Game 53 Preview: Penguins Host Lightning

Matt Bodenschatz | Pittsburgh Penguins

Feb 4, 09:48 AM | Hype this story!
Tampa Bay Lightning
Series – 1 GP
W L OTL Pts.
1 0 0 2
 
Pittsburgh Penguins
Series – 2 GP
Pts. W L OTL
0 0 1 0

7:30 at the Mellon Arena
TV: FSN Pittsburgh
Radio: WXDX Radio, FM 105.9
Probable Goalies: Fleury (Pit), Ramo (TB)

 
Inside The Game

First off, my apologies for taking the night off from recapping the game last night.  I missed the first period and a half due to work, then missed a good portion of the remainder of the game when I got home.  By the time the game was over, I was out cold.  I’ll do my best to get something up after tonight’s game.

And now on to the preview.

A sinking ship might be a valid comparison for the Pittsburgh Penguins, who, after a decent stretch of games before the All Star break, have fallen back into their losing ways, dropping their last three.

Tonight, as per the radio home of the Penguins, 105.9 FM, a major roster shakeup is to be in place.  No additional information was given.

Unfortunately, it seems a roster shakeup from within isn’t what this team needs.

The bright side, however, is that the Penguins will be playing an even more woeful Tampa Bay Lightning team.

Regardless, a 60-minute effort will be needed to earna  victory, as the Lightning have won five of their previous 10 and blanked the Penguins during their previous meeting December 23.

And now to the stats…
 
Standings
  GP W L OTL Pts Division Conference League
Penguins 52 24 23 5 53 4, Atlantic 10, Eastern  
Lightning 51 17 24 10 44 4, Southeast 12, Eastern  
                 
Team Statistics
  GF GA PP% PK% Home Away L 10 Streak
Penguins 159 161 16.4 79.8 12-11-2 12-12-3 4-5-1 3 losses
Lightning 130 160 16.6 80.3 8-9-7 9-15-3 5-5-0 3 losses
                 
Team Leaders
  Stat Penguins   Stat Lightning
Goals 22 Malkin Goals 23 Lecavalier
Assists 54 Malkin Assists 30 St. Louis
Points 76 Malkin Points 48 St. Louis
+/- +16 Malkin +/- +6 St. Louis
PIMs 121 Godard PIMs 75 Artyukhin
Wins 16 Fleury Wins 14 Smith
GAA 2.85 Fleury GAA 2.62 Smith
Sv% .910 Fleury Sv% .916 Smith
 
Injuries/Suspensions
Penguins Injury Status
Fedotenko, IR
Zigomanis, IR
Gonchar, IR		 Broken hand
Shoulder surgery
Shoulder surgery		 Out indefinitely
Out for regular season
Out until mid-February
Lightning Injury Status
Malik, IR
Roberts, IR
Szczechura, IR
Smith, DTD
Heward, IR
Kolzig, IR		 Foot
Elbow
Lower body
Upper body
Concussion
Arm		 Out indefinitely
Out indefinitely
Out indefinitely
Out until at least Feb. 7
Out indefinitely
Out for season
     
Note: Info up-to-date as of 19:50 am, Wednesday, February 4, 2009.

Comments

  1. KG

    Feb 4, 10:41 AM

    At a loss with this team right now. I used to have so much confidence that they would turn things around, but it has just been a disappointing year.

    Even in the beginning of the season when they were blowing leads left and right, everyone was saying it’s early, they will be fine…Problem is, I think the team thought the same thing…You gotta work!

  2. Matt Bodenschatz

    Feb 4, 12:06 PM

    Per the Penguins website, tonight’s lineup will be as follows:

    Cooke-Crosby-Malkin
    Caputi-Staal-Sykora
    Minard-Talbot-Kennedy
    Dupuis-Thomas-Godard

    Orpik-Scuderi
    Eaton-Letang
    Goligoski-Whitne

    Fleury
    Garon

    Apparently the “major” shakeup teased on 105.9 FM this morning was the benching of Miroslav Satan and the promotion of Luca Caputi to the second line.

  3. Brandon

    Feb 4, 12:10 PM

    Still the need to play their “golden boy” on defense. My only hope is that they are playing him to shop him, but if any scout is seeing his recent play a trade for a bag of pucks may even be out of question right now.

  4. JPeezy

    Feb 4, 02:12 PM

    Letang and Goligoski combined aren’t as good as Ryan Whitney.

    Whitney’s been bad lately, but name one person that hasn’t?

    I honestly hope he gets traded and becomes a perennial all-star elsewhere and this team continues on it’s downward spiral, because Penguin fans are too stupid to deserve winning hockey.

  5. Brandon

    Feb 4, 02:40 PM

    Yes i forgot we are all too stupid for you JPeezy, wow did you think of that all your own or just steal it from Joey Porter. Don’t look at the stats too much do you? I guess Letang being even or a plus in the last 10 games while Whiney is a -12 in 19 games played is terrible, and also it must be hard for Gologoski to be terrible from the pressbox. Look at the stats, Whitney had 1 impressive year and has not done anything since then. He is an above average offensive defenseman who cannot use those skills to make up for his lack of defensive ability. Oh, and if he is the perennial all-star as you suggest then why hasnt the power play improved since he is back quarterbacking it. One more note there JPeezy, you are comparing a fourth year player to a rookie and a second year player who has played the equivalent of a season and a half. So yeah I think Whiney should be traded, but I guess I’m just a stupid Penguins fan not deserving of a winning team in you mind.

  6. Brandon

    Feb 4, 02:47 PM

    Oh and I forgot, Letang looked pretty terrible on that end to end rush scoring for a second time on Lunqvist. Yeah, your right JPeezy, he’s no where near the talent that Whitney is.

  7. JPeezy

    Feb 4, 02:56 PM

    Whitney has 6 less points in less than half the games. But yeah, Letang is way better.

    Nearly everyone has been a minus lately, because — in case you haven’t noticed — this team sucks.

    But whatever, everyone has their whipping boys.

  8. Matt Bodenschatz

    Feb 4, 03:05 PM

    JPeezy and Brandon, keep the posts clean and free of personal attacks, please.

    If you can’t keep it civil, take it elsewhere. It won’t be tolerated. Period.

  9. Brandon

    Feb 4, 03:05 PM

    So let me ask you JPeezy what graces your resume that you ooze hockey knowledge while the rest of us dumb hockey fans wallow at your feet. Please tell me I am dying to hear it. Oh and you said “nearly everyone has been a minus lately”, well the stats showed until last night and for 10 previous games Letang wasn’t a minus so how can that be if this is such a bad team? Just luck I guess, not the fact that he has been the team’s best d-man lately. Again he is terrible and I am just a dumb Pens fan like the rest of the free world, excluding yourself of course.

  10. DaBich

    Feb 5, 05:54 AM

    JPeezy, i don’t know that the beef is that you have with Letang, but the kid is developing great, and yes, he IS playing far better than Whitney. DO you actually watch the games or do you read press reports?
    Regardless, this team is definitely lacking the heart it had last season, and that is the biggest problem it has now.

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