Game 47. Pens at Devils

Prudential Center. 7:30. ROOT

Second to the last game of the regular season tonight, folks. The Pens (35-11-0) are facing the New Jersey Devils (18-18-10). Our boys won the first meeting with the Devils (5-1) and lost the second (3-1). There's not much to really say about this game, honestly. The Devils were officially eliminated from playoff contention on Sunday.

LINES:

(Via Daily Faceoff)

Dupuis - Malkin - Iginla

Morrow - Jokinen - Bennett

Kunitz - Sutter - Cooke

Adams - Glass - Kennedy

Letang - Eaton

Murray - Niskanen

Despres - Engelland

Fleury

Henrique - Loktionov - Kovalchuk

Elias - Zajac - Clarkson

Zubrus - Josefson - Sullivan

Carter - Gionta - Kostopoulos

Greene - Larsson

Volchenkov - Zidlicky

Gelinas - Harrold

Brodeur

And for the sake of this post not being completely boring, here's some pretty cool personal milestones that some of the Penguins players could reach during these last two games of the regular season (thanks to penguins.nhl.com):

• Craig Adams is looking to play in every regular-season game for the second-straight season and third time in four years.
• Matt Cooke is looking to play in every regular-season game for the second-straight year.
• Sidney Crosby is looking to establish a career high in plus-minus at +26 (previous best: +20 in 2010-11).
• Pascal Dupuis is looking to play in every game for the second-straight season. To establish a career high in plus-minus at +30 (previous best: +18 last year). His next goal will be his 21st of the year; the second-highest total of his career (25 last year).
• Marc-Andre Fleury currently has a 2.35 goals-against average. His career low is 2.32 (during 2010-11).
• Tanner Glass is looking to play in every game for the first time in his career.
• Chris Kunitz is looking to establish a career high in plus-minus at +28 (previous best: +23 in 2006-07). His 20.4% shooting percentage would be a career high (previous best: 17.3% in 2010-11). Needs one game-winning goal to equal his career high of six (2007-08). Looking to play in every game for the second-straight year and third time in his career.
• Kris Letang is looking to become the first NHL defenseman to average a point per game or better since Mike Green in 09-10.
• Brandon Sutter is looking to play in every game for the third-straight season.

Other Stuff:

• Pens power play has gone 9 for 30 (30%) over its last six games.
• Kunitz has reached the 50-point mark for the second season in a row and for fifth time in his career after scoring against Buffalo on Tuesday.
• Crosby is expected to be seeking medical clearance to resume playing. Hopefully all goes well and we'll see him in playoffs. EDIT: CROSBY IS CLEARED FOR TEAM PRACTICE.
• Orpik and Vitale are in Pittsburgh with lower body injuries and are day-to-day.
• Via @penguins: Neal and Martin are back to full practice but will not play tonight. Martin hopeful to play Saturday.
• Letang has now picked up points in his last 5 games (2G-5A-7PTS). He is the only blueliner in the NHL right now that is averaging a point per game this season. Also, Tanger has only had 8 penalty minutes during the ENTIRE season despite him averaging the most TOI on the team at 25:41 per game, which also ranks him at 7th in the league for TOI. Yeah, suck it PK. LETANG FOR NORRIS!



GO PENS.