| Pos | Role | Name |
| C | 1 | Sidney Crosby  ActiveSidney Crosby had a hat trick to lead the Penguins over the Senators 4-3 in Game 2 of their second-round series Friday night. The Penguins now hold a 2-0 lead in the series. Crosby notched his hat trick by 1:15 of the second period, showcasing his tools with great stick handling and speed, cleverness on the ice and a plus shot. It's not easy to stop the Penguins captain, but the Senators certainly could've done a better job being physical on him. Brenden Morrow potted what is considered the game-winning goal. Paul Martin and Kris Letang picked up two assists apiece. Matt Niskanen finished with a game-high plus-three rating, and he also had a helper. Chris Kunitz, James Neal and Evgeni Malkin also had assists. May 17 |
| 2 | Evgeni Malkin ActiveEvgeni Malkin notched a goal and an assist in Pittsburgh's semifinal opener against Ottawa Tuesday night. Coach Dan Bylsma was also impressed with the center's acknowledgment after the first round that he needs to be better in the defensive zone. "When he talks about being better, it's because he knows," Bylsma said. "That's very good, and he was very good (Tuesday against the Senators) — in the defensive zone, around the net and with the puck." Malkin is currently tied with Boston's David Krejci for the most points in the postseason (13). May 15 |
| 3 | Jussi Jokinen ActiveJussi Jokinen may be a healthy scratch Thursday. He had just 7:29 of ice time in Tuesday's loss and it appears to be likely that Tyler Kennedy and Joe Vitale will see game action for the first time in the postseason in Game 5. If Kennedy and Vitale both play then Jokinen and Tanner Glass will probably sit. May 9 |
| 4 | Brandon Sutter ActiveBrandon Sutter started Game 4 on the fourth line. He skated there for the latter part of Game 3 on Sunday as well. Sutter scored his first goal since April 17 in Tuesday's 6-4 loss to the Islanders after he was reunited with Matt Cooke and Brenden Morrow on the third line. Cooke and Morrow picked up assists on Sutter's first point of the playoffs. May 8 |
| 5 | Dustin Jeffrey ActiveDustin Jeffrey notched a goal and an assist in Pittsburgh's 3-1 win over Ottawa Monday night. It was his first appearance since April 2 and he made the most of his 14:49 of ice time. "This was my opportunity," Jeffrey said. "I wanted to do something with it." Apr 23 |
| 6 | Joe Vitale ActivePenguins forward Joe Vitale is working hard to make sure he remains in the Pittsburgh lineup for as long as he can. Vitale watched the first four games of the postseason from the press box, but has been active ever since, contributing in ways that add value for the team. "I don't think I'm ever solidified," he said. "You look at the depth on this team. There's so much talent from one to four [lines] and the extras. It's kind of having that desperate mentality every time I play [that] any night I could be out again. That's kind of been my motivation since I got back in. It's gone well since then, so I'm hoping to keep it going." Provided he can remain productive centering the fourth line Vitale will continue to dress for the club. May 19 |
| LW | 1 | Chris Kunitz ActiveChris Kunitz was reunited with Sidney Crosby and Pascal Dupuis at Thursday's practice. "I'm sure [coach Dan Bylsma] is pretty comfortable with us because we've played together for so long," said Crosby. The move sent Jarome Iginla back to the right side with Evgeni Malkin and James Neal. These may be the line combinations that Bylsma chooses to go with in Game 2 versus Ottawa Friday night. May 17 |
| 2 | Brenden Morrow ActiveBrenden Morrow wasn't happy with the way he played against the Islanders in Round 1 and he's already gotten off to a decent start versus Ottawa. "Looking back at that series against the Islanders, I'll be honest, I'm not too happy with how I played," he said. "I was a minus-3. I know I need to be better than that, and I know I can play better than that. I'm not satisfied right now." Morrow had an assist on Paul Martin's power-play goal in Game 1 versus the Senators and their physical style should suit him better than the speedy game that the Isles play. Morrow has been credited with 22 hits in seven postseason matches with the Penguins. May 17 |
| 3 | Matt Cooke ActiveMatt Cooke scored a goal in Pittsburgh's 2-0 victory Saturday afternoon. James Neal also found the back of the net for the Penguins. Deryk Engelland, Tyler Kennedy, Evgeni Malkin, and Douglas Murray each assisted on one of Pittsburgh's two goals. Mar 30 |
