Hard to believe that the Penguins have been as banged up on the blue line as they have considering that they are sitting atop the Atlantic Division. It is almost like the loss of Gonchar, Letang, Goligoski and McKee, each for several weeks and at the same time, did not matter as players like (Dr.) Ben Lovejoy, and Deryk Engelland have filled in nicely and kept the defense sound.

Well, this morning it was announced that Lovejoy and Engelland are heading back to Wilkes-Barre and that means that unless some combination of Letang, Goligoski and McKee are ready to return to the lineup the Penguins would be short handed on defense heading into tonight’s important divisional match up against the Rangers.

Each of the three injured regulars, according to reports, are cleared to play which means the Penguins should for all intents and purposes be back to full strength this evening.

Now, about that struggling power play …

The Pittsburgh Penguins opened the season last night by raising their championship banner to the rafters and then dispatching the New York Rangers before yet another sell out crowd. Powered by goals by Evgeni Maklin (1), Sidney Crosby (1) and Mr. (Tyler) Kennedy (1) the Penguins downed the Rangers 3-2.

The Penguins looked good last night despite a preseason in which they won only 1 game. Of course that was because their stars were not the focus of those games and a lot of players no longer with the team were getting much of the icetime. Fleury looked sharp making some spectacular saves by flashing his glove hand and stopped 25 of 27 shots and looked like he hasn’t missed a beat since the Finals ended a few months ago.

Yes, it is still early. But this is an encouraging sign for a team that played late into the year last season and had a very short off season. The third line of Stall, Cooke and Kennedy also played yet another strong game leading me to once again call them the best third line in all of hockey. They cycled, checked, and shot like a top line at many times and that is what you like to see from guys on the #3 line. I was also happy to see that Bylsma decided to keep Kennedy on the third line rather than move him up to the second line. Dupuis played there most of the night instead. Kennedy is a great fit for the third line and while I have no doubt that he can play on the second line with Malkin, his chemistry with his current linemates should not be sacrificed.

Today the Penguins are in New York to play the Islanders in the second game of the season. The Islanders have not taken to the ice yet in the regular season so far.

It is going to be a long road to hoe starting tonight as the Pittsburgh Penguins begin their defense of the Stanley Cup against the New York Rangers. But after the banners are raised and the recognition ends it is back to work.

To win the Cup again will take a lot of effort. This is a Penguins team with a lot of players who have played a lot of hockey over the past two seasons. They have the experience and they have got the talent. But they also have a big bullseye on their backs as everyone will be looking to prove that they are better than the Stanley Cup Champions. Teams like the Flyers, the Capitals and the Hurricanes will all be looking to avenge play off losses each time they square off against the Penguins. I leave the Red Wings out of that category because the two will meet just once in a non-conference match up that will neither make or break either team’s season.

The names have been inscribed on the cup and what is done is done. Tonight it is back to business and that business is to dance once again with Lord Stanley.

Good luck Pens! Let’s make the last season in the old Igloo a memorable one!

Pittsburgh had the game yesterday against Carolina literally stolen from them by the goal tending of Cam Ward as they fell to the Hurricanes 3-2 in overtime. Believe it or not, despite really needing the win to have a strong chance at sneaking up into 4th place in the East, knowing this is the reason they lost is a good thing. It is good because I will tell you this much; if the Penguins continue to play like they have since the month of March started and like they also played yesterday, I do not think there is a single goal tender in the league right now and that they will face in the playoffs that can best them 4 out of seven games in a series.

Now they will have to dig down deep and beat the Panthers today to work towards locking up a post season birth. Florida will be desperate because heading into today’s game they are on the outside looking in and two points back of the eighth place Rangers.

All the Penguins have to do is play the same way they played yesterday and hope they do not get robbed again by another goal tenders and they can be well on the way to the playoffs after 60 minutes of hockey today.

The Penguins finished March 10-1-2 as they defeated the New York Rangers at home today by a score of 4-3. Talbot (11), Cooke (10), Fedotenko (14) and Crosby (29) all scored for Pittsburgh in the victory which gives the Penguins a three point cushion over the Rangers in the Eastern Conference standings.

Today’s game was one of four the against other Eastern Conference teams vying for playoff spots that the Penguins needed to win. Next the Penguins have the take on the New Jersey Devils April 1.

Fleury made 26 saves to earn the win.

The Pittsburgh Penguins and the Calgary Flames played a grueling game on Wednesday night reminiscent of what the Penguins will have to play night in and night out come the post season. It was a game that Marc-Andre Fleury stole for the home team with superb goal tending so the Penguins should count themselves lucky to have gotten two points out of it. But now there is a bigger task for the Penguins to tackle – the New York Rangers.

The Rangers come into town to play the Penguins on Saturday and are right behind the home team in the race for playoff positioning. Pittsburgh boasts a record of 40-27-8 (88pts/75 GP) to the Rangers 39-27-9 (87pts/75 GP) mark. In order to hang on to 6th place in the East Pittsburgh will need to win. Pittsburgh has been hot in March, again, going 9-1-2 so far with only the Rangers left before the month ends.

The grit the Penguins have been displaying lately is refreshing and once again I am forced to say that this team looks better than the team which entered the playoffs last year on fire. This year the team is much more balanced and did a much better job at the trade deadline bringing in a better compliment of players for the money than they did last year with the acquisition of Marion Hossa.

Lots of focus has been placed on what the Penguins have to do over their remaining seven games to secure a playoff spot. The number bandied about in terms of points required to make the playoffs is 94. By that logic, and it is fairly sound, the Penguins need to win three of their remaining seven.

But with Florida in 9th place and also with seven games remaining, I do not think that is safe enough of a bet. The Panthers right now have 83 pts. IF they were to get hot and win out, they could finish with 97 total points. So as I write this, and depending on this weeks action and results this will certainly change, I do not care about “magic numbers.” The Pens must win and keep winning to stay alive. And with games against the Rangers, the Hurricanes, the Panthers and the Canadiens (all teams either right behind them or right ahead of them in the standings) I think it is safe to say that these are all must win games. If the Penguins win each of these four they will make the playoffs.