Can rookie Owen Pickering lead the Pens' mismatched defensive corps until Karlsson and Letang return?
Injuries continue to pile up, Pens lose Letang
PITTSBURGH, PA -- - The Pittsburgh Penguins have announced that veteran defenseman Kris Letang will miss the next few games with a undisclosed back injury, as well as depth defenseman Conor Timmins being down for an undisclosed amount of time. Timmins blocked a shot during the Penguins' 3-0 victory against the Calgary Flames the other night.
Head coach Mike Sullivan announced that they will be recalling rookie defenseman Owen Pickering from the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins of the American Hockey League. He'll be seeing his second stint with the Penguins after being called up earlier in the season and showing impressive form. Pickering has one assist and is sporting a +1 plus/minus rating in eight games in the AHL while he has four goals and four assists in 11 games played in the NHL.
To full Timmins' remaining spot., the team has also called up depth defenseman Ryan Shea. Shea originally made the Penguins out of training camp but never got thrust into a spot in the lineup before a shakeup landed him being sent to the AHL to get some playing time. He has three assists in 12 games so far this season.
The team will hope to stay afloat without the likes of Sidney Crosby, Erik Karlsson, and Kris Letang. The leadership cratering without Crosby and Letang will have forward Bryan Rust and Rickard Rakell will be sporting A's on their jerseys as alternate captains, joining Evgeni Malkin.
The new-look team will take their seven-game winning streak and try to extend it against the defending Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers.
vs. 
4
1:52 - Rickard Rakell (6) Assisted by: Matt Grzelcyk & Jack St. Ivany
4:24 - Alexander Barkov (8) Assisted by: Matthew Tkachuk
vs. 
2
14:55 - Chris Kreider (10) Assisted by: Sam Carrick & John Brodzinski
vs. 
vs. 
vs. 
