The challenges continue for Pittsburgh Penguins as they drive for the playoffs.
At the same time, the addition of JT Miller can be a necessary spark for the New York Rangers to also arched into the eight best teams at the Eastern Conference.
With superstar Sidney Crosby excluded, the Penguins will try to expand their points to four matches Friday night against host Rangers, who is looking for his third straight victory.
Although time remains, Pittsburgh’s quest to avoid missing the playoffs for three straight seasons for the first time since they missed four right in the early 2000s is not going well. The Penguins come in on Thursday and are bound for the almost finally points (53) in the east.
Making things potentially worse is the team’s collective health.
Fellow Superstar Evgeni Malkin (lower bodily injury) remains on damaged reserve after missing four matches. Now Crosby has to do with an upper body issue affected during Tuesday’s 3-2 shootout loss to New Jersey.
“Right now we just take it one day at a time,” said Penguins coach Mike Sullivan Friday when he said that Crosby would miss his first game in almost three years. “He will not play tonight. Obviously he is on the ice that participates in morning skates that are encouraging from our point of view.”
The Penguins will visit the Philadelphia Flyers on Saturday night before taking a break for the four nations’ face off.
Crosby recorded seven of its team-leading 58 points in the last five matches for Penguins, which is 2-0-1 after a stretch of losing seven in nine.
Kevin Hayes scored during the third period to force overtime against the devils, but Pittsburgh was surpassed in the seven-round shootout.
“I think the guys are competing,” Sullivan said. “We try to stay in the fight here for (a) playoffs. We know what we are opposed.
“We have two (games) left before (4 nations face off) break. We were given the opportunity to try to sit in the best possible position.”
However, Pittsburgh has been surpassed 10-2 while losing the first two meetings this season with New York.
Rangers are three points ahead of the penguins and entered Thursday’s action four points from the last Wild-Card place in the east after Wednesday’s 3-2 home victory over Boston. Vincent Trocheck and Chris Kreider scored goals from the third period to erase a 2-1 deficit after 40 minutes.
Although Miller was empty, he had two goals and two assists in his first two matches since joining New York on Saturday. And his presence has rubbed on the new Linemat Mika Zibanejad, which has a goal with five assists in the last three matches for New York, which is 9-3-3 since January 5.
“From the calendar it has been much more winning,” said Rangers coach Peter Laviolette.
“The trust that the guys get from winning games, I think it is built into the room. … It’s contagious.”
New York star Artemi Panarin has seven goals with 11 assists in the last 15 games. He has set two goals with three assists in the two matches versus Pittsburgh this season.
Rangers’ Igor Shesterkin stopped 15 out of 17 shots Wednesday after allowing 14 goals while losing his previous three starts. At the same time, Backup Jonathan Quick made 34 rescues during Sunday’s 4-2 victory versus Vegas, after giving up 16 goals in his previous three.
Pittsburgh’s Alex Nedeljkovic has a 1.84 goal-for average and a .936 savings percentage in its last seven starts. Teammate Rickard Rakell has two goals with six assists in the last eight matches.
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