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GAMEDAY! Neal & Niskanen return to Lone Star State

February 29, 2012, 12:51 PM ET [347 Comments]
John Toperzer
Pittsburgh Penguins Blogger • RSSArchiveCONTACT
Pens (36-21-5, 16-13-3 Road) at Stars (33-26-4, 18-12-2 Home), American Airlines Center, 7:38 pm EDT

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At the risk of jinxing the entire 2011-12 season, the Pittsburgh Penguins are the healthiest they’ve been in a long time. Even when the Pens went on a 5-2-1 run with a healthy Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Jordan Staal for an eight-game stretch in late November to early December, a key ingredient – Kris Letang – was missing with a concussion. On Sunday, only Crosby, Tyler Kennedy, Arron Asham and Brent Johnson sat out against Columbus.

Things are looking up!

The Pens are 15-4-1 since a season-worst six game losing skid which ended Jan. 11 in Washington. GM Ray Shero guaranteed his team would make the playoffs following the 1-0 loss to the Capitals and they’ve responded.

The losing streak and corresponding run are eerily similar to the 2008-09 campaign. That season, Pittsburgh lost five straight in January and dropped from second place to 10th in the East. The Pens were 23-21-4 at the All-Star Break but went on a 22-6-8 tear to close out the regular season. And we all remember how that season ended – with a Stanley Cup victory parade through downtown Pittsburgh.

We’ll see what the immediate future holds for Pittsburgh. All we know right know is that the team heads into the stretch drive with a demanding 20-games-in-39- days schedule.


*****


Dallas visited CONSOL Energy Center on Nov. 11, losing 3-1 in what became the James Neal show. Playing for the first time against the only franchise the 24 year-old ever knew, the forward netted his 10th and 11th power-play goals, including the game-winner. Incidentally, Neal has been stuck on 13 power-play goals since Jan. 14, a span of 13 contests.

Matt Cooke buried a penalty shot for his fifth goal and Marc-Andre Fleury stopped 19 of 20 shots for the win. Stars goalie, Kari Lehtonen allowed three goals on 32 shots.

Fleury is a perfect 5-0 with a 1.77 GAA and .930 save percentage against Dallas.


*****


Pens defender, Matt Niskanen, also returns to Dallas for the first time since his trade to Pittsburgh. Niskanen has given Pittsburgh quality minutes on the blue line in 2011-12. Surprisingly, he only has three assists in 24 games since December, fewer than Brooks Orpik, Deryk Engelland or Paul Martin.

See Rink Links for stories on Niskanen's homecoming.


*****


Coach Bylsma made some telling comments about the team’s lines combos Tuesday when and if Sidney Crosby returns to the lineup, the Penguins’ Web site reports.

“There is no anticipation on when Sid would come back to our team,” Bylsma said. “I haven’t written anything down in terms of what the lines would be. I certainly have been thinking about it for a good month and a half now because you watch that line (Kunitz-Malkin-Neal) play together and they’ve been extremely good. You hear people talk about them as the most dangerous line in the league. They’re going really well, playing really well together. They each add a lot to that line. We’re going to keep letting them do that in the meantime. We’ll worry about that when and if we get that luxury.”

Tuesday’s lines

Kunitz-Malkin-Neal
Sullivan-Staal-Dupuis
Cooke-Vitale-Park
Asham/Tangradi-Jeffrey-Adams


*****


RINK LINKS

Niskanen takes it personally, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.

"I'm not [upset with Stars general manager Joe] Nieuwendyk, because it turned out to be the right thing for me," Niskanen said Tuesday.

"But, at the same time, I think I'll have a little bit of a chip on my shoulder, just playing ... [against] a team that kind of overlooked you in the end. Yeah, I think I'll have a chip on my shoulder."



Asham says absence was precaution, the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports.

"Everything's good," he said. "Just a little banged up. More precautionary than anything, but I felt great out there."



Pens are confident after no trades, reports the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.

"We like what we have here and Ray must, too," Orpik said. "If anything, it gives the guys in here a little boost of confidence knowing they believe in this group."



