The Latest Penguins Buzz

Coming off a 6-1 win Wednesday night, the Penguins held an optional practice this afternoon. Among the forwards who skated were Sidney Crosby, Pascal Dupuis, Craig Adams, Max Talbot, Eric Godard, Jordan Staal and Tyler Kennedy

Defensemen Kris Letang and Philippe Boucher also skated.

Marc Andre Fleury took the day off and Mathieu Garon was the only goaltender on the ice. Mike Yeo, Tom Fitzgerald ran the optional practice.

Billy Guerin was icing his hand after the yesterday’s game but he is fine and will practice tomorrow according to team officials.

Guerin’s family is heading back to New York on Friday. They have been here for the Penguins 8 game homestand.

Ruslan Fedotenko was evaluated after yesterday’s game and he has some discomfort in his upper arm/left shoulder area. It’s not believed to be serious but there’s some concern. He will be evaluated tomorrow morning.

If Fedotenko is unable to go on Saturday, Pascal Dupuis will move up to the third line.

The Penguins will conduct a full practice on Friday.

Sidney Crosby may be one of the most hardest working super stars¬†professional sports. He never takes a day off.¬†As long as he is healthy he never misses a practice even if it’s an optional practice. He is also the last person to leave the arena on most nights following games as Crosby goes on the bike to do some off-ice workouts.

Giles Meloche has been working with Mathieu Garon on his side to side movement over the past couple weeks. The Penguins are trying to keep him sharp in practice.

Where Garon really struggles is on shots low glove side. The Penguins would like to get Garon another start before the regular season ends but that’s unlikely.

Sources close to the team are blaming Petr Sykora’s lack or production on a sore shoulder that is still bothering him. I’m not buying. No one at this time of the year is 100%. Some in the organization are having second thoughts about giving Sykora $3 million per season.

The Penguins whole mindset has changed over the past three weeks. The team has the confidence that they had last spring. They believe they have a Stanley Cup team. A lot of the players were talking about how last night’s game was a statement game.

Last night was the first game the Penguins played against the Devils since the additions of Guerin and Kunitz.

WILKES-BARRE, PA РPenguins defenseman Ben Lovejoy and left wing Janne Pesonen have been named to the American Hockey League’s Second All-Star Team, it was announced on Thursday. All-Star Team members were selected by a vote of coaches, players and media members from the league’s 29 member cities.

Lovejoy, 25, currently leads all AHL players with a plus-43 rating in 72 games with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton this season.

Pesonen, 26, ranks seventh in the AHL with 74 points (29+45) in 65 games with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton this season. He set a new Penguins team record by picking up his 68th point on the season on March 16 in Albany, and tied the team record for points in a game with five (1+4) on March 11 at Philadelphia.