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I_Shall_Return
The Umpire
PENGUINS (16-9-1) at LIGHTNING (16-8-1)
Last 10:*Pittsburgh 5-4-1; Tampa Bay 5-4-1
Season series:*This is the second of three meetings between the*Pittsburgh Penguins*and*Tampa Bay Lightning.*Sidney Crosby*recorded a hat trick but it was defenseman*Matt Niskanen's power-play goal with 18.6 seconds left in regulation that proved decisive in a 5-4 win on Oct. 12 at Tampa Bay Times Forum.
Tampa Bay and Pittsburgh each average 2.92 goals per game entering Friday, among the top 10 in the NHL.
Penguins:*It was Pittsburgh's other star center who sparked a come-from-behind 6-5 win Wednesday against the Toronto Maple Leafs.*Evgeni Malkin, who went 15 games without a goal earlier in the season, scored a power-play goal in the second period to start the Penguins back from a 4-1 deficit. In the third, he assisted on a power-play goal by*James Neal, then scored his second of the game for a 5-5 tie.
Lightning:*Victor Hedman*was the No. 2 pick in the 2009 NHL Draft, and in his fifth season in the League, he appears to be taking the next step toward stardom. Hedman, who turns 23 next month, set a career high for goals with his fifth and sixth of the season in his 25th game, sparking a 4-2 win Wednesday against the Philadelphia Flyers.
Who's hot:*Malkin and Neal are sizzling for the Penguins. Malkin has three goals and nine assists during a six-game point streak; Neal has six goals and five assists during a five-game point streak. Crosby has four goals and four assists in the past six games.*Chris Kunitz*has two goals and five assists in the past five games. ...*Teddy Purcell*has two goals and two assists in the past two games for the Lightning. Hedman has four goals and four assists in the past seven games.
Injury report:*Pittsburgh recently added forwards*Beau Bennett*(wrist) and*Tanner Glass*(hand) and defenseman*Paul Martin*(leg) to an injured reserve list that already included goalie*Tomas Vokoun*(blood clot), defenseman*Rob Scuderi(ankle) and forward*Chuck Kobasew*(lower body). ... Tampa Bay defenseman*Radko Gudas*(upper body) and forwardPierre-Cedric Labrie*(upper body) are day-to-day. In addition to Stamkos, defenseman*Keith Aulie*(upper body) and forwards*Ryan Malone*(foot) and*Tom Pyatt*(collarbone) are on injured reserve.
TEAM STATS:
Penguins: GP 26 Away 5-6-1 G/G 2.92 GA/G2.42 PP% 24.2 PK% 85.1 PIM/G 9.5 S/G 31.9 S/A 25.5 FO% 52.9
Bolts: GP 25 Home 10-2 G/G 2.92 GA/G 2.52 PP% 17.6 PK% 85.4 PIM/G 12.7 S/G 28.2 S/A 29.5 FO% 49
Last 10:*Pittsburgh 5-4-1; Tampa Bay 5-4-1
Season series:*This is the second of three meetings between the*Pittsburgh Penguins*and*Tampa Bay Lightning.*Sidney Crosby*recorded a hat trick but it was defenseman*Matt Niskanen's power-play goal with 18.6 seconds left in regulation that proved decisive in a 5-4 win on Oct. 12 at Tampa Bay Times Forum.
Tampa Bay and Pittsburgh each average 2.92 goals per game entering Friday, among the top 10 in the NHL.
Penguins:*It was Pittsburgh's other star center who sparked a come-from-behind 6-5 win Wednesday against the Toronto Maple Leafs.*Evgeni Malkin, who went 15 games without a goal earlier in the season, scored a power-play goal in the second period to start the Penguins back from a 4-1 deficit. In the third, he assisted on a power-play goal by*James Neal, then scored his second of the game for a 5-5 tie.
Lightning:*Victor Hedman*was the No. 2 pick in the 2009 NHL Draft, and in his fifth season in the League, he appears to be taking the next step toward stardom. Hedman, who turns 23 next month, set a career high for goals with his fifth and sixth of the season in his 25th game, sparking a 4-2 win Wednesday against the Philadelphia Flyers.
Who's hot:*Malkin and Neal are sizzling for the Penguins. Malkin has three goals and nine assists during a six-game point streak; Neal has six goals and five assists during a five-game point streak. Crosby has four goals and four assists in the past six games.*Chris Kunitz*has two goals and five assists in the past five games. ...*Teddy Purcell*has two goals and two assists in the past two games for the Lightning. Hedman has four goals and four assists in the past seven games.
Injury report:*Pittsburgh recently added forwards*Beau Bennett*(wrist) and*Tanner Glass*(hand) and defenseman*Paul Martin*(leg) to an injured reserve list that already included goalie*Tomas Vokoun*(blood clot), defenseman*Rob Scuderi(ankle) and forward*Chuck Kobasew*(lower body). ... Tampa Bay defenseman*Radko Gudas*(upper body) and forwardPierre-Cedric Labrie*(upper body) are day-to-day. In addition to Stamkos, defenseman*Keith Aulie*(upper body) and forwards*Ryan Malone*(foot) and*Tom Pyatt*(collarbone) are on injured reserve.
TEAM STATS:
Penguins: GP 26 Away 5-6-1 G/G 2.92 GA/G2.42 PP% 24.2 PK% 85.1 PIM/G 9.5 S/G 31.9 S/A 25.5 FO% 52.9
Bolts: GP 25 Home 10-2 G/G 2.92 GA/G 2.52 PP% 17.6 PK% 85.4 PIM/G 12.7 S/G 28.2 S/A 29.5 FO% 49
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