Ryan Malone had the honor of being the first shooter to go during Monday night's game-deciding shootout against the Blue Jackets. Fans in Columbus greeted him with a chorus of boos, but Malone didn't seem to mind. "It was good," he said. "It was fun. It was a great crowd. I don't know if I missed hockey that much or what, but I'm glad I got to play." Malone missed wide left on the shot, "But that's the way it goes," he said. "Hopefully I get another chance." Malone, who scored one of the Penguins' two regulation goals Monday, is one of six players, including five forwards, who played Monday and also will play tonight. The others are defenseman Lyle Odelein and forwards Lasse Pirjeta, Matt Murley, Maxime Talbot and Daniel Carcillo.
In addition to Pittsburgh, Wilkes-Barre and Boston media, Canadian network Rogers Sportsnet will be doing live shots from tonight's game, NBC will be there to record footage with Sidney Crosby and Mario Lemieux, Sports Illustrated magazine is sending a photographer, and other newspapers have requested credentials including the Philadelphia Inquirer and Canadian papers The Globe and Mail (which has a reporter following the team all year), the Toronto Sun and the Journal de Montreal.
Coach Eddie Olczyk always has emphasized being a good faceoff team, but it was an area the Penguins struggled in for most of Monday night's game. After two periods, they were just 9 for 40 on faceoffs for a percentage of 22.5, although that number rose to a percentage of 32 by the end of the game (winning 24 of 74). Center Matt Hussey had the best percentage (43) on the team, going 7 for 16.
