Fleury Out, Malkin Game-Time Decision Tonight Vs. Capitals
In light of the best news the city of Pittsburgh has received since New Years Day, the Penguins still have a game tonight.
It’s actually a pretty big one, too.
Tonight, the Penguins will host Alex Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals at the Consol Energy Center.
Unfortunately, goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury will miss tonight’s game. Apparently there’s a flu bug going around the Pens’ locker room, and Fleury is the first victim to miss game time because of it. Brent Johnson will mind the net for the Pens.
Evgeni Malkin will be a game-time decision. He has missed each of the team’s previous two games with a “lower body” injury, but is finally shedding some light on the exact injury.
Bad news: it’s the surgically repaired knee. Malkin to the Tribune-Review’s Rob Rossi:
″After the second period [Saturday in Calgary] my knee started to feel a little bit tired,″ he said. ″I tried to skate but couldn’t push it. I don’t know why. Nothing was wrong before the game.
″It just started to feel a little sore, and I didn’t feel comfortable.″
Geno had the surgery in February, so hopefully “sore” is the only thing wrong here. Any major setback in Geno’s recovery could be deadly to the Penguins’ Stanley Cup hopes, even with the return of Crosby imminent.
Malkin did say he had a good morning skate today and that the knee was feeling better, so let’s hope for the best.
In other Pengiuns news, forward Chris Kunitz signed a two-year extension with the team today. He’ll be paid the exact same amount he’s been making ($3.725 cap hit), so this does nothing but keep Kunitz in the Burgh for two more years. Good move for the Penguins, as Kunitz has been the team’s best winger the past few seasons, and seems to fit perfectly on Sidney Crosby’s left wing.
Kunitz recorded 23 goals in just 66 games last season, and has recorded 43 goals and 99 points in 140 games in a Pittsburgh Penguins uniform.
Last week, Kunitz said he wanted to retire as a Penguin. The 32-year-old may still be one contract away from doing that.
The Capitals will go with Thomas Vokoun in net tonight. Vokoun has been pretty terrible when suiting up for the Caps, but what else is new?
Washington’s probable lines:
Ovechkin – Nick Backstrom – Troy Brouwer
Alex Semin – Marcus Johansson – Mike Knuble
Jason Chimera – Brooks Laich – Joel Ward
Matt Hendricks – Jeff Halpern – (some guy named) Beagle
As I broke last week, the two teams will be wearing patches honoring the deceased KHL Lokomoitv Yaroslavl, raising money for the families of the victims.
Game time is 7 PM, and will be televised on Root Sports.
Let’s Go Pens.
Follow Troy on Twitter @TroyPfaff
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