Morning Skate Update: Chris Minard in; Thomas out

Quick Update from today’s morning skate

Chris Minard will return to the lineup and Bill Thomas will be a healthy scratch

Dupuis - Crosby РFedotenko

Satan – Malkin – Sykora

Cooke – Staal – Kennedy

Minard - Talbot РGodard

Marc Andre Fleury will start in goal

Montreal (30-21-7) @ Pittsburgh (27-25-6)

There’s no way around it as tonight is a must win for the Penguins. With three games in four days, the Penguins have to win two out of their next three games with Monteal tonight, followed by @Philadelphia on Saturday and @Washington on Sunday

5. | NYR | 59 GP| 68 PTS|

6. | MTL | 58 GP| 67 PTS |

7. | FLA | 57 GP | 66 PTS|

8. | BUF | 58 GP | 66 PTS |

9. | CAR | 58 GP | 61 PTS |

10. | PIT | 58 GP | 60 PTS |

Enforcer Georges Laraque did not make the trip to Pittsburgh on December 27th, but Laraque is expected to be in the lineup tonight when the Penguins face off with the Montreal Canadiens. Laraque will look to go with Eric Godard very early into tonight’s game.

A lot of buzz going around right now that Shero is trying to finalize a deal between next Monday – Wednesday.¬†Shero has his¬†blackberry glued to his ear¬†but it doesn’t appear a deal will go down with three games in four days. With a two day break following Sunday’s game¬†there are strong signs that a deal will get¬†finalized then. The problem is –¬†what if the Penguins lose¬†two out of their next three or lose all three. Then they become sellers.¬†¬†

Penguins scouts will be scattered tonight. A source tells me they will have representatives at the following games. 

Vancouver @ Ottawa

LA @ San Jose 

EDM @ Dallas

Per the terms of use, we have a database system implemented where it tracks the different I.P. Addresses that members login from on a¬†weekly basis and tracks the number of times a username is logged in at the same¬†time from different IP Addresses. Lately I haven’t cared that much if a member and their friend use the same username but I have terminated users memberships¬†in the past and it is getting out of control again. Was just looking over the system and one username has been logged in at 46 different IP adresses over the past four days and has been logged in at the same time from multiple I.P. Addresses. ¬†

Photo Courtesy of Dan4th

More to come