Shea-ved Ice: Islanders Vs. Penguins Preview
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) – The Pittsburgh Penguins will be welcoming back their captain tonight when they host the New York Islanders at CONSOL Energy Center.
It's taken over 10 months to reach this point, but Sidney Crosby will be back in the lineup tonight.
When was the last time a regular season game has gotten this much attention? Mario Lemieux coming out of retirement in 2000?
Having Crosby back does not just help the Penguins. It helps the league and the game. He's a marketing machine and a phenomenal ambassador for the game.
The Penguins are currently tied for first place in the Atlantic Division and Eastern Conference with cross-state rival Philadelphia.
Getting Crosby back only makes them stronger and more dangerous.
Head coach Dan Bylsma has said that Crosby will skate with familiar linemates Pascal Dupuis and Chris Kunitz tonight. His minutes will be reduced, but I would think how much he plays will largely be determined by how many power play opportunities the Penguins have.
This will be the third meeting between the Penguins and Islanders this season.
Pittsburgh swept a home-and-home series in October with a 3-0 win on Oct. 25 and a 3-2 shootout win on Oct. 27.
The Islanders have hit a rough patch lately (2-5-3 in their last 10 games) and have yet to win a game on the road this season (0-4-2).
Compounding the problem is the Isles' goaltending situation. They had been rotating three goalies, but injuries to Evgeni Nabokov and Al Montoya have left Rick DiPietro (2-2-2, 3.34 GAA, .886 save percentage) as the only healthy option.
New York is coming off a 6-0 pounding at the hands of the surging Boston Bruins. DiPietro allowed three goals on 13 shots and was replaced by Anders Nilsson.
Kyle Okposo has struggled mightily this season with only three assists in 14 games. That has prompted head coach Jack Capuano to send a message to his team by scratching Okposo in each of their last three games.
Despite their struggles, John Tavares is clicking at almost a point-per-game pace with 16 points (eight goals, eight assists) in 17 games.
It would seem likely that DiPietro will get the nod tonight against the Penguins. In his career, he is 10-9-3 with a 3.21 GAA and .894 save percentage.
Expectations for Crosby should be tempered, but he has torched the Islanders in his career. In 33 games, Crosby has 18 goals and 44 assists, including five goals and 21 assists on the power play.
The other half of the "two-headed monster" has also performed well against the Islanders. Evgeni Malkin has 17 goals and 24 assists in 32 games.
Expect to see Marc-Andre Fleury (10-3-1, 2.04 GAA, .924 save percentage) back between the pipes after getting the night off against the Florida Panthers on Saturday.
Against the Islanders, Fleury has a stellar 15-4-3 record with a 2.35 GAA and a .923 save percentage. He has also shut the Islanders out three times.
UPDATE 11:30 A.M. - Not only do the Penguins get Crosby back, but defenseman Zbynek Michalek will also return to the lineup after missing about four weeks with a broken finger.
The puck is set to drop at 7 p.m. and can be seen locally on Root Sports and nationally on Versus.
You can follow me on Twitter at http://twitter.com/CaseySheaPens.
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