Rickard Rakell on the Penguins' first shot on goal, comes from the high slot. 1-0 PIT.

Puck is dropped. Penguins vs Red Wings is underway.

Penguins lineup vs Detroit: Chinakhov -- Crosby -- Rust Novak -- Kindel -- Malkin Mantha -- Rakell -- Brazeau Soderblom -- Dewar -- Acciari Wotherspoon -- Karlsson Girard -- Letang Shea -- Clifton Skinner

Sidney Crosby will play tonight, per Penguins PR.

Sidney Crosby on the importance of the game tomorrow vs NYI: “They’re all important at this point. It’s a big race, a big stretch for us. You know, as a player, these are the ones you want to be in. I mean, these are big games.”

Muse said Crosby and Malkin took contact. Rust and Acciari were maintenance days. Crosby, Rust and Acciari will travel. They'll have to decide on Malkin, who is still on the ice nearly 50 minutes after practice ended.

Sidney Crosby confirmed he took full contact today. Couldn't say if he'll play vs NYI tomorrow.

Evgeni Malkin is at Penguins practice. Regular, black jersey.

Rantanen has goal, assist in return, Stars defeat Penguins RECAP: www.nhl.com/news/dallas-...

Bryan Rust: "From my point, they're pretty much all penalties. A penalty is a penalty. We just have to be more diligent and a little bit more disciplined with our sticks or our feet, or whatever it is."

Penguins lose to the Stars, 6-3.

Shot from Soderblom goes in off Acciari. Cuts it to 4-3.

End of 2: Stars lead the Penguins 4-2. Dallas leads in shots 18-8.

Shots are 18-7 Stars. They were 4-0 Penguins at one point.

4-2 Stars. This one from Bischel through traffic from the point.

Well, Mikko Rantanen is back. Heavey one-timer on the power play. 3-2 Stars.

The Penguins are stuck on seven shots with 10:15 left in the second period, largely because they've been going to the box at a rapid clip.

Jason Robertson, PPG. 2-2.

Erik Karlsson with a shot from the high slot. Penguins back up 2-1.

Hryckowian ties it 1-1 on the first shot of the second period. Loose puck bounces to him at the bottom of the right circle and he taps it in an open right side of the net.

End of 1: Penguins lead the Stars 1-0. Dallas leads in shots 9-4.

Anthony Mantha gets called for high-sticking and Dallas gets its first power play.

Really solid start for the Penguins. They have the Stars hemmed in and without a shot on goal through about 8:00. And Erik Karlsson is playing some of the most impressive hockey I've seen in some time here.

Erik Karlsson is playing, though. 1-0 Penguins. PPG.

Penguins get the first power play. Colin Blackwell for tripping.

Puck is dropped. Penguins vs Stars is underway.

Penguins lineup vs Dallas: Mantha--Rakell--Rust Chinakhov--Novak--Brazeau McGroarty--Kindel--Koivunen Soderblom--Dewar--Acciari Wotherspoon--Karlsson Girard--Letang Shea--Clifton Skinner

Rantanen back in Stars lineup for 1st time since Feb. 4, returns against Penguins Read it Here: www.nhl.com/news/mikko-r...

Mikko Rantanen will play, Stars coach Glen Gulutzan confirms.

Islanders score five unanswered to top the Panthers, 5-2.

Crosby day to day for Penguins with lower-body injury Read it Here: www.nhl.com/news/pittsbu...

Muse: Skinner in net. McGroarty will play.

Sidney Crosby (lower boday) and Evgeni Malkin (upper body) won't play today, per Penguins PR. Both are day-to-day.

The Penguins have recalled Rutger McGroarty. Avery Hayes and Joona Koppanen to WBS.

Listen, BOT 1 was horrible. But Brandon Lowe hitting two homers in two at bats is awesome. It's also just a two-run deficit.

Paul Skenes will be fine. It was a crap inning with two soft balls for hits and two huge misplays by Cruz. Skenes' worst trait there was basically no swing-and-miss. But he's fine. The concern is how that immediately taxes the pen for the rest of the series.

Welcome to Pittsburgh, Brandon Lowe.

Anthony Mantha is day-to-day with a lower-body injury, per Penguins PR.

Necas scores twice, Avalanche cruise past Penguins for 3rd straight win RECAP: www.nhl.com/news/colorad...

Penguins lose 6-2 to the Avalanche. Have been outscored 11-3 in back-to-back losses.

The Penguins have outshot the Avalanche 18-12 in the final two periods so far. They were probably the better team for most of the first period until the three quick goals from Colorado. Have played better than the score. Probably makes it more deflating, though.

Rickard Rakell taps in a feed from Sidney Crosby. Cuts it to 5-2.

Penguins are 0-for-4 on the power play. Avalanche are 1-for-1.

End of 2: Avalanche lead the Penguins 5-1. Colorado leads in shots 21-17.

Martin Necas again. Scores on the Avalanche's second shot of the second period with 2:31 left. 5-1.

Nazem Kadri gets a double minor for high-sticking. Penguins power play for 4:00.

Justin Brazeau. Wraps a rebound around Wedgewood. Now 4-2 Colorado.

End of 1: Avalanche lead the Penguins 4-1. Colorado leads in shots 15-11.

And Parker Kelly. Another one-timer. 4-1 Avalanche.

Necas, five seconds into a poer play. One-timer from the left circle. 3-1 Avalanche.