| 4 | Tanner Glass ActiveTanner Glass recorded his first career playoff goal Wednesday night. He has had a team-high five hits during his 12:41 of ice time in Pittsburgh's Game 1 victory over the New York Islanders. Glass' marker was the fifth goal in a 5-0 win. Heading into Wednesday's contest, Glass had skated in 24 postseason contests as a member of the Vancouver Canucks. May 2 |
| RW | 1 | James Neal ActiveJames Neal played a physical game in Pittsburgh's semifinal opener against Ottawa Tuesday night. He was credited with four hits and picked up six minutes in penalties in the Penguins' Game 1 victory. Neal also added an assist on Evgeni Malkin's game winner. He has two points in five playoff appearances and should produce more if he can stay healthy in Round 2. May 16 |
| 2 | Jarome Iginla ActivePenguins' coach Dan Bylsma's line shuffling in Game 5 was very successful and as a result the teams' forward units could remain the same as they ended up Thursday night. That would mean Jarome Iginla would play alongside Sidney Crosby and Pascal Dupuis, while Chris Kunitz would line up with Evgeni Malkin and James Neal. Brandon Sutter, Matt Cooke and either Brenden Morrow or Tyler Kennedy will make up the team's third line, while some combination of Jussi Jokinen, Tanner Glass, Joe Vitale and Kennedy will make up the fourth unit. Adjust your rosters accordingly. May 11 |
| 3 | Pascal Dupuis ActivePascal Dupuis is tied for the playoff lead with six goals entering Thursday night's action and unsurprisingly he doesn't have any on the power play. He's played one second of man advantage time for the Penguins in the playoffs, which is the lowest on the team, but that isn't anything new for him as he averaged just 48 seconds of power-play time during the regular season. He has scored 20 of his 175 career regular-season goals when his team has been up a man. Oddly enough, he nearly has as many goals when his team is on the penalty kill (15) and he scored a shorthanded marker in Game 1 against Ottawa. The bulk of his goals come while skating five-on-five though. "He's been one of the best even-strength goal-scorers in the league for quite some time now," coach Dan Bylsma said. Of course this raises the question: why doesn't he get more power-play opportunities in the first place? It seems to work for the Penguins though, so don't expect them to change it. May 16 |
| 4 | Beau Bennett ActiveBeau Bennett was a healthy scratch in Game 4 Tuesday night. He had played in Pittsburgh's previous three meetings versus the Islanders prior to sitting out Tuesday's contest. Bennett has one goal on four shots in the postseason. May 8 |
| 5 | Tyler Kennedy ActiveTyler Kennedy and Joe Vitale will remain in Pittsburgh's lineup when the second round begins Tuesday night versus Ottawa. Kennedy had a goal and an assist in Games 5 and 6, respectively, after he was reinserted into the lineup from the press box. Joe Vitale has also provided energy since getting into game action and he contributed an assist in Game 6 versus the Islanders. With both of them in, Jussi Jokinen and Beau Bennett will be healthy scratches when Round 2 begins. May 14 |
| 6 | Craig Adams ActiveThe Penguins know that it will be a major test for them to contain Erik Karlsson. Karlsson has a goal and five assists in five games during the playoffs. "I don't think he changes your game plan," Craig Adams said. "It just makes things more difficult when he's out there. His biggest asset is his skating. He carries the puck up the ice, but you can't always count on him playing at the point. He's just so mobile. He's got that ability to jump into the play and the speed to get back." May 14 |
| D | 1 | Kris Letang ActiveKris Letang earned a goal and an assist in Game 5 Thursday night. Both of his goals this postseason have come on the power play and he has six points in five contests versus the Islanders. Letang is tied with Ottawa's Erik Karlsson for the most points among defensemen in the NHL playoffs heading into Friday night's action. May 10 |
| 2 | Paul Martin ActiveWith an assist in Friday night's game, Paul Martin now has a four-game playoff points streak. Martin has looked good thus far in the post-season. He is having a nice comeback campaign making him fantasy relevant again. May 18 |
| 3 | Matt Niskanen ActivePenguins Matt Niskanen recently found himself on the team's top defensive pairing alongside superstar Kris Letang. Niskanen, who plays a fairly well-rounded game, understands he must play a more defensive style when paired with the Norris Trophy finalist. "Being aware of when [Letang] is being aggressive up the ice, I've got to be more responsible to let him do what he does," Niskanen said. It's a testament to his versatility that Niskanen can be paired with such an offensive partner after spending time alongside stay-at-home blueliner Doug Murray. May 19 |
