Penguins Thrash Atlanta, 6-3

After 5 days off and a series of uninspired performances lately, the Penguins had no reason not to come out hard and dominate a team 28th overall in the standings in thier own barn, especially with the return of their #1 goaltender, Marc-Andre Fleury.

True to form, the Penguins rolled over the Thrashers, 6-3, last night at Phillips Arena behind Evgeni Malkin's 2 goals and 2 assists, and 28 saves from Fleury.

Although the Penguins weren't perfect in this game, their skill level was no match for Atlanta's awful defensive effort. The Penguins went 2 for 5 on the power play, scored on 6 of their only 20 total shots, and chased Thrasher starting goaltender Ondrej Pavelec in the 2nd period.

Aside from Malkin's 2 goals, Phillipe Boucher, Jordan Staal, Matt Cooke and Miroslav Satan scored for the Boys of Winter.

Cooke's goal in the first period got them off and running, culminating a score off the rush following an Atlanta turnover and a fast transition attack.

Satan's goal in the 2nd period also was a nice one, as he finished a tic-tac-toe passing play on the man advantage by taking a pass in the slot from Crosby and using Pavelec's momentum against him by deking to the backhand and depositing the puck into an empty cage.

How he was left alone in front like that -- on the penalty kill, no less -- I'll never figure out.

It's a good thing the Penguins were in command most of the game, because Satan made a ghastly giveaway in his own zone to former Penguin Colby Armstrong in the 3rd period, which Armstrong promptly blew by Fleury before he had time to recognize the turnover and fully come out to challenge Colby. That kind of turnover would normally be benching material.

The Penguins lost Pascal Dupuis to an unspecified lower body injury last night. He joins Hal Gill, Tyler Kennedy, Mike Zigomanis, Max Talbot, Ryan Whitney and Sergei Gonchar on an ever-growing Penguin injury list. Hopefully Zigomanis, Talbot and Whitney will get back in the lineup soon -- ideally in the next 3 games before Christmas.

The Penguins come home to play the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday night.

More over the weekend ...