CRANBERRY TOWNSHIP, Pa. -- If there was actual concern among the Penguins after losing four of their last seven games, it did not show. At least not outwardly during Saturday's 30-minute practice at the Lemieux Sports Complex. Oh, there were still the usual laughs and pranks to be seen.
But Mike Sullivan's defense pairs -- the same as those that finished a frantic third period a night earlier -- would suggest otherwise.
Turns out those pairs -- which included Kris Letang with Jamie Oleksiak and Brian Dumoulin with Justin Schultz -- may not be a one-time, one-period thing. The splitting up of Dumoulin and Letang, in particular, would represent an almost seismic shift with seven games remaining in the regular season. That duo has played exclusively together when both players are healthy.
Sullivan says that the decision to mix things up on the back end was one that had been some time in coming:
"We've talked about that for a little while now," Sullivan said of the change. "It's always looking for the balance that we need, and find combinations that we think can be effective.
"Jamie's a guy that I think is hard to play against by nature with his size and mobility and reach, he's a pretty good defender. Tanger's a guy that's a more mobile guy that joins the rush and is pretty active. And Dumo's a similar guy to Jamie in the sense that's he's a defense-first guy, but he brings a different dimension, I think. Dumo's just a mobile guy that gets back to pucks. So we just thought we'd try and effect a little bit of change to see if it would give our team a spark."
Judging by Saturday's practice, those will be the pairs that will also be used Sunday when the Penguins host the Flyers at 12:30 p.m. at PPG Paints Arena.
Certainly, Sullivan's moves worked well in the third period on Friday as the Penguins overcame a 3-1 third-period deficit before ultimately falling to New Jersey in overtime. Included in the comeback was Dumoulin's fifth goal of the season, a blast from the point:
In addition to the defense pairs, Schultz replaced Letang on the top power play, though that has happened on occasion. Schultz, you'll recall, captained the power play last spring when Letang was out following neck surgery.
But it's that same surgery which seems to have plagued Letang this season. The best defenseman in franchise history, the 30-year-old has struggled to find consistency in his game all season and his decision-making with the puck has raised more than a few eyebrows. He was a team-worst minus-2 on Friday.
Up front, Patric Hornqvist was back on the Sidney Crosby line with Jake Guentzel, while Bryan Rust continued to skate on the second line with Evgeni Malkin and Carl Hagelin.
The defense pairing of Olli Maatta and Chad Ruhwedel was the only pairing to remain the same as the new-look pairs balance a more offensive-minded blueliner with a defensive-minded one and, just as importantly, a left-handed shot with a righty.
"It helps going back for pucks, you're always on your forehand," Sullivan explained. "You have the ability to change the point of attack on your forehand, make that D-to-D pass. It puts guys in a more advantageous position."
For Oleksiak, it could certainly be an advantageous position. Since coming to Pittsburgh via trade in mid-December, he's gone from a third shutdown pair with Ian Cole to now, potentially, the top pair with Letang.
"He's an unbelievable defenseman, an All-Star defenseman," Oleksiak said of his new partner. "I don't have to think too much about it. I think we're fortunate that we have a lot of d-men that are easy to play with, a lot of guys that are really good moving pucks.
"Similar to Schultzie, just kind of give him the puck and let him do his thing and play support to him."
Maatta says he and his teammates are used to working with different partners, as it happens fairly regularly whether due to injury or a partner getting caught on a extended shift.
"We rotate a lot, I don't think it's a big challenge," Maatta said. "I think at some point in the season, everybody has played with somebody so you've got that familiarity with each other."
• Here are the full lines and pairs used Saturday:
Guentzel-Crosby-Hornqivst
Hagelin-Malkin-Rust
Sheary-Brassard-Kessel
Simon/Aston-Reese-Kuhnhackl-Sheahan
Oleksiak-Letang
Dumoulin-Schultz
Maatta-Ruhwedel
• All players except Carter Rowney took to the ice Saturday. He is out with an upper body injury.
• For the second straight day, Zach Aston-Reese was a full participant, though this time he did take line rushes, splitting reps with Dominik Simon. Aston-Reese, out since Feb. 26 with an upper body injury, would seem a strong possibility to play Sunday though Sullivan said he was awaiting final word from his medical staff. Sullivan said that it isn't an either/or situation between the two rookies, as both could play. "I think we'll leave all options on the table," Sullivan said.