CRANBERRY TWP (93.7 The Fan) – Pens forward Evan Rodrigues left the game Sunday night and turns out his lower body injury is ‘longer term’. So with Rodrigues out before playing in Boston on Tuesday. There is a need for another forward to step up.
Practice line combinations
Guentzel-Crosby-Rust
Zucker-Malkin-Kapanen
McCann-Blueger-Tanev
O'Connor-Jankowski-Sceviour and Lafferty (rotated)
*Rust moved up after the injury to Rodrigues and paid immediate dividends
*a game after Zucker was removed from the 2nd line, he returns with Kasperi Kapanen.
*Tanev and Blueger appear to be a growing tandem
Dumoulin-Letang
Marino-Ceci
Joseph-Ruhwedel
*Kevin Czuczman rotated on the top pairing
Forward decision to make
The team will likely decide between going back to Sam Lafferty for the last forward spot or a NHL debut for Dartmouth’s Drew O’Connor.
Lafferty played in the first three games of the season and essentially benched for most of the third game getting only seven shifts and 3:08 of total ice time. The 25-year-old was a minus two combined with no points and four shots in the opening pair of losses in Philadelphia.
Be More Like Tanev
“We told him what our expectations are and how we feel as though we feel he can be an impact player in the NHL,” head coach Mike Sullivan said Monday of Lafferty. “We talked to Sam about consistency of play. We talked to Sam about bringing energy to the rink and utilizing his speed on both sides of the puck.”
“I’ve talked to Sam a lot about Brandon Tanev’s game. Tans is a guy that has done a great job of how to leverage his strengths. I think Sam has a lot of similar attributes to Tans. He can really skate. He’s got a physical dimension to his game. He creates through his foot speed. He can wreak havoc. He can create chaos out there and opportunity presents itself through that.”
“I think I know what I need to do,” Lafferty said. “I think the blueprint for me is pretty simple. Just a matter of going out and executing. To be honest I feel pretty good about my game. Whenever I get another chance, I feel good about it.”
O’Connor ready if NHL Debut
Drew O’Connor was a free agent signee from Dartmouth this season. He has survived to remain on the Taxi Squad, within reach of getting into a game.
“We will see what happens,” O’Connor said. “It’s definitely an exciting thought to think about eventually playing in a game. We will see how it goes on this trip. I think just excitement. I’m sure there will be a little bit of nerves if that does happen.”
O’Connor has had to watch all six games so far, but has done so with a keen eye.
“You definitely see the game from a different perspective,” O’Connor said. “I noticed a lot of things going on the ice. Defenseman going back for pucks on the breakout. You kind of have the birds-eye view so you see a little bit more. Maybe just knowing where to go to support the puck, little things like that you pick up on watching.”
Sullivan said it’s been tough for O’Conner not having a full camp or playing in exhibition games. That really is an opportunity for coaches to evaluate what they have, especially in younger players who haven’t been in their system.
It doesn’t mean O’Connor won’t get the call Tuesday night.
“We believe in giving players opportunities to help this team win and get better,” Sullivan said. “We are trying to put the best 12 forwards and 6 defensemen on the ice every night. Whether they are young. Whether they are experienced, really doesn’t matter. It’s more about who will help us win.”
At one point, O’Connor was just attempting to get on a college hockey team. Now the 22-year-old is on the verge of playing at the highest level.
“Trying to get better every day,” O’Connor said. “My goal is to come on and be able to be on the team lineup for the Penguins this year. We will see if that happens. Having that as my goal in the back of my mind just continue to work every day has kind of been my mentality.”