After returning from their three-game Western Canadian road trip with a 2-1 record, the Penguins have enjoyed two days off before hosting the Detroit Red Wings tonight.
TONIGHT’S OPPONENT: The Red Wings have won three straight games, and have been off since a 3-1 victory in Arizona on Saturday night.
The Red Wings have been without starting goaltender Jimmy Howard since he left the team’s January 10 game in Washington with a groin injury. Interestingly enough, it has been third-string netminder Petr Mrazek that has received the majority of the playing time in Howard’s absence. He’s played in 10 games since Howard’s injury and has an 8-1 record and a .913 save percentage. Mrazek, a 22-year old native of Ostrava, Czech Republic, was the Red Wings’ fifth-round pick in the 2010 NHL Draft.
Howard has recovered from his injury and returned to practice, but Red Wings head coach Mike Babcock has elected to give Mrazek at least one more opportunity.
“Pete, if I’m not mistaken, is winning,” Babcock said. “That’s what we’ve always done here. We’re trying to win all the games. That’s what we’re doing. This way (Howard) is fully engaged in practice, getting bumped and getting knocked around. He’ll have an opportunity to prepare and hopefully play on Saturday.”
Howard will backup Mrazek tonight and normal backup Jonas Gustavsson will be a healthy scratch.
THE 4077:Forward Blake Comeau should return to the Penguins lineup tonight and skate on the left side of the second line along with Evgeni Malkin and Patric Hornqvist. Comeau has been sidelined since December 22 with a wrist injury. Assuming Comeau plays, Beau Bennett will be scratched for the fourth consecutive game. With Pascal Dupuis likely done for the season, the Penguins forward group is about as healthy as it’s going to get for this season.
On defense, Christian Ehrhoff (head) did not skate this morning and is unlikely to join the team for the trip to Ottawa for tomorrow night’s game.
“Until he starts skating, I doubt if he’ll be on the trip with us,” said Pens head coach Mike Johnston.
UP AND DOWN: Center Marc Arcobello was claimed on waivers by the Arizona Coyotes. For Arcobello, it marks his fourth team of the season. He started out with Edmonton, then was traded to Nashville, and claimed on waivers by Pittsburgh. In 10 games with the Penguins, he had two assists and was a plus-1.
“He’s a versatile-type player,” said Johnston. “Sometimes, being a versatile player gets you into the lineup, and sometimes it keeps you just on the fringe, but he’s a great depth player.”
The Penguins also sent rookie defenseman Scott Harrington to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the American Hockey League on Monday.
MINOR MATTERS: Wilkes-Barre Scranton (26-18-5, 2nd in AHL East) beat Bridgeport 3-1 on Sunday afternoon. Matt Murray made 36 saves for his 13th win of the season, and was named AHL Player of the Week. Jayson Megna had a goal and an assist and Carter Rowney scored the game-winning goal. The AHL Penguins host Binghamton tonight at 7:05 p.m. They currently hold the sixth seed in the AHL’s Eastern Conference and are four points behind first-place Hershey and three points ahead of ninth-place Providence.
The Wheeling Nailers (22-23, 5th in ECHL North) remain just outside the top four in the North Division despite a 3-1 win over Elmira on Sunday. Josh Archibald scored a pair and Derek Army added the game-winning goal while Eric Hartzell made 19 saves. Defenseman Bobby Shea was recalled to AHL, and the Bulldogs returned defenseman David Makowski to the Nailers.
#CAWLIDGEHAWKEY: Robert Morris (20-5-5, 1st in AHC) defenseman Tyson Wilson was named Atlantic Hockey Conference defensive player of the week on Tuesday. The Colonials are off this weekend.
Penn State (15-7-4, 2nd in Big Ten) goaltender PJ Musico was named Big Ten Hockey’s third star of the week. Musico went 2-0 with 62 saves in last weekend’s sweep of Wisconsin. Musico, who started the season at number three on the depth chart, has appeared in five straight games and is 4-0-1 in that time.
