Pittsburgh Penguins News

The red-hot Penguins, 5-0-2 in their last seven games, have received exquisite goaltending from newcome Stuart Skinner, but has continued to rotate Silovs into this mix. The 24-year-old Silovs was excellent in his previous outing, saving 30 of 32 shots (.938 SV%) in a 6-2 win over the Edmonton Oilers. He has helped his team record a point in seven of his last eight games (5-1-2), posting a solid 2.66 GAA and .902 SV%. The Penguins enter Thursday's contest as -168 home favorites against a Chicago Blackhawks team that has only scored five combined goals in their last three games (0-1-2).

McGroarty was drafted 14th overall by the Winnipeg Jets in the 2022 NHL Entry Draft, but has yet to make his mark at the NHL level. The 21-year-old forward scored three points (2G / 1A) in 16 games with Pittsburgh earlier this season, but has excelled at the AHL level, scoring 12 points (4G / 8A) in nine games with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.

Rust delivered an illegal check to the head of Vancouver's Bryan Rust in the final seconds of a 3-2 win on Sunday. The 33-year-old Rust was only issued a two-minute penalty on the play, but has subsequently been given a three-game suspension. Rust has struggled lately, with just three points (2G / 1A) in his last nine games, and will not be eligible to return until February 3rd against the New York Islanders.

St. Ivany has been plagued with injuries this season, missing six weeks earlier in the campaign with a lower-body injury, and will now be out for up to eight weeks after undergoing hand surgery. The 26-year-old defenseman has seven points (0G / 7A) in 17 games this season.

Graves presumably picked up the injury at some point in Wednesday's win over the Flames, though exactly when is unclear. The Penguins have yet to announce a timeline for his return. Erik Karlsson (lower-body) was activated off injured reserve in a corresponding move.

Karlsson returns to the lineup after missing the last five games with a lower-body injury. His presence is a more than welcomed addition to the Penguins blue-line given the injuries to Kris Letang and Ryan Graves. Karlsson has appeared in 44 games this season, tallying four goals and 29 assists.

The Penguins will unsurprisingly hand Silovs the start for tail-end of their back-to-back after Stuart Skinner got the nod on Wednesday. Silovs suffered a third consecutive defeat in his last start, allowing three goals on 25 shots in a shootout loss to the Blue Jackets on Saturday. The 24-year-old netminder brings an 8-6-8 record and .890 SV% into Thursday night's matchup, where the Pens enter action at +145 on the money line.

St. Ivany will slot in for the injured Kris Letang (upper-body). He will skate alongside Ryan Shea on Pittsburgh's second pairing.

It's unfortunate timing for Letang, who recently saw an uptick in ice-time, including deployment on the top powerplay unit, because of an Erik Karlsson (lower body) injury. The veteran defenseman had been productive lately, tallying nine points (1G / 8A) in his last 14 games.

Letang recently saw an uptick in ice-time, including deployment on the top powerplay unit, because of an Erik Karlsson (lower body) injury. That said, the 38-year-old Letang will be a game-time decision on Wednesday against the Calgary Flames because of upper-body issue. The veteran defenseman had been productive lately, tallying nine points (1G / 8A) in his last 14 games.

After a concerning start to his tenure with the Penguins, posting a 4.04 GAA and .831 SV% in his first three games (0-3-0), Skinner has turned a page and been outstanding between the pipes, posting a 1.73 GAA and .931 SV% in six games since (5-1-0). The Penguins enter the action on Wednesday as -114 road favorites against a Calgary Flames team that has scored two or fewer goals in five of their last eight games (3-4-1).

After a concerning start to his tenure with the Penguins, posting a 4.04 GAA and .831 SV% in his first three games (0-3-0), Skinner has turned a page and been outstanding between the pipes, posting a 1.73 GAA and .931 SV% in six games since (5-1-0). The Penguins enter the action on Wednesday as -114 road favorites against a Calgary Flames team that has scored two or fewer goals in five of their last eight games (3-4-1).

Letang recently saw an uptick in ice-time, including deployment on the top powerplay unit, because of an Erik Karlsson (lower body) injury. That said, the 38-year-old Letang will head to the sidelines himself because of an upper-body issue. The veteran defenseman had been productive lately, tallying nine points (1G / 8A) in his last 14 games.

Solovyov was often the odd-man out of the lineup for the Avalanche this season, mostly drawing in due to injuries, and will hope for a more defined role with the Penguins. The 25-year-old Belarusian defenseman averaged 11:34 time-on-ice and had three points (1G / 2A) in 16 games with Colorado this season.

Koppanen has one assist in 10 games with Pittsburgh this season, but will return to a familiar place in the AHL. The 27-year-old Finnish forward has 11 points (6G / 5A) in 22 games with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (AHL) this season.

Ryan Graves will draw back into Pittsburgh's lineup on Monday against the Seattle Kraken, sending St. Ivany to the press box as a healthy scratch. The 26-year-old St. Ivany is averaging 16:14 time-on-ice and has three assists in 14 games this season.

Jack St. Ivany will be a healthy scratch on Monday, allowing Graves to re-enter the lineup against the Seattle Kraken. The 30-year-old Graves is averaging 15:19 time-on-ice and has one point (1G / 0A) in 17 games this season.