Eurolanche

Pens aim for fifth win om row, face Avs

Season series: Blake Comeau scored in overtime when the Pittsburgh Penguins defeated the Colorado Avalanche 1-0 on Dec. 18 at Consol Energy Center. Marc-Andre Fleury made 29 saves for the Penguins; Calvin Pickard made 47 saves for the Avalanche.

Penguins team scope: Newly acquired defensemen Ben Lovejoy and Ian Cole will meet the team in Denver. "It will be important to get a feel for them. … who we should best pair them with," Penguins coach Mike Johnston told the Penguins website after practice Tuesday. "It's going to be trial and error for the first couple of games here as we get new players in our lineup to see who they will fit with." Lovejoy spent five seasons in Pittsburgh from 2008-13. "[Lovejoy] played in one of the top pairings out in Anaheim," forward Chris Kunitz said. "I think coming back with confidence, being familiar with the guys, maybe learning the new systems, you elevate your game a little."

Defenseman Christian Ehrhoff (head) practiced Tuesday and will accompany the Penguins on their four-game road trip. He had missed 12 games with a concussion before returning last week, but did not play Sunday in Columbus. The Penguins have won four games in a row. Evgeni Malkin has five goals and 11 points his past five games.

Avalanche team scope: Forward Jordan Caron, acquired on Monday, skated on a line with Jarome Iginla and Matt Duchene on Tuesday. "He's a good fit for us," coach Patrick Roy told the Avalanche website. "We're excited to give him a second chance. We will give him a few games with Jarome and Duchene." Caron had no points and 16 penalty minutes in 11 games with the Boston Bruins. "It hasn't always been the way I wanted to in Boston, so I'm excited for the new start and to prove people wrong and show them what I can do in the NHL," Caron told the Avalanche website.

Colorado recalled forward Joey Hishon from Lake Erie of the American Hockey League on Tuesday. Hishon has yet to make his NHL regular-season debut but did appear in three games in the Stanley Cup Playoffs last season. Goalie Semyon Varlamov is expected to make his 20th straight start. Forward Nathan MacKinnon has four goals in his past four games.

-- by David Satriano for NHL.com --

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