GDT: Tampa Bay Lightning VS Pittsburgh Penguins|24.FEB.13|CEC|7:30EST/4:30PST

[Harvey Birdman]

[size=+5][glow=black]Pittsburgh Penguins VS Tampa Bay Lightning[/glow][/size]

[size=+2][glow=black]February 24th 2013: 4:30 PM @ CEC[/size][/glow]

[size=+2][glow=black]Team Leaders[/size][/glow]

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Neal 12|GOALS|Stamkos 12
Crosby 18|ASSISTS|St. Louis 19
Crosby 25|POINTS|Stamkos 26
Crosby, Kunitz +8|PLUS MINUS|Salo +12
Malkin 30|PIM|Crombeen 42​

[size=+2][glow=black]Team Stats[/size][/glow]

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12-6-0|Record|9-7-1
3.28|G/G|3.88
2.50|GA/G|3.06
27.4%|PP %|23.2%
83.1%|PK %|83.9%
30.9|Shots/G|27.5
27.4|Shots Ag./G|31.1
53.3%|FaceOff %|51%​

[size=+2][glow=black]Official Scouting Report[/size][/glow]

The Tampa Bay Lightning got off to a scorching start this season, winning six of their first seven games. But since then, the Bolts have dropped seven of nine entering their Saturday tilt with the Hurricanes.

As has been the case for a few years now, the Lightning’s strength is their offense. They have 61 goals through 16 games for an average of 3.81 per game, which leads the entire NHL. To no one’s surprise, Steven Stamkos is among the league leaders in points – ranking third behind Sidney Crosby and Thomas Vanek with 24 points. After going goalless in five straight games from Feb. 5-14, Stamkos has since scored in three straight – finding the back of the net four times over that span. Overall, his 11 goals lead the Bolts by a considerable margin.

Veterans Martin St. Louis and Vincent LeCavalier have been around for what feels like forever, but their impact hasn’t lessened. St. Louis may be 37 years old, but he’s right up there with Stamkos and the rest of the league leaders in points as he’s got 22 (4G-18A) through 16 games. Captain LeCavalier is also playing well, as he recently had a five-game point streak (2G-3A) and has added a grittiness to his game. He’s made a concerted effort to add more energy and physicality to his game, and that’s shown in his team-leading 50 hits.

Teddy Purcell and rookie Cory Conacher have been thriving alongside Stamkos on the first line. Conacher, who signed with the Lightning two years ago as an undrafted free agent after four years at Canisius College, is the NHL rookie scoring leader with 15 points (6G-9A) in 15 games. Purcell ranks third on the team in scoring with 17 points (5G-13A).

Tampa Bay’s plus-10 goal differential ranks second (tied) in the Eastern Conference, but that’s more indicative of their ability to score goals than their ability to keep them out of their net – as their defense can be leaky. They’re among the league’s worst in goals against. The Penguins exploited this last year, as they lit up the Lightning for 18 goals in the last three games between the teams in 2011-12. Victor Hedman (plus-10 rating) has been paired with newcomer Sami Salo (team-leading plus-11 rating), who’s been part of Tampa Bay’s dangerous first power-play unit (the Bolts are also one of the league’s best in that category – surprise, surprise). Overall, Matt Carle is the team leader in minutes per game and is skating alongside Eric Brewer.

The Bolts let greybeard Dwayne Roloson go in the offseason and acquired goalie Anders Lindback from Nashville in a trade. They’ve made the 6-foot-6 netminder their No. 1 guy, and he’s settled into his position as Tampa Bay’s starting goalie. He’s posted a decent 7-4-1 record through 12 starts, but has a .895 save percentage and 3.12 goals-against average. He is backed up by Mathieu Garon.

