With an assist in Friday night's game, Paul Martin now has a four-game playoff points streak.
Martin has looked good thus far in the post-season. He is having a nice comeback campaign making him fantasy relevant again.

Despite being the winning goalie in the Penguins' 4-3 victory over the Senators Friday night, Tomas Vokoun did not play particularly well.
Many hold the view that Ottawa's first two goals were soft. Kyle Turris' goal went between Vokoun's legs and Colin Greening beat the Pens' goalie on the short side. Vovoun later rallied to make two outstanding stops on Sens' breakways. It remains to be seen if Pittsburgh coach Dan Bylsma will give Marc-Andre Fleury an opportunity to play in the second round against the Sens.

Tomas Vokoun made 19 saves in Pittsburgh's 4-3 win against Ottawa in Game 2 of their semifinal series Friday night.
Vokoun made some key saves, but this really was not his finest effort as he looked shaky at times. He allowed a goal in each period. This performance could crack the door open a bit for Marc-Andre Fleury to get another opportunity, though the fact Vokoun has won his four playoff starts should matter more in the big picture. Vokoun has a 1.70 goals-against average and .945 percentage in the postseason. The Penguins take a 2-0 series lead into Ottawa for Game 3 on Sunday night.

Sidney Crosby had a hat trick to lead the Penguins over the Senators 4-3 in Game 2 of their second-round series Friday night.
The Penguins now hold a 2-0 lead in the series. Crosby notched his hat trick by 1:15 of the second period, showcasing his tools with great stick handling and speed, cleverness on the ice and a plus shot. It's not easy to stop the Penguins captain, but the Senators certainly could've done a better job being physical on him. Brenden Morrow potted what is considered the game-winning goal. Paul Martin and Kris Letang picked up two assists apiece. Matt Niskanen finished with a game-high plus-three rating, and he also had a helper. Chris Kunitz, James Neal and Evgeni Malkin also had assists.

Tomas Vokoun will play between the pipes on Friday.
Just in case there was any doubt. Vokoun has a 1.28 GAA and .962 save percentage in three playoff starts. Until he has a bad game, Marc-Andre Fleury isn't likely to get a shot at redemption.

Chris Kunitz was reunited with Sidney Crosby and Pascal Dupuis at Thursday's practice.
"I'm sure [coach Dan Bylsma] is pretty comfortable with us because we've played together for so long," said Crosby. The move sent Jarome Iginla back to the right side with Evgeni Malkin and James Neal. These may be the line combinations that Bylsma chooses to go with in Game 2 versus Ottawa Friday night.

Brenden Morrow wasn't happy with the way he played against the Islanders in Round 1 and he's already gotten off to a decent start versus Ottawa.
"Looking back at that series against the Islanders, I'll be honest, I'm not too happy with how I played," he said. "I was a minus-3. I know I need to be better than that, and I know I can play better than that. I'm not satisfied right now." Morrow had an assist on Paul Martin's power-play goal in Game 1 versus the Senators and their physical style should suit him better than the speedy game that the Isles play. Morrow has been credited with 22 hits in seven postseason matches with the Penguins.

Pascal Dupuis is tied for the playoff lead with six goals entering Thursday night's action and unsurprisingly he doesn't have any on the power play.
He's played one second of man advantage time for the Penguins in the playoffs, which is the lowest on the team, but that isn't anything new for him as he averaged just 48 seconds of power-play time during the regular season. He has scored 20 of his 175 career regular-season goals when his team has been up a man. Oddly enough, he nearly has as many goals when his team is on the penalty kill (15) and he scored a shorthanded marker in Game 1 against Ottawa. The bulk of his goals come while skating five-on-five though. "He's been one of the best even-strength goal-scorers in the league for quite some time now," coach Dan Bylsma said. Of course this raises the question: why doesn't he get more power-play opportunities in the first place? It seems to work for the Penguins though, so don't expect them to change it.

James Neal played a physical game in Pittsburgh's semifinal opener against Ottawa Tuesday night.
He was credited with four hits and picked up six minutes in penalties in the Penguins' Game 1 victory. Neal also added an assist on Evgeni Malkin's game winner. He has two points in five playoff appearances and should produce more if he can stay healthy in Round 2.

Sidney Crosby's teammates feel that his play in the defensive zone is often overlooked.
Evgeni Malkin had a tough time trying to decide who was better between Crosby and Pavel Datsyuk. "Datsyuk has a quicker stick, longer reach. He can take pucks from between your legs, if you have it close," Malkin said. "Sid is so strong. He wins battles in corners. He plays physical. He takes puck from you like that, then goes to try (and) score. Both guys are great at defense." Datsyuk was named as a finalist for the Selke Trophy, along with Chicago's Jonathan Toews and Boston's Patrice Bergeron, on Wednesday. Crosby's teammates credit his work in his own zone with their ability to quickly head out onto the attack offensively.

Simon Despres was a healthy scratch Tuesday.
He played in three games against the New York Islanders in Round 1, but when the semifinals began against the Ottawa Senators he was sent to the press box. Despres sat in favor of Deryk Engelland, who plays a rugged style which matches the Senators' style much more.

