Game 4 NHL 09: Sid The Kid vs. Great Eight

  Oct. 16, 2008 Caps vs. Pen at Mellon Arena

Pittsburgh:

9-Dupuis, 87-Crosby, 81-Satan
11-Staal, 71-Malkin, 17-Sykora
26-Fedotenko, 25-Talbot, 48-Kennedy
24-Cooke, 15-Zigomanis, 28-Godard

44-Orpik, 58-Letang
2-Gill, 4-Scuderi
7-Eaton, 13-Goligoski

29-Fleury (30-Sabourin backup)

Washington:
8-Ovechkin, 19-Backstrom, 17-Clark
21-Laich, 92-Nylander, 28-Semin
14-Fleischmann, 91-Fedorov, 16-Fehr
39-Steckel, 15-Gordon, 10-Bradley

26-Morrisonn, 52-Green
3-Poti, 55-Schultz
4-Erskine, 23-Jurcina

60-Theodore (1-Johnson backup)

Jim McIsaac/Getty Images

Of course, all the eyes will be on Crosby and Ovechkin, but it would be interesting to see how two other star players will blend in. I am talking about Evgeny Malkin and Alex Semin. And don't forget about Fedorov...

By Dave Molinari, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Oct. 16, 2008:

Sergei Fedorov isn't part of Washington's core of exceptional young talent. At 38, he's a bit too old for that.

Consequently, Fedorov might be overlooked at times because people are inclined to focus on Alex Ovechkin, the Capitals' brilliant left winger, and superstars-in-training like Alexander Semin, Mike Green and Nicklas Backstrom.

Fedorov has 472 career goals and needs one to tie Alexander Mogilny's record for a Russian-born player in the NHL. He will be appearing in his 1,200th NHL game, and there's an outside chance that, after spending much of his career as one of the game's premier forwards, he'll do it on defense.

Rivalry renewed
The Penguins have lost a season series to Washington just once in the past 13 seasons -- the Capitals had a 3-1 edge in 2002-03 -- but the rivalry that developed when the teams used to meet almost every spring in the Stanley Cup playoffs has been rekindled.

It hasn't become a blood feud, like the one the Penguins have with Philadelphia, but the games tend to be highly competitive and entertaining.

"It feels like every game has been pretty tight the past two or three years," center Max Talbot said. "They've been battles, and tough games.

"We usually win, but we have to work really hard to win, because they always battle. And we know they have a really good team this year."

Penguins winger Matt Cooke did not practice yesterday because of unspecified soreness, although it is believed to involve his ribs and/or abdomen. His status for the game tonight is uncertain.

Right winger Viktor Kozlov is expected to be out for about two weeks because of an apparent left knee injury, and enforcer Donald Brashear is questionable because of a hand injury.

Crosby is due at any moment
By Dave Molinari, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, Oct. 16, 2008:

Sidney Crosby has failed to score a goal during the first four games of a season for the first time since he turned pro.

He is on pace for a 41-point season. Assuming he stays healthy enough to play in all 82 games.

He is part of a five-way tie for third place in the team scoring race. So is, uh, defenseman Brooks Orpik.

While Crosby is well off the pace in the NHL scoring race -- he entered last night five points behind Aaron Voros and Brandon Dubinsky of the New York Rangers, who shared the lead with seven each -- he is tied with the guy who succeeded him as the Art Ross Trophy winner.

That, of course, is Alex Ovechkin, the dynamic and wondrously talented Washington left winger, who will enter the game with two goals, but no assists.

Ovechkin's stats suggest that maybe, just maybe, it's a bit early for anyone to suffer an emotional meltdown over Crosby's numbers. Crosby's coach certainly isn't.

Meanwhile Bulin Wall beat Bryzgalov in Chicago victory over Phoenix (Phoenix 1, Chicago 4). "We got great goaltending in the first period," Chicago coach Denis Savard said.

Hey, the guy is available, eh?

And for desert, Shawn Thornton vs Georges Laraque, Oct 15, 2008 1pd 02:28


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