NBCSN’s coverage of the 2018-19 NHL season continues with the Wednesday Night Hockey matchup between the Tampa Bay Lightning and Pittsburgh Penguins. Coverage begins at 7 p.m. ET on NBCSN. You can watch the game online and on the NBC Sports app by clicking here.
Tampa Bay, which last played on Jan. 19, comes out of the All- Star break with the best record in the NHL at 37-10-2. With 76 points, the Lightning occupy first place in the NHL, and are five points ahead of the Calgary Flames for most in the league entering Wednesday night’s action.
Tampa Bay has been in first place in the NHL since Nov. 29 – just more than two months – and are looking to capture the Presidents’ Trophy for the first time in franchise history. They are currently on pace to win 62 games this season, which would tie NHL record (set by the 1995-96 Detroit Red Wings – 62 wins).
The last team to win the Presidents’ Trophy and win the Stanley Cup was the Blackhawks in 2013, and before that was the Red Wings in 2008. [WNH: Sidney Crosby’s Selke Trophy push]
On Monday, the Penguins lost at home to the New Jersey Devils, 6-3, its fourth loss in the last five games (all in regulation – 1-4-0 record since Jan. 12). Pittsburgh has allowed five-plus goals in all four of those losses. This recent stretch of struggles follows Pittsburgh’s hottest streak of the season, when they won 10 of 11 games from Dec. 19 – Jan. 11.
One thing the Penguins need to improve is on the power play. They are just 2-for-13 (15.4%) on the power play in their last four games, and have allowed three shorthanded goals in the last six games. In fact, Pittsburgh leads the NHL with 11 shorthanded goals allowed this season. Last year they were tied with Tampa Bay and San Jose for the fewest shorthanded goals allowed (3). [WATCH LIVE – COVERAGE BEGINS AT 7 P.M. ET – NBCSN]
What: Tampa Bay Lightning at Pittsburgh Penguins Where: PPG Paints Arena When: Wednesday, Jan. 30, 7 p.m. ET TV: NBCSN Live stream: You can watch the Lightning-Penguins stream on NBC Sports’ live stream page and the NBC Sports app.
PROJECTED LINEUPS
LIGHTNING Ondrej Palat - Steven Stamkos - Yanni Gourde Tyler Johnson - Brayden Point - Nikita Kucherov Alex Killorn - Anthony Cirelli - J.T. Miller Adam Erne - Cedric Paquette - Mathieu Joseph
Victor Hedman - Dan Girardi Ryan McDonagh - Erik Cernak Mikhail Sergachev - Anton Stralman
Starting goalie: Andrei Vasilevskiy
PENGUINS Jake Guentzel - Sidney Crosby - Dominik Simon Bryan Rust - Evgeni Malkin - Phil Kessel Tanner Pearson - Matt Cullen - Patric Hornqvist Riley Sheahan - Teddy Blueger - Garrett Wilson
Brian Dumoulin - Kris Letang Olli Maatta - Juuso Riikola Marcus Pettersson - Jack Johnson
Starting goalie: Matt Murray
MORE: Kendall Coyne Schofield to serve as NBC Sports analyst on Wednesday Night Hockey
Coyne will join the broadcast team of John Forslund (play-by-play), U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame member Eddie Olczyk (analyst) and Emmy Award-winner Pierre McGuire (‘Inside-the-Glass’ analyst) for the call from PPG Paints Arena in Pittsburgh, Pa., on Wednesday night.