Evgeni Malkin notched a goal and an assist in Pittsburgh's semifinal opener against Ottawa Tuesday night.
Coach Dan Bylsma was also impressed with the center's acknowledgment after the first round that he needs to be better in the defensive zone. "When he talks about being better, it's because he knows," Bylsma said. "That's very good, and he was very good (Tuesday against the Senators) - in the defensive zone, around the net and with the puck." Malkin is currently tied with Boston's David Krejci for the most points in the postseason (13).

Doug Murray recorded five blocked shots in Tuesday's Game 1 victory over Ottawa.
He also chipped in an assist to give him three points in seven playoff games. Murray was paired with Deryk Engelland in the contest. "It was great," he said afterward. "He's very similar to myself. He plays a physical game, a simple game. We make simple plays. He's an easy guy to read off." His offensive support has been a surprising addition to his arsenal, to go with his typical contributions of 11 hits and 15 blocks, which has helped him to slightly exceed expectations.

Chris Kunitz and Evgeni Malkin generated a goal and an assist each in Pittsburgh's Game 1 victory against Ottawa to open Round 2 of the playoffs.
Kunitz helped set up Malkin's game-winning goal just past the midway point of the first period, prior to netting his third marker of the postseason on a power play late in the second frame. Malkin also earned an assist on a man advantage tally by defenseman Paul Martin. Pascal Dupuis potted a shorthanded goal in the third period to finish Tuesday night's scoring. Jarome Iginla, Brenden Morrow, Doug Murray, Kris Letang and James Neal collected an assist each in the contest. Neal was also assessed three minor penalties in Game 1.

Tomas Vokoun turned aside 35 of the 36 shots he faced in a 4-1 win over Ottawa to begin the second round where he left off against the New York Islanders.
He has won three straight playoff games since taking over as the Penguins' starter goaltender for Marc-Andre Fleury. Vokoun has been very steady in three straight starts, so there's no reason to believe that Fleury will return to game action any time soon. We would expect to see Vokoun back in goal for Pittsburgh when the puck drops for Game 2 on Friday.

Sidney Crosby has been tabbed as a finalist for the Bill Masterton Trophy, which goes annually to the "player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey."
Crosby returned from his past concussion issues in fine form following the lockout. He was racking up points before missing the final month of the season with a broken jaw. Thankfully, he didn't experience any concussion symptoms from that and is back playing in the playoffs. Crosby said that getting back to playing again after missing so much playing time over the previous two seasons was a "big honor in itself" and the nomination for the Masterton "means a lot."

Tyler Kennedy and Joe Vitale will remain in Pittsburgh's lineup when the second round begins Tuesday night versus Ottawa.
Kennedy had a goal and an assist in Games 5 and 6, respectively, after he was reinserted into the lineup from the press box. Joe Vitale has also provided energy since getting into game action and he contributed an assist in Game 6 versus the Islanders. With both of them in, Jussi Jokinen and Beau Bennett will be healthy scratches when Round 2 begins.

It looks like Deryk Engelland will get back into the lineup for Game 1 against Ottawa Tuesday night.
His inclusion makes sense since the Senators played a physical series versus Montreal in Round 1 and he enjoys playing that kind of game. He was paired with Doug Murray in the morning skate after he skated in the team's top-six group in Monday's practice as well. With Engelland likely to play, Simon Despres will head to the press box.

Tomas Vokoun says he is starting Tuesday night against the Senators.
It's the right call. Until Vokoun gives coach Dan Bylsma a reason to change his mind, the Penguins need to stick with him. He is 2-0 with a 1.41 goals-against average and .957 save percentage in the playoffs. Dating back to the regular season, he's also won his last five starts.

Sidney Crosby is nearly back to his pre-injury form.
Crosby has three goals and six helpers, so nobody would've guessed he hasn't felt like himself until now. "Game 2, it was pretty good," he said. "Game 3 was tough. The first game back after that long, you're just on adrenaline. ... To go into overtime the second game back, I definitely felt that second game back a lot. The last two we played, I felt really good. Felt like I could handle the minutes and didn't feel like I was wearing down that much. It was much better."

The Penguins know that it will be a major test for them to contain Erik Karlsson.
Karlsson has a goal and five assists in five games during the playoffs. "I don't think he changes your game plan," Craig Adams said. "It just makes things more difficult when he's out there. His biggest asset is his skating. He carries the puck up the ice, but you can't always count on him playing at the point. He's just so mobile. He's got that ability to jump into the play and the speed to get back."

For those of you wondering, it doesn't look like Sidney Crosby will be removing that protective shield for his lower face and jaw area any time soon.
It will stay on his helmet for an indefinite period, but Crosby said it hasn't hindered his play. "It would be nice to get it off eventually," he said, "but it hasn't been a huge problem, and I got a couple close calls in the Islanders series with the puck anyways, so maybe I should keep it on a little bit longer."

Pittsburgh coach Dan Bylsma wouldn't discuss his Game 1 lineup for Tuesday's semifinal series against Ottawa, so he wouldn't name a starting goalie.
However, it's probably safe to assume that Tomas Vokoun will be back between the pipes. He provided the team with superb goaltending against an Islanders team that buzzed all over the Penguins in the first round. Vokoun stopped 66 of the 69 shots he faced in a pair of wins to close out the series. It would be a surprising move if Bylsma decided to go back to Marc-Andre Fleury.