| 4 | Brooks Orpik ActiveBrooks Orpik potted the game-winning goal in the Penguins' 4-3 overtime win against the Islanders on Saturday night sending them into the second round. Yes, Orpik and his 12 career NHL goals (first in the playoffs) got the decisive goal at 7:49 of overtime on a slapshot. Sure, what counts is that Penguins won the series 4-2, but they were far from consistent in this game (and series). Now it's time to turn the page and forget about their ragged play. Paul Martin had a goal and two helpers, while Pascal Dupuis and Jarome Iginla notched the other markers. Matt Niskanen, Joe Vitale, Evgeni Malkin and Sidney Crosby had the other assists. Malkin had a rough game in every zone until he fed Martin on the 3-3, game-tying goal with 5:16 left. The Penguins will now face the Senators in Round 2. May 11 |
| 5 | Deryk Engelland ActiveIt looks like Deryk Engelland will get back into the lineup for Game 1 against Ottawa Tuesday night. His inclusion makes sense since the Senators played a physical series versus Montreal in Round 1 and he enjoys playing that kind of game. He was paired with Doug Murray in the morning skate after he skated in the team's top-six group in Monday's practice as well. With Engelland likely to play, Simon Despres will head to the press box. May 14 |
| 6 | Doug Murray ActiveDoug Murray recorded five blocked shots in Tuesday's Game 1 victory over Ottawa. He also chipped in an assist to give him three points in seven playoff games. Murray was paired with Deryk Engelland in the contest. "It was great," he said afterward. "He's very similar to myself. He plays a physical game, a simple game. We make simple plays. He's an easy guy to read off." His offensive support has been a surprising addition to his arsenal, to go with his typical contributions of 11 hits and 15 blocks, which has helped him to slightly exceed expectations. May 15 |
| 7 | Simon Despres ActiveSimon Despres was a healthy scratch Tuesday. He played in three games against the New York Islanders in Round 1, but when the semifinals began against the Ottawa Senators he was sent to the press box. Despres sat in favor of Deryk Engelland, who plays a rugged style which matches the Senators' style much more. May 15 |
| 8 | Robert Bortuzzo ActiveRobert Bortuzzo played in his first game since his recall Wednesday night. Bortuzzo, who was sent to the minors in late March for a conditioning stint, had an assist in 18:41. He has three points and a plus-three rating in 12 games this season. Apr 3 |
| G | 1 | Marc-Andre Fleury ActivePenguins goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury continues to await his chance to get back between the pipes in the postseason. Fleury was replaced by backup Tomas Vokoun prior to Game Six of the team's first round series win over the Islanders who has yet to concede the role, posting a perfect 4-0 record in the process. Vokoun will be in goal for Game Three of their second round series in Ottawa Sunday, but it's anybody's guess which net minder gets the nod once the Penguins actually lose a game. May 19 |
| 2 | Tomas Vokoun ActiveDespite being the winning goalie in the Penguins' 4-3 victory over the Senators Friday night, Tomas Vokoun did not play particularly well. Many hold the view that Ottawa's first two goals were soft. Kyle Turris' goal went between Vokoun's legs and Colin Greening beat the Pens' goalie on the short side. Vokoun later rallied to make two outstanding stops on Sens' breakaways. It remains to be seen if Pittsburgh coach Dan Bylsma will give Marc-Andre Fleury an opportunity to play in the second round against the Sens. May 18 |
| 3 | Eric Hartzell ActivePittsburgh GM Ray Shero said the team has "no plans" to play Eric Hartzell this season. Since he was signed after the NHL trade deadline, he isn't eligible for the Stanley Cup playoffs and he can't play for their AHL affiliate in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton either during the postseason. "He's going to be the third goalie, soak things up and be around the team," Shero said. "Having Eric here will be good for his development." Hartzell was signed by the Penguins last week after he posted a career-year with Quinnipiac University. He's projected to join the team on Wednesday. Apr 17 |