Lightning 2, Penguins 0

So what happened?

If there was ever a game that was the definition of a "snoozer", this was it. After two nice rushes to start the game (one by each team), things were deadly boring. The key play was probably Craig Adams biting on a St. Louis pass fake with the Lightning on the power play during the first period. That opened up the passing lane for Stamkos' one time shot that he blasted past Fleury. That was all the Bolts needed, as they clogged and jammed things up the rest of the night.

Boy, you hate to see a team get rewarded for jamming things up for an entire evening. If every team did that, the NHL's ratings would plummet.

Who scored?
No one.

Any surprises?
Nothing would get the Pens going tonight. There was no urgency. That was the biggest surprise.

Any change in the standings?

Buffalo won and passed the Pens for 2nd in the East.

Conference: 3rd (one point ahead of New Jersey)

Who's next?
The Thrashers come to town for a Saturday afternoon game.

Notes:

• Letang missed about 74 shots on net.
• Fleury had a nice sprawling save on Bochenski to stop a two-on-one in the third period.
• I hate the Trap.

Game #77 - vs Tampa Bay Lightning

Game 77

Lightning (30-34-12, 72 points) at Penguins (44-25-7, 95 points)

Why does it matter?
Because it should be two points in the bank. The Lighting are playing out the string, they're not good on the road to begin with, and the Pens are in the driver's seat for the Atlantic division. If they win their remaining games, they will earn the crown (and either the #2 or #3 seed).

What has been happening lately?

• Pens - The first two games into the 6 game home stand have yielded four points.
  
• Lightning - They're not technically eliminated, but they sure are playing like it.

Questions to be answered

• Can the Pens stay up for this game? Allowing four goals to the Leafs at home on Sunday was not a good sign.
• Will Geno and Sarge return?
• Can we get some consistency on the defensive side? The goals against totals for the past while have been all over the map.

Keys to the game

• Take them seriously. The Lightning would love to make playoff teams unhappy, especially when home ice could be influenced.
• Get the power play onto the ice and then execute. This is a must heading into the post-season.
• Get Fleury some support. No mental mistakes like unmarked men in front of Flower or bad line changes.

Capitals 4, Penguins 3 (OT - SO - 3-2)

Missed this one entirely, so no writeup.

Just a placeholder blog entry.

Nothing to see here. Move along.

Regular blog posting will return next week.

Red Wings 3, Penguins 1

So what happened?

Well that was an exercise in frustration, wasn't it? The Wings are back in full playoff mode, playing their subtle obstruction / interference game. If you don't believe me, all you needed to do was see Sid's reaction to Zetterberg at the end of the game. I don't think Sid (or any of the Pens) enjoyed that special kind of closeness that the Wings like to try to inflict.

Aside from that, the Pens certainly seemed unable to match the intensity of the Wings tonight. I know the Wings slow things down, but the Pens seemed downright lackadaisical on their skates at times.

Your biggest stat line of the night? Being out shot 13-8 in the third period, despite being down. That won't cut it.

Who scored?
Dupuis (18)

Any surprises?
I didn't realize it was 2008 again. It wasn't? It sure felt like the way the first Cup Finals went.

Any change in the standings?

Nah, but Jersey now has two games in hand and is only two points back. Not good.

Division: 1st (two points ahead of New Jersey)

Conference: 2nd (two points ahead of New Jersey)

League: 6th (two points behind Vancouver)

Who's next?
In case you thought it couldn't get more annoying, The Great Ape is on the schedule for Wednesday. Gold shoelaces anyone?

Notes:

• What was the deal with the attempts to kill Filppula? It seemed like they went out of their way, as a team, to punish him.
• Flower made several really great saves, but two of the goals he allowed were of the weak variety.

Game #73 - at Detroit Red Wings

Game 73

Penguins (42-24-6, 90 points) at Red Wings (35-23-13, 83 points)

Why does it matter?
It's the Red Wings - even though Detroit is down a bit in the standings, this match up still has the glamor of being a Cup Finals rematch. The Pens, as usual, also badly need two points.

What has been happening lately?

