Game 8 Preview: Penguins Host Lightning

Matt Bodenschatz | Pittsburgh Penguins

Oct 17, 03:00 PM | Hype this story!
Tampa Bay Lightning
Series – 0 GP
W L OTL Pts.
0 0 0 0
 
Pittsburgh Penguins
Series – 0 GP
Pts. W L OTL
0 0 0 0

7:30 at Mellon Arena
TV: FSN Pittsburgh
Radio: WXDX Radio, FM 105.9
Probable Goalies: Fleury (Pit), Smith (TB)
 
Inside The Game
The Penguins return home after a very successful five-game road stand.

But as they say, beware of the first game at home after a long stay on the road.

While the Lightning may not be a powerhouse in any facet of the game, several individuals have elevated their games, which will force the Penguins to stay honest at all times.

Ryan Malone, powered by a hat trick earlier this week, has a team high six goals, while Martin St. Louis has been an assist machine, recording 10 on the early season.

Meanwhile, Vincent Lecavalier has struggled out of the gate without a goal in his first six games, and starting goalie Mike Smith has given up 17 goals in his first four starts.

The story in Pittsburgh has been similar, yet significantly more successful.

Evgeni Malkin has nine points in seven games, and Tyler Kennedy has four goals, three of which have served as the game-winner.  In goal, Marc-Andre Fleury has been in a zone, making big save after big save to keep his team atop the NHL standings.

Sidney Crosby, however, has had a slow start, recording just one assist to date.

While tonight’s game certainly is no "gimmie," if the Penguins play their style of hockey, they could enter Sunday with a league high 14 points.

And now onto the rest of the story…

Projected Lines:
  • Kunitz – Crosby – Guerin
  • Fedotenko – Malkin – Dupuis
  • Cooke – Staal – Kennedy
  • Rupp – Adams – Godard
     
  • Orpik – Gonchar
  • Letang – Eaton
  • McKee – Goligoski
     
  • Fleury
  • Johnson
 
Standings
  GP W L OTL Pts Division Conference League
Penguins 7 6 1 0 12 1, Atlantic 1, Eastern 1, NHL
Lightning 6 2 2 2 6 3, Southeast 10, Eastern 21, NHL
 
Team Statistics
  GF GA PP% PK% Home Away L 10 Streak
Penguins 24 17 17.9 83.3 1-1-0 5-0-0 6-1-0 4 wins
Lightning 16 23 18.2 73.1 2-0-1 0-2-1 2-2-2 1 loss
 
Team Leaders
  Stat Penguins   Stat Lightning
Goals 4 Crosby, Kennedy Goals 6 Malone
Assists 6 Malkin Assists 7 St. Louis
Points 9 Malkin Points 10 St. Louis
+/- +7 Goligoski +/- +2 Walker
PIMs 21 McKee PIMs 36 Konopka
Wins 6 Fleury Wins 2 Niittymaki
GAA 2.27 Fleury GAA 2.00 Niittymaki
Sv% .917 Fleury Sv% .932 Niittymaki
 
Injuries/Suspensions
Penguins Injury Status
Talbot, IR Shoulder surgery Out until November
Lightning Injury Status
None    
     
Note: Info up-to-date as of 1:44 pm, Saturday, October 17, 2009.

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