There isn't much left for the Penguins to accomplish this regular season. They need to keep the players they have healthy and they need to pick up one win in their two games to assure themselves home ice in the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Here are the injury updates we have been waiting on
Coach Sullivan says that Malkin, Maatta, and Rust will be out for the next two games.
— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) April 7, 2016
And the one everybody has been waiting on courtesy of Jonathan Bombulie of the Pittsburgh Tribune
Marc-Andre Fleury, you’ll notice, wasn’t ruled out for the next two games. That’s good news for him as he recovers from a concussion. Sullivan said he’s been making significant progress in his recovery.
It would be really nice if Fleury could sneak a game in before the playoffs. Going in cold after his second concussion is a risky proposition no matter how strongly you feel about his play this year.
Conor Sheary is a game time decision after taking a stick to his eye.
Sheary on his eye: "It's not as bad as it looks. It's not that painful." #HockeyTough pic.twitter.com/PXJn5eXZWm
— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) April 7, 2016
Nicklas Backstrom makes his return to the Capitals lineup this evening. He is three points shy of 70 on the year.
Alexander Ovechkin needs three more goals to reach the 50 goal mark. It would be the seventh(!) time in his career.
Braden Holtby will be getting the start tonight. He is one win shy of Martin Brodeur's record. He will need to win tonight's game if he has any ideas about breaking the record. The Capitals are on record saying he will only get tonight's start and then one of the other two remaining games in Washington's season. Matt Murray will be starting for Pittsburgh.
Sidney Crosby needs one assist to make 50 on the year. It would be the seventh time for him reaching that mark. It would take two monster games but Crosby is six points shy of 90 on the year. It would be the sixth time hitting that mark. Despite the slow start to the year Crosby has already tied last year's point total at 84.
Brian Dumoulin has two games left to try and break his goose egg in the goal department. He has played solid all year. The poor guy deserves better on this front. According to xG models he was likelier to have 10 goals with how he's played than the zero he does.
Here is an article from The Players Tribune about Tom Fitzgerald who was hired as an assistant coach when Dan Bylsma took over the Penguins. There is a good amount about the 2009 season. It also has Tom's kids making fun of his video game character which is funny
Former @NHL'er Tom Fitzgerald and his sons Ryan and Casey on the anatomy of a hockey family. https://t.co/Nn80b0MkZK pic.twitter.com/9TsTEzjeFg
— The Players' Tribune (@PlayersTribune) April 7, 2016
Thanks for reading!