Penguins forward Ryan Poehling to miss Tuesday's game against Blue Jackets
Penguins forward Ryan Poehling will miss Tuesday’s home game against the Columbus Blue Jackets at PPG Paints Arena due to an undisclosed injury.
Coach Mike Sullivan announced Poehling’s status following an optional morning skate Tuesday.
The team has not specified when Poehling was injured. He did not record a shift for the final 6:36 of regulation in a 6-2 home win against the St. Louis Blues.
Appearing in all 25 games this season, Poehling, who has primarily skated on the fourth line and with the penalty kill, has seven points (four goals, three assists) while averaging 11:23 of ice time per contest.
With Poehling absent, forward Danton Heinen figures to be back in the lineup after being a healthy scratch for the past three games.
In 22 games this season, Heinen has nine points (three goals, six assists) while averaging 13:10 of ice time per contest.
Notes:
• Per Sullivan, forwards Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and backup goaltender Casey DeSmith are all expected to dress for Tuesday’s game after skipping Monday’s practice due to an undisclosed illness.
Malkin and DeSmith were among those who participated in a lightly attended optional morning skate.
The only other participants were defensemen P.O Joseph and Chad Ruhwedel.
• The Penguins are expected to start goaltender Tristan Jarry. In 16 games this season, Jarry has a 10-3-3 record, a 2.86 goals against average, a .915 save percentage and one shutout.
Jarry was in net for a 6-3 road win against the Blue Jackets at Nationwide Arena on Oct. 22. In that contest, he made 29 saves on 32 shots.
• Along with Poehling, defenseman Kris Letang skated before the morning skate with assistant coach Ty Hennes. Letang has missed the past three games as a result of a stroke he suffered Nov. 28. Sullivan labeled Letang as “status quo” in his recovery.
• Penguins forward Rickard Rakell has 199 career assists.
• Penguins forward Jeff Carter has 399 career assists.
• The Blue Jackets are expected to start goaltender Elvis Merzlikins. In nine games this season, Merzlikins has a 2-5-0 record, a 4.74 goals against average and an .864 save percentage.
A hip injury has kept Merzlikins sidelined for the past eight games.
On Oct. 22, Merzlikins made 33 saves on 39 shots.
-Blue Jackets defenseman Tim Berni and forward Kirill Marchenko are expected to make their NHL debuts.
Seth Rorabaugh is a TribLive reporter covering the Pittsburgh Penguins. A North Huntingdon native, he joined the Trib in 2019 and has covered the Penguins since 2007. He can be reached at srorabaugh@triblive.com.
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