McCann to top line, Guentzel to top power-play taken at PPG Paints Arena (Courtesy of Point Park University)

The second power-play unit during Tuesday's skate. - CHRIS BRADFORD / DKPS

Maybe it was gallows humor or just putting on a brave face, but the Penguins were in surprisingly good spirits ahead of tonight's do-or-die Game 4 against the Islanders. As Marcus Pettersson explained to me, there's no point in putting on a game face when the game is still eight hours away. Good point.

How loose were the Penguins on Tuesday morning? Even Mike Sullivan cracked a few smiles. Seriously. I asked Sullivan about his struggling power play and he laughed while recalling a conversation he's had with Jake Guentzel.

"I always say to him, ‘Do you ever go home and say, This coach is nuts. I'm the leading scorer on the team and I'm on the second power play?'" Sullivan was saying through a smile. "There's some validity to that."

So, what was Guentzel's response?

"His answer was politically correct: 'We've got a pretty good power play,'" Sullivan relayed.

Well, Sullivan isn't that nuts. During Tuesday's morning skate, Guentzel was, indeed, back on the top power-play unit, with Patric Hornqvist moving down to the second. It's a role Guentzel has played before, but it's usually been when Hornqvist was out of the lineup or immediately after the Penguins gave up one of their league-high 15 shorthanded goals this season.

With the Penguins trailing 3-0 in this series after scoring just one goal in each of the last two games, the shakeup was fairly predictable. The power play, ranked No. 1 in 2017-18 and fifth this season, is just 1-for-8 against the Islanders despite having the same personnel. It has been as quiet as the rest of the Penguins' attack.

"They've actually had a lot of really good looks the first few games. They haven't converted on some of them, as many as we'd like, but they've had some really good looks," Sullivan was saying. "We think they're close. Jake is just a little bit of a different type of player than Horny. We can use both of them."

Guentzel's personality and body-type are almost polar opposite to Hornqvist, but the production has been similar. Sort of. Guentzel was one of just 13 players to hit the 40-goal mark this season in the NHL, but just six of his goals came on the power play. Hornqvist also scored six of his 18 goals on the power play. The difference was that Hornqvist averaged 2:42 of ice time with a man-advantage, while Guentzel averaged just 2:07. And that was usually while playing just the final 30 seconds or so on the second unit.

Here, Guentzel -- a 24-year-old of few words -- explained to me what's been going wrong with the power play and what he can bring to the top unit:

 

With the Penguins unable to solve Robin Lehner or generate much against the Islanders at 5-on-5, Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Phil Kessel, Kris Letang and, yes, Guentzel are going to have to cash in on their opportunities if they are to avoid being swept.

In another sign that Sullivan isn't that nuts, he also shuffled his forward line combinations, analytics be damned. Unlike Sunday, there'll be no game-time decision on Jared McCann. He's not only definitely playing, he's back on the top line with Crosby and Guentzel.

"Whatever works," Crosby said. "We've had some chances around the net, whether it's power play or even strength. I think we're comfortable and confident with any combination of guys. At this point, we've all played together. It's just making sure everyone plays their game and helps each other and supports each other and finds a way to win."

Dominik Simon will move back to his old spot on the third line with Nick Bjugstad and Hornqvist. That also means that Phil Kessel will be back on the second line with Malkin.

With the line of McCann, Guentzel and Crosby on the ice for 119:28 during the tail end of the regular-season, the Penguins had a 54.25 Corsi For percentage with 28 high-danger chances for and just 14 against.

"I just think we're three skilled players that work well together; there's just that chemistry there," McCann explained. "Obviously, we played a bit together in the regular-season and had some good games. I feel like tonight's going to be one of them."

The Penguins can only hope so.

"What's critical is we score one more than them," Sullivan said. "That's the most critical takeaway."

• Here were the full lines and pairs used during Tuesday's skate:

McCannCrosbyGuentzel

RustMalkinKessel

SimonBjugstadHornqvist

Aston-ReeseCullenWilson

DumoulinLetang

JohnsonSchultz

PetterssonGudbranson

• In addition to Hornqvist, the second power-play unit had Bjugstad with Simon and McCann splitting reps with Justin Schultz and Pettersson on defense.

Olli Maatta, Zach Trotman and Chad Ruhwedel rotated on a fourth defense pair. They will be tonight's healthy scratches.

Kris Letang wears an 'A' on his sweater but don't expect him to give some kind of Herb Brooks rah-rah speech before the game. "There's nothing to say," he said. "We all feel the same way."

• After a full practice at PPG Paints Arena on Monday, the Islanders held an optional skate here today. Mathew Barzal, the Islanders' second-leading scorer in the series with four assists, was the only regular to take the ice.

Barry Trotz confirmed that Scott Mayfield will play. The defenseman was given a maintenance day on Monday.

• The Islanders' lines and pairs in practice Monday:

Lee — Barzal — Eberle

Bailey — Nelson — Kuhnhackl

Beauvillier — Filppula — Komarov

Martin — Cizikas — Clutterbuck

Leddy — Boychuk

Pelech — Pulock

Mayfield — Toews

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