Defenseman Kris Letang will be a game-time decision after missing seven games with a lower-body injury, coach Mike Sullivan said. Letang, who has averaged 26:04 this season, said he could play his usual amount of ice time if given the chance. "I feel pretty good," Letang said. "I'm going out there to play my game." Sullivan said he admires Letang's "brave" style of play, but would like to see him become more "selective" with which hits he takes. "[Letang] is a very competitive guy and he plays with a lot of courage and he's willing to take hits to make plays," Sullivan said. "Sometimes he takes unnecessary hits because he's hanging onto the puck to try to wait for something to develop that might not be there." While the Penguins could have Letang back, they will have defenseman Olli Maatta, who missed two games with an illness, in the lineup. Goalie Marc-Andre Fleury will start after Matt Murray sustained a lower-body injury against the Carolina Hurricanes on Wednesday. Fleury replaced Murray at the start of the third period and made 19 saves in a 3-2 victory. The Penguins are 11-1-2 in December after winning their past three games. They have played particularly well at home, where they are 16-2-2 this season. Center Sidney Crosby extended his goal streak to five games when he scored his NHL-leading 26th goal (in 31 games) 26 seconds into the second period against Carolina. Forward Evgeni Malkin has also surged with three goals and eight points in his past six games.
