Win and You're In - Penguins at Hurricanes Preview

by Bob Wage on Apr 4, 2009 1:33 PM EDT in Hurricanes Game Related

The Pittsburgh Penguins invade the RBC tonight to take on the Carolina Hurricanes in a battle between the NHL's hottest teams. A lot will be on the line as both teams could clinch a spot in the playoffs with a win.

The similarities between the teams are striking. Both have 11-1-2 records since March 1st. Both teams changed coaches during the season because of sub-par performance. Both teams made major acquisitions before the trade deadline, which have been vital to their winning streaks.

And now, only one point separates the two in the standings.

The Penguins acquired Bill Guerin and Chris Kunitz, and both have been nearly a point a game players since they joined the team. They are joined by the ever dangerous Sid Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, who do most of the scoring damage for the visitors. Goalie, Marc-Andre Fleury has been solid for them as well.

	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG	GTG	SOG	PCT
2008 - Evgeni Malkin	77	34	74	108	19	78	14	2	4	0	273	12.5

	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG	GTG	SOG	PCT
2008 - Sidney Crosby	72	30	69	99	9	69	4	0	3	2	219	13.7

	GP	MIN	W	L	T	EGA	GA	GAA	SA	SV	SV%	SO
2008 - Marc-Andre Fleury	58	3402	33	17	6	5	150	2.65	1727	1577	.913	4

For more information about them, be sure to check out PensBurgh, the excellent blog covering the Pens on SBN.

The Hurricanes will be starting Cam Ward for the 26th straight game. The goalie was named the NHL's number one star for the month of March for his outstanding play. The team will need another stand out performance from him tonight.

	GP	MIN	W	L	T	EGA	GA	GAA	SA	SV	SV%	SO
2008 - Cam Ward	65	3777	37	22	5	10	154	2.45	1841	1687	.916	5

The Canes are led by Ray Whitney and Eric Staal, who have considerably lower numbers than the Pittsburgh stars, but the Canes have a much more balanced scoring attack than the Pens do.

	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG	GTG	SOG	PCT
2008 - Ray Whitney	78	24	47	71	2	32	7	0	2	2	211	11.4

	GP	G	A	P	+/-	PIM	PPG	SHG	GWG	GTG	SOG	PCT
2008 - Eric Staal	78	35	34	69	10	50	13	1	8	0	354	9.9

The Hurricanes are riding high on a franchise record 10 game winning streak on home ice, and have won seven in a row overall.

Rod Brind'Amour currently has a seven game scoring streak.

Look for the lines to be the same as Thursday night, except that Tim Conboy might fill in for Ryan Bayda and Patrick Eaves might be questionable after blocking a shot during the Rangers game. Eaves practiced yesterday, so he might be able to play.

Matt Cullen will remain out because of his foot injury.

Staal, Ruutu, Cole
Jokinen, Whitney, LaRose
Brind'Amour, Samsonov, (Eaves or Bayda or Walker)
Helminen, Conboy, Walker
Corvo, Gleason
Pitkanen, Babchuk
Seidenberg, Wallin

The Canes are currently one point ahead of the Pens in the standings as they sit in fifth and sixth positions, respectively. If you were waiting until game time tonight to get your tickets, think again. Very few seats are available and this game will be standing room only, by time the puck drops.

And some people thought that Caniacs would prefer to stay home and watch the Tarheels in the final four tonight? Give your heads a shake!

The contest will be broadcast by FS Carolinas (as long as there is not a tennis match going on), Gametime is at 7PM.

______

Brief Newsstand:

Canes Now: The Conboys have a new son, Gunnar Price Conboy, who was born during the Rangers game on Thursday night.

Pittsburgh Tribune Review: "Fedotenko probable against Canes".

Fan 960 Blog: "Random thoughts from on the road". Traveling reporter from Calgary gives props to Carolina.

"As far as fans go I thought the best buildings that I saw for fans this year on the road had to be San Jose, Nashville (again just not enough of them), and by far and a way Carolina."

London Free Press: Rutherford explains that he hired Maurice because of his qualifications, not because of friendship.

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Comments

“Win and your in”

’nuff said.

by Paladin6 on Apr 4, 2009 1:52 PM EDT reply actions

I know it’s April because I’m nervous!

by Mateos_Canes_Lamp on Apr 4, 2009 2:43 PM EDT reply actions

I want to win this game, but…my worst case playoff scenario is the Pens have to play the Canes in the first round as the 4-5 seed matchup- that would suck…… I would rather play the Craps, or NJ “not so recently” devils…

by PittsburghCaniac on Apr 4, 2009 6:09 PM EDT reply actions

Nice...........

