The Pittsburgh Penguins returned to the ice on Monday following their 5-4 defeat against the Montreal Canadiens on Saturday, holding a practice session while missing two key participants from that previous matchup.
Injury Updates and Roster Moves
The team’s public relations department announced on X prior to the session that Evgeni Malkin and Kaedan Korczak would sit out due to injuries, with both listed as day-to-day after completing Saturday’s game. To address the depleted roster, the Penguins recalled forward Justin Brazeau from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton following the completion of his conditioning stint.
Head coach Dan Muse spoke to reporters following practice and confirmed that Brazeau will be ready to play in Tuesday’s matchup against the Vegas Golden Knights. Muse also stated that he does not hold major concerns regarding Malkin’s current injury status.
Practice Lines and Defensive Outlook
The fresh injuries forced the coaching staff to mix up the forward combinations during the session. The line combinations featured Novak centering Crosby and Rakell, while Kuzmenko skated alongside Kindel and Chinakhov. The third unit consisted of Koivunen, Lapierre, and Brazeau, with Dewar, Lizotte, and Robertson making up the fourth line.
On the defensive side, pairings were forced into rotation due to Korczak’s absence. Speculation points to a potential call-up for Jake Livanavage from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton if Korczak ends up placed on the injured reserve list. Livanavage has enjoyed a strong start to the campaign, accumulating two goals and eight total points across his first nine appearances.
The Pittsburgh Penguins play next on Tuesday night when they host the Vegas Golden Knights, with the puck scheduled to drop at 7 p.m. ET.
