Game 41 Preview: Penguins Host Thrashers

Matt Bodenschatz | Pittsburgh Penguins

Jan 6, 12:22 PM | Hype this story!
Buffalo Sabres
Series – 2 GP
W L OTL Pts.
0 2 0 0
 
Pittsburgh Penguins
Series – 2 GP
Pts. W L OTL
4 2 0 0

7:30 at Mellon Arena
TV: FSN Pittsburgh, RDS
Radio: WXDX Radio, FM 105.9
Probable Goalies: Fleury (Pit), Lehtonen (Atl)

 
Inside The Game

Time is not on my side right now, so the preview will be short.  But I think it’s important to get back into the preview/recap routine, as the Penguins need something, as superstitious as it may be, to get them jumpstarted.

With five consecutive losses looming over their head, the Penguins desperately need a win against a woeful Thrashers team.

They’ll use the following roster:

Kennedy-Crosby-Dupuis
Fedotenko-Malkin-Sykora
Talbot-Staal-Cooke
Wallace-Jeffrey-Satan

Orpik-Whitney
Eaton-Boucher
Scuderi-Letang

Fleury
Sabourin
 
Standings
  GP W L OTL Pts Division Conference League
Penguins 40 19 17 4 42 4, Atlantic 9, Eastern 16, NHL
Thrashers 40 13 22 5 31 5, Southeast 14, Eastern 29, NHL
                 
Team Statistics
  GF GA PP% PK% Home Away L 10 Streak
Penguins 121 124 17.2 80.8 8-9-2 11-8-2 3-7-0 5 losses
Thrashers 115 146 21.1 72.5 7-12-2 6-10-3 3-6-1 1 loss
                 
Team Leaders
  Stat Penguins   Stat Thrashers
Goals 15 Crosby, Malkin Goals 19 lLittle
Assists 45 Malkin Assists 26 Kovalchuk
Points 60 Malkin Points 39 Kovalchuk
+/- +17 Malkin +/- +5 Havelid
PIMs 106 Godard PIMs 76 Boulton
Wins 11 Fleury Wins 6 Hedberg
GAA 2.72 Sabourin GAA 3.39 Lehtonen
Sv% .903 Fleury Sv% .903 Lehtonen
 
Injuries/Suspensions
Penguins Injury Status
Zigomanis, IR
Gonchar, IR		 Shoulder
Shoulder		 Out indefinitely
Out until February
Thrashers Injury Status
Rucchin, IR
Exelby, IR
Lehman, DTD
Little, DTD		 Concussion
Leg
Upper body
Ribs		 Expected to retire
Out indefinitely
Out until Jan 8
Questionable
     
Note: Info up-to-date as of 11:20 am, Tuesday, January 6, 2009.

Comments

  1. KG

    Jan 6, 01:17 PM

    Matt…should I say it?? Must win? = )

  2. Matt Bodenschatz

    Jan 6, 01:26 PM

    They’re all theoretical “must-wins” at this point, but no game is truly “must-win” yet.

  3. Greg

    Jan 6, 04:08 PM

    I dont get how Satan still stays in the lineup while GOGO has played much better and more consistent as of late and gets scratched for Mr. Pilon Eaton.

  4. Matt Bodenschatz

    Jan 6, 04:16 PM

    Greg, the comparison is apples to oranges — defensemen to forwards. But, overall, I understand the sentiment: Goligoski should be playing.

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