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GAME DAY: at Pittsburgh

Jackets visit Penguins for Sunday afternoon tilt

Saturday, 02.25.2012 / 10:07 PM / News
By Rob Mixer  - BlueJackets.com

  Columbus Blue Jackets vs. Pittsburgh Penguins
RECORDS - CBJ: 18-36-7 (Road: 7-19-4), PIT: 35-21-5 (Home: 19-8-2)
WHEN: Feb. 26, 2012 - 1 p.m.   |   WHERE: CONSOL Energy Center
WATCH: FOX Sports Ohio (HD)  |  LISTEN: CD 102.5 FM & BlueJackets.com
GAME NOTES

GAME DAY ON THE ROAD presented by:


Umberger
Richards
Breakdown
The Pittsburgh Penguins have a “law of averages” going on with their two superstars right now: when either Sidney Crosby or Evgeni Malkin is out of the lineup for a period of time, the other seemingly puts the team on his back and has a MVP-type campaign. Such is the case in the Steel City right now, as Malkin is tearing through NHL defenses and leading the Penguins with 36 goals on the year.

In the Penguins’ 8-1 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning on Saturday afternoon, Malkin exploded for his ninth career hat trick and added an assist for a dominant four-point game. Jordan Staal, who has been beset by injuries the last couple of years, continued a torrid stretch of play by tallying his 20th and 21st goals of the season. Not only was it another authoritative win for the high-flying Penguins offense, but another solid effort from a blue line that has also been hampered by the injury bug.

Sure, the Penguins thought Crosby would be anchoring their No. 1 line between James Neal and Chris Kunitz right now, but Malkin has been one of the hottest scorers in the league this year and the trio has combined for 83 goals and 180 points – while currently ranking as the club’s top three scorers, as well. Pittsburgh has won five its last seven games and has a slim one-point lead on fifth-place New Jersey in the Eastern Conference standings. How crucial is that race going to be? The Penguins, who are scoring at will on home ice this season, would greatly benefit from having home-ice advantage in the Stanley Cup playoffs.

Their situation in goal is in good hands, as Marc-Andre Fleury is in the midst of another stellar season. He’s 32-14-3 on the year and has been forced to play more lately with backup Brent Johnson struggling (and currently injured). Brad Thiessen is with the Penguins on emergency recall from Wilkes-Barre (AHL), and could possibly start in goal against the Blue Jackets this afternoon.

G
 Nash (20) Malkin (33)
A
 Prospal (28) Malkin (40)
PTS
 Nash (42) Malkin (73)
PIM
 Dorsett (177) Neal (66)
+/-
 MacKenzie (+1) Dupuis (+10)
W/L
 Sanford (10-13-4)
 Fleury (32-14-3)
GAA
 Sanford (2.52) Fleury (2.34)
SVP
 Sanford (.915) Fleury (.912)
• Columbus has posted a 5-4-1 mark the last 10 games after going winless its previous six games (0-5-1).

• Derick Brassard has points in three of four games after notching an assist Feb. 21 vs. San Jose. He had goals in back-to-back games Feb. 18-19 after being held goalless the previous five games. He has points in seven of the last 11 games (4-5-9), while registering 9-11-20 the last 29 games after being held to 2-3-5 the first 24 games of the season.

• Rick Nash has points in seven of 10 games after scoring his 20th goal of the season Feb. 21 vs. San Jose. It marks the eighth consecutive season he has hit the 20-goal mark. He added an assist against the Sharks for his second multi-point game in the last seven games after being held to one the previous 17 games. He has 3-6-9 the last 10 games, while collecting 7-8-15 the last 22 games and 16-14-30 the last 43 games.

• Tonight marks the lone meeting this season between the Blue Jackets and Penguins. Columbus is 5-5-3 all-time against the Penguins, including a 2-4-0 mark in Pittsburgh. The Blue Jackets won the last meeting between the teams, 4-1 at Pittsburgh on Feb. 8.


JAMES NEAL
  LW - #18
  30 GOALS
  27 ASSISTS
  57 POINTS




• Neal admitted he wasn’t initially comfortable when he arrived in Pittsburgh last year, but once he got acclimated to his new team, he immediately clicked with Malkin. Neal recently signed a six-year contract extension with the Penguins, and is currently the team’s second leading goal scorer (30).


D Radek Martinek (concussion); out for the season
LW Kristian Huselius (lower body); indefinitely
D Marc Methot (jaw); indefinitely
RW Jared Boll (foot); week-to-week

SCHEDULE

HOME
AWAY
PROMOTIONAL

STANDINGS

WESTERN CONFERENCE
  TEAM GP W L OT GF GA PTS
1 p - CHI 48 36 7 5 155 102 77
2 y - ANA 48 30 12 6 140 118 66
3 y - VAN 48 26 15 7 127 121 59
4 x - STL 48 29 17 2 129 115 60
5 x - LAK 48 27 16 5 133 118 59
6 x - SJS 48 25 16 7 124 116 57
7 x - DET 48 24 16 8 124 115 56
8 x - MIN 48 26 19 3 122 127 55
9 CBJ 48 24 17 7 120 119 55
10 PHX 48 21 18 9 125 131 51
11 DAL 48 22 22 4 130 142 48
12 EDM 48 19 22 7 125 134 45
13 CGY 48 19 25 4 128 160 42
14 NSH 48 16 23 9 111 139 41
15 COL 48 16 25 7 116 152 39
COMPLETE STANDINGS

STATS

2012-2013 REGULAR SEASON
SKATERS: GP G A +/- Pts
V. Prospal 48 12 18 3 30
M. Letestu 46 13 14 7 27
M. Gaborik 47 12 15 -3 27
F. Tyutin 48 4 18 9 22
B. Dubinsky 29 2 18 2 20
N. Foligno 45 6 13 6 19
J. Johnson 44 5 14 -5 19
A. Anisimov 35 11 7 -6 18
C. Atkinson 35 9 9 9 18
R. Umberger 48 8 10 3 18
 
GOALIES: W L OT Sv% GAA
S. Bobrovsky 21 11 6 .932 2.00
FULL TEAM STATS
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