Game Thread: Pens @ Isles | 7pm

[evolver115]

v

Evgeni Malkin might not be thrilled to see the calendar turn after his NHL-best 25-point November, though his first December opponent hasn't done much lately to keep him off the score sheet either.

The Pittsburgh Penguins' streaking center enters Tuesday night's road matchup with the New York Islanders chasing his seventh multi-point game in his last nine against them.

Malkin had a goal and three assists in a 5-1 win over Florida on Saturday, giving him his first four-point game since the 2011-12 season. He ended November with eight points in the last three games and has 17 over an eight-game point streak. With 35 this season, he and teammate Sidney Crosby (36) are among the league leaders.

"I'd love to see them both at the top at the end of the year," coach Dan Bylsma told the Penguins' official website. "(Malkin) did it a lot of ways tonight. ... His effort has been pretty consistent for a long stretch of games here. Pretty remarkable night in the duty he did get."

It hasn't been just Malkin and Crosby producing. James Neal, who had a goal and an assist against the Panthers, has been nearly as hot as Malkin with 13 points in the last seven games.

Chris Kunitz passed Crosby for the team lead in goals with his 14th to give Pittsburgh (18-9-1) a 1-0 lead midway through the first period Saturday. Kunitz has three goals in the last three games and had two goals and an assist in a 4-3 home win over the Islanders on Nov. 22.

The Penguins' three-game winning streak includes a 5-for-9 mark on the power play that has helped bump their season percentage to 25.3. Their 30.0 percent mark in November was the best in the league.

Pittsburgh is looking for its eighth win in 10 tries on Long Island, including the playoffs. The Penguins and Islanders (8-15-4) have met 13 times this calendar year with Pittsburgh winning nine, including four times in last season's Eastern Conference quarterfinals.

Though the Islanders might not be thrilled with their first December opponent, they're likely happy to see the calendar turn after an NHL-worst 4-10-1 November in which their power play ranked 28th at 9.4 percent and their penalty kill was a league-worst 64.3 percent.

Saturday's 3-2 overtime loss to Washington snapped a streak of five straight regulation defeats, though the way it happened didn't help team morale.

Thomas Vanek's goal with under two minutes remaining in regulation gave the Islanders a 2-1 lead, but they allowed a short-handed goal in the final minute.

"Guys worked hard tonight," coach Jack Capuano said. "I thought they were focused and this was a step in the right direction. It came down to special teams. It's just very frustrating that it had to end this way."

Bettering their 0-5-1 stretch over the next six games won't be particularly easy. Pittsburgh closes out the Islanders' four-game homestand before they embark on a potentially brutal Western Conference road trip against St. Louis, Los Angeles, Anaheim, San Jose and Phoenix -- all of which would be playoff teams through the first two months of the season.

"We have to believe in one another and stick with it," Capuano said.

Vanek might be the one to believe in. He has seven goals during a five-game scoring streak versus the Penguins, including two in his first game against them with the Islanders last month. He has 12 points over an eight-game point streak against Pittsburgh.

 

[Cobiemonster]

Penguins should beat them handily tonight

 

[DaBoltsNIsles]

I want a blowout. I want the Penguins to absolutely embarrass the Islanders tonight. I want a new coach & GM. So Crosby, Malkin, Kunitz & Neal you better play hard tonight. I don't want to see anybody taking shifts off. The object of the game is to score as many goals as possible. The number you guys should be shooting for is 10. Considering how bad the Isles are defensively & the rotten goaltending this shouldn't be a problem. If by some act of some GOD OR Whoever is up their you lose this game, every single one of you should be ashamed of yourselves & should consider giving up the game of hockey.

 

[evolver115]

I want a blowout. I want the Penguins to absolutely embarrass the Islanders tonight. I want a new coach & GM. So Crosby, Malkin, Kunitz & Neal you better play hard tonight. I don't want to see anybody taking shifts off. The object of the game is to score as many goals as possible. The number you guys should be shooting for is 10. Considering how bad the Isles are defensively & the rotten goaltending this shouldn't be a problem. If by some act of some GOD OR Whoever is up their you lose this game, every single one of you should be ashamed of yourselves & should consider giving up the game of hockey.

I wouldn't count on it. The Isles always give the Pens trouble and Vanek seems to take a personal joy in just hammering Pittsburgh. He's always good for a goal or two when he faces the Pens.

2nd line of Geno, Neal and Jussi is red hot. Should. Be a good one

 

[DaBoltsNIsles]

I wouldn't count on it. The Isles always give the Pens trouble and Vanek seems to take a personal joy in just hammering Pittsburgh. He's always good for a goal or two when he faces the Pens.

