With the roster finally solidified, the Penguins will try out their new-look lineup as they start a four-game western swing by taking on the Avalanche in Denver, Colorado tonight at 10:00 p.m.
The first game after the trade deadline can be a strenuous affair in the National Hockey League. Players have been traded and have to find their way across the continent to their new team with their sticks, bags and families arriving intact. Equipment managers get a crash course on new how the new acquisitions like their skates sharpened, and have a few new sets of laundry to pass out. Coaches take a proverbial red pen to their lineup cards, finding a way to fit new bodies into a lineup that has already played three-quarters of a season together.
For the Penguins, it should be a relatively easy affair. Their biggest deals – acquiring forwards David Perron and Daniel Winnik – happened in the weeks leading up to the trade deadline, and one of the players brought in on Monday should fit right in, as Ben Lovejoy makes his return to the Penguins lineup after spending two and a half seasons in Anaheim.
FRESH FACES: “This is awesome,” said Lovejoy of being reunited with his former team. “It’s been seamless. You hear about crazy deadline days where guys are traded at the last minute and then have to go fit into a new team for the last month and then the playoffs, and I don’t feel that at all.
I feel like I’m right back into things. I really like all the guys here still. Obviously, there are a bunch of new faces, but the core is still the same, the leadership is still the same, and I’m excited to be back.”
While Lovejoy will be making his return to the Penguins, Ian Cole, acquired from Saint Louis on Monday will be making his Penguins debut. For Cole, it will be more of a transition. In his five NHL seasons, this will be the first game that he hasn’t suited up for the Saint Louis Blues.
“It’s not all too different than what we played in Saint Louis, a little bit, but it’s pretty similar,” he said of adjusting to the Penguins system. “It’ll be little things here and there but for the most part, hopefully, it’ll be a pretty quick pickup.”
Cole won’t be lonely in the Penguins locker room as he joins assistant coach Gary Agnew and forwards David Perron and Ian Lapierre as former Blues on the squad.
“Everyone’s very welcoming, but it’s obviously great to have a familiar face,” Cole said.
NEW LOOK “D”: With Robert Bortuzzo and Simon Despres departing on Monday in exchange for Cole and Lovejoy and Christian Ehrhoff still sidelined with concussion-related issues, the Penguins will unveil a new look defense tonight.
The top pairing of Paul Martin and Kris Letang will remain unchanged. On the second pairing, it will be rookie Derrick Pouliot alongside Lovejoy. It will be new territory for both men. Pouliot has averaged just 16:43 for the Penguins since coming up from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, and Lovejoy will get a chance to show how much he’s improved during his time in Anaheim.
“I’d like to think that my game has a grown a lot,” said Lovejoy on the differences in the way he plays now as opposed to when he left Pittsburgh. “When I left here, I had a role. I did the role to the best of my ability. I tried to play 10-12 minutes a night, I tried to be ready whenever I was called upon, I always hoped and thought that I could do more, but I didn’t know. I was happy to be in the NHL, I was happy to be a Penguin, and I was lucky enough to get a fresh start in Anaheim.
“They let me play a lot of minutes, they gave me a lot of responsibility, and I feel like I’m a completely new player since I’ve had that opportunity, and hopefully now I can
come back and continue that and show that here.”
“Lovejoy has played there the last couple of years in Anaheim, where he’s had really good success there,” said head coach Mike Johnston. “He’s played with (Cam) Fowler, a very similar type of player to Pouliot, so he’s used to playing with that type of guy.”
Cole will draw veteran defenseman Rob Scuderi as a partner on the Pens third pairing.
“I’ve played on the right side all year in Saint Louis,” said Cole. “I played with (Barrett) Jackman a lot in Saint Louis, they’re similar players, very smart, very strong. It’ll be great.”
THE 4077: Ehrhoff (concussion) remains sidelined and will be out this evening. After making his return on Wednesday against Washington, he was held out of Sunday’s game against Columbus.
“He was cleared to play in Washington, and then after Washington, he had a good day, and then two bad days,” said Johnston. “Just some issues that the doctors still want to be cautious with, so we’ll hold him out tonight and he’ll continue to skate and work out with the team.”
SCOREBOARD WATCHING: The Islanders lost in overtime last night, 3-2 to the Dallas Stars. The Penguins are now four points behind the Isles with three games in hand. Level with the Penguins in games played, and with three more points, are the New York Rangers, who take on the Red Wings in Detroit tonight.
MINOR MATTERS: Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (32-18-6, 2nd in AHL East) beat Bridgeport 7-0 on Sunday afternoon. Goaltender Matt Murray made 18 saves to record his AHL-leading eighth shutout. Murray was also named the AHL goaltender of the month for February. He allowed only one goal on 110 shots, good for a 0.25 goals-against average, a .991 save percentage, and three shutouts.
The Wheeling Nailers (26-26-1, 6th in ECHL North) split a pair of home games this week. On Monday, they lost 4-2 to the Greenville Road Warriors in a game that had been postponed the night before due to ice issues. Frank Palazzese made 38 saves in the losing effort.
On Tuesday, Palazzese again got the call in goal and was rewarded with his first professional shutout and a 5-0 victory over the Elmira Jackals. Five different Nailers scored goals. Today, center Jean-Sebastien Dea and defenseman Harrison Ruopp were called up to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.
#CAWLIDGEHAWKEY: Robert Morris (22-7-5, Atlantic Hockey Champions) will remain ranked 20th in the USCHO.com national poll as they await their second-round Atlantic Hockey tournament opponent. The Colonials will host the three-game series beginning Friday, March 14 at 84 Lumber Arena. They will play the lowest-seeded winner of a first-round series, which begin this Friday.
The Penn State Nittany Lions (16-12-4, 4th in Big Ten) had a tough week. After being swept by Ohio State last weekend, Guy Gadowsky’s squad learned that junior forward Jonathan Milley would be forced to leave the team due to recurring injuries and senior forward Taylor Holstrom would be lost for the remainder of the season due to a lower-body injury. In addition to the injury woes, Penn State must prepare for a weekend series hosting first-place Michigan starting on Friday.
Photo credit: Pittsburgh Penguins (main) Dana Heinze/Pittsburgh Penguins (inset)
