Preseason Game 4 Preview: Pens at Leafs

Matt Bodenschatz | Pittsburgh Penguins

Sep 26, 01:29 PM | Hype this story!
W L OTL Pts.
2 0 1 5
 
Pts. W L OTL
2 1 1 0

7:30 at Air Canada Center
Probable Goalies: Fleury, Pit – Toskala, Tor
 
Inside The Game
Rather than writing a full-out preview, we’ll just take a look at the rosters:

Penguins

Pascal Dupuis – Sidney Crosby – Miroslav Satan
Janne Pesonen – Jordan Staal – Bill Thomas
Ruslan Fedotenko – Max Talbot – Matt Cooke
Paul Bissonnette  – Tyler Kennedy – Eric Godard

Kris Letang – Brooks Orpik
Mark Eaton – Alex Goligoski
Hal Gill – Danny Richmond

Marc-Andre Fleury
Dany Sabourin

Notes:
– Evgeni Malkin will be a healthy scratch.
– The first and third lines are the only ones that appear to be legit.  The second and fourth lines may change before and/or throughout the game.
– The fight for the final three roster spots comes down to tonight’s game, with Pesonen, Thomas and Bissonnette vying for one or two forward positions, and Goligoski and Richmond vying for one or two defensive positions.  Conner James, also in the hunt, will be a healthy scratch, essentially ruling him out as a candidate.  The final round of cuts will take place after the game or tomorrow morning.

Maple Leafs

Mikhail Grabovski – Nik Antropov – Nikolai Kulemin
Alex Steen – Niklas Hagman – Alexei Ponikarovsky
Dominic Moore – Ryan Hollweg – Jamal Mayers
Jeremy Williams – Robbie Earl – Chris DiDomenico

Ian White – Luke Schenn
Pavel Kubina – Carlo Colaiacovo
Tomas Kaberle – Jaime Sifers

Vesa Toskala
Curtis Joseph
 
Standings
  GP W L OT Pts Division Conference League
Penguins 3 2 0 1 5 1, Atlantic 2, Eastern 3, NHL
Maple Leafs 2 1 1 0 2 4, Northeast 10, Eastern 14, NHL
                 
Team Statistics
  GF GA PP% PK% Home Away L 10 Streak
Penguins 10 9 - - 1-0-1 1-0-0 2-0-1 2 wins
Maple Leafs 9 7 - - 1-0-0 0-1-0 1-1-0 1 loss
                 
Team Leaders
  Stat Penguins   Stat Maple Leafs
Goals 3 Sykora Goals 2 Moore
Assists 3 Goligoski Assists 3 Blake
Points 3 4 players tied Points 3 Blake
PIMs 35 Bissonnette PIMs 7 Hollweg
Wins 1 Curry/Sabourin Wins 1 Pogge
 
Injuries
Penguins Injury Maple Leafs Injury
Whitney, IR
Gonchar, IR
Crosby, DTD		 Foot Surgery
Dislocated Shoulder
Sore Groin		    
       
Note: Info up-to-date as of 12:30 pm, Friday, September 26, 2008.

Comments

  1. BD

    Sep 26, 04:22 PM

    Does anyone know if this game will be streamed online anywhere?

    I haven’t had the chance to see any of the Pre-season games this year, and I’d love to get a look as these guys fight to make the team. I know they had the jumbotron feed from the last game on Wednesday night, but I haven’t been able to find anything about this one.

    Thanks!

  2. Dom

    Sep 26, 04:28 PM

    where did you guys steal those lines from?

  3. Matt Bodenschatz

    Sep 26, 04:42 PM

    BD, the game will be streamed online at the Maple Leafs official web site, though there is a stipulation that it will be viewable only by those in the area. I’m not sure how that works, but it’s at least work trying.

    You also can listen on the web through CFMJ-AM.

    Dom, the lines weren’t “stolen” from anywhere. The Penguins’ web site lists the roster for this evening and, as noted within the story, the line combinations could change before or during the game at any time. The first and third lines are the ones that have been compiled all preseason, while the second and fourth lines were thrown together in a logical manner.

  4. Alex Kirshner

    Sep 26, 05:00 PM

    It’s a big chance for Pesonen tonight.

    He’s finally playing with a center who’s not an offensive black hole, Staal.

    We’ll find out a little about #20 tonight.

  5. Matt Bodenschatz

    Sep 26, 05:09 PM

    Alex, it would seem Conner James is crossed off the list of hopefuls, leaving Pesonen, Thomas, Bissonnette, Richmond, and Goligoski to battle for three remaining roster spots. Tonight is a big not for all five of those players.

    I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, I think Bissonnette and Pesonen earn forward spots, while Goligoski earns a role as the second pairing offensive defenseman.

  6. Eric Politowski

    Sep 26, 05:36 PM

    Look for Bissonnette vs. Hollwegg tonight.

    I doubt Hollwegg will drop them with Godard, but that could also happen.

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