• Pens -Optimists would say 6-2-2 in the past 10 games. Pessimists would say 4 losses in the past 6. Realists would say 2-2-2 in the last 6 won't earn the #2 seed, so win the game!
  
• Red Wings - The old men seem to have finally heard the alarm ringing, because they're 8-2-1 in their past 11 games.

Questions to be answered

• Can the Wings be scored on when they're down a man? They've allowed power play goals in just two games since the end of January. They also don't take penalties much at all.
• Will Sid step up? He has been quiet lately.

Keys to the game

• Win the battles at even-strength.
• Find a way to get onto the power play and then crash the net like there's no tomorrow.

Hurricanes 3, Penguins 2 (OT)

So what happened?

The Pens took a 2-1 lead in the third period, but one poor decision by Fleury allowed the Canes to tie the game, and some serious disorganization in the final seconds of OT allowed the Canes to win it.

The game tying goal was noteworthy in that Fedotenko slid across the lane of the shooter (Pitkanen), which should have allowed Flower to stay up. He didn't, and the goal picked the top corner of the net.

The game winner by McBain was made possible when two Pens lost their sticks (Fedotekno and Orpik). Both went to pick them up, which was especially problematic for Fedotenko since his was in the corner. In that circumstance (less than 5 seconds left in OT), you'd like to see them each mark a man and take a penalty if they have to. They didn't, and it may have cost the Pens a point.

Who scored?
Staal (20), Malkin (24)

Any surprises?
The Pens managed only 21 shots in regulation (25 overall).

Any change in the standings?

The Devils continue to try to give away the #2 seed to the Pens.

Division: 1st (two points ahead of New Jersey)

Conference: 2nd (two points ahead of New Jersey)

League: 6th (two points behind Vancouver)

Who's next?
The Red Wings on Versus - Monday night - in Detroit.

Notes:

• All three goals allowed by the Pens were preventable - the first saw Boychuk all alone in front of Fleury and I already talked about the other two. This seems to indicate the mental lapses are still there.

Game #72 - vs Carolina Hurricanes

Game 72

Hurricanes (29-33-8, 66 points) at Penguins (42-24-5, 89 points)

Why does it matter?
Another chance for two points, and another chance to keep the pressure on the Devils to win. Also, a chance to even the wins against the Canes, who have beaten the Pens twice this season.

What has been happening lately?

• Pens -Glass half full - if you ignore the games against the Devils, the Pens are 6-0-1 since the break.
  
• Canes - Since the end of January, the Canes have been one of the better teams in the NHL.

Questions to be answered

• Can the Pens get to the power play? The Canes don't take many penalties, but they allow goals when they do.
• Will the same effort be there from the last game against the Canes, but with better goaltending this time?
• Will Geno play? He skated yesterday and might play. If I'm HCDB, I sit him one more game - you have Detroit and Washington as your next two opponents.
• Finally! Fleury got the shutout! I removed my long-standing question!
  

Keys to the game

• Stop Staal and Whitney. They always seem to kill the Penguins.
• Control the boards and dominate the offensive zone time. The goals will go in if the effort is there.
• Clean up the mental mistakes - again. This is an ongoing process - get the mind into the playoff mindset so you're ready when they arrive.

Penguins 3, Bruins 0

So what happened?

Fleury earned the team's first shutout of the season! Finally!

The Bruins simply didn't show up. There was the obligatory fight with Matt Cooke, and that seemed to be it for the B's. They only managed 17 shots on net. The best thing they earned tonight were the two Bronx Cheers in the third period when they finally managed a shot on net about 10 minutes in, despite being down 3-0.

The Bruins simply cannot generate much offense. Yes, they miss Savard, but remember, this team was not lighting it up with Savard in the lineup.

The Pens took advantage of a few bad decisions by Rask to take a lead they never relinquished.

Who scored?
Kennedy (10), Ponikarovsky (21), Rupp (13)

Any surprises?
I was surprised that whatever morons decided to award a star to Shawn Thornton (for fighting Matt Cooke) didn't give him the first star (he was given the third star).

Any change in the standings?

The Devils just lost in a shootout, so the Pens have pulled ahead again.