Pittsburgh's Ray Shero is a finalist for the General Manager of the Year Award.
Shero loaded up the Penguins with veteran players Jarome Iginla, Brenden Morrow, Doug Murray and Jussi Jokinen for their current playoff drive. He acquired all of them without giving up any roster players. His wheeling and dealing started in the off-season with the trading of Jordan Staal for a capable depth center in Brandon Sutter and bringing in Tomas Vokoun as the Penguins' backup has proven to be a good decision. Shero also added Tanner Glass and Mark Eaton, in much-less heralded moves, but they have been good for the team as well. Pittsburgh played parts of the 2013 campaign without key players the likes of Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, James Neal and Kris Letang, but they still finished with the top spot in the Eastern Conference.

Despite leading the Penguins in scoring in the first round of the playoffs, Evgeni Malkin isn't satisfied with his start to the NHL's second season.
"I could say it's going good, but (Game 6), like the rest, was probably up and down," Malkin said. "I'm happy to win, but I can do more, play better." He notched nine helpers and 11 points in six contests against the New York Islanders. Malkin's left shoulder may require off-season surgery, so the fact that he's not feeling quite 100 percent may be what's contributing to his negative mindset. He doesn't like the giveaways he's committed either, but fantasy owners are probably pleased with the contributions he's made thus far.

Pittsburgh left winger Chris Kunitz is in the enviable position of being wanted as a linemate by two of the finest centers in NHL history.
Both Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin would like Kunitz to be their left winger for the remainder of the playoffs. Kunitz has spent a lot of his Pittsburgh career playing alongside Crosby, including most of this season as Crosby ran up 56 points en route to being a finalist for the Hart Trophy as the NHL's most valuable player. Last season, when Crosby missed a lot of games because of injury, Kunitz played on a line with Malkin, who won the NHL scoring title and Hart Trophy, and right winger James Neal. "It's a good problem to have when you get to play with either one of those guys," Kunitz said of coach Dan Bylsma's decisions on line combinations. "Throughout my years in Pittsburgh, I've had a chance to play with both. They're both such elite talents that they make players around them way better. If you work hard, they're going to reward you with good plays."

Evgeni Malkin reminded folks about why he is one of the premier forwards in the NHL by turning in 11 points in six games during the Pittsburgh Penguins' first-round series against the New York Islanders.
"He's a staple of that when he gets control of the puck, uses his body to create good positioning and lug it around, and other guys get open for him," Pittsburgh defenseman Paul Martin said. "If he's going like that, that's big for us." Malkin ended the series with 11 points in the six games.

Tomas Vokoun made 35 saves in the Penguins' 4-3 overtime victory against the Islanders on Saturday night.
Vokoun was much busier than his counterpart Evgeni Nabokov in this one, and you have to wonder if the result would've been the same had Marc-Andre Fleury been between the pipes because the Islanders were buzzing for much of this game. Vokoun faced 28 shots through the first two periods. We see no reason for Pens coach Dan Bylsma to turn to Fleury in the next series, until Vokoun gives him a reason to. Vokoun has now won his last five starts, including the regular season.

Brooks Orpik potted the game-winning goal in the Penguins' 4-3 overtime win against the Islanders on Saturday night that sends them into the second round.
Yes, Orpik and his 12 career NHL goals (first in the playoffs) gets the decisive goal at 7:49 of overtime on a slapshot. Sure, what counts is that Penguins won the series 4-2, but they were far from consistent in this game (and series). Now it's time to turn the page and forget about their ragged play Paul Martin had a goal and two helpers, while Pascal Dupuis and Jarome Iginla notched the other markers. Matt Niskanen, Joe Vitale, Evgeni Malkin and Sidney Crosby had the other assists. Malkin had a rough game in every zone until he fed Martin on the 3-3, game-tying goal with 5:16 left. The Penguins will now face the Senators in Round 2.

Deryk Engelland is a scratch for the Penguins in Game 6 on Saturday night.
Engelland played in Games 1 and 2, registering three hits, four blocked shots and four penalty minutes. Simon Despres, who has gone pointless with a hit and three blocked shots in two games of this series, will draw into the lineup in his place.

Just in case you were wondering, Tomas Vokoun will indeed play for the Pittsburgh Penguins against the New York Islanders in Game 6.
It's not surprising since he won Game 5, but just in case you needed an additional confirmation, that is the case.

It appears that Thomas Vokoun will get the start in Game 6 Saturday against the Islanders.
Nothing has been confirmed and the Pens are still practising Saturday morning so we do not yet know which of Vokoun or Fleury will leave the ice first. We would be surprised if Pens' coach Dan Bylsma went back to Fleury after Vokoun posted a shutout victory. Stay tuned.

Penguins' coach Dan Bylsma's line shuffling in Game 5 was very successful and as a result the teams' forward units could remain the same as they ended up Thursday night.
That would mean Jarome Iginla would play alongside Sidney Crosby and Pascal Dupuis, while Chris Kunitz would line up with Evgeni Malkin and James Neal. Brandon Sutter, Matt Cooke and either Brenden Morrow or Tyler Kennedy will make up the team's third line, while some combination of Jussi Jokinen, Tanner Glass, Joe Vitale and Kennedy will make up the fourth unit. Adjust your rosters accordingly.

