Penguins Host Blue Jackets Amid Team Struggles on March 21

PITTSBURGH, Pennsylvania — The Pittsburgh Penguins will face off against the Columbus Blue Jackets tonight at 7 p.m. ET at PPG Paints Arena, looking to improve their standing as the playoff race tightens. Both teams come into the game with their own challenges, with the Blue Jackets struggling with five consecutive losses.

The Blue Jackets’ projected lineup features Kent Johnson, Adam Fantilli, and Kirill Marchenko leading the attack, while the Penguins will rely on the trio of Rickard Rakell, Sidney Crosby, and Bryan Rust to generate offense.

Columbus, with a record of 31-28-9 and 71 points, currently sits sixth in the Metropolitan Division. They will look to break a scoring slump, having scored only one goal in their last four games. Injuries are also a concern, with Cole Sillinger and Sean Monahan among those sidelined.

The Penguins, standing at 28-32-10 and 66 points, are eager to capitalize on the Blue Jackets’ misfortunes. “We need to build on our success from the last few games,” said Penguins coach Mike Sullivan. “The Blue Jackets are a tough opponent, but we’re confident in our ability at home.”

Notably, Penguins goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic will make his first start after serving as backup to Tristan Jarry for the last five games. Meanwhile, the defensive line will see Kris Letang shifting to the left side.

The Blue Jackets are dealing with their own roster adjustments, as they have recalled goalie Jet Greaves from the AHL to back up Daniil Tarasov with Elvis Merzlikins away from the team. “We’ve got to find our scoring touch again,” explained Blue Jackets coach Pascal Vincent. “We can’t succeed if we keep making the same errors.”

As the game approaches, both teams are keen to shift the momentum of their seasons. The last meeting ended in a 4-0 win for Columbus, and they hope to repeat that performance, even as they face the pressure of securing a win away from home.

The contest will be broadcast on NHL Network, SN, and several regional sports networks. A close match is anticipated given the current form of both teams, and fans are eager to see if the Blue Jackets can snatch a much-needed win against a determined Penguins squad.