Saturday Roundup/Gamenight: Pens @ Caps

[AP Preview - WashingtonCaps.com Preview (coming soon)]

So... um... Pens tonight, eh?

If the Caps are to win, they'll need to be physical yet disciplined and take advantage of a somewhat vulnerable Penguins penalty kill. But you knew that. Here's some of what you might not have known about the Caps, the Pens and tonight's game:

• To date, the Caps have four defensemen with more than one point, and only five forwards with a similar distinction. Chris Clark, Matt Pettinger, David Steckel, Donald Brashear and Shaone Morrisonn have each played in all six games thus far this season without registering a single point, while Tomas Fleischmann and Milan Jurcina each have only one point in six games.
  
• Further to that last point, the Caps haven't scored as many as four goals in a game since March 18, a span of 15 games. To say that the Caps are awaiting an offensive awakening is an understatement.
• Pens netminder Marc-Andre Fleury has been wretched so far this season, and sports a 2-3-0 record with a 4.11 goals against average and a .871 save percentage. Of course, for his career, he's 5-0-0, 2.17, .932 against the Caps, so if a pourous MAF shows up at Verizon tonight, it will be an unfamiliar sight for the boys in white.
• As an Islander last year, Viktor Kozlov had 4 goals and 4 assists in eight games against the Pens.
  

I'll have more news and notes later, and will be taking in the game from high atop the Verizon Center tonight, so be sure to check back often. Oh, and be sure to read Corey's article today for some great "Alex being Alex" quotes.

Why The Penguins Will Win:

"The Verizon Center is like a second home for Pens fans, so look for the strong Pittsburgh crowd to power the Pens to victory. Oh, and having Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin doesn't hurt either." - Penguins Buzz

"One huge factor is the Pens fans presence down there. It is going to be a awesome enviroment. The Pens will feed off that. This one smells like a OT thriller." - thepensblog.com

"The Pens are struggling with a new identity right now, but in the past, the Penguins have always routed the Capitals to find confidence in their game plan. Plus, a lot of Penguins fans always make the road trip so the atmosphere will be like a home game." - Confessions of a Hockey Fanatic

"The Penguins win this game because of secondary scoring. Max Talbot, Adam Hall, and the rest of the teams role players have stepped up in a big way. Look for Marc-Andre Fleury to bounce back in the pipes and the scoring to come from some unlikely sources." - Faceoff Factor

"Simply put...the Pens own the Caps. They have the firepower, the grit and we all remember those playoff series' in the last decade..." - Home of the Penguins

Elsewhere 'Round the Rinks:

I wonder if the Caps have heard from Phoenix's lawyers regarding tonight's "White Out."

Daily Awards

• Hart: Patrick Kane (G, 2A, +1, 3 SOG)
  
• Ross: Patrick Kane, Petr Sykora (3 points each)
  
• Norris: Jack Johnson (G, +1, 2 SOG, 3 hits)
  
• Vezina: Pascal Leclaire (21-save shutout win)
  
• Richard: Petr Sykora (2G)
  
• Calder: Patrick Kane (G, 2A, +1, 3 SOG)
• Aiken: Jaroslav Hlinka (0 points, -3)
  

'Hawks Narrow It Down To Three Players

According to the CP, the Chicago Blackhawks, owners of the first pick in next month's draft, have narrowed the potential candidates for that pick to three: Kyle Turris, Patrick Kane and James van Riemsdyk.

"Those are the three guys we're looking at," confirmed GM Dale Tallon.

I'm a bit surprised to see JVR on their radar, but add Jakub Voracek and Alexei Cherepanov (and top-rated blueliner Karl Alzner) to that trio and it's pretty clear that if the Caps do use their first pick (fifth overall), they're going to get a very talented and highly respected player.

UPDATE: The Philly Inquirer says the 'Hawks are "leaning toward" Kane and the Flyers are most interested in Turris, as they want a center.

NHL.com Mock Draft: Alzner A Cap

NHL.com has apparently gotten caught up in Mel Kiper fever ('tis the season, y'know?) and has thrown together a mock up of the first fourteen picks of the upcoming Entry Draft. Some of the predictions are head-scratchers (Patrick Kane falls to sixth?), and so is the rationale behind the Caps' pick:

No. 5, Washington -- The Capitals’ love of offensive players in recent drafts is well- documented. This team had 10 picks in last year’s draft and took seven forwards. It also grabbed two goalies among its first three selections. So, the backline is an area that has been ignored recently. No longer. This team gave up 51 more goals than it scored this past year, so the time to address defensive deficiencies is now. And Calgary’s Karl Alzner is as good a place as any to start. Already 6-foot-2 and 210 pounds, he has the frame to handle NHL duty and he also has the smarts to not get overwhelmed in any situation. He is not as physical as some would like, but that is an area of his game he can develop. He also has the offensive foundation to complement Washington’s raft of skilled forwards.

First of all, if Kane is available at five, he'll be a Cap. Jakub Voracek could be too if he's there and Kane isn't. Then again, if Kane is available at five, that pick will be worth an awful lot in trade.

But I have a bigger gripe with the logic behind the Caps' supposed pick. To say that the Caps have ignored the blueline in recent drafts is flat-out ridiculous, given that in 2005 the Caps' first four picks (including two first rounders) and five of their first eight in 2004 (again, including two first-rounders) were defensemen.

The Caps might take Alzner at five come June 22, but it won't happen under this scenario and it won't be because they've been neglecting a need to fill the position.