Penguins vs Wild preview 10-30

by FrankD

Apparantly this didn't post as of yesterday, so I'll try again.

More at http://pensburgh.blogspot.com

The Pens head off to Minnesota to take on the Wild tomorrow night in the first of a four game road trip. Perhaps one can say it was divine intervention coming to the aid of the Penguins, as Nick Backstrom is out with a groin injury. The Wild called up AAA netminder Nolan Schaefer, but he's just on the bench for backup purposes behind the regular second string John Harding. In Harding's most recent appearance against the Avalanche Sunday, he gave up three goals in a 3-1 Wild loss. Harding is 2-1-1 on the season.

Is Sabourin going to start in net for the Pens tomorrow? Definitely a question running through the Penguins' circuit, as Sabu played flawlessly in his relief effort for Fleury against the Habs the other night. Aside from the game winning goal in the 8th round of the shootout, Sabourin didn't let anything past the line all night. His stellar performance is the exact thing the Penguins needed, in addition to Crosby's "I'm not taking your crap" retaliation on Kovalev to ignite the team's comeback. Regardless, in the long run it was a hard earned but well deserved point on the night. Two would've been nice, but one is better than the zero that was easily predicted early in the second.

Tyler Kennedy. The kid is making his showing a lot of speed, and from a personal standpoint I think he's going to fit in just right with the squad. Whether someone has to go in turn is a possibility, but it's a good sign of new life on what would appear to be a morale tattered squad.

Which leads me to my next point - a 5-4-1 record isn't bad, but man does the media love to have a field day with it. All BS about how the team isn't living up to its expectations and not playing like contenders. I can say a million things in retaliation to that, but I feel it's a moot point. I will leave it at this. It's still early.

Oh, and thank God the Rangers aren't living up to their potential either. It certainly takes a lot of stress off the Pens.

Heading in to tomorrow's game the Pens have converted at least once every game on the powerplay, making it 10 straight for the team. The Pens are also last in the league in penalty minutes, which is all good because they're an OK 13th in the league in penalty kills.

One of the bigger threats on Minnesota, winger Marian Gaborik, is listed day-to-day with a groin injury he suffered during practice on Saturday. Last season Gaborik missed 34 games with a similar injury, but has already said it is not related. He was mysteriously silent when asked if his injury was related to Backstrom's.

As luck would have it, it may almost seem like the Pens have the advantage heading in to the only regular season meeting with the Wild. Roberts is expected to play following a cold (which I'm still sore about by the way), and Talbot has had some time to heal up from the neck soreness sustained against Toronto. All in all I'd say the Pens have the advantage, and a win tomorrow night in Pitt will hopefully bode good fortune on the remaining three games in the road trip.

Finally, on an unrelated note to the Pens or Wild but certainly pertinent to the goings-on around the league, the Flyers' Randy Jones has been suspended for two games following his hit on the Bruins' Patrice Bergeron. Bergeron was knocked unconscious on the ice, to eventually get wheeled off on a stretcher. It was later said Patrice suffered a concussion and broken nose. See the hit for yourself. I think it was unavoidable on Jones' part, as Bergeron turned on him. This suspension/fine thing isn't foreign to the Flyers club, who have seen two prior incidents of suspension this season. Are the Broad Street Bullies back? Or are they just a collective group of dirt bags?