The Off Day

Today is the first of three 2-day breaks between games in the Eastern Conference Final between the Pittsburgh Penguins and Carolina Hurricanes, so there's much time to digest the series, looking both backwards and forwards.

Much of the focus for both teams coming out of game 1 is the status of Carolina wingers Erik Cole and Tuomo Ruutu, who were both injured in game 1.

Technically, both are questionable and, since this is the playoffs, the Penguins surely won't learn until the opening faceoff in game 2 whether either are playing.

Even the word from Raleigh, NC is mixed.

Hurricanes' GM Jim Rutherford said yesterday that he wasn't optimistic about the status of either player, and commented further that neither was Carolina's trainer after looking at MRI's on both players.

Ruutu, however, expressed optimism that he'd be ready to go for game 2.

If one or both can't go, the Hurricanes are likely to do some lineup shuffling, potentially moving center Jussi Jokinen to wing, and maybe dressing Brandon Sutter. Or they may go with seven defenseman and get Anton Babchuk and his big shot back in the lineup.

Again, time will tell, and the situation bears watching because both Ruutu and Cole are key players in Carolina's cog -- not necessarily for what they put up on the scoresheet, but for the physical play and grit they bring to the forecheck.

Undobutedly, the 2-day break between games 1 and 2 is a break for Carolina in this regard.

I also think the break could work to the Penguins' benefit somewhat.

Pittsburgh has dressed seven defenseman for 4 straight games now in the wake of Sergei Gonchar's injury and, while that has worked out pretty well for them, I worry a little about the impact that has on the 11 forwards who each get more minutes because they're covering an extra spot up front.

Usually, Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin bear this burden and those are the two players you should worry about the most. If their extra gear isn't there, the Penguins will be in trouble. That's where the extra time off could help because, otherwise, I don't think it's a good long term idea to tax them like that.

Crosby, in particular, wasn't as much of a factor for Pittsburgh in game 1 as he was during the Washington series. I'm not chalking all of that -- or even that much of it -- up to fatigue, especially since he and the rest of his teammates had 4 days from the end of their series against the Capitals before game 1 on Monday, but the point is that you can't keep going with 11 forwards in the long run.

Pens' coach Dan Bylsma may go back to that well again on Thursday, but hopefully Gonchar will be well enough to take on a full load by Saturday when the Penguins can get back to 12 forwards in game 3 -- a game which will be come on the more regular every-other-day schedule following Thursday's game 2. Gonchar did play about 20 minutes in game 1 and is said to be improving every day, so let's hope ....

One guy I surprisingly haven't heard very much about in the last few weeks is center Mike Zigomanis.

Zigomanis, who had shoulder surgery about 5 months ago, was cleared for contact just under 2 weeks ago, and I thought he might even re-surface late in the Washington series. He didn't, however, and I haven't even really heard anything since then about when -- or if -- he may get back in the lineup.

Certainly, the Penguins could use him in the circle in this series, especially when Carolina has such a good player on the draw in center Rod Brind 'Amour.

In game 2, Pittsburgh needs to look to generate even more offense against the Hurricanes. They have to assume that Carolina goaltender Cam Ward will be better, and must bring more pressure around the goal to get pucks by him.

They also need to stay disciplined. They've done a really good job of that in the last few games.

How nice would it be to see LW Chris Kunitz get off his snide and score a playoff goal this post-season? The media was making light of his goal-scoring drought yesterday.

If there's anything noteworthy for tomorrow on the status of Cole and Ruutu -- or otherwise -- I'll update here. Otherwise, I'll post a game 2 review Friday morning.

Let's Go Pens.