TORONTO — Coach Mike Sullivan is still searching for combinations worth sticking with in his middle six, leading to another lineup shuffle Thursday at Scotiabank Arena. But the Penguins’ fourth line, perhaps settling into an identity, was intact.
During Thursday’s game against the Toronto Maple Leafs, the trio of Zach Aston-Reese, Brian Boyle and Dominik Simon was looking to string together a third solid game in a row. They made a difference in Sunday’s win in New Jersey, with Boyle netting the winning goal. They were effective again against Philadelphia.
The three of them vary in size, particularly Boyle and Simon. Their skill sets aren’t all that similar either. But Simon’s short-area playmaking, Boyle’s burly frame and Aston-Reese’s pesky play along the boards has led to some success.
And that is no small thing for a Penguins team that’s lacked secondary scoring lately and is not expected to get Teddy Blueger back in the mix until March.
“Offensively, they’re all a little bit different in what they bring,” Sullivan noted. “But sometimes the complementary skill sets, because they’re different, can make a line effective offensively. ... When they can generate offense for us, it helps us create the balance that we’re looking for on both sides of the puck.”
Last week, while the Penguins were in Boston, Sullivan said he wanted that line to spend more time in the offensive end, grinding down opponents with the forecheck and the cycle game. That message was received loud and clear. Not only did they score in back-to-back games, the ice was also tilted in their favor.
Defensively, that trio entering Thursday had given up just two goals in nearly 44 minutes of 5-on-5 ice time together, per Natural Stat Trick, while earning 57.6% of the scoring chances. And that is with them being used similarity to how Blueger was prior to his fractured jaw, with a lot of defensive zone starts.
“They’re different in some ways,” Sullivan said. “But the one common denominator between the three of them is that I think all three of them are conscientious defensively. They have good awareness away from the puck. They’re strong on puck battles. They’re good on the walls. They’re willing to block shots.”
This line will get disassembled if and when the Penguins ever get fully healthy. But in the short term, a boost from Boyle and his wingers would be helpful, especially with the second and third lines scuffling amidst all the lineup shuffling.
To open Thursday’s game, Evgeni Malkin had Jeff Carter and Danton Heinen on his wings. The third line was Brock McGinn, Evan Rodrigues and Kasperi Kapenen.
Zucker still off the ice
Sullivan said Thursday that Jason Zucker, who underwent core muscle surgery late last month, is back in Pittsburgh but has not yet been cleared to skate.
“He’s continuing his rehab off the ice and making progress there,” he said.
Zucker last played for the Penguins on Jan. 17, scoring twice back in his hometown of Las Vegas. He has just six goals and 13 points in 31 games this season.
Meanwhile, there is no updated timetable for Blueger, who is recovering from a fractured jaw. He has skated on an individual basis over the last 10 days.
Could another net 500?
Carter, who has hit a few major milestones himself, said Tuesday’s win was “a special night” at PPG Paints Arena, with Sidney Crosby scoring his 500th goal.
Might Carter get there eventually, too? He got his 400th goal in the first week of the season and he was up to 412 entering Thursday’s game in Toronto.
“I can only wish that I could ever get there, but I think we’re running out of time,” said Carter, 37, who is under contract with Pittsburgh through 2023-24.
Tough tests on horizon
The Penguins faced a bunch of non-playoff teams in recent weeks, but the schedule will soon become more difficult, with several measuring-stick games.
After Thursday’s game in Toronto, they will on Sunday play the formidable Carolina Hurricanes for the first time this season. Beyond that, games against the New York Rangers, Florida, Vegas, St. Louis and Tampa Bay loom on the horizon.
“I know we have a couple big games coming up. ... But you take it one day at a time, one game at a time and focus on the task at hand,” Evan Rodrigues said.
Matt Vensel: mvensel@post-gazette.com and Twitter @mattvensel.
First Published: February 17, 2022, 6:36 p.m.
