I hate to say it but the D pairing of Niskanen and Eaton looked very solid tonight.

So, when Tampa falls out of contention, can we get Teddy Purcell please?
- Oneonta Penguin

They had a strong game. Letang was really good after the 1st, Brooks struggled all game again.

Stamkos, Crosby and Tavares is my first line in 2014.

Stamkos, Crosby and Tavares is my first line in 2014.
- canadianpenfan

You have to split at least two of them..amazing how Team Canada will look
Crosby, Tavares, Stamkos, Toews, Thornton at C.

Don't forget Getzlaf, E.Staal...

You have to split at least two of them..amazing how Team Canada will look
Crosby, Tavares, Stamkos, Toews, Thornton at C.
- Orpik44

Thornton, yeah right.

Lovejoy with an assist versus Phoenix. Does that turn into a fourth rounder if he hits five points?

Btw...

Faceoffs win tonight (Geno 58%, Sid 52%)

Sutter 28% only and Vitale 50%

Thornton, yeah right.
- Gunner Staal

Just put him up there because the guy can pass....not really a staple on team Canada right now.

Then you have Perry, Neal, Nash, maybe Kunitz and Clarkson.....that's a lot of goals right there

Crosby was disappointing tonight. He only had 2 points. Something must be troubling him.

Crosby was disappointing tonight. He only had 2 points. Something must be troubling him.
- Ben37

He just took a step back to watch Geno do his magic


This SOB looks like he just woke up after a bottle of vodka and some borscht...and can play at a unbelievable level

In all fairness to Orpik he bit on St. Louis's fake slapper. You have to respect St. Louis and his shot. Perhaps the center coming back through the middle needs to pick up Stamkos or read this pass better.

Engelland is not someone I would rely on come playoff time

Engelland is not someone I would rely on come playoff time
- Deadstar

Good guy to have but I agree with you. If we could get Giordano from the Flames..

Not bad defensively, but it could tighten up even more. Despres needs top minutes

Engelland is not someone I would rely on come playoff time
- Deadstar

Nope, don't need the fighting aspect either. Mark Eaton will be the dark horse signing that pays dividends.

Nope, don't need the fighting aspect either. Mark Eaton will be the dark horse signing that pays dividends.
- Gunner Staal

He's looked solid. I think we'll still see one added in the coming weeks but he's going to be a 5/6 stay at home type. There will be no Giordano or anyone like that. If not I would guess Eaton or even Bortuzzo ahead on Engo, although I hope we don't have to make do with either.

They had a strong game. Letang was really good after the 1st, Brooks struggled all game again.
- canadianpenfan

Letang - Despres
Orpik - Martin
Eaton - Niskanen

If Eaton and Niskanen play well, Letang controls the puck and Orpik loses a couple years that really changes the look of the D to one that is solid the whole way through.

Letang - Despres
Orpik - Martin
Eaton - Niskanen

If Eaton and Niskanen play well, Letang controls the puck and Orpik loses a couple years that really changes the look of the D to one that is solid the whole way through.
- cygnus41

I like the looks of that. 2013 Paul Martin makes a huge difference to the entire D.

Letang - Despres
Orpik - Martin
Eaton - Niskanen

If Eaton and Niskanen play well, Letang controls the puck and Orpik loses a couple years that really changes the look of the D to one that is solid the whole way through.
- cygnus41

^^this^^. There was just something about that Orpik-Martin pairing that made sense and worked. Despres has proven to be able to keep up with Letang and making smart plays. In 2 months come playoffs, he will be even better

^^this^^. There was just something about that Orpik-Martin pairing that made sense and worked. Despres has proven to be able to keep up with Letang and making smart plays. In 2 months come playoffs, he will be even better
- drummer829

Straight from the Pittsburgh Penguins come the following notes. I'll be flying back to Pittsburgh on Tuesday morning. Annual Florida vacation/spring training trip ends ...


Team Notes:

The Penguins have won three straight home games for the first time this season.

Tonight’s Penguins’ victory marked the sixth-straight home win against the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Pittsburgh’s win tonight gives the Penguins five-straight wins against the Lightning, tied for its longest win streak against them (also Dec. 11, 1993 to Feb. 4, 1995).

