The Pittsburgh Penguins will compete against the St. Louis Blues on March 4, 2024, without their leading goal scorer, Rickard Rakell, who is sidelined for up to eight weeks following surgery on his left hand. Rakell sustained the injury when struck by a puck during a recent match against the Columbus Blue Jackets, which ended in a 5-4 shootout loss for the Penguins.
Head coach Dan Muse expressed confidence in Rakell’s recovery, stating, “You hate to see it, but I think with Raks, he’s going to be in good hands here. We’ve got a great staff that’s going to be working hard to help him get back as soon as he can.” In Rakell’s absence, the Penguins have called up Ville Koivunen from the minor leagues. During Sunday’s practice, Filip Hallander took over Rakell’s position on the top line alongside Sidney Crosby and Bryan Rust, while Koivunen skated on the third line.
Koivunen, who began the season on the Penguins’ roster but faced challenges, has returned after a successful stint in the American Hockey League, where he recorded four goals and 11 points in just six games. “Of course, it gives (confidence) when you score a couple of goals, score a couple of points and of course, when you win a couple of games,” Koivunen remarked, highlighting his readiness to contribute.
The Penguins seek to regain momentum after their recent loss, which ended a four-game winning streak. They had previously held leads in the game against Columbus but failed to maintain control. Crosby acknowledged the team’s need for improvement, stating, “The last couple of games we’ve been outshot, on our heels a little bit. So, we’ve got to find a way to dictate.”
On the other side, the Blues are also looking to turn their fortunes around after suffering three consecutive defeats. Their most recent loss came against the Detroit Red Wings, where they fell 6-4 after leading 4-0 early in the second period. Captain Brayden Schenn reflected on the team’s performance, saying, “We just didn’t manage the game the way we could have. We gave them life and they got some bounces. At the end of the day, that’s all on us.”
The Blues nearly entered the second intermission with a 4-1 lead but allowed two quick goals to Detroit, which shifted the momentum. Coach Jim Montgomery emphasized the importance of sustained performance, noting, “We have to be able to check for 60 minutes. We didn’t check for 60 minutes. We did a great job for about 38, and the last 22 weren’t good enough.”
Defensively, St. Louis has struggled recently, conceding a combined total of 13 goals over their last two matches and 24 goals in the past five games. Adding to their challenges, the Blues are facing a potential injury concern with Robert Thomas, who left early in the third period against Detroit due to an upper-body injury. There has been no update on his condition.
In a brighter note for the Blues, Jordan Kyrou found the net against Detroit, extending his point streak to six games, during which he has scored two goals and provided four assists. As both teams prepare for this critical matchup, the stakes are high, with each seeking to halt their respective losing trends and regain confidence as the season progresses.
