Penguins and Ducks Prepare for Tonight's Faceoff: Projected Lineups and Game Preview
Anaheim, CA – The Pittsburgh Penguins (2-1-0) are set to face the Anaheim Ducks (1-1-0) tonight at the Honda Center at 10:30 p.m. ET. This marks the start of a three-game California road trip for the Penguins. The Ducks are playing their home opener after a road trip that saw them lose to the Seattle Kraken and win a high-scoring overtime thriller against the San Jose Sharks.
Penguins' Projected Lineup
Here's a look at the projected lineup for the Pittsburgh Penguins:
- Forwards: Rickard Rakell -- Sidney Crosby -- Bryan Rust, Anthony Mantha -- Evgeni Malkin -- Justin Brazeau, Tommy Novak -- Ben Kindel -- Philip Tomasino, Connor Dewar -- Blake Lizotte -- Filip Hallander.
- Defense: Parker Wotherspoon -- Erik Karlsson, Kris Letang -- Harrison Brunicke, Ryan Shea -- Mathew Dumba.
- Goaltenders: Tristan Jarry, Arturs Silovs.
Injury and Roster Notes: Kris Letang is a game-time decision due to a lower-body injury sustained in Saturday's game against the New York Rangers. He practiced on Monday paired with Harrison Brunicke. Forward Kevin Hayes (upper body) and Rutger McGroarty (upper body) are on injured reserve. Mathew Dumba is expected to make his season debut, and Philip Tomasino is likely to return after being a healthy scratch. Forwards Noel Acciari and Filip Hallander have been rotating on the fourth line. Other scratched players include Caleb Jones and Connor Clifton.
Ducks' Projected Lineup
Here’s the projected lineup for the Anaheim Ducks:
- Forwards: Chris Kreider -- Leo Carlsson -- Alex Killorn, Cutter Gauthier -- Mason McTavish -- Beckett Sennecke, Frank Vatrano -- Mikael Granlund -- Troy Terry, Ross Johnston -- Ryan Poehling -- Nikita Nesterenko.
- Defense: Jackson LaCombe -- Radko Gudas, Olen Zellweger -- Jacob Trouba, Pavel Mintyukov -- Drew Helleson.
- Goaltenders: Lukas Dostal, Petr Mrazek.
Injury and Roster Notes: Forwards Jansen Harkins (upper body) and Ryan Strome (upper body) are on injured reserve. Lukas Dostal is expected to start in goal. Sam Colangelo is a healthy scratch.
Storylines to Watch
- Kris Letang's Status: The veteran defenseman's availability is a key question for the Penguins. If he can't play, either Matt Dumba or Connor Clifton will step into the lineup.
- Ducks' Offensive Firepower: Anaheim is leading the league in shots per game and boasts a dynamic group of young forwards, including Cutter Gauthier, Mason McTavish and Beckett Sennecke.
- Goaltending Matchup: After Petr Mrazek struggled in the previous game, Lukas Dostal is expected to start for the Ducks. Tristan Jarry will likely be in net for the Penguins.
- Penguins' Road Form: The Penguins were 13-21-7 on the road last season, so they'll be looking to improve their away record this year.
- Ducks' Home Opener: Anaheim will be looking to make a strong impression in their first home game of the season.
Additional Information
The game will be broadcast on KTTV, Victory+, and SN-PIT.
Evgeni Malkin is off to a strong start with five assists in the first two games. Rookie Ben Kindel scored his first NHL goal in the Penguins' previous game, becoming the fourth-youngest player in franchise history to do so. The Ducks have generated nearly 70% of all high-danger chances, indicating their ability to get to prime scoring areas. Radko Gudas, the Ducks' captain, is one point away from 200 NHL points.
