The Pittsburgh Penguins are coming off what might be their most impressive result of the season.
Two nights after beating the team with the best record in the NHL, the Penguins will try to conquer a team tied for the most points in the Eastern Conference.
Pittsburgh opposes the Carolina Hurricanes on Wednesday night in Raleigh, N.C. — the same spot where the Penguins began a five-game road trip last week.
The Hurricanes are in a contrasting situation given they matched their most lopsided losses of the season when they fell 5-1 on to the host Columbus Blue Jackets on Tuesday.
“This was not a game we played well,” Carolina coach Rod Brind’Amour said. “Throw it away and come back (Wednesday).”
Pittsburgh downed the Colorado Avalanche 7-2 on Monday in Denver, matching its highest goal total and largest victory margin of the season.
“I think the guys should take some confidence from it,” Penguins coach Dan Muse said. “Not just in one area, but a lot of different areas.”
The Monday outing marked Evgeni Malkin’s first contest back in the Pittsburgh lineup after a five-game suspension. He scored two goals and added an assist.
“I look forward to the future,” Malkin said. “I just want to play.”
Muse said Malkin’s return gave the Penguins a boost, something they hope to benefit from as the schedule continues.
“It wasn’t a surprise,” Muse said of Malkin’s impact. “He is just somebody who loves the game and is a competitor.”
Malkin didn’t play in last week’s game vs. Carolina, which won 5-4 in a shootout after the Penguins scored twice in the final 2 1/2 minutes of regulation to extend the game.
Penguins captain Sidney Crosby hasn’t played on the road trip as he recovers from a knee injury sustained during the Olympics. He remains the team leader in points (59) and goals (27), though Anthony Mantha with 26 goals is closing the gap.
The Hurricanes are atop the Metropolitan Division, with the Penguins holding second place, seven points back. Pittsburgh is 2-1-1 on the trip.
Carolina’s loss in Columbus leaves the Hurricanes 1-2-0 since the victory over Pittsburgh. It has been 2 1/2 months since the Hurricanes went consecutive games without earning a point, so they will look to keep that trend intact on Wednesday.
The Hurricanes are bound to turn to Frederik Andersen in goal as it’s his turn in the goalie rotation.
There also likely will be at least some lineup adjustment for Carolina after Nicolas Deslauriers made his team debut on Tuesday. His inclusion made Eric Robinson a healthy scratch.
“Somebody has got to come out that we don’t really want to take out,” Brind’Amour said of the lineup. “It’s best for the group to get everybody up to speed as best we can.”
Andrei Svechnikov has a goal in back-to-back games and in three of the past five games for the Hurricanes.
Center Blake Lizotte has been in and out of the Pittsburgh lineup with injuries, missing the Monday game. He will miss at least the next month due to an upper-body ailment, the team announced on Tuesday.
It’s a brief stopover at home for the Hurricanes, who will be back on the road for their next three games.
