From One Conference Finalist To Another: Penguins News And Notes

As the Pittsburgh Penguins prepare to face their 2nd conference finalist in 2 games tonight as the Carolina Hurricanes visit Mellon Arena (7:30 PM, EST), there remains a buzz in town after the Pens' 2-1 OT loss to last year's other Western Conference finalist -- the Chicago Blackhawks -- on Saturday night in Pittsburgh.

While the game was somewhat unexpectedly low-scoring, the tempo and intensity was what you would expect from the two separate-conference superpowers. The Pens' had several good chances and hit a few posts, but couldn't crack Chicago backup netminder Antti Niemi. Niemi was stellar throughout the game.

Thanks to Jordan Staal's late heroics in the third period off a set face-off play, though, the Pens' were at least able to get a deserved point. It's tough to be critical of them -- especially in a game star center and Captain Sidney Crosby sat out because of a groin problem (he's day-to-day) -- but had they been a little smarter and tighter defensively, they might have gotten two points, since both of Chicago's tallies were the result of Penguin mistakes.

Penguins' villian Marion Hossa was just plain abandoned coming off the boards in the Pens' zone in the first period, and that allowed him to score uncontested on a rebound, while Pittsburgh was weak on its 4-on-4 coverage around the goal on Hawks' forward Kris Versteeg's game winner in overtime.

Still, a great teaser over the weekend if these two teams are to see each other again.

That would only be in the Stanley Cup Final, of course.

Tonight, while the Pens match up against the Hurricanes -- their final Eastern Conference foe on their way to the Stanley Cup last season -- The Igloo is likely to be lacking the same vibe as it had on Saturday night.

Carolina is easily the worst team in the National Hockey league this season. They've won only 6 contests all year, while losing 22.

Plain and simple, they are an absolute shadow of the team Pittsburgh saw last year.

Still, the Penguins should exercise caution. Crosby will probably sit out again, and we've seen the Pens' play down to their opposition at times.

One thing Pittsburgh has going for them is that they won't have to suit up LW Chris Bourque tonight.

After Matt Cooke returned from his 2-game suspension on Saturday night -- and even with Crosby out -- the Penguins instead chose to play call-up Mark Letetsu and, by extension, ended their experiment with the son of Hall-of-Fame legend defenseman Ray Bourque by waiving the winger.

Better still, the Washington Capitals -- from whom the Penguins claimed Bourque -- re-claimed him, so Pittsburgh won't be sending him to Wilkes-Barre.

Bourque had 3 assists in 20 games and was never able to make a consistent impact up front for Pittsburgh on the forecheck or otherwise.

Letetsu will probably stay with the Penguins until Crosby returns -- probably later this week -- but it shouldn't be long before we see LW Luca Caputi called up.

Caputi has been playing great in Wilkes-Barre for the last 6 weeks or so. He's dominating on the top line and showing an edge to his game that he'll need to succeed in the NHL.

Recap tomorrow.

Let's Go Pens!