[size=+2][glow=black]Evgeni Malkin Out For Sunday[/size][/glow]

Penguins forward Evgeni Malkin has been ruled out of Sunday’s game against Tampa Bay while he undergoes further health evaluation, according to head coach Dan Bylsma.
Malkin left in the third period of the Penguins’ 3-1 victory Friday night at CONSOL Energy Center after sliding hard into the end boards. He did not return to the game and did not participate in the team’s optional practice at Southpointe Saturday.
“He’s still being evaluated as to the extent of the hit and going into the boards hard,” Bylsma said. “That’s an ongoing process at this point in time.”
Bylsma said the Penguins are following the NHL protocol for testing.
“There’s nothing to expect from this point,” Bylsma said. “He’s getting evaluated. We’re waiting to see how he feels and reacts. He went into the boards pretty darn hard. We’re not expecting any timeline to the injury or anything.”
Malkin was skating with speed toward the goal when he collided with Panthers defenseman Erik Gudbranson. Malkin fell onto his back and slid hard into the end boards. He remained on the ice for a while, being attended to by head athletic trainer Chris Stewart. Malkin got to his feet and skated of his own accord to the bench and headed to the locker room.
In Malkin’s absence, the Penguins will adjust their lineup for Sunday. The team will elevate its centers with Brandon Sutter assuming Malkin’s spot between Beau Bennett and James Neal, Dustin Jeffrey centering Matt Cooke and Tyler Kennedy, and Joe Vitale filling the role on the fourth line.

"Dustin Jeffrey will be a third-line center role with Matt Cooke and Tyler Kennedy," Bylsma said Friday after the game. "Brandon will play with James Neal and Beau Bennett."
Malkin is the NHL’s reigning scoring champion and MVP following a 50-goal, 109-point season in 2011-12. He torched the NHL last season after offseason rehab from a knee injury that cost him nearly half of the 2010-11 season.

[size=+2][glow=black]Also Of Note[/size][/glow]

The Penguins have posted a four-game home winning streak against the Lightning. Tampa Bay’s last win in Pittsburgh was a 2-0 victory on March 31, 2010 at Mellon Arena. During this streak, the Penguins have outscored the Lightning by a 25-5 margin. Those numbers include a pair of 8-1 Pittsburgh victories on Jan. 5, 2011 and Feb. 25, 2012.

Last season the Lightning won the first meeting between the teams, 4-1 on Nov. 17 at St. Pete Times Forum. The Penguins responded by winning the last 3 games by an 18-6 margin.

The Penguins have posted dominating numbers against teams from the Southeast Division over the last three seasons. During that stretch, the Penguins have gone 32-12-1 (.722 pct.) in 45 games against Southeast foes. This season, the Penguins are 4-1 against the Southeast Division. The only loss was a 4-2 setback on Jan. 25 at Winnipeg. During that same three-year stretch, Pittsburgh has gone 19-2-1 (.886 pct.) in 22 home games against Southeast Division foes. The Penguins have currently posted a 13-game home unbeaten stretch (12-0-1) against Southeast teams.

Tampa Bay forward Steven Stamkos is without question one of the best pure goal scorers in the NHL. Since the beginning of the 2009-10 season, Stamkos leads the NHL in both goals (167) and points (307). Pittsburgh, however, has done a pretty decent job of containing Stamkos during his career. In 16 career meetings with the Penguins, Stamkos has tallied 13 points (3G-10A). The Montreal Canadiens (12 points in 16 games played) are the only Eastern Conference team Stamkos has scored fewer points against. Stamkos has gone two straight games against the Penguins without a point and six straight without a goal.

James Neal enters Sunday’s game with points in eight of his last 10 games (7G-5A). He has seven goals over his previous nine games – with six of those tallies being power-play markers. Neal has now scored a team-leading 12 goals this year, tying him for the NHL lead with Buffalo’s Thomas Vanek. Neal leads the NHL with eight power-play goals and four game-winning goals.

Since the beginning of last season, only Tampa Bay’s Steven Stamkos (71 goals) and Evgeni Malkin (54) have scored more goals than the 52 Neal has netted. Neal’s 52 goals pace all NHL wingers during that span – four more than Marian Gaborik (48). In his last three games against the Lightning, Neal has notched eight points (2G-6A).