Niskanen excited at prospects about facing ex-teammates, the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review reports.

Niskanen would like to give Dallas forward, Steve Ott, a hit or two.

"It's just the kind of guy he is," Niskanen said. "He'd probably laugh at me, and I'd laugh at him. It's all business during the game, but he's certainly not going to slow up on any hits on anybody, especially not me. Anytime you get a chance to finish a guy like that it's nice."


*****


Pens-Stars: By the Numbers

Goals For/Against

Pens: 3.08-2.58 (per game)
Stars: 2.56-2.67


5-on-5 Goal Ratio

Pens: 1.04
Stars: 1.03


Power Play

Pens: 20.7 percent, 23-for-111 (road)
Stars: 15.5 percent, 15-for-97 (home)


Penalty Kill

Pens: 87.3 percent, 103-for-118 (road)
Stars: 83.2 percent, 94-for-113 (home)


Hits-Blocked Shots-Missed Shots-Giveaways-Takeaways

Pens: 817-403-400-202-216 (32 road games)
Stars: 974-541-444-301-266 (32 home games)


Record When Leading After 1st Period, 2nd Period/Trailing After 1st Pd, 2nd Pd

Pens: 17-4-3, 20-0-2/9-11-1, 5-16-2
Stars: 18-3-2, 19-0-1/2-18-2, 4-22-0


Record When Scoring First/Trailing First

Pens: 23-7-3/13-14-2
Stars: 23-7-2/10-19-2


Shootout

Pens: 4-0/3-3 (home/road)
Stars: 2-2/2-1


*****

Injury Roll Call

PENS

Sidney Crosby (concussion, neck): Out, continues to skate but has no timetable for a return.
Tyler Kennedy (high-ankle sprain): Doubtful, travelling with team on two game road-trip.
Arron Asham (upper body): Questionable, practiced Tuesday and says he’s ready to play Wednesday.
Brent Johnson (undisclosed): Doubtful, coach Bylsma said he was day-to-day.


STARS

Jamie Benn (left knee laceration): Probable, due back Wednesday after missing last six games.
Jake Dowell: (broken finger): Questionable, has missed the Stars’ last three games.
Brenden Morrow (upper body): Out, hasn’t played since Feb. 2, season-return in doubt.



*****


Probable Starting Goalies

PENS:


Marc-Andre Fleury

2011-12 Overall: 32-14-3, 2.34 GAA, .912 save percentage, three shutouts

2011-12 Road: 14-7-2, 2.33 GAA, .912 save percentage, one shutout

2011-12 vs. Stars: 1-0, 1.00 GAA, .950 save percentage


STARS:


Kari Lehtonen

2011-12 Overall: 24-15-3, 2.32 GAA, .921 save percentage, two shutouts

2011-12 Home: 14-9-1, 2.43 GAA, .910 save percentage, one shutout

2011-12 vs. Pens: 0-1, 3.06 GAA, .906 save percentage


*****

NHL Standings

EAST

1. Rangers: 61 games played – 86 points
2. Boston: 61-77
3. Florida: 62-72
4. Pittsburgh: 62-77
5. Ottawa: 65-76
6. Philadelphia: 62-75
7. New Jersey: 62-74
8. Washington: 63-69
9. Winnipeg: 65-68
10. Toronto: 63-65
11. Tampa Bay: 63-64
12. Buffalo: 62-62
13. Carolina: 63-61
14. NY Islanders: 63-61
15. Montreal: 64-58

WEST

1. Vancouver: 64 games played – 88 points
2. Detroit: 64-87
3. Phoenix: 63-75
4. St. Louis: 63-85
5. Nashville: 64-81
6. San Jose: 62-73
7. Chicago: 64-73
8. Dallas: 63-70
9. Colorado: 64-70
10. Los Angeles: 64-70
11. Calgary: 63-67
12. Minnesota: 63-65
13. Anaheim: 63-64
14. Edmonton: 62-56
15. Columbus: 63-43


*****


Treasure life & Let's Go Pens!
JT
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