22-8-0 | 44 Points 12-15-1 | 25 Points
Penguins Report: Game Day vs. Washington
Tuesday, 03.19.2013 / 9:54 AM / Penguins Report
Pittsburgh Penguins
- Verizon Game Day Report
- Malkin interview
- Bylsma on tonight's lineup
- Morning skate deets
- Pens quotes
- PensTV interviews (87, 14, 9, Coach)
- Pens pics
- Caps lineup info
- Malkin skates
- Pens-Caps preview
- Caps pics
- Wounded soldier visits Pens
- "I just want a small part in your passion play..."
VERIZON GAME DAY REPORT
--Sam Kasan
PENSTV INTERVIEWS
Sidney Crosby
Chris Kunitz
Pascal Dupuis
Coach Bylsma
--Michelle Crechiolo
CAPS PICS
Alex Ovechkin has 11 goals on the season
Team gathers
Holtby gets the start in goal
--Michelle Crechiolo, Drew Hancherick & Sam Kasan
BEHIND ENEMY LINES
--Sam Kasan
HERO
The Pens had a special visitor to their morning skate. Soldier Pat McIlvain was on hand to watch the skate and meet some of the players in the locker room afterward.
McIlvain was deployed to Afghanistan. During a firefight he was shot in the head. McIlvain is in a wheelchair and cannot see, but hockey is his first love and he enjoys being at the rink and hearing the sounds of hockey. He speaks very little, but his family and therapists say he always tends to be a little more talkative after visiting the Penguins. This is his third visit to the Pens.
Crosby shakes McIlvain's hand
McIlvain with Adams
Here is a video of McIlvain's visit last season...
--Sam Kasan
THEY SAID IT...
--Michelle Crechiolo
PENS PICS
Group gathering
Malkin at his first team practice since suffering an upper-body injury over a week ago
Neal and Dupuis all smiles to have "Geno" back
Martin with a solid goatee
Neal wants the puck
Another one of Malkin
Niskanen full swing
Goalie friends (Fleury and Vokoun)
Crosby, 'nuff said
--Michelle Crechiolo & Sam Kasan
COACHSPEAK WITH DAN BYLSMA...
Head coach Dan Bylsma said that Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang will not be in the lineup tonight against Washington. Matt Cooke, and the rest of the lineup, will be game-time decisions. Marc-Andre Fleury starting in goal for Pens.
Bylsma added that if Cooke is unavailable to play, the team will dress seven defensemen.
--Sam Kasan
MALKIN "FEELS GOOD"
Malkin spoke with the media after his first team practice. He said he feels good and that Tuesday's practice was just another step in his recovery. He hopes to play Friday in Long Island. Below is the full script of his interview...
On how he feels:
I feel good, practicing with the team the first time. I feel pretty good. Just the next step to getting healthy.
On what he was working on with Kadar:
Oh, I don’t like skating with him (laughs), but it’s better for me just to get in better shape. My legs are feeling better. Work a little bit battling in the corner. Not bad.
On if he is a possibility to play Friday:
Yeah, I hope. I miss hockey. I miss my team. I hope Friday, yeah.
On having to watch his team from the sidelines:
It’s hard to watch, of course. But I’m glad the team won the last five games. They’re playing unbelievable right now. It’s easy to watch because I know the team is tough right now.
--Sam Kasan & Michelle Crechiolo
MORNING SKATE INFO
Malkin remained on the ice for the team's morning skate. Kris Letang and Matt Cooke were absent. Malkin took line rushes in Cooke's vacated spot. We'll get the official word on Malkin and Cooke's status from coach Bylsma.
Kunitz-Crosby-Dupuis
Bennett-Jeffrey-Neal
Malkin-Sutter-Kennedy
Glass-Vitale-Adams
Orpik-Martin
Niskanen-Eaton
Bortuzzo-Despres-Engelland
Update: Power play units had Niskanen taking Letang's spot on the point with top unit.
Niskanen-Martin
Neal-Kunitz-Crosby
Despres-Jeffrey
Bennett-Sutter-Kennedy
--Sam Kasan
MALKIN SKATES
Evgeni Malkin, who has missed the past five games with an upper-body injury, worked prior to the team's morning skate with strength and conditioning coach Mike Kadar.
--Sam Kasan
GAME PREVIEW
The Capitals begin a four-game road trip in Pittsburgh feeling good after beating Buffalo, but they still have a lot of work to do to make the playoffs. It seemed like the Capitals were turning their season around when they recently won five of six games, only to go on a stretch where they lost four of six. With 20 games left in the season and seven points behind Southeast Division leader Winnipeg, getting wins this week is crucial for the Capitals. “It’s biggest week for us,” Alex Ovechkin told Katie Carrera of the Washington Post. “How we going to play this week, we can end the season this week or we continue to fight for the playoffs.”
They should get a lift whenever heart-and-soul winger and team leader Brooks Laich returns to the lineup, who has not played yet this season with a groin injury. He could make his season debut on this road trip, as he’s getting closer to being game ready. The Capitals have also been without top defenseman Mike Green, who has yet to play this month with a groin injury.
Full preview here.
--Sam Kasan
START THE DAY
Good morning Pens fans! Today the Pens hit the ice at CONSOL Energy Center at 10:30 a.m. for their morning skate. They'll take on rival Washington tonight at 7:30 p.m.
KIPPER'S SONG FOR THE GAME
Tonight I'm going with Pittsburgh's own Gene the Werewolf. I saw Gene take lead vocals for Reb Beach's band when they opened up for Tesla last year. Great job. They played Winger, Whitesnake, Dokken and he nailed it. Band is currently trying to make it over in Europe where Rock music is far bigger than it is in the United States..
