Penguins go back to the two-headed monster

Crosby and Malkin set to ride together tomorrow vs Marc-Andre Fleury

The Penguins are back from the west coast and they had some new lines today at practice. Bryan Rust was absent today after least seen leaving the game with an injury against Vancouver and not putting much weight on his right leg.

Upon Rust’s injury, the Pens were using Evgeni Malkin and Sidney Crosby together, and it paid off with Malkin’s late goal to bring Pittsburgh within a goal. It’s been so long it’s difficult to remember the last time the two have played an extended and consistent amount with each other, but the first 10 games of the season and one injury made it almost a no-brainer to go back to.

At 14 points in 10 games, Malkin has often been the team’s best player at the start of this season and his offensive prowess should hopefully help unlock what has been a very frustrating start from Sidney Crosby.

Michael Bunting’s fall continues in real time, one gets the sense if Pittsburgh had more than 12 healthy forwards right now that Bunting would be in-line for another healthy scratch after a poor performance in Vancouver and a shaky start to the season.

Other than that, these lines are truly blended up. Kevin Hayes has been OK to start the year and gets an opportunity on the “second” line, though that may be in name only. Lars Eller and Drew O’Connor will likely play as much or more from what is nominally the third line.

A piece of good news was that two injured forwards rejoined the team in practice today, after being left behind on the road trip to continue their rehabs.

Matt Nieto’s long road back from knee issues might finally be rounding the corner towards home. Nieto had MCL surgery on his left knee in May after getting the right knee repaired surgically in January. It was said in early May that Nieto was looking at a six to seven month recovery, which today’s practice participation might indicate he’s running towards the earlier side on.

Blake Lizotte, like the Pens in general, has had a rough start. Lizotte absorbed a concussion while sitting on the bench in a preseason game in Sudbury on September 27th, in the odd rink where the player benches are on opposite sides of the ice. He’s now over a month out from suffering the unfortunate effects of that and hopefully will continue to progress towards making his season debut in the near future, though by skating in a non-contact jersey there are still several more steps in his recovery to clear before he can join the lineup.

The Pens will see a familiar face playing against them tomorrow night, Marc-Andre Fleury returns to the ‘Burgh for what looks like his final time as a player. It was previously announced by the Minnesota beat writer Michael Russo that Fleury is expected to start in Pittsburgh tomorrow night. Fleury last played in Pittsburgh in April 2023, surrendering four goals in a 4-1 Pens win.