Penguins. Red Wings. Enough Said.

Teams from opposite conferences don't often develop a hatred for one another.

They simply don't play one another enough for that to happen.

But play two of the best Stanley Cup Final series' in consecutive years as the Pittsburgh Penguins and Detroit Red Wings have -- with each winning the Silver Chalice on the other's home ice -- and you're bound to have animosity.

As Penguins' goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury said:

"They don't like us .... and we don't like them."

And so it goes for the nationally televised game today between the two clubs (12:30 PM EST, NBC), despite the somewhat uneven seasons both teams have had thusfar.

We all know that the Penguins have been up and down at times this season. We also know that, despite those stretches, they sit in relatively strong playoff position -- 4th -- in the Eastern Conference.

The Detroit Red Wings, on the other hand, would be making golf course reservations if the season ended today.

They are currently outside of the playoff picture in the Western Conference, sitting in 9th place after only 2 wins in their last 8.

There's no doubt that the Red Wings have suffered greatly because of injuries to several key players this year. Tomas Holmstrom and Johan Franzen have missed extended stretches, and key players like Henrik Zetterberg, Dan Cleary and Valtteri Filppula haven't been far behind.

Throw in free agency losses -- like defection Marion Hossa -- and add below-average goaltending to the mix and it's easy to see why this group appears to be quickly showing their age.

But all that said, the Penguins should not take their opponent this afternoon lightly. In fact, playing the Penguins today could spark Detroit, and if they get going, nobody -- and I mean nobody -- in the Western Conference would want to match up against them in the post-season.

Until they are knocked off the pedestal when it matters, they still stand tall as the team to beat in that Conference.

For that reason, even if today's contest may seem melancoly to some compared to what it should be, I'm really looking forward to the game, and expect to see fireworks somewhere along the way.

Recap tomorrow.

Let's Go Pens!


NOTES:

The Penguins recalled Nick Johnson from the American Hockey League yesterday, and brought forward Mark Letestu with him. One or both might dress today, depending on whether RW Tyler Kennedy can go. TK missed Thursday's defeat to the Ottawa Senators with an undisclosed injury, but practiced in full yesterday, so the odds look good for him to suit up against the Wings.

Alex Goligoski also went through a full practice, so he could return to the lineup as well.

One guy not expected to dress today is the guy who made the biggest difference the last time the Penguins and Red Wings got together:

Max Talbot.

While #25 was in the lineup against the Senators after missing 3 games, he apparently had a setback of some kind with his groin. He didn't practice yesterday and is unlikely to play today.

On a different note, the Penguins signed winger Joe Vitale to a 2-year contract a few days ago.

Vitale is not the kind of guy who lights up the scoresheet -- he has only 19 points in 41 games for Wilkes-Barre -- but he brings a physical, tenacious, up-and-down the wing presence to the Penguins' organization. Obviously, the Penguins like what they see in from the former Northeastern University graduate.