2nd line of Geno, Neal and Jussi is red hot. Should. Be a good one

Every point trade bait gets will help, but please be serious. Should be a good one? You know what the Isles roster looks like. You know who's in goal. This should be a laugher. Today Katie Strang said she wouldn't be surprised if Tavares asked to be traded this offseason. Yes things are that bad. I honestly believe Tavares has to much class to do it, but I wouldn't blame him.

 

[evolver115]

Every point trade bait gets will help, but please be serious. Should be a good one? You know what the Isles roster looks like. You know who's in goal. This should be a laugher. Today Katie Strang said she wouldn't be surprised if Tavares asked to be traded this offseason. Yes things are that bad. I honestly believe Tavares has to much class to do it, but I wouldn't blame him.

Fact of the matter is, ever since your boys pushed the Pens to six games in the quarter finals last season, it proved to your squad that they could compete with them. And let's not forget who chased Fleury to the bench for good last post-season, either. I take no team for granted in the salary cap era of the NHL. Both games this season were competitive affairs, as well.

Pittsburgh isn't exactly healthy right now, either. Scuderi and Martin are absent from the back end, and Glass, Bennett and Kobasew are missing up front. Our 3rd/4th lines feature players who have more AHL than NHL experience by a large margin.

 

[DaBoltsNIsles]

Fact of the matter is, ever since your boys pushed the Pens to six games in the quarter finals last season, it proved to your squad that they could compete with them. And let's not forget who chased Fleury to the bench for good last post-season, either. I take no team for granted in the salary cap era of the NHL. Both games this season were competitive affairs, as well.

Pittsburgh isn't exactly healthy right now, either. Scuderi and Martin are absent from the back end, and Glass, Bennett and Kobasew are missing up front. Our 3rd/4th lines feature players who have more AHL than NHL experience by a large margin.

Hamonic & MacDonald play almost 30 minutes per night because our defense is so bad. After the last time these two teams met Crosby said they know they're going to get at least 5 or 6 odd man rushes per game against the Isles because of the system Capuano has the Isles playing. Cappy has to go. The only way the Pens lose is if they take the game for granted. Of course I did give them the kiss of death by putting my 25 V bucks on them tonight.:

 

[Darkstone42]

2-0 Isles. A kind of fluky one as three players push Fleury into the net so he couldn't make the save, then a really soft one.

 

[DaBoltsNIsles]

I know it's early, but this could be the upset of the year. I mean Nilsson has been beaten routinely by AHL opponents this year.:

 

[evolver115]

2-0 Isles. A kind of fluky one as three players push Fleury into the net so he couldn't make the save, then a really soft one.

Fleury just doesn't play well against the Isles of late. He should've made the save on that second goal. No excuse

 

[evolver115]

I know it's early, but this could be the upset of the year. I mean Nilsson has been beaten routinely by AHL opponents this year.:

See! I told you this was going to be a competitive one!

 

[DaBoltsNIsles]

See! I told you this was going to be a competitive one!

It's early. Crosby & Malkin used the 1st period as a warm up.

To be honest when I watch Fleury play the Isles I wonder how he won a cup. If I didn't see it happen on TV I probably wouldn't believe it.

 

[evolver115]

It's early. Crosby & Malkin used the 1st period as a warm up.

To be honest when I watch Fleury play the Isles I wonder how he won a cup. If I didn't see it happen on TV I probably wouldn't believe it.

I don't blame Fleury for the 1st goal. That was a wicked deflection, and when that happens, there is little the goalie can do. Second goal, though

 

[Darkstone42]

Pens are carrying play so far in the second, but nothing to show for it on the scoreboard so far.

 

[evolver115]

Buttercup got wiped out by Engelland. What a hit!

 

[Darkstone42]

Buttercup got wiped out by Engelland. What a hit!

Isles' announcers thought it was interference, but if you start calling that play interference, you really handicap the defensemen.

 

[evolver115]

Isles' announcers thought it was interference, but if you start calling that play interference, you really handicap the defensemen.

If it were Okposo or Tavares instead of Butters, they might just call it. But not a goon on goon in that situation. The refs would never admit it, but the player definitely influences their decisions.

 

[evolver115]

Yeesh. That was piss poor effort on the powerplay by the isles. Not even a SOG

 

[evolver115]

Jimmeh!!

 

[Darkstone42]

Despres has been great this game. I think he's looked really good since his callup.

Niskanen and Engelland should be the odd men out when Martin and Scuderi return, in my opinion.