The Pittsburgh Penguins have scratched forward Patric Hornqvist right before tonight’s Eastern Conference Finals matchup against the Ottawa Senators. Hornqvist took the warmup skate and participated in line rushes, but did not make the final roster. Fellow Swede Carl Hagelin will replace him in the lineup.
Hornqvist missed practice on Sunday and did not take part in this morning’s skate, reports the NHL’s Dan Rosen. The Penguins are going to miss his production. He has 4G and 3A in 13 playoff games so far, and adds valuable scoring depth to an offensive-minded team.
Hagelin will have to step up his production if he wants to keep a roster spot. He currently has 1G and 0A in five playoff games, and averaging only 11 minutes a night. He took a step back this season, scoring only 6G and 16A in 61 regular season this year. The Penguins will look to tie the series at one apiece tonight, and will need to be firing on all cylinders.