Pittsburgh Penguins (2-0-0)
Head coach Mike Sullivan’s team has started out of the gates looking pretty good without its top player, Sidney Crosby. Hosting the Colorado Avalanche Monday night will conclude Pittsburgh’s early three-game homestand.
Goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury has already been Pittsburgh’s biggest impact player this season, and the Avalanche will have to exhaust the Penguins’ netminder early. In his first two games, Fleury has stopped 73 of 77 shots.
When teammate and defenseman Ian Cole was asked if Fleury’s great start was a surprise considering last season, he answered: “I don’t think anyone here is surprised by (Fleury’s start). He’s been the number one goaltender here for 10 years.”
Colorado Avalanche (1-0-0)
Last Saturday, the Avalanche played the Dallas Stars and won, 6-5. Calvin Pickard will be starting in net for Colorado as an alternative to Semyon Varlamov, who allowed all five goals in that first game.
Pickard’s only game against the Penguins last season ended in a 1-0 Colorado win when Avalanche forward Blake Comeau scored a goal just two minutes into overtime.
In order for the Avalanche to have a shot at beating the Penguins, Colorado must be able to produce offensively like the team did against Dallas. The Avalanche will need to break Fleury out of the crease and get pressure around the net to escape Pittsburgh with a win.
Prediction
The Penguins will keep the winning going and get the season off to a 3-0 start thanks to a big game from Fleury. This game will solidify his presence in Pittsburgh’s net and make injured goaltender Matt Murray have to work really hard to reclaim the spot he took from Fleury during last year’s playoffs.
Where: Pittsburgh, PA, PPG Paints Arena
When: Monday, October 17 @ 7:00 p.m. EDT
Watch: SN1, ROOT, ALT, NHL.TV
Image credit: Justin K. Aller/Getty Images