Sidney Crosby is among the finalists for the Hart Trophy.
Washington's Alex Ovechkin and John Tavares of the New York Islanders are also up for the NHL's top individual award, which goes annually to the "player adjudged to be the most valuable to his team." Crosby racked up 15 goals and 56 points in 36 games this season despite missing all of April with a broken jaw. His strong play helped the Penguins finish first in the Eastern Conference and capture the Atlantic Division title for the first time since 2007-08. He won the Hart Trophy in 2007.

Kris Letang earned a goal and an assist in Game 5 Thursday night.
Both of his goals this postseason have come on the power play and he has six points in five contests versus the Islanders. Letang is tied with Ottawa's Erik Karlsson for the most points among defensemen in the NHL playoffs heading into Friday night's action.

Doug Murray produced a goal and 12 penalty minutes in Pittsburgh's 4-0 win over the Islanders Thursday night.
That's two goals in five playoff games for the stay-at-home defenseman. Murray tallied one marker in 43 contests during the regular season.

Tyler Kennedy scored in his 2013 playoff debut Thursday night.
He scored the opening goal in Pittsburgh's 4-0 win, so he ended up getting credit for the game winner. Kennedy had been a healthy scratch in the team's first four games of their first-round series against the New York Islanders. He's probably earned himself a spot in the lineup for Game 6 though.

Marc-Andre Fleury wants another chance to play, but he seems to be taking the decision to ride the bench in stride for now.
"It's not that it's hard," he said referring to being told he wouldn't start in Game 5. "It's mostly the games -- losing -- that's what's hard. That's what [stinks]. A lot of goals. It's frustrating. I wish I would have done better. But that's in the past. Looking forward to another shot at it." He seemed understanding when the decision to play Tomas Vokoun was made, but after Vokoun's shutout win in Game 5 Fleury will likely remain as the team's backup on Saturday.

Tomas Vokoun admits he was nervous heading into his start for Game 5.
He looked like he was at ease in the crease though with 31 saves on 31 shots in a 4-0 win for Pittsburgh. "It obviously feels good," said Vokoun after getting the victory in his first playoff appearance since 2007. "I was a little bit nervous the whole day, to be honest. You wouldn't be human if you weren't. It was hard to remember what to expect. I got a couple of fortunate bounces." The Islanders outshout Pittsburgh by a 14-7 margin after the first period, but thanks to Vokoun's efforts the game remained scoreless. The Penguins scored three goals in the second and one in the third to claim a 3-2 series lead.

Tomas Vokoun blocked all 31 shots he faced in a 4-0 win over the Islanders Thursday night.
Stepping in for the ineffective Marc-Andre Fleury, Vokoun answered every challenge in this start and help propel the Penguins to a 3-2 series lead. There's no question Vokoun will be in goal again when the two teams match up for Game Six Saturday.

Sidney Crosby scored a goal and added an assist for the Penguins Thursday as they scored a 4-0 shutout win over the Islanders.
Just another day at the office for Sid the Kid, who scored the Pens third goal of the second period before setting up Kris Letang's marker in the final frame. Tyler Kennedy and Doug Murray also found the back of the net for Pittsburgh as they took a 3-2 lead in the series.

Jussi Jokinen may be a healthy scratch Thursday.
He had just 7:29 of ice time in Tuesday's loss and it appears to be likely that Tyler Kennedy and Joe Vitale will see game action for the first time in the postseason in Game 5. If Kenney and Vitale both play then Jokinen and Tanner Glass will probably sit.

Simon Despres skated alongside Kris Letang at Pittsburgh's morning skate Thursday, which indicates he will play in Game 5.
If he does play then it looks like Mark Eaton will draw out of the lineup. Despres had a minus-2 rating against the New York Islanders in Game 3, which was his only other appearance of the series.

Tyler Kennedy could play in Game 5 Thursday.
He lined up on the fourth line during the team's game-day skate and indicated that he expects to play for the first time in the series. Kennedy had three goals and three assists in six postseason games with the Penguins last year and in 46 games during the 2013 campaign he had 11 points.

Joe Vitale looks like he'll be back in the lineup for Pittsburgh Thursday night.
He hasn't played in the team's previous four playoff games, but could bring some energy to the table if he dresses. Vitale skated on the fourth line at the Penguins' morning skate. In 33 games this season, he had five points and 45 hits.

Jarome Iginla doesn't mind playing left wing anymore.
"Left feels good now," Iginla said. "When I first got here, whatever position you put me at [I] wasn't feeling comfortable. You know, had lots going through my mind and pretty anxious, I guess, when I first got here. Maybe that's why I looked so uncomfortable on the left." He feels more comfortable now in the team's system, so it doesn't matter whether he plays on the right or the left. Iginla has produced a goal and six assists in four games against the Islanders in the postseason.

Sidney Crosby is a strong candidate to win the Ted Lindsay Award.
He was listed as finalist for the trophy, along with Tampa Bay's Martin St. Louis and Washington's Alex Ovechkin, on Thursday. Crosby finished tied for third, with Ovechkin, in the NHL scoring race with 56 points, but he did it while appearing in just 36 games. He led the league with a 1.56 points-per-game average and didn't give up the scoring lead until the final week of the regular season despite being sidelined with a broken jaw for Pittsburgh's last 12 contests of the year. Crosby won the award in 2007.

