CRANBERRY, Pa. -- As tempting as it might have been, professional decorum prevented Derek Grant from skating over and giving a stick tap to Robin Lehner's pads Tuesday night. Guys on opposing teams just don't do that sort of thing in hockey.
Instead, a hearty handshake and a hug afterward in the bowels of PPG Paints Arena would have to do.
Grant was on the wrong side of a 6-3 loss to Lehner's Islanders but the Penguins' fourth-line center was rooting for the goalie not just in the game, but in life. And assuredly, Lehner -- who left Tuesday's game with a muscle strain after stopping 23 of 25 shots -- would say the same of Grant. Each player's path through the NHL is a fairly remarkable tale for very different reasons.
Grant is a 28-year-old journeyman on his sixth team in eight NHL seasons. Tuesday's game was just his third this season with his new team after being a healthy scratch the first seven.
Lehner, a 27-year-old Swedish goalie, is on his third club in nine seasons.
And they were once roommates together in previous stops with both the Sabres and Senators, sharing the trials and tribulations of young players trying to reach the game's highest level.
"He's an awesome guy," Grant told DKPittsburghSports.com of "one of his best friends" in hockey. "He's one of those guys who would do anything for you. Lived with him and his family. I grew pretty close with his family and his kid. He has two kids now, but only had one at the time. They're like a second family for me."
Lehner made headlines in September when he opened up in a first-person letter about his personal struggles with a career-long battle with addiction and bipolar disorder. The situation reached a head last spring while with the Sabres when he says he pulled himself out of a March 29 game against the Red Wings after suffering a crippling panic attack. With his personal and professional life falling down around him, Lehner said he'd been self-medicating while dealing with his issues.
"Since the new year began, I had been feeling severely depressed and my drinking increased," he wrote. "I was heavily drinking a case of beer a day just to settle the demons in my mind and then took pills to sleep. I was self-treating myself because I could not be inside my own head by myself. The thoughts of ending it all … it was real and close."
Lehner, who had planned on seeking help in the offseason, immediately checked himself into an in-patient rehab facility in Arizona. It was there that he spent weeks in a detox program and was diagnosed with bipolar 1, with manic phases.
As his roommate and friend, Grant says he was aware that Lehner had some problems — but not to that extent.
"He's a guy that lives on the edge, he's a very intense guy," Grant was saying. "But he was dealing with some things that a lot of people wouldn't know about. There were a lot of things I didn't know about. I'm happy for him that he was able to go get the help. I think opening up about it helped him and other people. I'm proud of him and have nothing but good things to say about him. I'm glad he's in a situation where he's happy and going in the right direction."
Without a contract this summer, Lehner signed a one-year, $1.5 million contract with the Islanders, who have been a pleasant surprise this season.
Islanders coach Barry Trotz told reporters on Wednesday that Lehner's injury isn't considered serious and is day to day. With Tuesday night's win over the Penguins, the 6-foot-4, 240 pound goalie -- the heaviest in the NHL -- is 4-2-1 with a strong 2.45 goals-against average and .928 save percentage.
"I think the switch to New York was good for him," Grant was saying. "I've spoken to him since the year started. He said they have been great there and has great support from his teammates, management and coaching staff. It's good and it comes at a good time. It's a fresh start for him. He's a heckuva goalie and has a bright future ahead of him."
• After sitting out Tuesday with a lower-body injury, Kris Letang was back at practice Wednesday and showed no problems while skating:
Letang showing no Ill-effects Wednesday. #dkps #penguins pic.twitter.com/ljRROzVptE
— Chris Bradford (@PghBradford) October 31, 2018
"I felt pretty good, was going hard," Letang said.
The veteran defenseman was injured in the first period Saturday night in Vancouver and briefly left the game. He said he had no issue with the hit and said he was able to get by on adrenaline after talking to the team's docs.
"Kind of scared but I was able to finish," said Letang, who said he'll wait until tomorrow morning to see how he feels.
Sullivan said he is still day-to-day and will make the trip.
• On the not-so-good injury news, Derick Brassard won't play Thursday and won't even head to New York. He did not skate but is working off ice, according to Sullivan. He remains day-to-day with a lower body injury.
• Sullivan reiterated to his team that he was pleased with what he saw from them in Tuesday's loss. "As spirited an effort as we've had all year long," the coach said.
• Matt Cullen says he's quite impressed by what he saw from the Islanders and the influence that Trotz has already had on his new team: "You can see there's a bigger commitment to playing on both ends of the rink. They competed hard and have some dynamic players. They make it hard."
New York hasn't qualified for the playoffs since 2015-16 and were thought to be an afterthought after John Tavares' defection, but they currently sit in second place in the Metropolitan Division, just a point behind the Penguins.
While it's too early to call Thursday's game a playoff preview, the Penguins are treating this home-and-home series as one.
"It kind of has the feel of a mini-playoff series," Cullen said. "In a way you kind of enjoy it. A little bit unfortunate after the last one, but good to get another chance at them right away."
• Before leaving for Brooklyn, the Penguins practiced 45 minutes Wednesday with the following lines and pairs:
Guentzel-Crosby-Simon
Hagelin-Malkin-Kessel
Cullen-Sheahan-Hornqvist
Rust-Grant-Sprong
Dumoulin-Letang
Johnson-Ruhwedel
Maatta-Oleksiak
(Riikola)
• Letang returned to quarterback the No. 1 power play unit while Jack Johnson and Olli Maatta manned the points on the second power play as usual. If those defense pairs hold up, Juuso Riikola -- who took Letang's spot on the power play -- will be a healthy scratch.
• The Penguins will not hold a morning skate Thursday at Barclays Center. Sullivan will address the media at 5 p.m.
• A night after Tom Kuhnhackl made a triumphant return to Pittsburgh, the Islanders reassigned the two-time Stanley Cup champion to Bridgeport of the AHL. Kuhnhackl scored his first goal with the Islanders in the third period Tuesday.
• Matt Sunday and I will have the coverage from Brooklyn. Faceoff is at 7:08 p.m.
