Game #29 - vs Colorado Avalanche

Game 29

Avalanche (15-8-6, 36 pts) at Penguins (19-9-0, 38 pts)


Mellon Arena - Pittsburgh

Why does it matter?
The Avs have been tough in the early going this year, hanging near the top of the standings in the NHL. They are a good test for the Pens.

What has been happening lately?

• Pens - The Pens just completed a two game sweep of the Rangers, out scoring them 13-5 over two games.
  
• Avalanche - Other than their furious comeback in their shoot out loss to the Panthers last night (scored twice in the last 60 seconds), the Avs have struggled lately. Their high water mark was 10-1-2 back on October 28th. They're just 5-7-4 since then.

Questions to be answered

• The Pens are just 4-4 against the Western Conference. Can they improve on that record?
  
• There's no chance the Pens are looking past the Avs to the game with the Blackhawks on Saturday, right?
  
• I'm still looking for a shut out from a Pens goalie. Can they get one?
  

Keys to the game

• The biggest key may be that Craig Anderson played last night, and thus may not play against the Pens. That's huge, because Anderson has been strong against the Pens over the last two seasons in three games.
  
• Injuries have hurt the Avs - they're missing both Hejduk and Jones, which means they're without two of their top three goal scorers. Hejduk may play tonight.
• Keep the Avs off of the power play - they're 4-14 over their past four games.