Game 77 Preview: Penguins Host Devils

Matt Bodenschatz | Pittsburgh Penguins

Apr 1, 11:03 AM | Hype this story!

Calgary Devils
Series – 5 GP
W L OTL Pts.
4 1 0 8
 
Pittsburgh Penguins
Series – 5 GP
Pts. W L OTL
6 2 1 2

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


 
Inside The Game

The New Jersey Devils are looking to get back on track, but the red-hot Pittsburgh Penguins might have something to say about that…

Projected Lines…

  • Kunitz – Crosby – Guerin
  • Cooke – Malkin – Sykora
  • Fedotenko – Staal – Kennedy
  • Dupuis – Talbot – Adams
     
  • Orpik – Gonchar
  • Letang – Eaton
  • Gill – Scuderi
     
  • Fleury
  • Garon

To Clinch The Playoffs…

  • 1-4-1 (to reach 93 points)
  • Magic Number: 8

Other Games Of Importance…

  • NY Rangers (7th place, 89 pts) at Carolina (5th place, 91 pts)
    Both teams are hot on the Penguins’ trail, meaning a win by either team is bad news, especially if the Penguins don’t win tonight.  So all we’re asking for is a regulation win to keep this a two point game, not a three point overtime game.
  • Montreal (8th place, 88 pts) at NY Islanders (15th place, 59 pts)
    Let’s see, we have the conference’s worst team playing the eighth place team.  It’s not hard to figure out that Penguin fans should be pulling for the Islanders in this one.  The more the teams below the Penguins lose, the better the picture is in Pittsburgh.
 
Standings
  GP W L OTL Pts Division Conference League
Penguins 76 41 27 8 90 3, Atlantic 6, Eastern 11, NHL
Devils 76 47 25 4 98 1, Atlantic 3, Eastern 5, NHL
                 
Team Statistics
  GF GA PP% PK% Home Away L 10 Streak
Penguins 239 225 16.6 81.9 23-13-3 18-14-5 7-1-2 2 wins
Devils 228 189 19.5 80.3 26-11-1 21-14-3 4-5-1 5 losses
                 
Team Leaders
  Stat Penguins   Stat Devils
Goals 33 Malkin Goals 42 Parise
Assists 74 Malkin Assists 47 Elias, Parise
Points 107 Malkin Points 89 Parise
+/- 20 Malkin +/- 35 Zajac
PIMs 164 Godard PIMs 150 Clarkson
Wins 32 Fleury Wins 25 Clemmensen (AHL)
GAA 2.68 Fleury GAA 2.21 Brodeur
Sv% .912 Fleury Sv% .924 Brodeur
 
Injuries/Suspensions
Penguins Injury Status
Zigomanis, IR Shoulder surgery Out for regular season
Devils Injury Status
Greene, DTD Ankle Questionable
     
Note: Info up-to-date as of 10:00 am, Wednesday, April 1, 2009.

Comments

  1. Andrew

    Apr 1, 12:10 PM

    Go Penguins go! Go fight win!Go team!

  2. bag o' pucks

    Apr 1, 01:21 PM

    I’m always a bit wary about playing teams on prolonged losing streaks. Jersey is on one of those and they were shut out in their last game. Those clubs are bound to break out eventually. Hopefully it’s just not against the Pens. Winner of tonight’s game wins the season series, which currently stands at six points apiece.

  3. Matt Bodenschatz

    Apr 1, 01:53 PM

    I agree, the Devils are in prime position to stun a team. Hopefully the Penguins can score one early and put a monkeywrench in their plans.

    As for the season series, a Penguins win ties the series at 8 points apiece.

  4. Shlim

    Apr 1, 02:59 PM

    How do the devils have 4 wins with us only having 3 overall losses? I think the devils record for the series is 3-2…

  5. TheOneAndOnlySurge

    Apr 1, 05:16 PM

    SHLIM is correct. NJ has a 3-2 record, while the Pens are 2-1-2, thus tying them with 6points. Tonights game is a tie breaker but it won’t mean much past the 2 points the winner gets.

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