Kris Letang has assists in four straight games and in seven of his previous nine games entering Sunday. Sunday he can equal his career-long five-game assist/point streak. He last notched assists in five straight games between Oct. 27-Nov. 11, 2011. Letang currently places second (tied) among NHL defensemen this season with 13 points. Letang has collected 10 of his 13 points at even strength –the highest total among all NHL blueliners. Over his last nine games, Letang has notched nine points (2G-7A). Letang has played 25-plus minutes in 10 of his 15 games.

Penguins goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury owns a season-high four-game winning streak entering Sunday. In his last eight starts, Fleury is 7-1 with a 1.88 goals-against average (15 goals allowed/478 minutes) and a .930 save percentage (199 saves/214 shots). Fleury’s nine wins tie him for the NHL lead with Montreal’s Carey Price. In his last 29 starts dating back to Feb. 21 of last season, Fleury has posted a 21-6-1 record (.768 pct.). His 21 victories tie him with Ilya Bryzgalov for the most in that span. Against the Lightning, Fleury has posted a 6-4-3 record at home to accompany a 2.35 goals-against average and a .914 save percentage.

[size=+2][glow=black]Penguins Projected Lineup[/size][/glow]

[glow=black]Left Wing [/glow]| [glow=black]Center [/glow]| [glow=black]Right Wing [/glow]
Kunitz|Crosby|Neal
Bennett|Sutter|Dupuis
Cooke|Jeffrey|Kennedy
Glass|Vitale|Adams

[glow=black]Defense [/glow]| [glow=black]Defense [/glow]
Niskanen|Letang
Orpik|Martin
Despres|Engelland

[size=+2][glow=black]Lightning Projected Lineup[/size][/glow]

[glow=red]Left Wing [/glow]| [glow=gold]Center [/glow]| [glow=gold]Right Wing [/glow]
Conacher|Stamkos|Purcell
Pouliot|Lecavalier|St. Louis
Killorn|Pyatt|Thompson
Crombeen|Hall|Panik

[glow=gold]Defense [/glow]| [glow=gold]Defense [/glow]
Hedman|Salo
Carle|Brewer
Bergeron|Lee

[size=+2][glow=black]Goalie Match-Up[/size][/glow][size=+1]Marc Andre Fleury[/size]

[size=+1]9-3-0, 0 ; 2.22 GAA, .917 SV%[/size]


[size=+1]Anders Lindback[/size]

[size=+1]7-4-1, 2 ; 3.12 GAA, .895 SV%[/size]​

Click to read more...

 

[Big McLargehuge]

Moving to Glasgow because Florida's music scene is still depressing and Scotland's is not. I'll get to Selkirk eventually.

 

[66-30-33]

7-5 Pens.

Crosby (2 assists aswell)
Neal x2
Bennet
Kunitz x2
Dupuis

Stamkos x3 (2 assists too)
StLouis
Purcell

Think Stamkos takes the art and the rocket this season.

 

[Ugene Magic]

Moving to Glasgow because Florida's music scene is still depressing and Scotland's is not. I'll get to Selkirk eventually.

When I read this, I see.

I'm moving to Glasgow because Florida's drinking scene is still depressing and Scotland's is not.

 

[Big McLargehuge]

If that's not a 3:48am post then I don't know what is.

Scotland would definitely be high up my relocation list...but I'd never be caught dead living in Florida

 

[Ugene Magic]

7-5 Pens.

Crosby (2 assists aswell)
Neal x2
Bennet
Kunitz x2
Dupuis

Stamkos x3 (3 assists too)
StLouis
Purcell

Think Stamkos takes the art and the rocket this season.

That might be a little difficult since they only score 5, unless you have him assisting on one of his own goals?

 

[Ugene Magic]

If that's not a 3:48am post then I don't know what is.