Division: 1st (one point ahead of New Jersey)

Conference: 2nd (one point ahead of New Jersey)

League: TBD

Who's next?
A quick day off tomorrow and then back in action at the Igloo against the Hurricanes on Saturday afternoon.

Notes:

• Doesn't Sobotka remind you of Scottie Upshall?
• Rask looked solid in net, but he made a few Fleury-like mistakes by going down too early on the Kennedy goal and being off his angle for the Rupp goal. It was so nice to see the other team get burned by those for once.
• The secondary scoring has really stepped up. Sid didn't need to carry the team tonight.

Game #71 - at Boston Bruins

Game 71

Penguins (41-24-5, 87 points) at Bruins (31-26-12, 74 points)

Why does it matter?
First off, ignore all of the nonsense about injuring players and payback. There might be someone that confronts Cooke, but the Bruins are trying to get into the playoffs. They're not going to waste significant effort on revenge.

The Pens badly need two points to keep themselves in the conversation for the #2 seed. Nothing matters other than that.

What has been happening lately?

• Pens -Three losses in four games on this road trip won't cut it.
  
• Bruins - A 3-3-1 road trip has typified their play for the last two months - average, maybe even mediocre.

Questions to be answered

• Will we see Thomas or Rask in net for the Bruins? The Pens don't have any good recent history against Thomas in Boston.
• Can the offense step up against the normally stingy Boston trap?
• I'm still looking for a shut out from a Pens goalie. Can they get one? (this question is staying here until they do)
  

Keys to the game

• Get traffic in front of the goalie, no matter which one it is. These are essentially playoff games, so there should be some urgency around the crease.
• Ignore any nonsense. Just play with the same intensity that has been there for the last few weeks.
• Clean up the mental mistakes. This is critical going into the playoffs. The line changes we saw against Jersey cannot happen, or golf will be on the agenda sooner rather than later.

Devils 5, Penguins 2

So what happened?

If you know anything about the Devils and Pens this year, then you can imagine how this one went.

Yeah, it was that bad.

For me, it was over with two horrible line changes in the first period that led directly to two New Jersey goals. In each case, the last man back coughed up the puck as the rest of the folks were changing. It was a shame too, because the Pens played a good first period.

On one hand, it doesn't worry me much because you figure they won't do that in the playoffs. On the other hand, if they can't stop the mental mistakes when playing in a high-pressure game, then when will they be able to stop?

Who scored?
Kunitz (11), Fedotenko (10)

Any surprises?
Rod Pelley doing the unthinkable and taking a really stupid major penalty with less than 7 minutes left in the game. Devils don't usually do that. Of course, the Pens couldn't capitalize.

Any change in the standings?

This was a HUGE missed chance. The Devils are back in the drivers seat for the coveted #2 seed.

Division: 1st (tied with New Jersey)

Conference: 2nd (tied with New Jersey)

League: 6th (tied with New Jersey)

Who's next?
Fight Night in Beantown tomorrow night.

Notes:

• I'd say the Pens missed Geno, but they doubled their previous high in goal scoring against Brodeur.
• Speaking of Brodeur, he certainly was beatable tonight. The Pens just couldn't get to the rebounds. They also made dumb mistakes that let the Devils take the lead and sit back in their trap.

Game #70 - at New Jersey Devils

Game 70

Penguins (41-23-5, 87 points) at Devils (41-24-3, 85 points)

Why does it matter?
As far as playoff seeding goes, this the most important game remaining on the schedule. The Pens can earn two points, while keeping Jersey from getting two, by winning in regulation. They could also get the monkey off of their back as far as the Devils go this season.

What has been happening lately?

• Pens -The Pens have earned at least a point in 10 of the past 11 and they're playing well.
  
• Devils - Good, but not great, after following up the win over the Pens with a loss to the Isles. They won their last one, however, at home against the Bruins.

Questions to be answered

• Very simple - can the Pens beat the Devils?.
• I'm still looking for a shut out from a Pens goalie. Can they get one? (this question is staying here until they do)
  

Keys to the game

• Just one - win the game! Nothing else matters - keep it simple and focus on one goal - two points.

