Penguins/NHL
PRE-GAME BUZZ Lightning (39-24-7, 85 pts) @ Penguins (45-19-5, 95 pts)
The Pittsburgh Penguins and Tampa Bay Lightning meet today in a matchup between two Eastern Conference contenders.
Pittsburgh is second in the conference with 95 points and Tampa Bay is third with 85 points. Who is the third best team in the conference beyond Boston and Pittsburgh is up for debate. Some say Tampa Bay, some evaluators believe Philadelphia could be that team.
With the return of Steven Stamkos and Ben Bishop (34-11-6, 2.17 GAA, .927 sv%) in goal, the Lightning are a team who could make a deep run in the East.
The Lightning have won five straight games. The Penguins have won just five of their last 12 games.
ZATKOFF TO START IN GOAL
Jeff Zatkoff (11-4-1, 2.52 GAA, .918 sv%) will start in goal, Penguins head coach Dan Bylsma confirmed moments ago. Zatkoff is 11-4-1 on the season and has played very well of late. In his last four starts, Zatkoff has stopped 82 of the last 86 shots he has faced over his last three games.
Marc Andre Fleury will start tomorrow afternoon against the Western Conference leading St. Louis Blues who are tied with Boston for the most points in the NHL with 101.
VOKOUN LATEST
Penguins head coach Dan Bylsma called it a “mere possibility” that Tomas Vokoun could make a start before the post-season.
“{Tomas} “Vokoun not at the point where he’s ready to play,” Bylsma said. “Possibly working to that… Mere possibility,” Bylsma said.
Bylsma added that Vokoun is dealing with some general soreness right now.
When asked how important it was for Vokoun to get some starts in before the post-season, Bylsma’s response was “it’s not a three goalie rotation.”
The question with Vokoun has been how many starts would he need before the post-season to call him the No. 2. That remains unclear.