Tomas Vokoun will play between the pipes on Thursday.
"We brought Tomas Vokoun in to play big games for us," Penguins coach Dan Bylsma. Well, they brought him in to take some of the pressure off of Marc-Andre Fluery and replace Fluery should he falter - which he has. Fluery looked abysmal by the end of Game 4 and basically forced the Penguins to go to their Plan B. Vokoun had a 0.90 GAA and .970 save percentage in four games against the Islanders in the regular season, so there is reason for Penguins' fans to be optimistic about this news.

Brandon Sutter started Game 4 on the fourth line.
He skated there for the latter part of Game 3 on Sunday as well. Sutter scored his first goal since April 17 in Tuesday's 6-4 loss to the Islanders after he was reunited with Matt Cooke and Brenden Morrow on the third line. Cooke and Morrow picked up assists on Sutter's first point of the playoffs.

Beau Bennett was a healthy scratch in Game 4 Tuesday night.
He had played in Pittsburgh's previous three meetings versus the Islanders prior to sitting out Tuesday's contest. Bennett has one goal on four shots in the postseason.

James Neal scored his first goal of the playoffs in Tuesday's Game 4 loss to the Islanders.
He hadn't played since Game 1 due to a lower-body injury. Neal skated for 16:19 of ice time alongside Evgeni Malkin and Jarome Iginla in the contest.

Coach Dan Bylsma wouldn't commit to naming a starter for Game 5 on Thursday, but Pittsburgh-Tribune Review columnist Dejan Kovacevic believes it's time for the Penguins to turn to Tomas Vokoun.
Marc-Andre Fluery has allowed 14 goals on 102 shots over his past three games against the New York Islanders and he's permitted a whopping 40 goals in his last 10 playoff appearances. Vokoun was brought on board by the Penguins to ease Fleury's workload in the regular season, but his secondary purpose according to Kovacevic was to serve as a "Plan B" option in the playoffs. Bylsma appears to be considering a change and he spoke highly of Vokoun after Tuesday's 6-4 loss, where Fleury looked particularly shaky on some plays. "Certainly, Tomas Vokoun is a guy that can step in and play and has had success and won hockey games against this team, was successful this year," said Bylsma. "We're going to come out for Game 5 with a refocus." This doesn't confirm a change in goal, but there are probably many people who wouldn't be surprised if it happens.

Brooks Orpik didn't want to acknowledge any similarities to this series against the Islanders and last year's early playoff exit against Philadelphia.
"It's a different group of guys, a different series," Orpik said. "I don't let that stuff hang over my head. You learn from it, you move in, but I don't think you go back to it." The Penguins have suffered some of the same bad defensive lapses and some shaky goaltending, which plagued them versus the Flyers. Orpik returned to Pittsburgh's lineup in Game 4 from a lower-body injury. He had a minus-1 rating, one hit, two blocks and two penalty minutes during his 18:44 of ice time.

Marc-Andre Fleury made 18 saves and allowed six goals in a 6-4 loss to the Islanders Tuesday.
The defeat evened the best-of-seven series at two games apiece. After beginning the series with a shutout it has been downhill for Fleury ever since. He has surrendered 14 goals against in his past three games and it is starting to look like the player who struggled in the playoffs last year versus Philadelphia. Coach Dan Bylsma will probably face questions regarding his starter heading into Game 5, as the Penguins have a very capable backup in Tomas Vokoun waiting for an opportunity to play.

Evgeni Malkin notched a goal and an assist in Pittsburgh's 6-4 loss to the New York Islanders in Game 4 Tuesday night.
He has accounted for two points in each of the first four games of the series. James Neal scored in his return to the lineup, while Brandon Sutter and Pascal Dupuis also found the back of the net in the contest. Jarome Iginla collected two assists in the loss. Sidney Crosby, Chris Kunitz, Brenden Morrow and Matt Cooke got on the board with a helper apiece.

Brooks Orpik will return from his lower-body injury Tuesday night.
Game 4 will mark his 2013 playoff debut. Orpik hasn't played since April 23, but his presence on the back end should help bring some stability to Pittsburgh.

James Neal will be back in Pittsburgh's lineup Tuesday night for Game 4.
He has missed the past two games with a lower-body injury. Neal will be looking to record his first point of the series against the Islanders.

James Neal (lower body) and Brooks Orpik (lower body) both took part in pregame warmups and appear likely to return for Tuesday's Game 4 against the New York Islanders.
Both players practiced Monday and Tuesday but wouldn't commit to returning tonight. Neal has missed the last two games while Orpik hasn't played since April 23. Neal is expected to skate on Evgeni Malkin's wing and Orpik should play with Paul Martin to start.

Brooks Orpik (lower body) practiced Tuesday but wouldn't commit to playing in Game 4 tonight.
Orpik has been sidelined since April 23 but has been skating of late. The Penguins really miss his physical presence in the lineup, especially against Islanders forwards John Tavares and Kyle Okposo. We'll have to wait until pregame warmups to see if Orpik will return tonight.

