Two-time Cup winner Matt Murray returns to Pittsburgh for the first time as an opposing goalie.
The Pens' former "goalie of the future" and two-time Stanley Cup Winner Matt Murray comes to town tonight with the Toronto Maple Leafs. It's the first time Murray will start a game in the city of Pittsburgh since his stunning downturn in play, numerous injuries, and subsequent trade from the team two years ago. The man who led the Pens to back-to-back championships in 2016 and 2017 is finally getting a chance to show the team what they missed by giving him up. Murray's also returning from injury after several years marked by various stretches of ill health. It's a pivotal night in his career. One that his old friends on the Penguins hope to spoil, unfortunately.
Speaking of goalies the Pens might have some woes there. They announced after the loss last game that starter Tristan Jarry is playing through some kind of injury. Casey DeSmith will be in the net tonight. Losing Jarry for any amount of time will put this already struggling team into more turmoil. DeSmith must play the best hockey of his career right now.
All eyes will be squarely on both netminders in tonight's contest. The full game details for Tuesday are below.
Game Info:
Pens Game #16: Pittsburgh Penguins vs. Toronto Maple Leafs
Date: November 15, 2022
Time: 7 PM (ET)
Place: Pittsburgh, PA
Venue: PPG Paints Arena
Broadcasts: Local- ATTSN
Social Media Hashtags #: #LetsGoPens #LeafsForever
Team Matchup:
Records- PIT: 6-6-3, TOR: 8-5-3
Last 10- PIT: 2-6-2, TOR: 4-3-3
Standings- PIT: 23rd, TOR: 10th
Points- PIT: 15, TOR: 19
Streaks- PIT: 1 Loss, TOR: 1 Win
Season Series- 1-0 PIT
Series Goals For- PIT: 4, TOR: 2
Team Analytics Comparison:
Goalie Matchup:
Projected starting goalies-
-Casey DeSmith- #1
[Pittsburgh Penguins]
Bio Info: 6' 0", 181 lbs. DOB: 8/13/1991 (31). From: Rochester, NH.
Drafted: Undrafted; Experience: 5th Season.
Record: 2-3-1, 2.67 GAA, .916 SV%
Career vs. TOR: 1-1-0, 1.51 GAA, .940 SV%
🆚
-Matt Murray- #30
[Toronto Maple Leafs]
Bio Info: 6' 4", 178 lbs. DOB: 5/25/1994 (28). From: Thunder Bay, ON.
Drafted: 2012- Rd 3, Pk 83 (PIT). Experience: 8th Season.
Record: 0-1-0, 4.05 GAA, .826 SV%
Career vs. PIT: 0-1-0, 1.02 GAA, .977 SV%
Penguins Update:
Pittsburgh has been very strong against Toronto on home ice in the past few years. The Pens are on a three-game home win streak against the Leafs and have points in nine of their last 12 against them at PPG Paints Arena.
The fourth line for this game could have several different looks based on the availability of Teddy Blueger and Filip Hallander who are working through injury and illness respectively.
-Injury Report-
-Teddy Blueger (F): upper body, game-time decisions.
-Filip Hallander (F): illness, game-time decision.
-Pens Lines-
The projected Penguins lines for Tuesday, November 15, 2022, vs. the Toronto Maple Leafs:
(Forwards)
Jake Guentzel - Sidney Crosby - Bryan Rust
Jason Zucker - Evgeni Malkin - Rickard Rakell
Brock McGinn - Jeff Carter - Danton Heinen
*Fourth line depending on player availability:
I: Kasperi Kapanen - Ryan Poehling - Josh Archibald [Without Hallander/Blueger.]
II: Ryan Poehling - Teddy Blueger - Josh Archibald [With Blueger only.]
III: Filip Hallander - Ryan Poehling - Josh Archibald [With Hallander only.]
(Defense)
Brian Dumoulin - Kris Letang
Marcus Pettersson - Jeff Petry
Pierre-Olivier Joseph/Chad Ruhwedel - Jan Rutta
Maple Leafs Update:
The Leafs currently sit first in the Atlantic Division. They're coming off a victory against the Canucks on Saturday but fell to the Penguins in the game before that.
Toronto announced some major roster changes recently. Mitch Marner and Auston Matthews will be split up as linemates tonight in the hopes of finding more production. The team also sustained two major injury blows. The Leafs placed Jake Muzzin and T.J. Brodie on injured reserve with longer-term injuries on Monday.
-Injury Report-
-T.J. Brodie (D): IR, oblique, week-to-week.
-Ilya Samsonov (G): IR, knee, day-to-day.
-Jake Muzzin (D): LTIR, spine, out indefinitely.
-Kyle Clifford (D): IR, shoulder, day-to-day.
-Carl Dahlstrom (D): IR, shoulder, out until April.
For The Penguins: Jason Zucker. Zuck is total bucks right now. The guy is money. The start of his season has been his career best and everything the Penguins hoped for when they traded for him. With Zucker on the ice at 5 vs. 5 this year, the Penguins are producing 4.1 expected goals per HOUR per Evolving-Hockey.com. He has five points in the last three games alone. Everything Jason Zucker touches on ice turns to gold right now.
For The Maple Leafs: Zach Aston-Reese. "ZAR" avenged his trade from the Pens in his first game against them with the Leafs last Friday, scoring the opening goal for Toronto in a pointed fashion. He had a goal on just three shots and in 17 shifts in that game. He’s been strong on the Leafs' third line and is playing back in Pittsburgh for the first time since being traded to Anaheim last spring. You'll want to be on the lookout for a follow-up statement game from him.
