Opponent Notes
Columbus is another team that is hanging around the middle of the NHL standings. However, One gets the feeling that they are a team that can and will perform better. The have 42 points among their top four scorers, but the scoring mellows out after that. If the Blue Jackets can get some secondary scoring, this could be a dangerous team.
That said, however, the defensemen have been poor. The eight defensmen that have played for the Jackets this year are a combined -5 (-16 among the five defensemen who have played 9 or more of the Blue Jackets' 11 games so far). If the Penguins can get behind the defensmen, all that will be left is last year's Calder winner Steve Mason.
Of course, the Penguins are without All-Star forward Evgeni Malkin, who has been playing for a while with a shoulder injury. Interesting fact: When Malkin sits out tonight's game, he will lose his position as the Penguins' ironman. Jordan Staal will take over the streak.
The Penguins will need Staal, Chris Kunitz, and Ruslan Fedotenko to step up in Malkin's absence, and provide some secondary scoring to draw some attention away from Sidney Crosby.
Predictions
My Prediction: Penguins should tear this defense apart, Pens win 4-1
Mr Mystic Says: Penguins win 5-3
Note: Mr Mystic had his prediction in on time, I was just lax in posting it
Records (Correct-Wrong(Correct Score))
TH: 7-4(0)
MM: 8-3(1)
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