The Penguins returned to the ice after a day off with a spirited 45-minute practice but winger Branden Tanev was again absent – still "day-to-day" per Mike Sullivan – so it would seem his return is unlikely tomorrow night when the Pens open their 2-game mini-series against Buffalo at PPG Paints Arena.
With the team unable to generate much of any offense beyond the top line, Sullivan shuffled the forward combinations with Zach Aston-Reese replacing Evan Rodrigues alongside Jared McCann and Kasperi Kapanen.
Aston-Reese has the distinction of being the only Penguin not named Crosby, Rust or Guentzel to score in the 3 games against New Jersey.
Sullivan hoping that Aston-Reese can provide a missing complement to his make-shift second line. "Obviously we're looking for more contribution through our lineup and getting a little bit of balance," Sullivan explains. "If you put Zach with Jerad McCann and Kappy he brings a different dimension. He's more physical, he's stronger on the wall, he brings a heavier game. He can go to the net, in the battle areas, just a bit of a different look."
Rodrigues dropped down to a line with Mark Jankowski and Sam Lafferty, leaving Frederick Gaudreau centering Colton Sceviour and Anthony Angello. Those six have scored a total of 7 goals in 106 games combined, Lafferty has none in his 21 contests.
"In the American League I went through some stretches where I was playing well and the puck's just not going in," Lafferty says, "so I know you just have to stick with it, see in your mind the puck going in, and I think eventually it will."
At least Gaudreau has only appeared in 3 games this season but he has now played in 87 NHL games with only 3 goals to show for it – all in the 2018-19 season. Oddly enough, Gaudreau scored 3 goals against the Penguins in the 2017 Stanley Cup Final. Sullivan could use some of that right now and he thinks Gaudreau may be on the verge.
"I think Freddie's done a really good job," Sullivan says. "The thing about Freddie is, number one, he's competitive; he also has hockey sense.
He's won some face-offs for us he's done some penalty killing for us created some scoring chances."
Creating chances hasn't necessarily been the problem; finishing those chances has been the issue. Gaudreau has been noticeable since he's been pressed into action, Jankowski has failed to bury a couple of breakaways recently and Sceviour was robbed was Boston rookie Daniel Vladar a week ago. A goal in any of those instances would have meant an extra point or two in the standings.
A few more Penguins need to start finishing – and sooner rather than later.
