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Time To Get A Result

October 15, 2015, 10:50 AM ET [331 Comments]
Ryan Wilson
Pittsburgh Penguins Blogger • RSSArchiveCONTACT
The 0-3 Pittsburgh Penguins welcome an Ottawa Senators team tonight that loves to score goals. The Senators are averaging exactly four goals per game after drubbing the now 0-4 Columbus Blue Jackets last night 7-3.

The Senators only loss on the season came against the Montreal Canadiens who as we know also defeated the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Pittsburgh is not off to a good start but here is some context:

Montreal is 4-0

Arizona is 3-0 after beating Los Angeles, Pittsburgh, and Western Conference powerhouse Anaheim.

Dallas is 2-1 and has tons of firepower.

This doesn’t excuse the slow start at all but they are playing some teams who are playing well at the moment.

Tonight’s opponent has been making the most of their chances. They have one of the more underrated lines in hockey with Kyle Turris, Mark Stone, and Mike Hoffman. So far the line has combined for 16 points in four games. Might be wise to keep Scuderi's lack of foot speed away from this line.

Erik Karlsson is doing Erik Karlsson things which means he is playing great. He had four assists last night which pushes his season total to seven. He is the best offensive defenseman in the league and if Pittsburgh doesn’t slow him down they will be punished.

There is some hopeful news




Over time this will burn the Senators if they don’t change their ways. This might be just the thing the Penguins need to rack up some goals.

Since Ottawa played last night it is very likely the Penguins will face The Hamburgler Andrew Hammond in net instead of Craig Anderson. This is a nice break. Despite Hammond’s impressive hot streak last year he is still closer to an AHL goalie than a bonafide NHL starter.

Pittsburgh’s third line of Nick Bonino, Beau Bennett, and Sergei Plotnikov has been their best line so far this year. It is a good sign that they have a competent third line. Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin are certainly open for criticism with the team 0-3 and only one point between them, but does anybody really believe they forgot how to hockey? Tonight seems like a night that is ripe for one or both to have a multi-point night.

Pittsburgh finally looks like they are getting the power play personnel correct




Step one is successful. Step two will be getting the players to do what they are supposed to do when set up in the zone.

Some injury updates




Skating is better than not skating so I will take this as a positive.




This is also good news. Getting Dupuis and Fehr back into the lineup will be very nice and give the team more options with line combinations that they currently don’t have. It won’t help the defense issues but the more good players in the lineup the better




No word (yet) on why Bennett is missing from the morning skate. He was out at the very end of last game as Pittsburgh made a push to tie the game.

Clarke MacArthur hit his head in last night’s game against Columbus and did not return.

Pittsburgh needs a result tonight to avoid an 0-4 start



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