Malkin? Okay... Ovechkin? Confused

First off, Geno is day-to-day with a bone bruise. His x-ray was negative.

That's good news for the Pens, who will need Malkin at full strength for the playoffs.

As for Ovechkin (who was suspended for two games, if you didn't hear), my favorite part of the whole thing was this quote from Alex himself after the game, via Yahoo Sports:

"There’s nothing I can do right now. He just fell and this happens"

HE JUST FELL??? Really? That's what The Great Ape is saying? Please don't tell me this is a language translation thing - I'm not buying it.

Ovechkin is, without a doubt, one of the most talented players in the league. He's exciting to watch and brings passion and energy to his game. He also, without a doubt, seems to have trouble discerning where that line is that should not be crossed. I'm not sure if it's because he's an egomaniac (think "There is no line") or because he gets out of control and has impulse control issues.

We've seen Sid do things that would border on unsportsmanlike, and we certainly see him giving the little shots to players when he gets angry. He also takes over a game like no one in the game today when he gets mad. I can't ever see him playing with the recklessness that we see from Ovechkin.

I guess that's another way we can differentiate the two, to go with the previous criteria of the Gold Medal and Stanley Cup.

Penguins 2, Lightning 1

So what happened?

First off, the "hit" by Downie on Sid during the early part of the first period has to be one of the dirtiest plays I've seen in a long time. It wasn't so much a hit as it was a leg lock combined with a slew-foot move. Highly dangerous.

Now, the game itself, the Pens hung in there and kept battling. The Bolts were a desperate team who took a 1-0 lead and then tried to trap their way to a win. As a fan, it is always wonderfully gratifying to see that strategy backfire as it did today.

Effort and determination got the Pens their first goal with the third line crashing the net and Dupuis putting home a lucky bounce. The power play took over when Gonchar's shot from the point was screened quite effectively by Ponikarovsky, giving the Pens the victory.

Fleury (and the defense) withstood a late power play and some mad scrambling to earn the two points.

Who scored?
Dupuis (17), Gonchar (10)

Any surprises?
I never noticed that Ryan Malone wasn't out there. Also, Stamkos was mostly absent even when he was on the ice.

Any change in the standings?

The Devils went on to lose yesterday to the Islanders, so the Pens are back in front by four points.

Division: 1st (four points ahead of New Jersey)

Conference: 2nd (four points ahead of New Jersey)

League: 5th (tied with Vancouver)

Who's next?
The biggest remaining game on the schedule - a trip to New Jersey on Wednesday. I think a win can go a long way towards earning the #2 seed.

Notes:

• Hopefully Geno isn't hurt. He took a shot off of his foot at the end of the second period and did not return.
• Fleury was great today when he needed to be. There were several saves of the highway robbery variety.
• I guess it is inevitable that GoGo is the one to sit. Right now, you need McKee's shot blocking and penalty killing, especially when Leopold can chip in offensively.

Game #69 - at Tampa Bay Lightning

Game 69

Penguins (40-23-5, 85 points) at Lightning (28-27-12, 68 points)

Why does it matter?
The Pens need to get the momentum going in the winning direction and Tampa desperately needs two points to have a chance to get into the playoffs.

What has been happening lately?

• Pens - Brodeur. Blech.
  
• Lightning - Generally speaking, they're playing themselves out of a playoff spot.

Questions to be answered

• Can the Pens slow down Stamkos? This is his team now.
  
• Will the Pens' offense show up? The Lightning have allowed 4 or more goals in 7 of the past 9 (all losses).
  
• I'm still looking for a shut out from a Pens goalie. Can they get one? (this question is staying here until they do)
  

Keys to the game

• Get the power play going. The 0-5 performance in Jersey needs to be ancient history.
• Turn it into a shooting gallery. The Lightning usually allow more than 30 shots.

Devils 3, Penguins 1

So what happened?

Blech. I didn't want to think about this one after it happened, which is why this post is so late. I still don't want to think about it. Brodeur was really good. The Pens were outplayed.

