The Pittsburgh Penguins aim to halt their offensive slump as they host the Tampa Bay Lightning on March 19, 2024. After enjoying a season-high six-game winning streak, the Penguins have stumbled with two consecutive losses, raising concerns about their scoring ability. Despite solid performances from their defense and goaltending, Pittsburgh will need to generate more offense to compete against the Lightning, who are riding a ten-game winning streak.
Pittsburgh’s Goaltending Situation
The Penguins’ defense has been reliable this season, particularly since the holiday break. Following a challenging period that included an eight-game winless streak, the team made a significant move by trading for goaltender Stuart Skinner from Edmonton on December 12, 2023. In exchange, they sent goalie Tristan Jarry to the Oilers. Initially, Skinner struggled with his new team, losing his first three games. However, he has rebounded impressively, posting a record of 3-1-0 with a 1.01 goals-against average and a .955 save percentage in his last four appearances.
Despite his recent success, Skinner’s winning streak ended with a narrow 1-0 defeat against the Boston Bruins on March 17, 2024. Penguins head coach Dan Muse acknowledged the challenges that come with adjusting to a new team, especially for a goaltender. “This is a guy who has been to two finals in a row. He’s done a lot of really good things in the league,” Muse said, praising Skinner’s work ethic and preparation.
Skinner’s overall record with the Penguins stands at 3-4-0, with a 2.34 GAA and a .899 save percentage. Backup goalie Arturs Silovs has also performed well recently, winning four of his last five starts with a 2.96 GAA and .881 save percentage. One of these two goalies will need to step up against a formidable Lightning offense.
Lightning’s Resilience and Recent Performance
The Lightning are coming off a dominant performance, having achieved their tenth consecutive victory with a 5-1 win against the Philadelphia Flyers on March 18, 2024. This follows a 7-2 victory over the same team just two days earlier, showcasing their offensive firepower. However, the latest win may have come at a significant cost. Top-line center Brayden Point suffered a potential injury after a hard hit while scoring a power-play goal. His status remains uncertain, and Coach Jon Cooper did not provide an update following the game.
Teammate Brandon Hagel expressed concern for Point’s well-being, stating, “Pointer’s a big part of this team… that guy puts his life and soul into every single day, every single hockey game.” Despite being briefly injured himself, Hagel continued to shine, scoring in his fourth consecutive match and contributing an assist.
Nikita Kucherov also extended his impressive performance, recording an empty-net goal and an assist. With this contribution, Kucherov has reached an outstanding point streak of ten games, tallying 10 goals and 15 assists during this stretch. Notably, Coach Cooper achieved a milestone, becoming the 25th coach in NHL history to secure 600 career wins.
The Lightning’s current winning streak ties them with the Colorado Avalanche and Buffalo Sabres for the longest in the league this season. A victory against the Penguins would match the franchise record of eleven consecutive wins, originally set during the 2019-20 season. As both teams prepare for this critical matchup, the Penguins will need to find their scoring touch, while the Lightning will look to maintain their momentum despite potential injuries.
