The Penguins will take to Consol Energy Center ice tonight for the first time following their Christmas break, and for a change, they were greeted with some good injury news. Center Brandon Sutter, held out of the last two games as a precaution while being tested for the mumps, tested negative and will return to the lineup tonight.
Also poised to return is defenseman Robert Bortuzzo, who has missed five games with an undisclosed injury.
“I feel good,” said Bortuzzo after morning skate. “Everything’s good to go. I feel confident out there.”
Along with Bortuzzo and Sutter, defenseman Paul Martin and winger Beau Bennett returned to practice, but they are not quite ready to return to the lineup.
“You know once they get into a game-day skate, they’re getting closer; within a few steps of getting back,” said Penguins head coach Mike Johnston.
MORE MUMPS: Right-winger Steve Downie and goaltender Thomas Greiss tested positive for the mumps over the Christmas break, and will remain quarantined from the team until they are no longer contagious.
UP AND DOWN: Goaltender Jeff Zatkoff and forward Jayson Megna were recalled from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the American Hockey League this morning.
In his first NHL action of the season, Zatkoff took the loss in relief of Marc-Andre Fleury in Tuesday’s 4-3 loss in Tampa. In 17 games in Wilkes-Barre, he has a 10-6-1 record and a .925 save percentage.
Megna, 24, also earned his second NHL recall of the season. His first stint with Pittsburgh did not go well, as he finished his nine-game stint with just one point and 12 penalty minutes, including eight in his final game.
GOOD NEWS DEPARTMENT: Penguins defenseman Olli Maatta finally got some good news this year, as he will not have to have another surgery on his already once repaired shoulder.
“Olli is continuing to rehab his upper-body injury and he will be back sometime in the next four weeks,” said Johnston. “Could be sooner of later depending on how his rehab continues to go.”
TONIGHT’S OPPONENT: This will be the first of four games this season between the Penguins and Capitals.
The Capitals also changed coaches in the offseason, and are now lead by former Nashville head coach Barry Trotz. Trotz had coached the Predators for their first 15 seasons, compiling a 557-479-60-100 record with the club.
The Capitals have won three of their last four games and have earned at least a point in nine of their last ten games.
Braden Holtby has earned the bulk of the time in the Capitals’ net this season, and is expected to start tonight. In 29 games, he has a 15-8-5 record and a .917 save percentage. He will try to improve his dismal career numbers against Pittsburgh. He is 0-4 with an .874 save percentage and a 3.38 goals-against average in four games against the Pens.
FAMILIAR FACES: Three members of the 2013-14 Penguins squad are currently with the Capitals: defensemen Brooks Orpik and Matt Niskanen and assistant coach Todd Reirden.
Orpik was the Penguins first-round draft choice in 2000 and his 703 career games played are the most in franchise history amongst defensemen. He was one of the leaders on the blueline that took the Penguins to back-to-back Stanley Cup Finals and a victory there in 2009.
“Away from some of the disappointing endings we had to seasons, I have nothing but good memories here,” Orpik said of Pittsburgh. “Hopefully the fans reciprocate those feelings. My family loved the time we had here.”
Niskanen revitalized his career in Pittsburgh. A former first-round draft pick of the Dallas Stars, he was a throw-in on the trade that exchanged Alex Goligoski for James Neal. After four seasons in Pittsburgh, he was one of the most sought-after players in this year’s free-agent market, and signed a seven-year $40.25 million contract with Washington.
Much of Niskanen’s redevelopment was attributed to Reirden, who coach the Penguins defensemen for four seasons. Reirden, who was let go along with general manager Ray Shero and assistant coach Tony Grananto early in the offseason, quickly found work in Washington and was a key part of recruiting Orpik and Niskanen to the Capitals.
MINOR MATTERS: Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (17-11-3, 1st AHL East) lost 3-0 to the Binghamton Senators on Friday. Zatkoff made 37 saves in the loss. The AHL Penguins signed Wheeling Nailers forwards Zack Torquato and Patrick McGrath to try-out contracts for tonight’s game against the Bridgeport Sound Tigers. McGrath will be the first Northeastern Pa native to play for the team.
The Wheeling Nailers (12-12, 3rd ECHL North) are travelling to Charleston, South Carolina to take on the Stingrays tonight. Forward Riley Brace was loaned to AHL Worcester. The Nailers signed five players for the three-game road trip, goaltender Jeff Wyer, defenseman Nicholas Kuqali, and forwards Max Gavin, Matt Harrington, and Shawn Skelly.
Photo credit: CBS Sports
