Now It's the Penguins Turn

Two days removed from defeating a shorthanded New Jersey Devils squad, the Pittsburgh Penguins expect to have some key guys out of the lineup for their game tonight at the CONSOL Energy Center against the still-undefeated Toronto Maple Leafs (7:30 PM EST).

Defensemen Brooks Orpik and Zbynek Michalek are both expected to miss the game.  Orpik, of course, missed Monday's tilt against the Devils with a nagging groin problem, while Michalek suffered a right shoulder injury in the second period and did not return.

There's some very preliminary talk circulating that Michalek's injury could be a separation.  If that's the case, it's bad news for the Penguins, because that type of injury would keep him out of action probably until sometime in 2011.  

Former Penguin' defenseman Sergei Gonchar suffered a similar injury a few years back in the exhibition opener and didn't play until February.

Unlike the Devils, however, the Penguins' aren't so flush against the salary cap that they can't recall anyone to help the team's manpower shortage and thus, blueliner Andrew Hutchinson -- one of the final cuts of training camp -- was called up from Wilkes-Barre last night and is expected to be in the lineup this evening.

Unlike Orpik and Michalek, Hutchinson is an offensive defenseman, so the Penguins are going to have to play good team defense against a Leafs team that's going to pose a challenge tonight.  Led by forwards Phil Kessel and surprise contributor Clarke MacArthur up front, they are scoring their share of goals.  Netminder Jean-Sebastian Giguere has had a strong start to the season in goal for them, too.

It would help the cause tonight if Captain Sidney Crosby got going.  The Penguins could use a goal from Hilary Duff's husband (a.k.a. Mike Comrie), too.  

Comrie was one of the Penguins' best players in the pre-season, but hasn't had nearly the same impact in 3 regular season games.  He was brought in to give the Penguins some depth up front, and needs to start contributing.

No word yet on whether Head Coach Dan Bylsma will go back with Marc-Andre Fleury in goal tonight, or stick with Brent Johnson, who had a real strong game on Monday.  The Penguins have to play both Friday night and Saturday night, though, so there's logical sentiment for going with Fleury tonight and getting Johnson back in again during one of those games over the weekend.

Recap tomorrow.

Let's Go Pens!