Trouble A'Bruin As Pens Face Boston Without Crosby
The Penguins announced today that Sidney Crosby would sit out tonight's game against the Boston Bruins with his sore groin. How will the team fare without their young superstar? Well, that will be determined by the play of the other young guns on this roster.
Tonight will mark Evgeni Malkin's debut as a number one center. He will slide up to center the first line with Colby Armstrong and Mark Recchi. Hopefully this will motivate Malkin to step his game up, not that he hasn't been great, but I am not convinced that he is completely comfortable with the North American style of play yet. This could be just the situation he needs to succeed, which will help the team overall when Crosby returns. He will be looked at to be a game breaker, what he does with the opportunity is up to him. Not to say that being the second line center on this team is not important, but this will be a whole new ball game for him. I think that he will run with the opportunity and will have a huge game.
Eric Christensen, who may be receiving his last opportunity to make the team, was called up and will center the second line. I actually hope that Therrien shuffles him to the wing. If EC can succeed in that role, one he has played periodically in Wilkes Barre-Scranton, he may slide into one of the top six forward spots. Which would alleviate one of the major issues with this team, a lack of scoring wingers. Christensen and his wicked wrist shot could look awful nice along side one of Crosby or Malkin if he puts it all together and stays consistent.
The team will need to get scoring from all of their lines tonight to make up for the loss of Crosby, who has scored or set up 9 of their last 18 goals. Losing 50% of your offensive production is no way to keep a winning streak going against a Boston team, who is 6-3-1 in their last 10 games.
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Marc Andre Fleury is expected to start for the Penguins.
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Nursing Injury:
Nils Ekman - took puck to the face in practice.
Michel Ouellet - Leg/Knee day to day.
Ryan Malone - Broken Arm - due to have cast removed and could be back in the line-up in 2 weeks.
Mark Eaton - Still Out Indefinitely, could out until February.
Tonight will mark Evgeni Malkin's debut as a number one center. He will slide up to center the first line with Colby Armstrong and Mark Recchi. Hopefully this will motivate Malkin to step his game up, not that he hasn't been great, but I am not convinced that he is completely comfortable with the North American style of play yet. This could be just the situation he needs to succeed, which will help the team overall when Crosby returns. He will be looked at to be a game breaker, what he does with the opportunity is up to him. Not to say that being the second line center on this team is not important, but this will be a whole new ball game for him. I think that he will run with the opportunity and will have a huge game.
Eric Christensen, who may be receiving his last opportunity to make the team, was called up and will center the second line. I actually hope that Therrien shuffles him to the wing. If EC can succeed in that role, one he has played periodically in Wilkes Barre-Scranton, he may slide into one of the top six forward spots. Which would alleviate one of the major issues with this team, a lack of scoring wingers. Christensen and his wicked wrist shot could look awful nice along side one of Crosby or Malkin if he puts it all together and stays consistent.
The team will need to get scoring from all of their lines tonight to make up for the loss of Crosby, who has scored or set up 9 of their last 18 goals. Losing 50% of your offensive production is no way to keep a winning streak going against a Boston team, who is 6-3-1 in their last 10 games.
*******
Marc Andre Fleury is expected to start for the Penguins.
*******
Nursing Injury:
Nils Ekman - took puck to the face in practice.
Michel Ouellet - Leg/Knee day to day.
Ryan Malone - Broken Arm - due to have cast removed and could be back in the line-up in 2 weeks.
Mark Eaton - Still Out Indefinitely, could out until February.
posted by Bmetzer66 at 2:30 PM
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