Round 2, Game 5- Penguins @ Washington Capitals

The Penguins will be without Sergei Gonchar as they head into Game 5 of their Eastern Conference Semifinal with the Capitals tonight at the Verizon Center. Gonchar's right knee was injured during a brutal knee on knee blow delivered by Alex Ovechkin in Game 4.

Alex Goligoski has been recalled from Wilkes Barre/Scranton and will take Gonchar's place in the lineup and presumably on the first powerplay unit alongside Kris Letang, Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Bill Guerin.

Gonchar's absence aside, the Penguins have all the momentum at this point and will win the game if they just keep their foot on the gas pedal and continue to pressure Simeon Varlamov. The Caps' goalie gave up several weak markers in the fourth game.

The powerplay is going to have to avoid feeling sorry for itself and managed at least a goal or two if the Penguins want to make things a lot easier for themselves. Another "0fer" will not suffice.

Marc-Andre Fleury needs to be on his toes. He can't let Ovechkin torch him.

Penguins-

Kunitz-Crosby-Guerin
Talbot-Malkin-Fedotenko
Cooke-Staal-Kennedy
Dupuis-Adams-Satan

Orpik-Letang
Scuderi-Gill
Letang-Goligoski

Fleury

Capitals-

Ovechkin-Fedorov-Kozlov
Laich-Backstrom-Semin
Clark-Steckel-Bradley
Fleischmann-Gordon-Beagle

Morrisonn-Green
Poti-Jurcina
Erskine-Pothier

Varlamov

GO PENS!

According to Darren Dreger, Gonchar is out for this game and perhaps the rest of the season.