Pens Points: Shark Warning

Two days off gave the Penguins the opportunity to spend some time away from the ice and soak in the gorgeous California sun. Now the time for rest is over, as the Pens return to the ice to wrap up the California portion of their long western road trip when they face-off against the San Jose Sharks in a 2016 Stanley Cup rematch.

Puck drop is scheduled for 10:00 p.m. and will be broadcast on AT&T Sports Network.

Start your game day off right with today’s Pens Points...

A red hot week from Jake Guentzel saw him score five goals across the team’s three games last week, including a hat trick on Friday night in a victory over the Anaheim Ducks. For his efforts, Guentzel was named the NHL’s Third Star of Week on Monday. [Pensburgh]

Being in the thick of the playoff race means the Penguins will surely be shopping for reinforcements at the trade deadline come the end of February. To get pieces, the Penguins will need to part with a few assets to make any deal happen and the team has a few chips to bring to the table. [Pensburgh]

Three years ago, the Penguins and Sharks met in the Stanley Cup Final where the Penguins prevailed in six games to win the fist of their back-to-back Stanley Cup titles. Both sides struggled to start this season, but since the beginning of December each has been on a warpath to get back in the championship conversation. [Trib Live]

Clicking at over 25 percent, the Penguins once again have one of the top power play units in the league, sitting at fifth overall heading into Tuesday’s action. For all the success the team has on the man advantage they also lead the league in shorthanded goals allowed, an issue that has plagued them all season. [Trib Live]

If the Penguins can remedy what ails them when it comes to allowing shorthanded opportunities everything should fall into place for them on special teams which has been a driving factor in their on-ice success this season. [Pittsburgh Post-Gazette]

Long road trips can be a balancing act for teams as they decide how to best use their time while away from home. Currently in the middle of a 12-day western swing that takes them from California to Arizona to Nevada, the Penguins have a plan in place for games, practice, and rest. [Penguins]

Former Notre Dame teammates and current Penguins teammates Bryan Rust and Riley Sheahan are teaming up to start the “Seats for Strength” program that provides tickets to families with children who have emotional and mental health needs. [The Pensblog]

News and notes from around the NHL...

Former NHL mainstay Josh Gorges announced his retirement from the NHL on Monday after 13 seasons in the league. Gorges made the Eastern Conference Finals twice as a member of the Montreal Canadiens. Gorges spent his final three season with the Buffalo Sabres. [Yahoo! Sports]

Trade alert coming from the Western Conference on Monday. The struggling Anaheim Ducks made a move in hopes of saving their season by trading winger Andrew Cogliano to the Dallas Stars in exchange for fellow forward Devin Shore. [Defending Big D]