Who scored?
Crosby (45)

Any surprises?
At this point, I can't say a loss to the Devils is a surprise. The Adams major, however, was a surprise. Still not sure why that was a major penalty, since it wasn't an icing.

Any change in the standings?

Dunno - will update after today's game.

Who's next?
A quick visit to Florida to play the Lightning at 5:00.

Notes:

• Brodeur outplayed Fleury today.
• The Devils would be a bad playoff matchup for the Pens.

Game #68 - at New Jersey Devils

Game 67

Penguins (40-22-5, 85 points) at Devils (39-23-3, 81 points)

Why does it matter?
There are two meetings left between the Pens and Devils. The outcome will go a long way towards determining who gets the #2 seed in the East.

What has been happening lately?

• Pens - Earned only one point last night in Carolina.
  
• Devils - Righted the ship with a win over the Rangers after an embarrassing road loss to Edmonton.

Questions to be answered

• Can the Pens solve Brodeur? They have tortured him in the past, but this season, the Devils have owned the Pens. Brodeur has struggled since getting benched in the Olympics on the way to a gold medal.
  
• Can the Pen generate enough offense to win? The Devils have gone back to full snooze hockey, allowing 25 shots or fewer in 7 of the past 10. The three they allowed more than 25? All losses.
  
• I'm still looking for a shut out from a Pens goalie. Can they get one? (this question is staying here until they do)
  

Keys to the game

• Goaltending. Fleury must out play Brodeur. It's as simple as that.
• Secondary scoring. The Devils will match up against Sid and Geno. The third or fourth line needs to crash the net, create havoc and get one behind Brodeur. Mike Rupp - this is your night.
• Stop Kovalchuk and Parise. Ilya has been reasonably quiet since coming to the Devils, but he and Parise are both dangerous, both at even-strength and on the power play.

Hurricanes 4, Penguins 3 (OT)

So what happened?

The Pens had a dominating effort tonight but were let down by their goaltending. I'd say that the first three Carolina goals were pretty clearly on the soft side. The shots do tell the story of the game, with the Pens on top in that department by a 40-21 margin. The Canes are lucky to get two points out of this, and I like what I'm seeing from the Pens. I think with Fleury in net, the Pens don't lose this game.

Who scored?
Staal (19), Guerin (18), Cooke (13)

Any surprises?
Is anyone playing better than Pascal Dupuis right now? He had two more points tonight and was all over the ice.

Any change in the standings?

No changes.

Division: 1st (four points ahead of New Jersey)

Conference: 2nd (4 points ahead of Buffalo and New Jersey, 14 points behind Washington)

League: 4th (tied with Vancouver, Phoenix)

Who's next?
A big game tomorrow night against the Devils in New Jersey.

Notes:

• The latest sign of the Apocalypse? Geno was the only Penguin over 50% in faceoffs. Wow.
• Nice job by HCDB of rolling the lines and spreading out the minutes, given the games tomorrow and Sunday. Sarge was the only player more than a few seconds over 20 minutes.
• One of these days, a Penguins goalie will earn a shutout. I just hope it happens in our lifetimes.

Game #67 - at Carolina Hurricanes

Game 67

Penguins (40-22-4, 84 points) at Hurricanes (27-31-8, 62 points)

Why does it matter?
The Pens control their own destiny in the Atlantic division. Every game is important to keep that #2 seed. This one also has the makings of a classic trap game with the big game against Jersey looming tomorrow night.

What has been happening lately?

• Pens - Perfect since the Olympic break.
  
• Hurricanes - The Canes were 15-28-7 on January 23rd. They're 12-3-1 since then.

Questions to be answered

• Can the Pens cool off the Canes? While they have lost two of their past three, they are perfect at home since the middle of January.
  
• Which forward will sit tonight? Right now it looks like Kennedy, who has a lower body injury.
  
• I'm still looking for a shut out from a Pens goalie. Can they get one? (this question is staying here until they do)
  

Keys to the game

• Stay off of the PK - the Canes have been hot lately.
• Not really a key, but it's tough to see Brind'Amour just playing out the string. He's playing less than 10 minutes per game lately and is a -24. I'd never begrudge someone the chance to earn a living, but you like to see guys go out on top...

