The Penguins will have their morning skate today, 10:30 a.m., at the UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex, while the Blue Jackets have theirs a half-hour later at PPG Paints Arena. I'll have live updates of the home team's session right here on this file.
• Bryan Rust, Ryan Shea and Alex Nedeljkovic, who is celebrating his 29th birthday today, were the first three on the ice for the morning skate here in Cranberry:
JOSE NEGRON / DKPS
• Looks like we've got a full skate here this morning.
• Appears as if Jesse Puljujarvi has replaced Anthony Beauvillier as a third-line winger during line rushes. Here are the lines and defensive pairings:
Rickard Rakell - Sidney Crosby - Bryan Rust Michael Bunting - Evgeni Malkin - Cody Glass Drew O'Connor - Kevin Hayes - Jesse Puljujarvi Matt Nieto - Blake Lizotte - Noel Acciari Anthony Beauvillier
Marcus Pettersson - Kris Letang Matt Grzelcyk - Erik Karlsson Owen Pickering - P.O Joseph Ryan Graves - Ryan Shea
• Tristan Jarry is the first goalie off the ice. MikeSullivan confirms Jarry will start tonight against the Blue Jackets.
• Sullivan said PhilTomasino, who is on injured reserve with a lower-body injury, skated for the first time on the injured ice this morning.
• Sullivan on Puljujarvi, who could have a chance to return to the starting lineup for the first time since Dec. 7: "I think when Jesse's at his best, he's a great puck pursuit guy. He uses his skating ability, his size, his physical stature and his reach to make it hard on defensemen to make plays. He disrupts breakouts, disrupts timing, creates opportunities for his linemates and goes to the net. I think that's when he's at his very best. When he does that, he's an effective player for us."
• Puljujarvi on a week that included him clearing waivers and remaining out of the lineup since: "You don't know where you're going the next day or what happens, but I try to be a good person and a good player. I try to do my best off ice and on ice."
• Elvis Merzlikins will start for Columbus, per team reporter JeffSvoboda.
THE ASYLUM
Final: Penguins morning skate
The Penguins will have their morning skate today, 10:30 a.m., at the UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex, while the Blue Jackets have theirs a half-hour later at PPG Paints Arena. I'll have live updates of the home team's session right here on this file.
• Bryan Rust, Ryan Shea and Alex Nedeljkovic, who is celebrating his 29th birthday today, were the first three on the ice for the morning skate here in Cranberry:
JOSE NEGRON / DKPS
• Looks like we've got a full skate here this morning.
• Appears as if Jesse Puljujarvi has replaced Anthony Beauvillier as a third-line winger during line rushes. Here are the lines and defensive pairings:
Rickard Rakell - Sidney Crosby - Bryan Rust
Michael Bunting - Evgeni Malkin - Cody Glass
Drew O'Connor - Kevin Hayes - Jesse Puljujarvi
Matt Nieto - Blake Lizotte - Noel Acciari
Anthony Beauvillier
Marcus Pettersson - Kris Letang
Matt Grzelcyk - Erik Karlsson
Owen Pickering - P.O Joseph
Ryan Graves - Ryan Shea
• Power-play units:
No. 1 - Crosby, Rakell, Rust, Bunting, Grzelcyk
No. 2 - Malkin, Hayes, O'Connor, Letang, Karlsson
• Tristan Jarry is the first goalie off the ice. Mike Sullivan confirms Jarry will start tonight against the Blue Jackets.
• Sullivan said Phil Tomasino, who is on injured reserve with a lower-body injury, skated for the first time on the injured ice this morning.
• Sullivan on Puljujarvi, who could have a chance to return to the starting lineup for the first time since Dec. 7: "I think when Jesse's at his best, he's a great puck pursuit guy. He uses his skating ability, his size, his physical stature and his reach to make it hard on defensemen to make plays. He disrupts breakouts, disrupts timing, creates opportunities for his linemates and goes to the net. I think that's when he's at his very best. When he does that, he's an effective player for us."
• Puljujarvi on a week that included him clearing waivers and remaining out of the lineup since: "You don't know where you're going the next day or what happens, but I try to be a good person and a good player. I try to do my best off ice and on ice."
• Elvis Merzlikins will start for Columbus, per team reporter Jeff Svoboda.
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