Saturday the Pittsburgh Penguins fell to the Montreal Canadiens in overtime by a score of 5-4. Throughout the game the Penguins looked like they were the team who had played the night before and the Canadiens looked like they were a team who hadn’t. It’s the reality of the schedule and every team goes through it. Given the circumstances I thought the Penguins did well to pick up a point. They probably deserved zero.

Montreal out attempted the Penguins 51-35 at 5v5 and owned the high-danger attempts 11-4. It very much felt that way. To the Penguins credit they were plucky and were able to find the back of the net in a very economical performance. What they couldn’t do was hold the lead for very long. The Canadiens consistently had a response. When you’re in a game and being outplayed one of the worst things mentally is getting over the hump only for things to be taken right back immediately. This was the case Saturday.

Jason Zucker didn’t make it three straight with a goal. He did however register three assists. He is having a solid bounce back season. He has 13 points in 13 games. Anybody reasonable would have taken this production before the season began. His issue has been staying on the ice due to injuries so we’ll see if it can hold. Outside of point production he has been a force on the forecheck and has been very active all over the ice. His 63.18 xGF% is the best among forwards on the team. The line of Zucker-Malkin-Rakell is a 60.62 in xGF% and have been the team’s best line lately.

Kris Letang isn’t having the season he had last year to this point. He’s been struggling. Against Montreal he and Pettersson were the only two defensemen above 50 in CF%. Together, they were CF 18 CA 14. It doesn’t mean things are fixed and things will be good to go. It was a step in the right direction and a necessary one. The previous two games were pretty bad.

Brock McGinn has three goals in his last three games. Kasperi Kapanen has three goals in his last 32. It was easy to miss, but Kapanen played the last two games because Filip Hallander was out ill. While I won’t ever be on board paying McGinn what he makes he gives an honest effort. Kapanen remains a disaster.

The team is holding practice this morning in preparation for their home game against Toronto tomorrow. Here are the lines and pairings

Penguins' lines in practice with no Malkin or Hallander:

Guentzel-Crosby-Rust
Zucker-Blueger-Rakell
McGinn-Carter-Heinen
Kapanen-Poehling-Archibald

Defense pairings are rotating but it's mostly:

Pettersson-Letang
Joseph-Petry
Dumoulin-Rutta
(Ruhwedel)

— Taylor Haase (@TaylorHaasePGH) November 14, 2022

Evgeni Malkin and Filip Hallander are both absent. That is why Blueger was in with the second line. Blueger was in a normal jersey so we might *finally* see his return tomorrow. We’ll see. Malkin’s absence was due to personal reasons.

Pierre-Olivier Joseph has been dealing with a lower body injury and he has returned to practice in his second pairing role with Petry.

On the Toronto side of things the Leafs are going through some issues defensively

Roster updates:

D Jake Muzzin is out indefinitely due to a cervical spine injury. His status will be re-evaluated in late February.

D TJ Brodie has been placed on injured reserve (oblique injury).

D Mac Hollowell and F Pontus Holmberg have been recalled from @TorontoMarlies.

— Leafs PR (@LeafsPR) November 14, 2022

Seems like a pretty serious situation for Jake Muzzin.

Toronto and Pittsburgh tomorrow.

Thanks for reading!

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