We're trying something different to replace the old Newsmakers in the NHL posts. Hopefully you'll like it. Each weekday we'll take a look at one positive performance from the previous night (a plus), and one negative performance from the previous night (a minus). It's the plus/minus.Tell us what you think at nhlfanhouse@gmail.com.
After losing No. 1 defenseman Sergei Gonchar to a broken a wrist over a week ago, the Pittsburgh Penguins will be without another top player as the reigning NHL scoring champion, Evgeni Malkin, will be out of the lineup for two-to-three weeks with a shoulder strain.
According to head coach Dan Bylsma the injury happened roughly 10 days ago, and sitting him out is a precautionary move at this point.
HOMESTEAD, Pa. -- The Pittsburgh Penguins continued the celebration of the franchise's third Stanley Cup (and first in 17 years) on Monday night with the release of their championship DVD at the Loews Waterfront Theatre in Western Pennsylvania.
In attendance were current Penguins Kris Letang and Tyler Kennedy, former Penguin player and current radio analyst Phil Bourque, team President David Morehouse, 400 or so lucky Penguins fans that won tickets to the VIP event, and the NHL's most terrifying mascot, IceBurgh.
In The Face-Off Circle: A game-by-game look at the face-off's in the Stanley Cup Final
The Detroit Red Wings had their best face-off man, Kris Draper, back in the lineup for Game 4, and as a team they had their best showing since Game 1, winning 34 of 60 draws. While Draper won six of his 11, the biggest factor in the margin on Thursday night wasn't what any one individual Red Wing did, but what one individual Penguin didn't do.
One poorly-timed screen could have been costly for the Pittsburgh Penguins. Surely, defenseman Sergei Gonchar and forward Bill Guerin weren't trying to stop Marc-Andre Fleury from seeing an early second-period shot by Detroit defenseman Brad Stuart. But that's exactly what they did. The Stuart shot found the back of the Penguin net, giving Detroit a 2-1 lead and, seemingly, all the momentum.
What happened after that could turn into a defining moment for this underdog Pittsburgh team.
Penguins 4, Red Wings 2: Recap | Box Score Series tied 2-2
After Marc-Andre Fleury and Cam Ward put on a goaltending clinic on Monday, prompting the discussion of whether or not they're legitimate franchise goaltenders, the two players, along with their collective defenses, seemingly took the night off on Thursday as Pittsburgh picked up a 7-4 win in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference finals. Just 12 minutes into the first period, the two teams had already scored as many goals as they did in Game 1, while Carolina held a 3-2 lead after the opening 20 minutes.
Evgeni Malkin recorded his first career playoff hat trick in the win for Pittsburgh, registering his fifth consecutive multiple point game.
Penguins 7, Hurricanes 4: Recap | Box Score Penguins Lead Series 2-0
After struggling on Sunday, Marc-Andre Fleury rebounded with a sensational performance on Tuesday night, stopping 44-of-45 shots in Pittsburgh's 3-1 against Philadelphia in game 4 of its Eastern Conference Quarterfinal.
No question about it, the Penguins' 24-year-old netminder was their best player, standing on his head much of the game, giving them an opportunity to win. The Flyers were consistently swarming the front of the net -- and firing shots from every possible angle on each of their eight power plays -- as Fleury was there every single time to make the stops.
If you're a Penguins fan, there was certainly a lot to like about their 4-1 win over the Philadelphia Flyers in the opening game of their Eastern Conference playoff series on Wednesday night.
They received offense from the usual suspects (Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin), they were strong defensively and on the penalty kill, and they even picked up a pair of goals from Tyler Kennedy and Mark Eaton. All things considered, it was a strong showing.
The one area they can improve? As has been the case much of the season, the power play.
Avalanche 4, Flames 3: Colorado ended a four-game losing streak with its win over Calgary on Monday night, thanks in large part to a three-point effort from Marek Svatos. Svatos chipped in two goals (including the eventual game-winner late in the second period) and added an assist, while Ryan Smyth registered a pair of helpers in the win.
Peter Budaj was strong in net for the Avalanche, turning aside 36 of 39 shots to pick up his 14th win over the season.
It was a great night of rivalries in the NHL on Tuesday, including a classic original six tilt in Boston, where the Bruins pulled out a 3-1 win over Montreal.
Tim Thomas stopped 34-of-35 shots, and even inserted himself into the rough stuff when he clobbered Montreal's Andrei Kostitsyn just moments after he sent Aaron Ward into the boards.
Kostitsyn gave the Canadiens a 1-0 lead early in the second period, until Zdeno Chara added a pair of power play goals later in the period. David Krejci put the game out of reach late in the third period, scoring 17th goal of the season, helping lead the Bruins to their third straight win. Montreal had won four in a row, and eight of its past nine entering the game.
After losing No. 1 defenseman Sergei Gonchar to a broken a wrist over a week ago, the Pittsburgh Penguins will be without another top player as the reigning NHL scoring champion, Evgeni Malkin, will be out of the lineup for two-to-three weeks with a shoulder strain. 
HOMESTEAD, Pa. -- The Pittsburgh Penguins continued the celebration of the franchise's third Stanley Cup (and first in 17 years) on Monday night with the release of their championship DVD at the Loews Waterfront Theatre in Western Pennsylvania. 
After Marc-Andre Fleury and Cam Ward put on a goaltending clinic on Monday, prompting the discussion of whether or not they're legitimate franchise goaltenders, the two players, along with their collective defenses, seemingly took the night off on Thursday as Pittsburgh picked up a 7-4 win in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference finals. Just 12 minutes into the first period, the two teams had already scored as many goals as they did in Game 1, while Carolina held a 3-2 lead after the opening 20 minutes.
If you're a Penguins fan, there was certainly a lot to like about their 4-1 win over the Philadelphia Flyers in the opening game of their Eastern Conference playoff series on Wednesday night. 
Avalanche 4, Flames 3: Colorado ended a four-game losing streak with its win over Calgary on Monday night, thanks in large part to a three-point effort from Marek Svatos. Svatos chipped in two goals (including the eventual game-winner late in the second period) and added an assist, while Ryan Smyth registered a pair of helpers in the win. 
It was a great night of rivalries in the NHL on Tuesday, including a classic original six tilt in Boston, where the Bruins pulled out a 3-1 win over Montreal. 
