Derek Grant has a foolproof plan to stop the Avalanche's top-ranked power play: "Stay out of the box as much as we can," he says.
Sounds simple right?
But that's basically what the Penguins have done of late, and in last week's loss in Denver in particular.
Though they gave up six Colorado goals, tied for the most they've allowed this season, not a one of them was on an Avalanche power play. The Penguins took just one penalty when Sidney Crosby -- of all people -- was called for holding the stick in the opening minute of the second period.
Obviously, the Penguins would like to show that same discipline tonight when they host the Avalanche. Not only are the Avs unbeaten in their last 10 (8-0-2) and have the NHL's fourth-highest points total (37), they also have the league's top power play by a long-shot.
The Avalanche are currently clicking at 32.2 percent, which -- if it holds up for the rest of the season -- would represent the best power play in the post-'67 expansion era. And, oh, over those last 10 unbeaten games? They're converting at an astronomical 13-for-28 (46.4 percent).
"They're pretty threatening," Riley Sheahan was telling me Monday. "They have a lot of offense. I think it doesn't really matter who has the puck. We just got to be ready to pressure and be ready to block some passes, get in seams and block some shots."
Obviously, this will be another big test for the Penguins' sixth-ranked PK unit (83.3 percent), which has been equally stellar of late. That unit has successfully killed off its last 15 chances. The last power play goal scored against the Penguins came eight games ago, Nov. 15 against Tampa Bay's fifth-ranked unit when Yanni Gourde scored at 7:56 of the second period.
"For starters, we haven't taken a lot of penalties, that's an important aspect of it, not asking them to do too much on a given night," Mike Sullivan was saying. "The guys who are on there are doing a lot of the little things: They are blocking shots, winning puck battles, getting 200-foot clears, making good reads, there's cooperative pressure. Collectively, as a group, they're doing a real good job for us."
It's true the Penguins haven't over-taxed their PK unit. During their current run, they haven't had to kill off more than three penalties in a single game. Is there more to it that that?
Strangely enough, it coincides with the trade of Carl Hagelin on Nov. 14 and the injury to Matt Cullen three nights later. In their place, the Penguins have relied on players like Grant and Zach Aston-Reese.
"I think we're just kind of on the same page, have some chemistry between pairs there," Sheahan said. "I think we're just doing a good job reading off each other and pressuring when we get a chance and not let the opponent set up in the O-zone. It's been going good."
THE ESSENTIALS
THE INJURIES
• Penguins: Matt Murray, goalie, is out longer term with a lower body injury. …Cullen, center, is out longer term with a lower-body injury. ... Both Cullen and Murray skated on their own Tuesday and would appear close to returning. ... Justin Schultz, defenseman, is expected to miss four months after fracturing his leg Oct. 13 in Montreal.
• Avalanche: Mark Barberio, defenseman, is expected to miss his third straight game with a lower body injury.
THE SKATE
• Despite his nickname of the "Dragon," the Penguins don't have to worry about Marcus Pettersson barging in and taking over his team's new dressing room. The tall, skinny defenseman -- yes, he is indeed rail thin -- is rather soft-spoken. At least he was during his first morning in the Penguins' room:
Sullivan said that he wasn't as knowledgable of Pettersson as others in the team's hockey ops department but says that the Swede can strengthen his team's defense corps.
Pettersson said Monday's trade came as a bit of shock to him, but when he heard he was headed to Pittsburgh that made it a little easier. He describes his game like this:
"An overall two-way defenseman," he said. "I think I play a pretty steady D. I play with a lot of pride in my D-zone and I think I can contribute offensively as well. I would say I'm a two-way guy. I like to use my stick. I have a long reach."
Here's some video of Pettersson on Tuesday:
Marcus Pettersson is in the building. #dkps #penguins pic.twitter.com/3zBbYitWCm
— Chris Bradford (@PghBradford) December 4, 2018
Sullivan said that Pettersson is "very much available" to play tonight. Exactly with who isn't known but Chad Ruhwedel looks to be the odd-man out. That left seven defensemen in the room, Pettersson included, while the media was allowed in Tuesday morning. That means that Sullivan is either playing some serious gamesmanship or that he'll dress seven defensemen — something he's done just once or twice during his Pittsburgh tenure. The guess is it's the former, but that will all sort itself out during the pre-game warmup at 6:35.
Oh, that "Dragon" nickname? Pettersson told me that it was just something that a Ducks assistant coach bestowed on him and it's stuck. He says it has no real significance.