James Neal (lower body) and Brooks Orpik (lower body) practiced Tuesday but neither would commit to playing in Game 4.
Neal missed Games 2 and 3 while Orpik hasn't played since April 23. With the Islanders giving the Penguins a much tougher test than expected, Pittsburgh could definitely use both players back in the lineup Tuesday night. Of course, thanks to Dan Bylsma's policy we're unlikely to know anything definitive until minutes before the drop of the puck. Stay tuned.

The Penguins miss Brooks Orpik's shutdown presence on defense.
Orpik hasn't played since April 23 because of a lower-body injury, though he did skate on Monday. It's tough to gather -- even more so in the playoffs -- whether Orpik could return Tuesday night. "He's strong, he's physical, he's very good in his own end, and he's tough to take it to the net against," Islanders winger Brad Boyes said. "With him out of the lineup, it does help us."

The Penguins want to be more careful with the puck in Game 4.
The Islanders are a fast team with a quick-strike offense that feasts on turnovers. "We can take care of the puck much better," defenseman Douglas Murray said. "They're a great transition team, and we turn the puck over too much. "I think a lot of it comes down to execution on our part, where we have triggered their offense way too much so far. You have to give them some credit. They've been a lot more aggressive the past two games and made it harder for us. But we still have to execute."

Kris Letang was named as a finalist for the Norris Trophy annually given to the league's best defenseman.
How good was Letang this season? He tied for the league lead in points by a defenseman with 38 despite playing seven fewer games than fellow Norris finalist P.K. Subban. While Paul Martin might have been the better overall defender for the Penguins, Letang was basically this season's version of Erik Karlsson, which might be a hard thing to overcome when the winner is announced at the NHL awards show in June.

James Neal (lower body) participated in Monday's optional skate.
He has missed Pittsburgh's last two playoff games with a lower-body injury. Neal should be considered questionable to return Tuesday for Game 4 at this time.

Brooks Orpik (lower body) took to the ice for Monday's optional practice.
He hasn't played since April 23 because of a lower-body issue and his status for Game 4 is still unclear.

Chris Kunitz netted a pair of power-play goals, including the game winner in overtime, to give Pittsburgh a 2-1 series lead against the Islanders.
He also had an assist and five shots in the contest. Kunitz enjoyed one of his better regular seasons despite the lockout-shortened schedule and he seems to have rediscovered that touch after a sluggish start to the playoffs.

Jarome Iginla got his first goal of the 2013 playoffs in Sunday's overtime win over the New York Islanders.
He helped Pittsburgh fight back from a 2-0 deficit in the contest with a power-play goal. Iginla has four assists and five points in three postseason games thus far

Marc-Andre Fleury nabbed the win as the Pittsburgh Penguins defeated the New York Islanders 5-4 in OT on Sunday.
It wasn't always pretty, yet "The Flower" managed to hang in there for his second postseason victory of 2013. He stopped 32 out of 36 shots in the game.

Sidney Crosby and Chris Kunitz came up huge in a 5-4 OT win against the New York Islanders to give the Pittsburgh Penguins a 2-1 series lead on Sunday.
Crosby drew a penalty and then set up the game-winner on the ensuing power play to draw one of his two assists. Kunitz had the GWG and a helper of his own. Evgeni Malkin had a pair of apples of his own as the Penguins enjoyed timely scoring today.

Penguins captain Sidney Crosby says he feels fine after his first action since March 30th, although he acknowledged he began to feel a little towards the end of Game Two.
"I feel good," he said. "It was nice to get that first one over with. I thought that toward the end, I could feel that it was my first game." The league's best player skated for over 23 minutes in the Pens' loss to the Islanders and contributed two goals on eight shots. Not too shabby for his first game in over a month.

Penguins forward Evgeni Malkin did not skate with his teammates Saturday, but coach Dan Bylsma pointed out that players will sometimes receive "maintenance days" during the postseason in order to remain fresh.
Malkin leads the NHL this postseason with four points (tied with three other players) and has also directed a league-leading 14 shots on goal in his two contests so there should be no doubting his fitness level at this point. Those who drafted Malkin in playoff pools should be quite satisfied with his performance thus far.

Penguins coach Dan Bylsma predicted that his team is going to have a different experience at the Islanders' Nassau Coliseum than they're used to.
"Our players have not seen this building like the way it's going to be tomorrow," Bylsma said. "It's going to be loud and it's going to be a pretty crazy building, one we don't necessarily see all the time during the regular season. During the regular season we have a spattering of Penguins fans as well so it's going to be different than how we normally see it." The Islanders managed to split the first two games in Pittsburgh after coming back from a 2-0 and then 3-1 deficit on Friday. This will be the first Islanders playoff home game since 2007.

James Neal (lower body) was only on the ice with his Penguins' teammates for a few minutes on Saturday.
Neal also skated prior to the team's practice. Pittsburgh won't update Neal's status, so consider him questionable for Game 3.

James Neal (lower body) skated prior to the Penguins' practice on Saturday.
Neal missed Game 2 due to the ailment. Injury updates are scarce in the playoffs, so it's not clear if he's even a possibility for Game 3 on Sunday.

Brooks Orpik (lower-body injury) did not skate Friday morning nor did he play Friday night against the Islanders in Game 2 of the Penguins' Eastern Conference quarterfinal series.
We are not sure if Orpik suffered a setback in his recovery from a lower-body injury or not. He did practice Wednesday and Thursday so we are curious as to why he didn't take the ice on Friday. Stay tuned for further updates.