Just got home, that was a wicked game. Worth its weight. Thanks guys for a great effort.

by KenRab on Apr 4, 2009 10:07 PM EDT reply actions

Team Effort

The difference between those two teams was the balanced attack of the Canes. Pittsburgh is top loaded. One man does not a team make and two men do not make a team either. Rolling the lines is reminicent of ’06. Fun to see.

by KenRab on Apr 4, 2009 10:50 PM EDT reply actions

Concurrence.

Ken, you are absolutely correct! I say that to Pens fans all the time up here. (Which absolutely pisses them off) The Pens are absolutely top loaded, and unbalanced.

In proving my point-

Crosby = 8.7 Million, Malkin = 8.7 Million, Fleury = 5 Million, Jordan Staal = 4 Million (I believe this is correct after his new contract), and Orpik = 3.75 Million.

If my numbers are correct, then that is 30.15 Million dollars per year for FIVE PLAYERS!!!!

Although three are fantastic players (Malkin, Crosby, and Fleury), two of them are great (Orpik, Staal), five players do not make up a hockey team. WIthout a supporting cast, I just don’t understand how they have been as effective as they have.

by PittsburghCaniac on Apr 4, 2009 11:28 PM EDT up reply actions

And I forgot to toss in Gonchar- another 5 Million, make it 6 players for 35.15 Million.

by PittsburghCaniac on Apr 4, 2009 11:30 PM EDT up reply actions

ok, I screwed the numbers up, looked at the wrong year in the Pens salary, but, I hope my point is taken- way too much money for way to few players. There is only so long a player can be on the ice every night.

by PittsburghCaniac on Apr 4, 2009 11:31 PM EDT up reply actions

It was clear in last night's game.

The game played out like I thought it would. If you look at the teams just based on the salaries and their team makup, one may have guessed that Pittsburgh would come out hard and fast because they are top loaded. They are inexperienced so they are like the impulsive child. They throw everything they have at you as soon as they can. The Canes looked like the patient, experienced and calm team. They were strong defensively and waited for the chances to come to them. As the game progressed, the rolling of the lines began to take a toll on the Pen’s top line. At around the half way point of the game, you got the feeling that the Canes were coming in waves and were going to win it. When Cam made the stop on the Malkin penalty shot, you just could feel the win coming. Babchuk was close to getting his shot off several times but the passes just didn’t click. I told the guy next to me, Babchuk is going to get one off for the winner. Then,,,,,,,,,,,bam it was in. He looked at me a little funny. I gave him the Michael Jordan shoulder shrug. This team is very very dangerous. They can beat you in many ways. They can shut you down defensively, they can run and gun, they can slap the speed on you, they can out hustle you, they can smack you in the mouth, they can goalie slap you. It reminds me of the finals in 2002. Detroit looked lost in the first game. They looked bad for most of game 2. Then Scottie Boman changed the style of his team. He decided to beat the Canes at their own trap game. They never looked back. That was impressive. The point here is that this team has the ability to change styles unlike the 2002 or the 2006 team. We have not had a team like this before.

That was the third time I have seen Crosby live. He is smooth but he is no Gretsky. I am left with the feeling that he is a spoiled, undisiplined, cheap shot, cherry picker. A player’s personality translates to the ice. His actions said he cannot be liked by even his own teammates.

He has no respect for others on the ice. I don’t mean he is head hunting or anything like that. He just seem to have no regard for anyone else. “I am a superstar and the rest of you guys cannot even hold my jock strap” This is backed up by his post game comments. You didn’t hear “We got beat” you heard a whining " We didn’t get the breaks. The Canes were lucky…..We are going to win most of the time if we play like that………attitude. No respect. He is a punk. He snowed Cam Ward for no reason. Just to be an ass. Eric Staal put a licking on him in the second period that was like no hit I have seen Staal make. It was like Jordan had said to Eric, that guy is a punk. All you have to do is hit him and you can take him out of his game. That is what Eric did and that is what happened. It was really hysterical. Perhaps I am reading into this a lot but I think you can see inside a person’s head by their actions. I didn’t really see this before. The Penguins are in trouble if they face the Canes in the playoffs.

Who wants to face the Canes right now? Anyone……..anyone?

by KenRab on Apr 5, 2009 8:41 AM EDT up reply actions

Ken Rabideau ................."Sydney Crosby is that very unique combination player that only comes along once every fifty years or so."

COCKY, WHINY AND PUNK all rolled into one overrated player. Wow what a guy.

by KenRab on Apr 5, 2009 9:12 AM EDT up reply actions

Go Canes!

Cam said it all…

"I’m excited to know that we’re going to have that chance" to return to the playoffs, Ward said. "This is where the work just begins. We’ve worked extremely hard to get ourselves in this position, and I’m excited for everybody, but we need to bear down in these last three games. I can’t express that enough."

by BladeD on Apr 5, 2009 2:44 AM EDT reply actions