An injury has left Kaeden Korczak in the day-to-day range and as a result has led to the first call-up of the season for defenseman Jake Livanavage.
Livanavage has arguably been the best defender in Wilkes-Barre this year, leading the blueline in scoring with eight points (2G+6A) in nine AHL games. As a left shot defender, it remains to be seen if this call-up will be more to have an extra body on hand
while Korczak is injured or if Livanavage will get the opportunity to play at some point. Bringing Livanavage up to the NHL roster means the team will have seven healthy players (excluding Korczak) and presumably put Livanavage or Ilya Solovyov into the playing lineup for the duration of Korczak’s absence.
One player who will be getting into the lineup is Justin Brazeau, who worked yesterday with Ville Koivunen and Hendrix Lapierre. Brazeau has been given the green light to play tonight in the NHL by coach Dan Muse after a two-game conditioning stint in the AHL where he recorded an assist.
Brazeau’s return comes at a good time for the team with Elmer Soderblom’s injury having been changed into a week-to-week status following further evaluation. Brazeau’s return gives the Penguins 13 forwards on the current roster, though Evgeni Malkin missed practice yesterday with what was called a day-to-day injury and has an unknown status for tonight’s game against Vegas.
The Pens start a stretch tonight where they will play four games in the next six days. The team hasn’t used the same lineup for their 18-skaters and starting goalie in consecutive games, and figure to continue that streak for at least tonight with Brazeau looking to make his season debut and a few banged up players in Korczak and Malkin that might miss time.
