Penguins Gameday - 11/10/09 - Bruins

First off, for anyone who thinks the last two games mean anything in the grand scheme of the season you clearly know nothing. Just take a look at who has been or is now on the shelf for the Pens. Consider this: When you combine their average point total per game last season you arrive somewhere around the 3.3 ppg mark; Geno accounting for 1.3 of that. And then couple that with the fact that Sid has very limited options in regards to a deferral player, that leaves a pretty big gap. I said here that Gonchar's injury could potentially have an upside, and I still believe that. But when you have 3 of your top 9 forwards (basically a whole line) and 2 of your top 4 defenseman (again, a whole line), its inevitable that Pens will struggle.

Now the good thing about being in this position with all these injuries is everyone who will actually make an impact in the post season is also going through them. I have a theory on the Russians in my poll, but I'll save it for another time. Needless to say, the Bruins are in a similar boat. They currently have Mark Savard and Milan Lucic out with injuries and David Krejci has been out with the Swine; though Krejci is expected to play. That said, they're struggling as well without two of their key forwards. Coming into tonight's game with a 7-7-2 start isn't what everyone expected from a Bruins team that had so much success in last years regular season.

So in effect the Penguins, while shorthanded, are to a strong degree very well matched against the Bruins. This will actually be the first of two meetings this week; Saturday at home being the next. I along with the rest of y'all would very much like to see Crosby break free and start his domination tour with Geno getting some rest. Likewise I'm waiting for Staalzy to get mad, real mad, and start showing the world what a real product of Thunder Bay produces.

Todays's QUOTE comes from Matt Cooke

"Sure, we have injuries and it's there as an excuse if you want to take it. But if we want to win hockey games we have to face adversity and find a way to win 1-0 if we have to. You have to adjust, work harder and work smarter."

Todays's VIDEO come from our last meeting, March 15, 2009.

Crosby feeds Guerin like a hungry lion.

Rumor has it Crosby skated with Cooke and Fedotenko and Kunitz and Geurin alongside Staal. We may see a little something different tonight, but otherwise, here are tonight's projected lines.