GDT: 55 | Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Las Vegas Golden Fleurys | Welcome back #29!

[ColePens]

GOLDEN KNIGHTS (35-13-4) at PENGUINS (29-22-3)
7 p.m. ET; TVA Sports, SN1, SNE, SNO, ATTSN-PT, ATTSN-RM, NHL.TV​

Golden Knights at Penguins preview
The Game

Goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury will return to PPG Paints Arena for the first time since being selected in the 2017 NHL Expansion Draft when the Vegas Golden Knights face the Pittsburgh Penguins on Tuesday.

Fleury, who won the Stanley Cup three times in 13 seasons with Pittsburgh, will face former protege Matt Murray. Fleury has enjoyed arguably the best regular season of his NHL career in Vegas after backing up Murray for most of last season. He is 15-4-2 with a 1.84 goals-against average and .939 save percentage.

The Golden Knights are 20-4-3 in their past 27 games, including a 2-1 win against the Penguins on Dec. 14, when Fleury made 24 saves.

Pittsburgh is 4-1-0 in its past five games and 9-3-0 in its past 12. It has held opponents to fewer than three goals in four of its past seven games.


Players to watch

Golden Knights forward William Karlsson has 16 points (10 goals, six assists) in his past 16 games.

Penguins forward Sidney Crosby's next goal will be his 400th in the NHL. He has 22 points (three goals, 19 assists) in his past 12 games.


They said it

"[Fleury] means so much to our team. … That's why guys want to bring their best. You can look him in the eye after a game and say, 'Hey man, I gave you my best.'" -- Golden Knights defenseman Nate Schmidt

"[Fleury] was always laughing, smiling, having a good time. I think that just made everyone a little bit happier." -- Penguins forward Bryan Rust




Golden Knights projected lineup

Reilly Smith -- William Karlsson -- Jonathan Marchessault
David Perron -- Erik Haula -- James Neal
Ryan Carpenter -- Pierre-Edouard Bellemare -- Alex Tuch
Oscar Lindberg -- Cody Eakin -- Brendan Leipsic

Brayden McNabb -- Nate Schmidt
Deryk Engelland -- Shea Theodore
Colin Miller -- Brad Hunt

Marc-Andre Fleury
Malcolm Subban

Scratched: Jason Garrison
Injured: Tomas Nosek (upper body) Luca Sbisa (hand), William Carrier (undisclosed)


Penguins projected lineup

Dominik Simon -- Sidney Crosby -- Bryan Rust
Carl Hagelin -- Evgeni Malkin -- Tom Kuhnhackl
Jake Guentzel -- Riley Sheahan -- Phil Kessel
Zachary Aston-Reese -- Carter Rowney -- Ryan Reaves

Brian Dumoulin -- Kris Letang
Olli Maatta -- Justin Schultz
Ian Cole -- Jamie Oleksiak

Matt Murray
Tristan Jarry

Scratched: Chad Ruhwedel, Matt Hunwick
Injured: Conor Sheary (lower body), Patric Hornqvist (lower body)

​

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[ColePens]

If it wasn't a special night for #29, I was going to devote this GDT to our piece of trash pluggers we keep dressing each night. It was nice of Sully to basically guarantee #29 a win.

 

[Clare2904]

Roll on 11pm EST.

 

[Ryder71]

Vegas is in town as is MAF as well as several other former notable Penguins. Should be a great game but for tonight, bet on black!

 

[TNT87]

I can't believe I've read comments from Penguin "fans" on other sites saying they are hoping that MAF wins. f*** off.

Should be a nice tribute tonight for him.

Lets Go Pens!

 

[Ryder71]

I can't believe I've read comments from Penguin "fans" on other sites saying they are hoping that MAF wins. **** off.

Should be a nice tribute tonight for him.

Lets Go Pens!

Yes, have the tribute but secure the two points for the home team without sustaining injuries.

 

[MetalheadPenguinsFan]

I can't believe I've read comments from Penguin "fans" on other sites saying they are hoping that MAF wins. **** off.