With the return of Sidney Crosby, the Penguins moved Jussi Jokinen to their fourth line.
Jokinen has played well with the Penguins (11 points in 10 regular season games and two points in Game 1 of the playoffs) so it was not a demotion per se. Pittsburgh coach Dan Bylsma believes that Jokinen's versatilty and profesionalism make the shift possible. "When and if you play a reduced amount of minutes, you're not as in the game as much, you're not on the ice as much," Bylsma said. "You have to be mentally prepared for those situations, and I think Jussi's actually done already that for us." That said, Jokinen clearly isn't as valuable from a fantasy hockey perspective playing 10 minutes on the fourth unit. Adjust your roster accordinlgy.

Marc-Andre Fleury blocked 38 of 42 shots in the Penguins' 4-3 loss to the Islanders on Friday night in Game 2 of their first-round series.
Even though the Penguins entered the second period with a 3-1 lead, this game never had the feel of Game 1, when the Penguins dominated and the Isles were overwhetmed. Still, the Fleury and the Penguins -- especially on home ice -- have to find a way to secure the win in this type of situation. Instead, the Isles got stronger as the game went on, scoring three unanswered goals, the winner coming via a carom off the back boards that Fleury couldn't corral and knocked in himself. Dating back to the regular season, Fleury has given up at least three goals five of his last six games.

Sidney Crosby notched two goals as the Penguins fell to the Islanders 4-3 in Game 2 of their first-round series Friday night.
Simply incredible. The Penguins captain hadn't played since March 30, but he didn't miss a beat at all in his return, getting one goal with the man advantage. Crosby finished with 26 shifts in 23:21, registering eight shots on goal and ending up with a minus-one rating. He now has an incredible 35 goals in 69 playoff games. Evgeni Malkin had the other goal, and he peppered Evgeni Nabokov with a game-high 10 shots on goal. Jarome Iginla had three assists, while Mark Eaton and Pascal Dupuis each had one.

James Neal (lower body) wasn't on the ice for the Pittsburgh Penguins' pregame warmups.
Barring a surprise, Neal won't play in Game 2 of the Penguins' series against the New York Islanders. He sustained the ailment in the second period of Wednesday's game.

Penguins coach Dan Bylsma had no update on James Neal's (undisclosed) status after the Penguins' 5-0 win against the Islanders.
Neal took a big hit during a Penguins power play in the second period, then was seen limping and took one more shift after Kris Letang's power-play goal at 1:19 of the second frame. "I don't have one, and I'm not going to give you one," Bylsma said after the game. Neal played 8:09 and had a shot on goal in the win.

Jussi Jokinen suffered a right leg injury late in the third period against the Islanders.
Jokinen played the puck then seemed to want to avoid an incoming hit from Marty Reasoner. Instead, though, Reasoner stuck out his leg at the last minute, receiving a kneeing major at 2:10 of the final frame. Jokinen left for the locker room, favoring his right leg. It's a play that could result in some supplementary discipline. Penguins coach Dan Bylsma had no update on Jokinen's status.

Marc-Andre Fleury was a perfect 26-for-26 Wednesday night in the Penguins' 5-0 win over the Islanders in Game 1 of their first-round series.
Fluery had a miserable playoffs last year, so even in a rout, this is welcome site for the Penguins. The shutout was the sixth of his career in the postseason. It was also the first time in five starts that he gave up fewer than three goals. Pittsburgh killed off all four power play chances for the Islanders and blocked 22 shots.

Pascal Dupuis tallied two goals as the Penguins routed the Islanders 5-0 in the first game of their first-round series on Wednesday night.
The offensive onslaught was on for the Penguins in this one, and it began 3:30 in when rookie Beau Bennett scored on the power play. Dupuis, who had five goals against the Isles in the regular season, would follow 10 minutes later with his first, then scored 22 seconds after Kris Letang's marker early in the second period. Tanner Glass ended the scoring with his first career playoff goal. Evgeni Malkin, Jarome Iginla and Jussi Jokinen each had two assists apiece. The Isles caused the game to get a little chippy at the end, so fantasy owners get rewarded with 10 penalty minutes from Dupuis and Iginla. Douglas Murray also had 12 minutes. Pittsburgh played a little defense, too, with Mark Eaton recording a whopping eight blocked shots.

James Neal left Wednesday's game in the second period with an undisclosed injury.
It appears to be to his leg. Neal was seen limping on the ice and wasn't on the ice for the early power-play opportunity in the second period, as Beau Bennett took his spot on the line with Evgeni Malkin and Chris Kunitz. Neal had a shot on goal in 8:09.

Brooks Orpik (lower body) will not play Wednesday night when Pittsburgh hosts the Islanders in Game 1 of their quarterfinal series.
He skated before and during Wednesday's morning skate, but isn't ready to return from a lower-body injury. Deryk Engelland will play in his place.

Sidney Crosby won't dress in Game 1 against the New York Islanders when Pittsburgh begins the 2013 playoffs Wednesday night.
He didn't receive the green light to return from his doctor. "He said everything was good," Crosby said referring to the healing of his broken jaw. "He just wasn't prepared to declare me (ready) to play. Obviously, I would have loved to have had a chance to play tonight, but that's not the way it is. I wanted to make sure I'm ready when the time comes." He didn't get a timetable for when he might be able to play, but he skated again in the morning with the team's scratches.

