Following a disastrous 5-0 loss to the Ottawa Senators, the Pittsburgh Penguins are eager to get back on the ice and turn the page, in hopes of getting back in the race for the NHL Stanley Cup Playoffs. However, the uphill battle will be even steeper after head coach Mike Sullivan confirmed Sidney Crosby and the rest of the team will be without a star player.
The Penguins are just two points behind the last wild card spot in the NHL‘s Eastern Conference, currently held by the Columbus Blue Jackets. Not too shabby, right? However, Pittsburgh has hit a rough patch lately, losing five of their last six games and seven of their last ten. The team needs to turn the tide quickly before this slump jeopardizes their postseason hopes.
Up next, the Penguins will take on the Tampa Bay Lightning. However, just hours before puck drop, coach Mike Sullivan confirmed that Crosby and the team will be without a key teammate due to a hockey-unrelated absence.
Per Pens Inside Scoop, Sullivan confirmed that Penguins forward Michael Bunting was involved in a car accident outside PPG Paints Arena and will not be available for the matchup with the Lightning. However, and most importantly, Bunting is safe and sound, and everyone involved in the crash is out of danger.
Key contributor
Though Bunting mostly plays on the Penguins’ second line, his production has been remarkable this season, and he has been one of Crosby’s best teammates in the few times they’ve shared the ice.
Through 43 games in the 2024-25 campaign, Bunting has tallied 25 points (12 goals and 13 assists). Moreover, he has registered points in four of his last five outings, and has etched his name onto the scoresheet in seven of his last ten games, with nine points in that span.