.
Crosby skating again matters, but "no change" is the key phrase, so the Penguins are still building lines without their engine.
Hallander's situation is the scary one. He's 25, a 2018 second round pick by Pittsburgh, and the club recalled him March 1 for evaluation as he works back from blood clots.
"Got to kind of firm things up there and talk with the medical staff. He was a full participant there this morning. Everything's looking good, and it looks like it's heading in that direction."
- Dan Muse
- Dan Muse
Tonight is about surviving minutes, not style points, especially if the Penguins are again juggling center duties without Crosby.
Buffalo can finish, so the blue line has to keep the slot clean and let Silovs see pucks early.
Arturs Silovs meets a Pittsburgh Penguins pressure night
You can feel the fanbase sweating every rebound, because this has "one bad goal swings the week" written all over it.
If Lizotte plays, it gives Muse a cleaner matchup line and lets the top-six breathe instead of double-shifting.
If he can't, Pittsburgh's bottom-six gets thinner, and that shows up fast when the Sabres roll four lines.
The trade deadline hits Friday, so this game also doubles as a reality check on whether the Penguins buy or stay cautious.
Silovs doesn't need to steal it, but he can't leak one early, not with Crosby still watching in a tracksuit.
Win Thursday, and the mood flips fast going into deadline day and the next puck drop.
Also read on HockeyUnplugged :
Sidney Crosby skates with Jack St. Ivany, Blake Lizotte first on ice in regular jersey
Sidney Crosby skates with Jack St. Ivany, Blake Lizotte first on ice in regular jersey
| POLL | ||
MARS 5|129 ANSWERS Dan Muse confirms Arturs Silovs start, Blake Lizotte trending back for Penguins Should Dan Muse keep starting Arturs Silovs while Sidney Crosby remains out? | ||
| Yes | 104 | 80.6 % |
| No | 25 | 19.4 % |
| List of polls | ||