This will be a game in which neither team cares enough to win. Should be fun!
Just the Facts
- The Time: 7pm EST
- The Place: PPG Paints Arena, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
- Place to Watch: TNT, TruTV, MAX
- Place to Listen: 98.5 The Sports Hub
- An Opposing Viewpoint: Pensburgh
Know Your Enemy
- The Penguins are 33-35-12, are out of the playoffs, and are likely to finish 13th in Conference.
- It’s a Penguins team in a year starting with a 2, so that means Sidney Crosby leads Pittsburgh in points with 89 in 78 games.
- This is not however, a year in which he runs the team in goals; that belongs to Rickard Rakell, who has 34 in 78 games.
- Recent lineups for the Pens have featured a number of former Bruins or Bruins-system graduates, and this one will likely be no different, as they’ve brought out Danton Heinen, Joona Koppanen, Matt Grzelcyk, and possibly Noel Acciari.
- The Pens are hurt, and badly. They’ve got six players out on the mend right now; including players they’ve only recently called up like Boko Imama.
- If there’s any positives Boston can take from their goaltending woes, it’s that another black and gold team are right here with them. Alex Nedelkjovic, Tristan Jarry, and Joel Blomqvist have all seen pretty reasonable action, and none of them are over .900 in SV%.
Game Notes
Today, the Penguins and Bruins have nothing to play for.
Thanks to Kyle Dubas having to both rebuild and also placate John Henry of FSG, the Pens are a frankenstein’s monster of decent enough players, also-rans, has-beens, who’s thats and world class athletes playing in front of ECHL-level goaltending. Trying to please all masters at once and succeeding thereby in pleasing nobody. Can’t imagine what that must be like for a hockey club.
Although, maybe that’s an insult to the Wheeling Nailers; since Wheeling’s main-starting goalies are both well above .920.
In either case, both sides are trying desperately to cling to a chance at decent draft lottery odds with only a few blessed games in-between them and the end of their seasons. As such, both sides have crammed their roster chock-full of guys who are auditioning for next year alongside the veteran stars. Pittsburgh’s only got the first rounder and four other late draft picks to use this year, so more than anyone; they want those odds (which currently have them sitting at 8th overall) to improve and quickly.
If there was ever a game for the fans who are on team tank, it’s this one. Pittsburgh could drive a major wedge into the plans of the Bruins if they lose this one, and with so few games left, there’s little room for either side to make up the difference if they blow it tonight. It will be a harrowing experience of a game, but there’s sometimes a sick thrill in that kind of contest.
A sick thrill we will all share together.
Should be a fun one!