Pittsburgh also got their first win of the season when trailing after two periods. The comeback win is the Penguins ninth over the past two seasons, tied for second-most in the NHL behind Tampa Bay (10).

Player Notes:

Sidney Crosby improved his point streak to five games with a third-period goal, and an assist on Chris Kunitz’s goal (4G-7A-11PTS). Crosby has now notched points in eight of 10 home games this year. Crosby leads the NHL in assists (25) and points (36).

Kris Letang had two assists tonight – giving him six over his last two games. Letang leads all defensemen in points with 21 (3G-18A), while his 18 assists are good for fourth-most among all players in the NHL.

Evgeni Malkin’s unassisted third-period goal was his fifth of the season. He later added an assist. Dating back to prior to his injury, Malkin has points in five-straight games (2G-5A-7PTS) – although it is not an official streak.

Chris Kunitz got the first goal of the night. Kunitz has tallied at least one point in 18 of the Pens last 23 games. He now has a 6-game point streak (6G-3A), and 4-game goal-scoring streak, both the longest in his career.

James Neal scored his 14th goal – the second-most in the NHL.


Attendance: 18,656 (264th consecutive sell out).

Letang's assists alone would be good for 1st in defense scoring. Imagine if he could actually hit the net!

Straight from the Pittsburgh Penguins come the following notes. I'll be flying back to Pittsburgh on Tuesday morning. Annual Florida vacation/spring training trip ends ...


Team Notes:

The Penguins have won three straight home games for the first time this season.

Tonight’s Penguins’ victory marked the sixth-straight home win against the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Pittsburgh’s win tonight gives the Penguins five-straight wins against the Lightning, tied for its longest win streak against them (also Dec. 11, 1993 to Feb. 4, 1995).

Pittsburgh also got their first win of the season when trailing after two periods. The comeback win is the Penguins ninth over the past two seasons, tied for second-most in the NHL behind Tampa Bay (10).

Player Notes:

Sidney Crosby improved his point streak to five games with a third-period goal, and an assist on Chris Kunitz’s goal (4G-7A-11PTS). Crosby has now notched points in eight of 10 home games this year. Crosby leads the NHL in assists (25) and points (36).

Kris Letang had two assists tonight – giving him six over his last two games. Letang leads all defensemen in points with 21 (3G-18A), while his 18 assists are good for fourth-most among all players in the NHL.

Evgeni Malkin’s unassisted third-period goal was his fifth of the season. He later added an assist. Dating back to prior to his injury, Malkin has points in five-straight games (2G-5A-7PTS) – although it is not an official streak.

Chris Kunitz got the first goal of the night. Kunitz has tallied at least one point in 18 of the Pens last 23 games. He now has a 6-game point streak (6G-3A), and 4-game goal-scoring streak, both the longest in his career.

James Neal scored his 14th goal – the second-most in the NHL.


Attendance: 18,656 (264th consecutive sell out).
- the-mitch-wilsons

Also Tampa's first loss when leading after 2.

Have to love Rossi suggesting Despres would be traded for Johnson. He's already almost as good as Johnson. And yes thats more of a reflection of what I think of Jack Johnson.

Have to love Rossi suggesting Despres would be traded for Johnson. He's already almost as good as Johnson. And yes thats more of a reflection of what I think of Jack Johnson.
- Deadstar

It's complete dog sh*t if you ask me. His articles are tabloidesque.

Edit: just look at Johnson's +/- it's a train wreck
http://sports.yahoo.com/n...DBsmZR8akgjC4D9Cs7_1ivLYF

Despres is only 20 games in and already has a better rating than Johnson has ever had.

Have to love Rossi suggesting Despres would be traded for Johnson. He's already almost as good as Johnson. And yes thats more of a reflection of what I think of Jack Johnson.
- Deadstar

Why trade for another puck moving Dman? It makes little sense. We need a winger. What a joke.

Then again, it wouldn't be a year without the Jack Johnson rumors to Pittsburgh, right? All we need it the random Edmonton deal as well.