Although Mike Sullivan on Monday said “all the injured players are just status quo,” the Pittsburgh Penguins coach did allow that defenseman Marcus Pettersson fully participating in a second consecutive full-contact practice is an “encouraging” sign in regards to a potential return to the lineup.
Pettersson has missed the past nine games because of an undisclosed injury suffered during a Jan. 19 game against the Washington Capitals in which it appeared his left shoulder took the brunt of the contact of a check by T.J. Oshie.
Pettersson remains on injured reserve but during Monday’s practice in Cranberry Township skated on what was a third defense pairing with Cody Ceci.
DeSmith stays home
A day after he was scratched from Sunday’s win against the Capitals, goalie Casey DeSmith missed Monday’s practice for the same reason. According to Sullivan, DeSmith has “a non-covid-related illness.”
“So, we chose to keep him away from the rink and away from the team at this point,” Sullivan said. “And we’ll update (media) each day.”
DeSmith had started three of the Penguins’ four previous games before Sunday.
High ratings
No U.S. NHL market has delivered better local broadcast television ratings so far this season than Pittsburgh, according to a Penguins release that cites Sports Business Journal.
Per the release, the nine Penguins broadcast on AT&T SportsNet through Feb. 9 netted a 7.88 rating, a 50% increase over last season.
According to the team, the Penguins have finished each season over the past decade as the No. 1 or No. 2 local NHL market in TV ratings.
Lines and pairings
The injury update wasn’t the only part of Monday’s practice that was status quo. The Penguins line pairings largely were, too.
The Jake Guentzel/Sidney Crosby/Bryan Rust and Jason Zucker/Evgeni Malkin/Kaspari Kapanen have been constant for weeks now. Zach Aston-Reese has two goals in two games as the third-ling left wing alongside Teddy Blueger and Brandon Tanev. Mark Jankowski is centering a fourth line with Colton Sceviour and Sam Lefferty.
Kris Letang and rookie Pierre-Olivier Joseph continue form a top pairing with Mike Matheson and John Marino a “No. 2.” Chad Ruhwedel and Yannick Weber were an extra grouping.
Rust, Fleury stars of week
Rust was named the NHL’s “third star” of the week by the league, but Penguins fans perhaps took more note of who was a slot above him.
Marc-Andre Fleury was the “second star” after going 301 with a 1.51 goals-against average, .943 save percentage and a shutout for West Division-leading Vegas Golden Knights.
Rust had three goals and two assists in two Penguins’ victories over the past week that spanned Feb. 8 through Sunday. He had an assist on a tying goal with 18 seconds left that facilitated Thursday’s shootout win at the New York Islanders and two goals in Sunday’s victory.
The league’s No. 1 star last week was the Columbus Blue Jackets’ Cam Atkinson, who had three goals and four assists in three games. In conjunction with Atkinson, the league recognized OhioHealth medical director of provider and associate well-being Dr. Laurie Hommema as its “first star.”
The NHL this season is honoring frontline healthcare workers when making its weekly “star” announcements.
