EDMONTON, Alberta — The Pittsburgh Penguins are on a roll, with points in five consecutive games and two recent wins. They currently hold second place in the Metro Division. Up next, they face the Edmonton Oilers, the two-time defending Western Conference champions, on Thursday at Rogers Place.
The game starts at 9 p.m. EST (7 p.m. MST).
Recently, the Penguins showcased solid performances against tough teams like the Seattle Kraken and Calgary Flames. On Wednesday, they dominated the Flames, securing a 4-1 victory while allowing only 19 shots.
Much of the credit goes to the second line featuring Tommy Novak, Evgeni Malkin, and Egor Chinakhov, who scored three impressive goals. Malkin notched his 11th of the season, Chinakhov added his seventh, and Novak rounded it out with a beautiful backhand shot.
A pivotal moment came from Bryan Rust, who scored early in the third period, pushing the lead to 3-1 and lifting the team’s spirits after a lackluster second period.
The Oilers have struggled lately, losing to the New Jersey Devils on Tuesday and facing setbacks against other Metro Division teams in recent games. Despite boasting star player Connor McDavid, who has an impressive 85 points in 50 games, the Oilers are dealing with injuries. Leon Draisaitl was out recently but is expected back in the lineup.
During practice, defenseman Alec Regula even skated as a forward to adapt to the team’s needs.
In goal, the Penguins are likely to start Arturs Silovs, with Tristan Jarry confirmed for Edmonton.
**Penguins Expected Lines:**
- Rickard Rakell-Sidney Crosby-Bryan Rust
- Egor Chinakhov-Tommy Novak-Evgeni Malkin
- Anthony Mantha-Ben Kindel-Justin Brazeau
- Connor Dewar-Blake Lizotte-Noel Acciari
**Oilers Expected Lines:**
- Ryan Nugent-Hopkins–Connor McDavid–Zach Hyman
- Isaac Howard-Jack Roslovic-Matthew Savoie
- Mattias Janmark-Curtis Lazar-Andrew Mangiapane
- Vasily Podkolzin-Trent Frederic-Alec Regula
The Penguins have a strong power play at 27.8%, ranking third in the NHL, and their penalty kill is also impressive at 83.2%. In contrast, the Oilers boast the top power play at 32.6% but sit at 80.6% for their penalty kill.
In their last 10 games against Edmonton, the Penguins have struggled, winning just two. However, they have performed well on the road lately, with five wins in their last six games.
Tommy Novak has especially shone recently, with five points over his last four games. With the Penguins’ strong special teams play, this matchup promises to be exciting.
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