Evgeni Malkin is eager to get back on track during the playoffs.
"I want to show my best game because this year was not great (for) me, but I have a chance to play better," he said Tuesday. Malkin was the winner of the Conn Smythe Trophy in 2009 and he was the regular season MVP last year. He still put up 33 points in 31 games this past campaign, but apparently isn't satisfied with his play. Malkin also appears to be determined to remove the sour taste in his mouth from last season's early playoff exit against Philadelphia. We'll see what kind of game he has in Wednesday's playoff opener, but it sounds like the Islanders are going to be facing a hungry Evgeni Malkin.

Sidney Crosby has given plenty of indication that he wants to play Wednesday, but it still hasn't been announced if he was given the green light by his doctor.
He said Tuesday that he would suit up in Wednesday's playoff opener if he got clearance for contact "As soon as he says the word," Crosby said. "As long as he feels confident I can take a hit, I'll be confident as well. I'm not going to take any more time. If he says I can play, I will play." The Pittsburgh center said he will trust the opinion of the doctor though and his return for Game 1 remains a question mark.

Sidney Crosby (broken jaw) practiced again on Tuesday but his status for Wednesday's Game 1 remains uncertain.
Crosby is scheduled to see a doctor at some point Tuesday and hopes to receive medical clearance at that time. However, even if Crosby is cleared the Penguins are likely to list him as a game-time decision for Wednesday night. Stay tuned.

Brooks Orpik (lower body) skated on his own Tuesday morning and will be a game-time decision Wednesday night vs. the Islanders.
Orpik is just one of several game-time decisions Wednesday night, including Sidney Crosby, who could be cleared for game action Tuesday afternoon. Owners who drafted either Penguin in their playoff pools will just have to wait until at least Wednesday's morning skate for more info.

Brenden Morrow hasn't been in a playoff game since 2008, so he's anxious to experience that rush again.
"It's never easy [watching the playoffs], though. I know from playing in them that there isn't a better feeling," he said. "You get nerves and butterflies every game in the playoffs. The atmosphere you're playing in, the intensity of the games -- there's just nothing that compares to it. So I'm really looking forward to it." Morrow notched six goals and 14 points in 15 matches with Pittsburgh after he was acquired from Dallas.

Marc-Andre Fleury has not performed very well in the playoffs since leading the Penguins to back-to-back Stanley Cup final appearances in 2008 and 2009.
Over the past three years since then, he has a 3.12 goals-against average and an .880 save percentage in 26 postseason games. However, none of his teammates blame him for last year's woeful opening-round loss to Philadelphia and they feel that Fleury is in a good place heading into the 2013 playoffs. "He just seems like he's more ready," defenseman Matt Niskanen said of Fleury. "There's a different feel about him. He's just on top of things." The Penguins have a capable backup in Tomas Vokoun should Fluery falter. Fleury played well during the regular season though, so it's likely that Vokoun won't be needed.

Joe Vitale is healthy enough to play, but he'll probably start the playoffs as a scratch.
He sat out two games at the end of the regular season with a lower-body injury, but practiced Monday and has been deemed good to go.

Deryk Engelland may get the nod to play in Game 1 against the New York Islanders Wednesday night.
Brooks Orpik didn't practice Monday due to a lower-body injury and his status is questionable for Pittsburgh's playoff opener. If Orpik can't play then Engelland is the next most physical option available and he did play in six postseason contests with the Penguins last year.

Sidney Crosby believes he could return to game action from his broken jaw, but the decision isn't up to him right now.
When he was asked Monday if he believes he could be back in the lineup he said, "Yeah." Crosby has a meeting scheduled for Tuesday with physicians, where he may get the green light to return. Stay tuned.

Joe Vitale (lower body) rejoined the Penguins on Monday.
Vitale probably won't play that big of a role this postseason and will likely serve as a depth player who is scratched most nights.

Sidney Crosby (broken jaw) has a meeting with medical personnel Tuesday, where he's hoping to get clearance to return to game action.
"I try not to have any," Crosby said while trying to temper expectations. "Just going for an appointment. I don't have any control over it, so there's no point of getting too worked up about it. I don't know exactly what (needs to check out), but I'm sure they'll take a peek and see how everything's healing." Coach Dan Bylsma said Monday that nothing has changed yet in Crosby's status, which means he's doubtful to play Wednesday night in Game 1. He skated in Monday's practice with likely scratches Dustin Jeffrey and Joe Vitale, while sporting a clear plastic protective shield for his lower face and jaw area.

Brooks Orpik (lower body) skated before Monday's practice.
His lone wolf skating session is the first time he's been on the ice since sustaining a lower-body injury last week. His status for Wednesday in Game 1 versus the Islanders is uncertain.

Steve MacIntyre was reassigned to the minors on Sunday.
He dressed against Ottawa last Monday and picked up 12 penalty minutes.

Brooks Orpik (lower body) hasn't resumed practicing yet since leaving a game last Tuesday.
He sat out the last two games of the regular season with a lower-body ailment. Orpik is considered day-to-day.