Pens Points: Remember the Last Time We Met?

All of this talk about the schedule becoming more favorable but once again it’s back on the road tonight for the Penguins when they head to Canada’s capital to take on the Ottawa Senators. Game time is set for 7:30 PM and will be broadcast on AT&T Sports Network.

It will be a rematch of the 2017 Eastern Conference Final.

Here’s is a quick refresher of how that series ended in case you forgot:

Presenting now, your Thursday edition of Pens Points...

Sidelined with a concussion since early October, defenseman Matt Hunwick is finally back on the ice practicing with his teammates. The timetable for his return to the lineup still remains unclear. [Pittsburgh Post-Gazette]

Some nights it may seem like certain players take the night off or don’t seem fully invested into the game. One player you can count on to give 100% each and every night is Patric Hornqvist who thrives on the battling it out in the dirty areas where some players never go. [Penguins]

Sidney Crosby broke out of his slump in a big way on Tuesday night against the Sabres, scoring a goal and assisting on the overtime winner by Conor Sheary. Finally off the schnide, look for Crosby’s luck to change as well. [SBNation]

Pittsburgh’s Urban Redevelopment Authority has placed their stamp of approval on the new deal between the Penguins and the city in regards to the development of the former Civic Arena site. [Trib Live]

The last two games have been a coming out party of sorts for the Penguins offense that had been stagnant for the majority of the season to date. With nine combined goals in the last two games, the Pens are now focusing on the defensive side to bring their game together. [Pittsburgh Post-Gazette]

Over the last decade or more, the Penguins leading scorer has been either Sidney Crosby or Evgeni Malkin. Twenty games into the new season and a new face is sitting atop the leaderboard. Phil Kessel is off to a roaring start and is currently on pace for what would be a career high 98 points. [Pensburgh]

For as good as the Penguins’ top two lines are, the bottom six of the lineup might be equally as bad. The losses of Nick Bonino and Matt Cullen in the offseason seem to be taking their toll but there is time to fix the problem. [The Hockey Writers]

News and notes from around the NHL...

When you’re a borderline NHL player it can mean spending a lot of time living out of a hotel room, even in your home city. That is why there is no better feeling for players than when a general manager informs them to start looking for a more permanent living situation. [Salt Lake Tribune]

Still recovering from an upper-body injury, Toronto Maple Leafs sensation Auston Matthews has returned to practice but still waiting on the all clear to make his return to game action. [CBC]