Two in a Row!!

It is time to make a move in the Conference!

Staal versus Staal

Jordan Staal plus thirteen for the year!

With the Penguins missing Max Talbot, Bill Guerin(their top scoring winger), Chris Kunitz, and Alex Goligoski along with Marc Andre Fleury playing his first game in over a week, the prospects of the Penguins gaining another important victory against an Atlantic Division rival looked a little grim. Especially with the Rangers coming off of two games in which they were shutout, I really thought the Pens were in for a rough ride. It was nice to see the Penguins come out and take another victory to pull within 4 points of the Division leading New Jersey Devils, who have cooled off considerably. It is utterly amazing to me that the Pens are within striking distance of the Devils despite a very rough stretch of play and getting swept by the Devils in the first four games of the season series. The Devils have played three fewer games than the Penguins so that number is a bit decieving, but with two more head to head games, the Penguins have a chance to catch the Devils if they stumble a bit. Winning the division would guarantee the Pens a top three seeding in the NHL's second season. It was good to see the Penguins put two games together on the road in which their special teams were a big part of the reason that they won. After a horrible stretch, Evgeni Malkin now has 10 points in his last 5 games, as does Sidney Crosby. Marc Andre Fleury played a solid game and now has three more days to heal his fractured finger, and work in his new leather. It is good to see the Penguins have gone 3-1 in the first third of a twelve game stretch prior to the Olympics that includes 11 games with divisional or conference rivals all in the playoff picture and the twelfth against the Detroit Red Wings. If they can go into the Olympics taking 6 of the next 8, they will have made a significant move in the playoff picture in the Eastern Conference. Next up is Ottawa, a suprise team that is only 7 points behind the Pens in the Eastern conference with a game in hand, so a very big contest for the flightless birds. Here is to hoping they can go on a little run as they are about to face Ottawa, Detroit, Buffalo twice, the Capitals, Islanders, and Canadiens in the next couple of weeks. Every game but Detroit brings a four point swing in the playoff race. With Buffalo and Washington the top two teams in the conference, and the rest in striking distance of the Pens, some very critical games are upcoming. GO PENS!!

Amazing stat of the night-The Penguins power play clicks at 19.7% with Sergei Gonchar in the lineup..................and 7.6% without him..............You think they are going to find a way to sign the Sarge?