College of Sports Media Game of the Night:
Tonight we’re going to Steel-town USA where the Pittsburgh Penguins hope to have their fans leave with a positive image in their heads (and no they don’t want your help with that visual, Ben Roethlisberger). Wednesday night the Pens lost game one of their series to the Ottawa Senators 5-4. Goaltender Marc Andre Fleury looked off and needs to bounce back from a horrible start to the extended season. There were some positives to come out of the game. Evgeni Malkin had a couple of nice goals and looks close to being back in his Conn Smythe winning form. Sidney Crosby had a three assist night, but he’ll need to score goals if this team wants to make it back to the Stanley Cup finals. Expectations are higher for Sid the Kid, especially since coming off his first ever 50 plus goal season. The Ottawa Senators have to be very pleased with themselves. They’ve taken away home ice advantage from the defending champs and did so without much help from their A-list players. Alex Kovalev is gone for the playoffs because of a knee injury, while Daniel Alfredsson, Jason Spezza and Mike Fisher were held to single assists. The Sens got goals from Chris Neil, Chris Kelly, Jarrko Ruutu, Erik Karlsson and Peter Regin – players more likely to show up in the penalty minutes of the box score. Things got a little bit harder for Ottawa following game one. Forward Milan Michalek will join Kovalev on the sidelines for the remainder of the postseason with a torn ACL. If game two is anything like game one, Michalek won’t be missed, the third and fourth liners have got things covered.