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Friday, 09 December 2011 13:01

Written by Seth Rorabaugh

Ever since the Penguins saw defensemen Kris Letang and Zbynek Michalek go down with head injuries Nov. 26 in Montreal, they've had to rely on a trio of players who began the season in the AHL to replace them in the form Alexandre Picard, Simon Despres and Robert Bortuzzo.

They've also had to heap a lot more ice time on three regulars in Paul Martin (above), Matt Niskanen and Brooks Orpik in the five game since that 4-3 overtime win against the Canadiens.

That workload has only gotten heavier with the absence of Deryk Engelland the past two games.

Here are the jumps in ice times for Martin, Niskanen and Orpik since Nov. 26.

(Photo: Nick Laham/Getty Images)

Comments (3)

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written by kpa42, December 09, 2011 - 11:17 AM

Who are they even going to play at this point? WBS' defense is getting decimated by all these callups and soon we're going to be trolling through bodies in Wheeling or looking at waivers and/or older players who weren't signed this year.

Maybe Chris Chelios has kept himself fit.

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written by jethro, December 09, 2011 - 02:48 PM

No one was called up today. So I guess either Bortuzzo is OK, or Engelland is ready to return.

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written by kpa42, December 09, 2011 - 05:29 PM

There was a comment on the PG+ site that Engo is likely for tomorrow, if not a lock. But that still leaves us dangerously close to needing a pure rookie or bored vet.

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