Scotland would definitely be high up my relocation list...but I'd never be caught dead living in Florida

Not one of the better places to fall dead drunk into a ditch.

 

[66-30-33]

That might be a little difficult since they only score 5, unless you have him assisting on one of his own goals?

My bad, fixed.

 

[Tender Rip]

So, our shutdown center will be flanked by a rookie and our sniper who is team worst plus/minus. Because we would not touch Crosby's line under any circumstances? Seems weird to me.

LGP.

 

[fragmag]

My 2nd game of the year that I get to go to. The first was the beat down courtesy of the Islanders. I'm expecting much more this time. Excited to Bennet on the 2nd line. Hopefully he gets his first goal tonight.

 

[Pfnf]

I don't like a Bennett-Sutter-Neal line

 

[fragmag]

I see the pens are once again wearing alternate third jerseys tonight. Ughh!

 

[Shrimper]

5-2 Pens

Crosby * 3
Neal *1
Jeffrey *1

It's about time Sid got a hatty, right?

 

[Axman]

I'm with Fragmag - I despise the alternate third sweater.
I like what Beau Bennett has shown recently; now is his time to dial it up.
The thing that will make me most happy with this game is a violently aggressive Pens forecheck.
Hopefully we come out of the gate buzzing in the absence of 71.

 

[Axman]

5-2 Pens

Crosby * 3
Neal *1
Jeffrey *1

It's about time Sid got a hatty, right?

He's waiting to upstage OV.

 

[#2eddieshore]

Got a bad feeling about this one, 4-1 bolts.

Lets hope Vokoun can bounce back from his last effort.

 

[Ogrezilla]

my biggest concern with Bennet - Sutter - Neal is that either Sutter will be starting more in the O zone, or Bennett and Neal will be starting more in the D zone. Someone on that line is going to be playing against his strengths.

I hope they prove me wrong. Big chance for these guys to show what they can do. Especially Sutter who if I remember correctly made some comments about thinking he could bring more offense than the Canes ever gave him a chance to.

 

[dr robbie]

Thinking it's going to be a breakout game for Bennett and Crosby. Gonna be a bittersweet victory imo though .

 

[Mr Jiggyfly]

my biggest concern with Bennet - Sutter - Neal is that either Sutter will be starting more in the O zone, or Bennett and Neal will be starting more in the D zone. Someone on that line is going to be playing against his strengths.

I hope they prove me wrong. Big chance for these guys to show what they can do. Especially Sutter who if I remember correctly made some comments about thinking he could bring more offense than the Canes ever gave him a chance to.

I'm pretty sure Sutter played as the second pivot in Carolina a couple of seasons ago.

So it isn't like this will be his first time centering the top six.

 

[cheesedanish87]

MAF is in goal tonight. We def caught a break last couple games playing teams in 2nd of their back to back games. Time to start winning games with def and goal tending 3-1 pens

 

[PensBandwagonerNo272*]

Why would we play Vokoun against the Bolts, especially considering we just lost Geno?

 

[Cardboard Orpik]

I think a strong defensive effort and MAF earn us a win tonight. I wouldn't even be shocked if MAF set the franchise shut-out record with this game.

 

[Darth Vitale]

I don't like a Bennett-Sutter-Neal line

You would like Bennett - Sutter - Dupuis even less.


BTW I thought there was only one Tlusty in the NHL and he plays for Carolina? Am I wrong? Conacher goes in that spot I believe...

 

[Glamor Toad]

Good call, Big. I have never been but I listen the crap out of their music. Belle & Sebastian was a teenage anthem, but I could have sworn that the are Welsh...hmm..







I had tickets to this game but had to miss it because of a work trip. Really, life, why you gotta play me that way.

 

[stefanh]

Practice lines:

Kunitz-Crosby-Neal
Bennett-Sutter-Dupuis
Cooke-Jeffrey-Kennedy
Glass-Vitale-Adams