If you’re from Pittsburgh, you know the professional sports teams are the culture. They all wear the city flag’s colors (black and gold; sorry, Wiz), and it’s expected that players support each other.
The Penguins’ Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang led the Terrible Towel wave at a Steelers home game earlier this season. The Steelers’ Najee Harris and Pat Freiermuth returned the favor by taking in a Penguins game (Harris’ reactions were hilarious).
Sidney Crosby is a living legend, but even he knows Pittsburghers are gaga for Pirates pitcher Paul Skenes, who was named National League Rookie of the Year last night.
As Skenes delighted with 100 mph heaters and his patented splinker last summer, Crosby followed from afar and let Penguins employees know he would like to meet the Pirates’ young ace. Generational game recognize generational game, or something like that.
The meeting has yet to happen, mostly because of Skenes’ schedule. It will, though. And when it does, Crosby wants the heat.
“I’d love to stand in there,” Crosby said, referring to the batter’s box.
He’s no stranger to taking aim at PNC Park’s Clemente Wall.
Crosby was a much younger man in that video. He also wasn’t facing a speedball-hurling phenom like Skenes.
Then again, you know what they say about betting against Crosby: Don’t.
“I’d love to see what that’s like,” Crosby said of facing Skenes in a friendly showdown.
Don’t miss
• Is this rock bottom for the Penguins? Shayna Goldman argues it is.
• If this is rock bottom, it’s worth learning about the Penguins’ possible next steps. Here’s what Josh Yohe is hearing.
• The PWHL’s upcoming “Takeover Tour” will bring neutral-site games to Buffalo, Detroit, Raleigh, St. Louis, Denver, Seattle, Vancouver and Quebec City.
Curiously, the tour does not include Pittsburgh, though one more city is yet to be announced.
Penguins president of business operations Kevin Acklin has been adamant that the team wants a PWHL franchise here. The city is one of the top candidates for expansion.
It’s not fair to speculate about why Pittsburgh isn’t part of this announcement after it hosted a neutral-site game last season. It seems notable, though.
Touch passes
• Kris Letang has missed the last two games because of illness, but he skated before practice yesterday. The Penguins will have an optional skate in Cranberry this morning. If there’s news on Letang, we’ll update this story.
• Kevin Hayes (upper body) and Cody Glass (concussion) also skated before practice yesterday. Neither is expected to be available for the game tonight.
• Assistant coach Mike Vellucci was not at practice yesterday after undergoing what coach Mike Sullivan said was a “minor medical procedure.” Vellucci will be away from the team for “about a week,” Sullivan said.
Vellucci runs the Penguins’ penalty kill. That job and Vellucci’s other responsibilities will be divided among Sullivan and other assistants. Vellucci will handle some remote work from home while recovering, Sullivan said.
How to watch, listen, follow
The Penguins (7-10-3, 17 points) face the Tampa Bay Lightning (9-6-1, 19 points) at PPG Paints Arena. The opening faceoff is set for just after 7 p.m. ET.
- Regional TV/streaming: SportsNet Pittsburgh/SNP 360
- Local/regional radio: WXDX-FM, Penguins Radio Network
- U.S. streaming (out of Pittsburgh market): ESPN+
The Penguins’ BetMGM odds (as of 9:30 a.m. ET today):
- Spread: Lightning -1.5 (+165); Penguins +1.5 (-200)
- Over/under: 6.5 (-110)
- Moneyline: Lightning -145; Penguins +120
You can follow along with us during the game on Bluesky (@robrossi.bsky.social) or X (@JoshYohe_PGH).
(Photo of Sidney Crosby in 2017: Justin Berl / Getty Images)
