Captain Sidney Crosby will miss his fourth straight game tonight as the Penguins meet the Tampa Bay Lightning for a 7:38 tilt on Versus.
The Penguins are 1-1-0 in the season series that consisted of an embarassing shutout in December and a dramatic comback fueled by Evgeni Malkin from a 3-0 deficit to grab two points with a final score of 4-3 at the beginning of February.
The Lightning have had a less than stellar season and currently have 3 wins in their last 10 games despite having the one-two punch of veterans Martin St. Louis and Vinny Lecavalier. These two are basically the only scoring depth the Bolts have. Their first round (first overall) draft pick from last year, Steven Stamkos is having an average season and is hardly the sniper Tampa had hoped he would be. The Bolts are also getting an okay season from former Penguin fan-favorite Ryan Malone. Put all these average players together with two superstars like Lecavalier and St. Louis and you get an inconsistent and average team.
The Penguins are riding a 3 game winning streak and a 5-1-1 record since the arrival of interim head coach Dan Bylsma. They have won the last 3 games without the services of their captain. The Penguins are 4-0-0 this season when Sid is out of the lineup. Ironic statistic. Meanwhile, Evgeni Malkin has been stepping up like last year and everyone's loving it. Having said that, the Penguins cannot go into this game underestimating this opponent.
No word on whether Billy Thomas, who was put on waivers yesterday, has been claimed. If he clears waivers, he will return to the Wilkes-Barre/ Scranton Baby Penguins.
Tampa Bay will be playing without Paul Ranger, Andrej Meszaros, Mike Smith, Jamie Heward, and Olaf Kolzig.
The Penguins will be without Philippe Boucher and Mike Zigomanis, who are out indefinately and Sidney Crosby with a sore groin.
Penguins-
The Penguins are 1-1-0 in the season series that consisted of an embarassing shutout in December and a dramatic comback fueled by Evgeni Malkin from a 3-0 deficit to grab two points with a final score of 4-3 at the beginning of February.
The Lightning have had a less than stellar season and currently have 3 wins in their last 10 games despite having the one-two punch of veterans Martin St. Louis and Vinny Lecavalier. These two are basically the only scoring depth the Bolts have. Their first round (first overall) draft pick from last year, Steven Stamkos is having an average season and is hardly the sniper Tampa had hoped he would be. The Bolts are also getting an okay season from former Penguin fan-favorite Ryan Malone. Put all these average players together with two superstars like Lecavalier and St. Louis and you get an inconsistent and average team.
The Penguins are riding a 3 game winning streak and a 5-1-1 record since the arrival of interim head coach Dan Bylsma. They have won the last 3 games without the services of their captain. The Penguins are 4-0-0 this season when Sid is out of the lineup. Ironic statistic. Meanwhile, Evgeni Malkin has been stepping up like last year and everyone's loving it. Having said that, the Penguins cannot go into this game underestimating this opponent.
No word on whether Billy Thomas, who was put on waivers yesterday, has been claimed. If he clears waivers, he will return to the Wilkes-Barre/ Scranton Baby Penguins.
Tampa Bay will be playing without Paul Ranger, Andrej Meszaros, Mike Smith, Jamie Heward, and Olaf Kolzig.
The Penguins will be without Philippe Boucher and Mike Zigomanis, who are out indefinately and Sidney Crosby with a sore groin.
Penguins-
Fedotenko-Malkin-Sykora
Kunitz-Staal-Kennedy
Dupuis-Talbot-Cooke
Wallace-Satan-Godard
Orpik-Gonchar
Eaton-Letang
Gill-Scuderi
Fleury
Lightning-
Malone-Lecavalier-Prospal.
Recchi-Stamkos-St. Louis.
Roberts-Halpern-Pettinger
Artyukhin-Hall-Koci
Eminger-Krajicek
Malik-Murphy
Smaby-Melichar
McKenna/Ramo
5 comments:
NOOO Thomas needs to stay!!
no one better claim him!
Let's go pens!!!!!!! Beat the lightning!!!!! Win the cup!!!!!
helmut, the Caps couldn't even get three goals against Carolina
ok, that was me.
why would i want a division rival to win the cup?
Post a Comment