Daily Faceoff is a news site with no direct affiliation to the NHL, or NHLPA

Pittsburgh Penguins News

Shea (upper-body) will play against the Avalanche on Tuesday.

Shea exited Saturday's 5-4 win over the Winnipeg Jets after only 8:45 time-on-ice due to an upper-body injury, but will be available on Tuesday, sporting a full cage against the Colorado Avalanche. The 29-year-old defenseman is averaging 18:57 time-on-ice and has 28 points (4G / 25A) in 69 games this season.

Ryan Shea
Silovs will start vs. Colorado on Tuesday.

Silovs struggled in his most recent outing, allowing four goals on 25 shots (.840 SV%), but still salvaged a 5-4 shootout win over the Winnipeg Jets. The 25-year-old Latvian goalie has struggled lately, allowing four or more goals in four of his last five games (3-2-0), posting an ugly 3.88 GAA and .843 SV%. That said, he was solid against the Colorado Avalanche last week, saving 25 of 27 shots (.926 SV%) in a 7-2 victory, and will return to the crease against them on Tuesday. The Penguins enter the action as +139 home underdogs.

Arturs Silovs
Shea (upper-body) will be a game-time decision vs. Colorado on Tuesday.

Shea exited Saturday's 5-4 win over the Winnipeg Jets after only 8:45 time-on-ice due to an upper-body injury, but will be a game-time decision to return to the lineup on Tuesday, sporting a full cage against the Colorado Avalanche. The 29-year-old defenseman is averaging 18:57 time-on-ice and has 28 points (4G / 25A) in 69 games this season.

Ryan Shea
Malkin (upper-body) is out vs. Colorado on Tuesday and considered day-to-day.

Malkin is having a resurgent season for Pittsburgh, producing at a point-per-game rate for the first time in half a decade, but he has missed some time this season due to a variety of injuries and a lengthy suspension. The 39-year-old forward has 52 points (15G / 37A) in 50 games this season. His next chance to return will be on Thursday against the Ottawa Senators.

Evgeni Malkin
Girard (upper-body) is expected to return to the Penguins lineup on Saturday.

Girard has missed the last five games with an upper-body injury, but was back on the ice for Friday's practice and head coach Dan Muse said he's available to play Saturday vs. the Jets. Since joining the Penguins, Girard has no points, five SOG, three hits and eight blocked shots in seven games.

Samuel Girard
Silovs will start Saturday vs. the Jets.

Silovs stopped 25 of 27 shots in the Penguins' win in Colorado on Monday. He snapped a three-game streak of allowing four-plus goals, securing his 15th victory of the season. It's been an inconsistent season for Silovs, but he's been solid since the start of January, going 9-4-2 with a 2.55 GAA and .90 SV%. He should be a trustworthy option on Saturday against the Jets, where Pittsburgh find themselves as -152 home favourites.

Arturs Silovs
Girard (upper body) returned to practice on Friday.

Girard has missed that last five games due to an upper-body injury, but a return appears imminent after being a full participant at practice on Friday. The 27-year-old Girard is averaging 18:25 time-on-ice and is still searching for his first point through seven games with the Penguins. His next chance to play will be on Saturday afternoon against the Winnipeg Jets.

Samuel Girard
Skinner will start in Carolina on Wednesday.

The Penguins have alternated goalies pretty evenly in recent weeks and will continue that trend on Wednesday, turning to Skinner against the Carolina Hurricanes. The 27-year-old Skinner snapped a five-game losing streak (0-1-4) in his most recent outing, saving 26 of 29 shots (.897 SV%) in a 4-3 win over the Utah Mammoth. The Penguins, welcoming their leader, Sidney Crosby (lower body), back into the lineup after a multi-week absence, enter Wednesday's contest as +127 road underdogs against a Hurricanes team that defeated them 5-4 in a shootout less than two weeks ago.

Stuart Skinner
Crosby (lower-body) will return in Carolina on Wednesday.

Crosby suffered a lower-body injury while representing Team Canada at the Olympics and has been sidelined since the NHL resumed action in late February. In 11 games without Crosby, which also included a five-game stretch without Evgeni Malkin (suspension), the Penguins performed admirably well, staying afloat with a solid 5-3-3 record. The 38-year-old Crosby leads Pittsburgh with 59 points (27G / 32A) through 56 games and is pacing for the 21st point-per-game season of his 21-year career.

Sidney Crosby