Game #39 - at New York Islanders

Game 39

Penguins (25-11-2, 50 points) at Islanders (9-19-6, 24 points)

Why does it matter?
The Pens need some momentum going into the Winter Classic. It looks like the Isles are the perfect team to provide it.

What has been happening lately?

• Pens - Some sloppy play and bad penalties didn't hurt them in the win over Atlanta.
• Islanders - They had a 4-0-1 streak going... then they were pasted by the Rangers 7-2 and traded their leading scorer (Wisniewski) for two draft picks.

Questions to be answered

• Can the Pens keep the Isles from getting into the game?
• Can the Pens put themselves into a good position with special teams? That means getting to the power play and staying out of the box. It also means killing the few chances the other team gets.
• Can Sid keep the point streak going?

Keys to the game

• Keep the intensity. It might be tough to get up for a team that had a 1-16-3 stretch (yes, you read that right).
• Don't let up even if you build a lead.
• If Roloson plays (and he's the better goalie right now), get traffic in front and be patient. He has numbers that are excellent for a goalie whose record is 5-13-1.