Breaking: Pens could get important boost for Game 1 tonight!

The Pittsburgh Penguins are in the postseason for the 13th straight season and the team will want to make the longest active streak in the NHL a successful one as they kicked things off against the New York Islanders. 

The first contest of the series takes place tonight in Long Island and it looks like the Penguins could get important boosts both up front and on the back end as defenseman Brian Dumoulin and forward Zach Aston-Reese participated in practice on Tuesday. 

According to the Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan, both players are reported to be game-time decisions for tonight. Dumoulin has been sidelined for the last three games of the regular season with a lower-body injury. Aston-Reese has missed 13 games from Jan. 11-Feb. 11 with a lower-body injury.  

Here is a look at the projected lineup for the Penguins for Game 1 agains the Islanders Wednesday night if Dumoulin and Aston-Reese can't return: 

Jake Guentzel - Sidney Crosby - Bryan Rust 
Jared McCann - Evgeni Malkin - Patric Hornist
Dominik Simon - Nick Bjugstad - Phil Kessel
Teddy Blueger - Matt Cullen - Garrett Wilson

Olli Maatta - Kris Letang
Jack Johnson - Justin Schultz
Marcus Pettersson - Erik Gudbranson

Matt Murray

If ever Dumoulin draws in, Johnson is expected to be the odd man out. 

This will be the first playoff matchup between the two teams since 2012-2013. The Penguins won that in six games.

While the Islanders are taking part in the postseason for the first time since 2016, they can now count on head coach Barry Trotz, who won the Stanley Cup just last year with the Washington Capitals.