Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Kris Letang is sidelined due to illness, missing his second consecutive game. Letang has contributed two goals and four assists in 18 games this season.

In his absence, Owen Pickering made his NHL debut, while Vasily Ponomarev also played his first game for the Penguins after a trade from the Carolina Hurricanes. The team is struggling, currently holding a record of 6-10-3 and facing a three-game losing streak.