D-Line Pairings to Start Tomorrow Night's Game

Dan Bylsma addressed the media after this morning's practice (the first without Sergei Gonchar) and here's what the D-line combinations will be to start tomorrow night's game against the Florida Panthers as well as some of what he had to say regarding the changes:

Brooks Oprik - Alex Goligoski

Jay McKee - Martin Skoula

Kris Letang - Mark Eaton (line unchanged)

“That would be a tentative starting plan,” Bylsma said. “Again, we have talked about different scenarios within a game where that might change as well.

“I think it is probably too early to say ‘hey we are going with three pairings and this is how it is going to be.’ It may be a situation where the pairings start one way and a different situation lends to seeing a 3 (Goligoski) and a 58 (Letang) together more often. Right now we are going to see how that goes. We have talked about it and bounced some things out.”

Other interesting things from today's practice would be the absence of Jay McKee and Max Talbot. Nothing to worry about with McKee as he had a family issue to deal with, so he'll be in the lineup tomorrow night. With Max, it seems as though they're just being cautious.

"Max is still on the schedule that is mapped out for him for his shoulder injury. He is not skating. We’re taking him off the ice. Max wants to skate. He got a shot in the foot and he has some pain. He can focus on his off-ice with his shoulder and off-ice conditioning. Max wants to go out there. This is coach saying we have time to be cautious and not go on the ice."

Bylsma also reported that Brent Johnson will start in goal for Pittsburgh against the Florida Panthers tomorrow night.