Lemme guess...the Pens Facebook page comment section?

And they can f*** off indeed as folks like that I say are Fleury fans first and foremost and were never really Pens fans.

 

[PensPlz]

Hope we win in OT.

Not a shootout... because.... we won't win then

 

[MetalheadPenguinsFan]

 

[Sidney the Kidney]

Welcome back, Flower.

Now hopefully he gets rocked for 10 goals tonight by his former team as a welcome back gift.

 

[TNT87]

Lemme guess...the Pens Facebook page comment section?

And they can **** off indeed as folks like that I say are Fleury fans first and foremost and were never really Pens fans.

There's no question in my mind that they enjoy it when Murray loses. I've never seen anything like it. Murray had the best GAA and SV% in the postseason yet people are still pissed he replaced MAF. I appreciate what MAF did here but when I read that they gave away the wrong goalie I want to break something. Every team would have done the exact same thing.

I'm glad that MAF is doing great in Vegas. He's a big reason why they are doing so well but damn move on people. He's a class act all the way but I want the Pens to light him up tonight just like every goalie they play against.

The Pens have a shot at a threepeat I hope that doesn't upset the Murray haters.

 

[Andy99]

If it wasn't a special night for #29, I was going to devote this GDT to our piece of trash pluggers we keep dressing each night. It was nice of Sully to basically guarantee #29 a win.

Multiple choice question:
So when the Pens lose this game to another speedy, hardworking checking team, Sullivan's response will be...?
A) we got outworked--we have the players, if only they'd work harder
B) we really needed to play faster players, players who could pass the puck faster in transition, and that's on me. I should have asked for Sprong, Dea and DiPauli to be called up, not played Kuhn anywhere near the top six and sat Reaves and Rowney
C) Fleury played a tremendous game. He's a very good goaltender and more importantly, a great guy and a great teammate

 

[JakeNBake59]

that tribute video is going to be a tear jerker

 

[MetalheadPenguinsFan]

 

[MetalheadPenguinsFan]

There's no question in my mind that they enjoy it when Murray loses. I've never seen anything like it. Murray had the best GAA and SV% in the postseason yet people are still pissed he replaced MAF. I appreciate what MAF did here but when I read that they gave away the wrong goalie I want to break something. Every team would have done the exact same thing.

I'm glad that MAF is doing great in Vegas. He's a big reason why they are doing so well but damn move on people. He's a class act all the way but I want the Pens to light him up tonight just like every goalie they play against.

The Pens have a shot at a threepeat I hope that doesn't upset the Murray haters.

Facebook comment sections for anything are 99% trash. I never read em'

 

[Fatty McLardy]

There's so much garbage in that Penguins lineup....

 

[TNT87]

 

[MetalheadPenguinsFan]

that tribute video is going to be a tear jerker

Kleenex to your left good Sir

 

[Pens x]

We are really playing Kuhn in the top six again? Horrible lineup decision as usual.

I hope Fleury has a disastrous game but Sully is making it tough with that lineup.

Enough with Sheahan playing with good players, he’s awful offensively.

 

[NeedleInTheHay]

May as well play with only 3 lines.

 

[crossicepass]

A bi ol' ugh to that 4th line

 

[MetalheadPenguinsFan]

 

[Pens x]

Multiple choice question:
So when the Pens lose this game to another speedy, hardworking checking team, Sullivan's response will be...?
A) we got outworked--we have the players, if only they'd work harder
B) we really needed to play faster players, players who could pass the puck faster in transition, and that's on me. I should have asked for Sprong, Dea and DiPauli to be called up, not played Kuhn anywhere near the top six and sat Reaves and Rowney
C) Fleury played a tremendous game. He's a very good goaltender and more importantly, a great guy and a great teammate

He will praise Kuhn’s blocked shot

 

[MetalheadPenguinsFan]

Or who could forget....

 

[Clare2904]

that tribute video is going to be a tear jerker

Let's just hope no one throws a beach ball on the ice during the video