Injured Pittsburgh Penguins forward Evgeni Malkin will be available for a home contest against the Detroit Red Wings at PPG Paints Arena on Tuesday.
Coach Dan Muse announced Malkin’s status approximately two hours before the opening faceoff but noted the composition of most of the lineup was a “game-time decision.”
Malkin has missed the past four games because of an undisclosed ailment.
Typically stationed on the right wing of the second line and on the top power-play unit, Malkin has appeared in 50 games this season and scored 52 points (15 goals, 37 assists) while averaging 17 minutes, 33 seconds of ice time.
Notes:
• Penguins goaltender Stuart Skinner is scheduled to start, according to Muse. In 45 games this season, Skinner has a 21-15-9 record, a 2.91 goals-against average, an .888 save percentage and two shutouts.
Skinner directed the Penguins to a 4-1 road win against the Red Wings on Jan. 3, making 11 saves on 12 shots in that contest.
The 12 shots the Red Wings registered in that contest were the second-lowest figure ever recorded by a Penguins opponent.
• Penguins rookie forwards Ville Koivunen and Rutger McGroarty were assigned to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the American Hockey League.
• The Penguins did not stage a morning skate.
• Malkin has 1,398 career points.
• Penguins forward Bryan Rust has 498 career points.
• The Red Wings are scheduled to start goaltender John Gibson, a native of Whitehall. In 50 games this season, Gibson has a 27-18-3 record, a 2.58 GAA, a .905 save percentage and four shutouts.
Gibson made 27 saves on 29 shots Jan. 3.
• Red Wings forward J.T. Compher has 298 career points.
• Red Wings forward Alex DeBrincat, a former member of the Erie Otters, has 298 career assists.
• The scheduled referees are Cody Beach (No. 12) and Francis Charron (No. 6). The linespersons are Travis Gawryletz (No. 67) and Julien Fournier (No. 56).
