Just as Penguins defenseman Kris Letang finished serving his two-game suspension, and was eligible to return to the lineup tonight against the New York Islanders, another Penguin fell. Defenseman Zbynek Michalek will reportedly be out 4-6 weeks with a broken finger. The injury occurred against the Penguins win on Saturday night against the New Jersey Devils.
Michalek plays big minutes for the Penguins, and is part of one of the top shutdown units on the team, and arguably in the NHL. Michalek is third on his hockey club in average time on ice, and has registered one goal and two assists in ten games with a -5 rating. Michalek also leads his team in average penalty kill minutes, something the Penguins cannot afford to lose. The 28 year-old is in the second year of the five-year deal he signed in July, 2010.
“You hate to see anything like that, but at the same time it’s part of the game and we have some other good defensemen who will step in and do a good job,” said Michalek’s defensive partner Paul Martin. “We’ve been dealing with a lot of injuries on and off, so whoever is in there has to do the job. I’m sure that will happen now.”
With Michalek out and Letnang back, the Penguins defensive pairings are looking a little different. Brooks Orpik and Deryk Engelland round out the top unit, followed by Paul Martin and Kris Letang, and Matt Niskanen and Ben Lovejoy.
“Ben Lovejoy is a guy who was and is very good on the penalty kill,” Bylsma said. “He was that guy down in Wilkes-Barre for a number of years. We have players who are very comfortable playing in the penalty kill position, showing they are very good at it."
“’Z’ is exceptional at it and excels at it, but Brooks is back in there and we are going to count on some other guys to step up and do that. Guys like Kris Letang who has grown into being a penalty killer over the last couple of years is going to be relied on a little more heavily than when Z was there.”
The Penguins, who are still without captain and face of the NHL Sidney Crosby, are also down many other big name contributors. Evgeni Malkin has missed seven games with injury, Brooks Orpik eight, Dustin Jeffrey eight, and Tyler Kenney four.
The injury bug bitten Penguins are somehow battling through. In fact, they’re doing so well that they are currently tied in points for top spot in the NHL with 14, having gone 6-2-2 in the early season. The club is also second in the NHL in the goal scoring differential with a +8 even without their two best goal scorers.
The Penguins have had resilience, and ever since Dan Bylsma came into the fray the team has been consistently sound regardless of what is going on around them.
The Penguins begin the first of a back-to-back series against the New York Islanders before facing the Toronto Maple Leafs before the end of the month.
- Kendall Grubbs
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