Slacker!

I missed just about an entire weekend of hockey games (I saw about 10 minutes of the Bruins game). I have to say - it was a nice break.

You don't realize how much writing a blog can dominate your time. Even when you're not writing or watching games, you're thinking about the next thing you need to write, or figuring out how to work the weekend schedule so that you can watch hockey and still have a marriage (I am prone to exaggeration on occasion).

So, the break was nice, but as Roxette sang, it's over now. The Pens are off until Thursday when they open up a five game road trip at Carolina. I'll be writing about it.

Game #65 - vs Dallas Stars

Game 65

Stars (28-23-12, 68 points) at Penguins (38-22-4, 80 points)

Why does it matter?
Dallas is clawing at an outside chance for a playoff spot, so the Pens need to be ready for the early wakeup call.

What has been happening lately?

• Pens - Thursday was about as dominating as a 5-4 win can be. Seriously.
  
• Stars - Losers of two in a row since the break with just two goals scored.

Questions to be answered

• Can the Pens impose their will? Dallas has been doing just enough to earn points this season, with an NHL-high 12 overtime losses. That means they stay in a lot of games.
  
• Which forward will sit if Guerin is able to return? My money is on Mike Rupp or, if they want to rest him, Max Talbot.
  
• I'm still looking for a shut out from a Pens goalie. Can they get one? (this question is staying here until they do)
  

Keys to the game

• Win the game at even strength. Most of the Stars regulars are minus players.
  
• Don't let them hang around. Despite their "winning" record, this is not a playoff team that is coming to the Igloo. This should be two points.

Penguins 5, Rangers 4 (OT)

So what happened?

The Pens earned an exciting two points tonight, coming from behind to beat the Rangers. It was very satisfying to watch as a fan, after the Rangers spent the night taking the body every chance and King Henrik got into Sid's face to try to talk some smack.

The Pens just kept coming, and the Rangers had no answer. I think the Rangers should be embarrassed by their play in the latter half of the second period and the third period. They absolutely packed it in and were content to let the Pens come at them. The Pens outshot the Rangers 23-1 over the third period and the OT.

Great effort and tenacity by the Pens, who covered for Fleury. Flower hadn't played in 18 days, and it looked like it.

Who scored?
Kunitz (9), Staal (17, 18), Rupp (12), Goligoski (7)

Any surprises?
Not so much a surprise, but a welcome sight - the Pens power play is starting to look dominant. You almost expect them to score when they take the ice.

Any change in the standings?

Jersey didn't play tonight, and they have two games-in-hand, but the Pens are now back in first place!

Division: 1st (one point ahead of New Jersey)

Conference: 2nd (4 points ahead of Ottawa, 14 points behind Washington)

League: 4th (tied with Vancouver, Los Angeles)

Who's next?
The Stars visit the Igloo for a Saturday afternoon match.

Notes:

• Nice to see Christensen getting a chance to play some big minutes. I hope he does well (just not against the Pens).
• The more I see of Jokinen, the less I like him.
• I'm not sure which is more impressive - 55 shots for or 16 shots against.

Game #64 - at New York Rangers

Game 64

Penguins (37-22-4, 78 points) at Rangers (29-27-7, 65 points)

Why does it matter?
The Pens need to continue to win to try to catch Jersey for the division lead (and the #2 seed). Improving the divisional record at the same time is an added bonus.

What has been happening lately?

• Pens - A solid effort against the Sabres on Tuesday night.
  
• Rangers - They earned a solid win in Ottawa the other night (without Gaborik) and are just outside of the playoff picture.

Questions to be answered

• Will Gaborik play? He didn't play prior to the Olympics and didn't play on Tuesday against Ottawa, but he DID play during the Olympics for Slovakia. With the Rangers trying to claw their way into the playoffs, I think I'd be unhappy with Mr Gaborik if I were a Ranger.
  
• Will the focus remain? It looked to be there on Tuesday - will the Pens be able to keep the intensity going? We have seen it, on and off, this season, but not for an extended stretch.
  
