The Pittsburgh Penguins are hurting. Not on the scoresheet, but in the infirmary.
Pittsburgh defeated the Ottawa Senators 3-2 on Friday to even their conference final series at two games apiece. But it was a costly victory for the Penguins, who lost defenseman Chad Ruhwedel to a concussion following a hit by Senators winger Bobby Ryan.
it isn't known if Ruhwedel will be ready for Game 5. For now, he joins fellow blue-liners Kris Letang and Justin Schultz on the sidelines.
The oft-injured Letang, who has been out since late February after undergoing neck surgery, won't see the ice this postseason.
Schultz, meanwhile, has missed the last two games due to an upper-body injury. The 26-year-old has been one of the Penguins' most valuable defenders this postseason, leading all defensemen with eight points in 14 games. Like Ruhwedel, it's unknown if he'll suit up for Game 5.
Ruhwedel's injury is the latest ailment to take its toll on a blue line already short on experience:
| Defenseman | Age | Career GP | Points | Playoff GP (Prior to 2017) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trevor Daley | 33 | 894 | 278 | 50 |
| Olli Maatta | 22 | 220 | 64 | 31 |
| Ian Cole | 28 | 338 | 77 | 31 |
| Mark Streit | 39 | 784 | 434 | 31 |
| Brian Dumoulin | 25 | 163 | 33 | 29 |
| Derrick Pouliot | 23 | 67 | 14 | 2 |
| Ron Hainsey | 36 | 907 | 253 | 0 |
Two names stand out among the pack: youngster Derrick Pouliot and veteran Mark Streit, both scratched in Friday's win over the Senators. They've combined for one game this spring.
A former first-round pick by the Penguins, Pouliot has rarely drawn into the lineup under coach Mike Sullivan.
After missing nearly three months to start the season following a lower-body injury, the Saskatchewan native was limited to 11 contests this season. He hasn't played since the final game of the regular season.
The high-flying defenseman has yet to display his scoring touch at the NHL level, but has shown it off with the Penguins' AHL affiliate in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, where he has recorded 70 points through 114 contests.
With the Penguins' back end facing depth challenges, there's no better time for Pouliot to debut that offensive edge than now.
The same can be said for Streit, who was acquired from the Tampa Bay Lightning at the trade deadline. The hope was Streit would bring a veteran voice, but he's skated in a single playoff game with the Penguins, picking up an assist in Game 3 against the Senators.
But it surely won't be the last appearance for Streit this spring, given the injury bug that has hampered the Penguins' blue line. The 39-year-old offers a wealth of knowledge, and now is the time for Sullivan and the Penguins to tap into it.
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