Game 61 : #Penguins @ Predators : 03.04.14 : Game Thread!

40-16-4 | 84 Points 26-25-10 | 62 Points

Penguins Report: Game Day at Nashville
Tuesday, 03.04.2014 / 10:46 AM / Penguins Report
Pittsburgh Penguins

• Verizon Game Day Report
• Lines and skate info
• Updates from Coach
• Morning skate pics
• Locker room interviews
• Quote 'em
• Pekka returns
• Pens-Preds preview
• Start the day

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VERIZON GAME DAY REPORT
Sam Kasan has all the latest from Nashville...
--Michelle Crechiolo

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PENSTV INTERVIEWS
Sidney Crosby
Matt Niskanen
--Michelle Crechiolo

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QUOTE 'EM
Pens talk the Predators and more...




--Michelle Crechiolo

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UPDATES
Here's what Penguins head coach Dan Bylsma had to say following morning skate...

• There are no injury updates. Beau Bennett, Chris Conner and Tomas Vokoun skated after the team practice. The closest to return to practice is Conner.
• Marc-Andre Fleury is starting in goal tonight vs. Nashville. The rest of the lineup will be a game-time decision.

--Michelle Crechiolo

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MORNING SKATE PICS
The Pens hit the ice at 12:30 p.m. Eastern time for their morning skate...

Captain Crosby surveys the scene

Amazing action shot by Sam Kasan, catching Fleury's stick in mid-air after he apparently hurls it at Neal

Not sure if this was taken before or after the stick throwing...

Assistant coach Tony Granato talks to his penalty killers

Assistant coach Todd Reirden gets his closeup

Rookie Olli Maatta lines up a shot

Adams and Neal

Does Fleury see Geno sneaking to the back door?

He certainly sees Geno here
--Michelle Crechiolo and Sam Kasan

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MORNING SKATE DEETS
All the healthy Penguins players were present and accounted for at their morning skate in Nashville. The team used the following workflow...
Kunitz-Crosby-Gibbons
Jokinen-Malkin-Neal
Pyatt-Sutter-Vitale
Glass-Adams-Kobasew
The six defensemen rotated with three at each end.
PP1: Malkin, Niskanen on top. Crosby, Neal, Kunitz down low.
PP2: Maatta, Despres on top. Sutter, Jokinen, Gibbons down low.
--Sam Kasan

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RINNE TO RETURN
Nashville goaltender Pekka Rinne will return to the lineup for the first time since Oct. 22. He underwent surgery to clean an infection in his hip and has missed the last 51 games. His first test back: the Pittsburgh Penguins.

--Sam Kasan

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PREVIEW
The Pens don't make it down to Nashville too often. Check out Michelle Crechiolo's scouting report on the Preds below...

--Sam Kasan

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START THE DAY
Good morning hockey fans! Tonight the Pens continue their season-long five-game road trip with a stop in the Music City. They'll battle the Nashville Predators, who will have Pekka Rinne in goal for the first time since October 22 due to an infection in his surgically repaired hip. Pittsburgh will take the ice at 11:30 a.m. Central time (12:30 p.m. Eastern time) for their morning skate. Here are some game notes to get you started...

• The Penguins continue along their five-game road swing against the Nashville Predators (TV: ROOT SPORTS; Radio: 105.9 the X) at Bridgestone Arena.
• The Penguins are hoping to end a season-high-tying three-game winless stretch tonight (0-1-2). Pittsburgh is also looking to avoid losing back-to-back regulation games for the first time since dropping three-straight regulation contests from Nov. 6-13.
• The Penguins ended that three-game losing stretch in November by posting a 4-1 victory against the Nashville Predators at CONSOL Energy Center on Nov. 15.
• Pittsburgh has a three-game winning streak against the Predators and it is unbeaten in four-straight contests against them (3-0-1).
• Nashville’s last regulation win against the Penguins came on Jan. 8, 2009 (5-3) here at Bridgestone Arena.
• In Pittsburgh’s most-recent visit to Nashville on Oct. 21, 2010, Sidney Crosby forced overtime by tying the contest at 3-3 last in the third period and Kris Letang tallied the overtime winner to secure a 4-3 win. Crosby (2G-1A), Letang (1G-2A) and Evgeni Malkin (1G-1A) combined to register eight of Pittsburgh’s 12 points.
• The Penguins have been perfect on the PK in three straight road games (8-for-8).

KIP'S GAME VID :
I havent done these for the Game Threads yet and we're 0-1-1 because of it.
The Who - The Real Me .... because John Entwhistle is on absolute Crack (literally as well) on this song. Plus I was cranking it. Cant jam on this song without it being turned up