• I'm still looking for a shut out from a Pens goalie. Can they get one? (this question is staying here until they do)
  

Keys to the game

• Focus on the details. The Rangers, despite the last few games, struggle to score goals without Gaborik. Do the simple things and make them earn their chances.
  
• Dictate the pace. In winning three straight, the Rangers have allowed fewer than 30 shots. The Pens need to impose their will on the Rangers and earn good zone time. That means a good, aggressive forecheck and out working the Rangers in the corners.
  

Penguins acquire LW Alexei Ponikarovsky

Yeah, this is about 36 hours late, but it's going up here for posterity.

The Pens sent Luca Caputi and Martin Skoula to the Leafs for Alexei Ponikarovsky.

Ponikarovsky (typing that name is going to get old quickly) will jump into a top 6 forward spot immediately, given that he's been a consistent goal scorer for several years now. My guess is that he'll play the left side with Geno, but someone will have to play the right side on that line. Dupuis has been scoring this year, so I guess that makes him the most likely candidate.

Ponikarovsky will also shoot the puck more than some of the Pens other forwards (like Dupuis and Fedotenko).

I'm not too disappointed to see Caputi leave. He wasn't a top grade prospect (or he wouldn't have been included in a deal for a 20 goal scoring rental player). Skoula was simply the odd man out on the blue line and any little bit of cap space was helpful to Ray Shero.

The real question now is who will sit from this group of forwards, assuming no one is hurt. My guess is Mike Rupp or, if he's not playing well, Fedotenko (though we know Bylsma likes Fedotenko, so that may be less likely as the playoffs near). Any way you look at it, the flexibility is a nice thing to have, assuming it doesn't cause problems in the locker room.

Penguins 3, Sabres 2

So what happened?

Time is short, so just a quick recap. A solid, balanced effort led to two points at home. The power play looked sharp and scored a goal.

Who scored?
Fedotenko (9), Gonchar (9), Dupuis (14)

Any surprises?
Both Sid and Geno played less than 18 minutes. That's a good job by HCDB since they play three games in four days beginning on Thursday.

Any change in the standings?

No time to update, but Jersey won too, so the Pens are still second in the division.

Who's next?
A trip to MSG on Thursday to face the Blueshirts.

Notes:

• Gonchar notched his 200th career goal. That's a great accomplishment for him.
• Nice to see Johnson get a win.
• I think that was the most balanced lineup we've seen all season, and it's only going to get better when Ponikarovsky gets here.

Game #63 - vs Buffalo Sabres

Game 63

Sabres (33-18-9, 75 points) at Penguins (36-22-4, 76 points)

Why does it matter?
A tough game against a top conference foe. The Sabre's style of play is a good way for the Pens to get their legs under them coming out of the break.

What has been happening lately?

• Pens - The Pens lost four of their last five before the Olympics.
  
• Sabres - The Sabres, despite their win over San Jose heading into the break, are just 3-7-3 in their past 13 games.

Questions to be answered

• Can the Pens turn it on heading down the home stretch like last season, or will Disco Dan's nice guy routine come back to bite the team?
  
• Will Sid continue his torture of Ryan Miller?
  
• I'm still looking for a shut out from a Pens goalie. Can they get one? (this question is staying here until they do)
  

Keys to the game

• Win the battle of the special teams - the Sabres have scored just once in the past 6 games on the power play.
• Faceoffs are key in a puck possession game, especially in the defensive zone.

Penguins acquire D Jordan Leopold

The Pens swapped a 2010 second round draft pick for Panthers defenseman Jordan Leopold today. You have to wonder what else is going to happen behind this. With the addition of Leopold, the Pens have 8 NHL defensemen, with none of them having an obvious injury. Maybe it's a hedge against future injury, given that the top two defense (Orpik and Gonchar) both played in the Olympics, but I think there are other moves still to come.

Are we going to see one of the young guys (Letang or GoGo) packaged with a pending UFA (Fedotekno?) to acquire a scoring winger?

Leopold is an unrestricted free agent after this season.

Just remember - "In Shero We Trust" should be emblazoned in the head of every Penguins fan.