Pens gameday; Good time for back-to-back games

Usually, I don't think that back-to-back games suit the young Penguins very well.

You know, the legs are a little rubbery, passes aren't as sharp, yadda, yadda.

I don't think tonight's game vs. the Rangers falls under that category.

If I was a betting man, and I am, I'd bet that last night's loss to the Sabres has left the Pens with quite the shitty taste in their mouth.

I don't think that it'd be a stretch to suggest that the Pens absolutely gave that game to Buffalo last night.

It was obvious if you read Mark Recchi's comments, there were some pissed off people in that locker room that were not happy with some of the Pens' efforts (read: the defense). Mark said, "We didn't have everybody going, playing with enough desperation in certain areas. You come on the road against a team like this, you need 20 guys to play hard and do the right things, and it didn't happen."

And so, they now have to come right back tonight vs. a spirited rival in the New York Rangers (no, I'm not going to say "hated rival", that's reserved for the Flyers, or if the day ever comes that the Patrick Division is revived, I'll present that title to the Caps).

The Rangers' presence will present just enough extra energy that the Pens will need tonight. In addition, you just KNOW that the Pens do NOT want to give up goal #600 to Jags.

However, I will say this, if Jags does get #600 tonight, I would hope that the Pens fans are respectful to his accomplishments while in a Pens uniform and give him the ovation he deserves.

A couple of other items of interest:

Is it time to get Army off of the 1st line ?? It may be strictly coincidental, but Army has not been the same since the Letowski hit. He's not as aggressive, he's not checking anywhere near like he used to, and he's making bad decisions with the puck.

The power play needs to get back to basics, i.e. just start getting pucks on net and do what that type of power play does best, knock in the rebounds. It doesn't take an Al Macinnis-type of D-man to launch shot from the points on PP's. You've already got Malkin in the slot, where he could order a pizza with the lack of activity he's seeing. Sid and Geno are outstanding at "garbage goals", which the last time I checked, count as much as regular goals.

LET'S GO PENS !!!!