• Sullivan always sounded reluctant to say much about Daniel Sprong when he was with the Penguins. He wasn't exactly effusive in his praise now that he's gone either. As he did a day earlier, the coach said that Sprong was simply caught in a numbers game in Pittsburgh.
"When you look at the team we have and the opportunities that have been presented to players, they've earned their spot, their way onto the roster, their playing time," Sullivan said. "Daniel is a guy we know has a lot of upside. He's a talented young player. Having said that, as a coaching staff, we're tying to balance and try and develop every player on our team. But, at the same time, trying to win every game that we can."
• Grant is a native of Abbottsford, B.C., which is about a one-hour drive east of Vancouver and a two-hour drive north of Seattle. On Tuesday, the NHL awarded an expansion team to Seattle, giving the league an even 32 teams and providing the Canucks with a geographical rival in the Western Conference.
"It's great," Grant was telling me. "They have Calgary and Edmonton in Alberta, so they have a rivalry there (for the Canucks). So a team for them that's close, I think it's great for the area. Obviously, Seattle's a great city. Think it's going to be big hockey market, for sure. It's an exciting time for the league."
Though he didn't play in the WHL, many of his friends did, and played for and against the Seattle Thunderbirds. "They had nothing but good things to say about the fans, the city and the market."
• The Penguins held an optional skate. Brian Dumoulin, Tanner Pearson, Evgeni Malkin and Phil Kessel did not take the ice.
• Casey DeSmith will get the start in goal, his second in a row. Tristan Jarry, who will serve as the backup, has temporarily moved into Murray's stall.
THE OTHER SIDE
• The Avalanche will welcome back top defenseman Tyson Barrie after missing the last four games, including last week's game against the Penguins, with a lower body injury. Barrie is Colorado's fourth-leading scorer -- behind the Avalanche's big three on the top line -- with 20 points (three goals and 17 assists). He'll almost certainly be slotted back on Colorado's top power play.
Barrie will also be reunited with Ian Cole on the top pair.
"It's a real complementary pair," Avs coach Jared Bednar said. "(Barrie) is also a real communicator on the ice, which I think helps him get up in the play, especially knowing he's a got guy like Cole back there."
• Yes, this will be Cole's first game back in Pittsburgh since last February's trade. Though he has played against the Penguins with both the Blue Jackets and Avalanche in Columbus and Denver, he said it is special to be back in the city where he helped the Penguins to a pair of Stanley Cup championship (no, he hasn't lost any of his humor):
Pittsburgh-Penguins-vs.-Colorado-Avalanche-Game-Notes-December-4-2018 Two-time Cup champ Ian Cole talks about his return to Pittsburgh. #dkps #penguins pic.twitter.com/EMuNP665jt
— Chris Bradford (@PghBradford) December 4, 2018
Cole, who said he plans to share a late dinner with his former teammates on Tuesday, will get a video tribute during the first TV timeout. Will it be special?
"I don't know, I might have to take a bathroom break or something," he said. "Nah, it'll be cool. We'll see if we get one. See if I made the cut or not."
In a twist, on the day that Cole comes back to the lineup, the Penguins put his No. 28 back in circulation. Pettersson will now wear the digits. Though his former team is slumping, Cole said he doesn't expect it to last.
"There's a ton of ebbs and flows to the year," he told me. "Our first Cup run (2016), we were out of the playoffs. We weren't even close. We weren't clicking and weren't getting any better. We turned that around. I'm sure with the group they have, they're more than capable of turning it around."
THE COMBINATIONS
• Here's an educated guess at the Penguins' lines and pairs based on what was seen in practice and who's available:
Guentzel — Crosby — Simon
Pearson — Malkin — Hornqvist
Aston-Reese — Brassard — Kessel
Rust — Sheahan — Grant
Dumoulin — Letang
Maatta — Riikola
Johnson — Oleksiak
• An educated guess at the Avalanche lines and pairs, based on who's back:
Landeskog -- MacKinnon -- Rantanen
Jost -- Compher -- Wilson
Nieto -- Soderberg -- Calvert
Kamenev -- Kerfoot -- Bourque
Cole -- Barrie
Girard -- Johnson
Nemeth -- Zadorov
THE SCHEDULE
Faceoff tonight is at 7:08 p.m. at PPG Paints Arena. The Penguins practice Wednesday at noon in Cranberry. They will host the Islanders at 7:08 p.m. on Thursday.
THE COVERAGE
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