The wheels are starting to get in motion for the Penguin players who are over in Italy. Here’s our check-in.
Erik Karlsson and Rickard Rakell each recorded an assist in Sweden’s 5-2 win over the host nation Italy yesterday. The game was closer than many thought, with Italy scoring first and later making it a 2-2 game until the Swedes finally pulled away near the end of the second period. The David vs. Goliath type battle was one where the Italians were hanging on, despite being badly outmatched to the tune of the 60-22 shot differential reflecting the team quality differential of Sweden (all NHL players, many of All-Star caliber) and Italy (zero NHL players). The Swedes have a big game coming up tomorrow against their biggest rival Finland.
Karlsson was named an alternate captain for the Swedes, he’s been skating on a third pair with Philip Broberg and playing on their top power play. Rakell is playing as a mid-line winger with Elias Pettersson and Mika Zibanejad.
Karlsson getting a point continues his tradition of production at Olympic events.
The other two Pens Olympians get going today with their first action. Sidney Crosby is back to captain Team Canada again and spent this week centering Mark Stone and Mitch Marner while working on the top power play. Canada takes on the Czechs at 10:40am eastern. It’s been fun and games so far for the Canadian star players to take in some of the Olympic atmosphere, they’ll now flip the switch and look to get down to business.
A couple of nice Crosby retrospectives have come out from the Canadian media in the past day or so. Nothing too revolutionary, just more examples of a classy human going about his business and going out of his way to do good things where he can. Certainly worth your time with the perspectives of some of Crosby’s peers.
Latvia takes on the USA in the other game today at 3:00pm eastern, though it appears that Pittsburgh goalie Arturs Silovs will not be starting in net for the Latvians today. Goalie Elvis Merzlikins has prepared like the started for this game, the Latvians play on Saturday and Sunday coming up where Silovs is expected to get playing time eventually as the tournament rolls on. Team USA will feature former Penguin Jake Guentzel on a featured line with Auston Matthews, while western PA natives Vincent Trocheck and J.T. Miller have rotated in practices on a fourth line. The team is led by former Pens coach Mike Sullivan and a former assistant GM, Bill Guerin.