As usual, Mike Sullivan wouldn't reveal his forward line combinations, his defense pairs or even if there will be any changes made to the power play.
"We have a game plan," the coach was saying after Wednesday's morning skate, his game-face already on for tonight's much-anticipated showdown against the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Well, he'd better have a plan for his penalty kill, too.
As good as the the NHL-leading Lightning are, nowhere are they more dangerous than on the power play.
Tampa Bay's power play, which features a murderers' row of Steven Stamkos, Nikita Kucherov, Brayden Point, Viktor Hedman and Ondrej Palat, is clicking at a robust 29.7 percent, including 3-for-8 in the last two games. That's 10 points better than the average NHL power play this season and, if that percentage holds up, it would be the best in recent NHL memory. For comparison's sake, the Penguins set a franchise mark last season at 26.2 percent.
"The five guys they have out there are all threats," Riley Sheahan was saying. "The way they move the puck and shoot the puck, it's dangerous. You try to cover one guy, there's going to be another guy ready to shoot. They're all capable of making plays, too. If the shot's not there, they can dish it. It's a recipe for success."
The Penguins certainly remember how that works.
In their 4-3 loss on Nov. 15, Tampa Bay scored all of its goals against the Penguins with the man-advantage. Three of those goals were scored in a 91-second span by Point, who is second in the league with 13 power-play markers. But, as Sullivan points out, two of Tampa's goals were on 5-on-3 advantages. In all, the Lightning went 4-for-7 on the power play with nine shots.
That, he says, is why the Penguins must stay out of the penalty box if they are to avoid a similar fate.
"We want to be aggressive and play an in-your-face game, we just have to avoid the unnecessary, avoidable penalty, the stick infractions," Sullivan was saying. "We have to make sure we check with our legs and aren't reaching for people. As long as we have an element of discipline and we don't give the power play an opportunity to be the difference, I think it's going to help us."
Sheahan says Tampa's power play is similar to that of the Capitals, with Stamkos playing the role of Alex Ovechkin on the left circle, Kucherov in Nicklas Backstrom's spot on the right and Point in the middle, like T.J. Oshie.
"They have all those spots covered," Sheahan was saying. "They're both pretty threatening."
The Penguins' third-ranked penalty kill has allowed at least one power play goal in each of the last three games, including two in Monday's loss to the Devils.
THE COMBINATIONS
• Here's a guess-timate on the Penguins’ lines/pairings tonight:
Guentzel-Crosby-Simon
Rust-Malkin-Kessel
Pearson-Brassard-Hornqvist
Sheahan-Cullen-Wilson
Dumoulin-Letang
Maatta-Riikola
Pettersson-Johnson
• The Lightning will go with this:
Johnson-Point-Kucherov
Palat-Stamkos-Gourde
Killorn-Cirelli-Miller
Erne-Paquettte-Callahan
Hedman-Girardi
McDonagh-Cernak
Sergachev-Stralman
THE INJURIES
• Justin Schultz, defenseman, skated Wednesday in a red, non-contact jersey. Sullivan called it a "big step." Next up for Schultz is to participate in a full practice, which could come as soon as Thursday.
• Zach Aston-Reese, right winger, is still out with a broken left hand.
THE SESSION
• Garrett Wilson drove Teddy Blueger to the rink on Wednesday, which shouldn't be surprising since they were linemates in Wilkes-Barre.
Here, the 24-year-old says he's happy to be here:
"He's a hard-working player, he plays the right way," Wilson was telling me. "He's going to do a good job up here. He's been lighting it up down there in the AHL. Hopefully, he brings his confidence up with him."
Here, Blueger works on his shot with some help from Mark Recchi:
Whether Blueger makes his NHL debut tonight won't be known until line rushes during warmups around 7:35 p.m. However, the Latvian was among the last players off the ice after Wednesday's skate, which is usually an indication that he'll be a healthy scratch, at least for tonight. Blueger spent 11 days last winter in Pittsburgh but didn't play.
Here, Blueger talks a little bit about his game and what he could bring:
"I know he's hungry to play, as well," Sullivan said. "He's deserving of an opportunity and the coaches will sit (down) on a game-by-game basis and decide what's the best lineup on a given night and if Teddy's a part of it. But he's certainly deserving of being here."
• After holding a full practice Tuesday in Cranberry, the Penguins held an optional skate. Among those who didn't take the ice were Sidney Crosby, Phil Kessel, Kris Letang, Brian Dumoulin, Derick Brassard and Olli Maatta. Sullivan said all players are available tonight.
• Matt Murray will make his second straight start after allowing six goals on 32 shots Monday night against the Devils. Murray, who is now 10-2 since returning from injury in mid-December, hasn't lost consecutive games since Oct. 30 through Nov. 17, when he lost six in a row.
THE OTHER SIDE
• The Lightning held an optional skate. Among the regulars to take the ice was Pittsburgh native J.T. Miller.
• The Lightning are 12-1 this season vs. Metropolitan Division teams. Their lone loss came Jan. 13 vs. the Islanders in Brooklyn.
• As expected, Andrei Vasilevskiy will make the start in goal for Tampa Bay. His .925 save percentage is second in the NHL.
• Braydon Coburn, Mathieu Joseph and Danick Martel will likely be Tampa Bay's scratches.
THE SCHEDULE
Face-off is scheduled for 8 p.m. at PPG Paints Arena to accommodate NBC Sports Network's national TV broadcast. The Penguins will practice Thursday at noon and will host the Senators the following night at 7:08 p.m. in the first of back-to-back games this weekend. The Penguins will face the Maple Leafs in Toronto on Saturday night.
THE COVERAGE
Visit our Penguins team page for everything.
Taylor Haase contributed to this report.