fter a Game 1 loss Friday night, the Penguins were off on Saturday, so there wasn't too much news around the team, aside from word coming out that Ryan Callahan wouldn't be subject to any further discipline from the league following his boarding penalty of Kris Letang.
The Pens took to the ice on Sunday morning in Cranberry. Here's what the buzz was
Kris Letang and Brian Dumoulin are on the ice for #Pens practice at #UPMC66
— Josh Getzoff (@PensJG) May 15, 2016
Obviously a good sign to see Letang and Brian Dumoulin after both were on the bad-end of getting boarded by Lightning players.
Chris Kunitz and Tom Kuhnhackl are absent from #Pens practice.
— Wes Crosby (@OtherNHLCrosby) May 15, 2016
We probably won't get any update, but it will be worth watching if either/both of these left-wingers will be able to play tomorrow night. The Penguins don't have a ton of NHL forward depth right now, with only Oskar Sundqvist with the team right now as a healthy extra. Wilkes-Barre does play a Game 7 tonight, perhaps the team has a call-up?
Oh God, it's gonna be Tom Sestito again, isn't it?
Dumoulin said he feels good. Suggested he could have returned to Game 1 if there was more time remaining after his injury.
— Seth Rorabaugh (@emptynetters) May 15, 2016
That's good to hear seemingly not much lasting damage or symptoms for Dumo. That Letang came back immediately and skated today also points in a positive direction to his availability for Game 2.
The other biggest development was the new pairings
Defensive pairings at practice →
— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) May 15, 2016
Dumoulin-Letang
Daley-Lovejoy
Cole-Schultz
Pouliot-Maatta
After his poor play in Game 1, Olli Maatta skated with Derrick Pouliot on the "Extra's pair". Justin Schultz bumps up to the 3rd pair, Ben Lovejoy slots into the second pair and Trevor Daley looks like the full-time Kris Letang partner.
This shows how valuable a solid Maatta would be, without him 3 defensemen are all asked to do more for potentially exposing roles, especially for Schultz and Lovejoy.
Penguins' No. 1 power play: Letang, Malkin, Kessel, Crosby and Hornqvist. No. 2: Schultz, Daley, Bonino, Sheary and Hagelin.
— Dave Molinari (@MolinariPG) May 15, 2016
More evidence that Schultz is going to play for Maatta; he's replaced him on the #2 PP unit as well.
The forwards were all funky
No Kunitz or Kuhnhackl at practice, which has led to some funky line combos in this last drill
— Jonathan Bombulie (@BombulieTrib) May 15, 2016
43-87-17
19-71-72
HBK
16-7-40
Game 2 is tomorrow night.