(Sports Network) - The Pittsburgh Penguins try to string back-to-back wins
together on Friday when they kick off a brief two-game road trip against the
Winnipeg Jets at MTS Centre.
Pittsburgh rebounded from a home-and-home sweep at the hands of the New Jersey
Devils to beat the Ottawa Senators, 4-2, on Wednesday. James Neal scored twice
and added an assist in the win for the Penguins, who have won six of their
last eight.
"For me it's just to try to find open ice, get in spots where I can shoot the
puck," Neal told the team's official website. "When you're playing with guys
like (Evgeni Malkin), (Sidney Crosby) and (Chris Kunitz) ... with guys keying
on them a little bit more I'm just trying to find open ice. They give me some
great passes and if it wasn't for them it wouldn't be that easy."
Neal's heroics could continue on Friday, as most of his damage has come away
from home with six of his 10 scores coming on the road. He has five goals and
two assists over his last three games overall.
Crosby had a goal and two assists, while Pascal Dupuis also scored for the
Penguins in the win. Marc-Andre Fleury made 27 saves.
The game also featured a scary moment when Ottawa's young superstar defenseman
Erik Karlsson got clipped by the skate of Pittsburgh's Matt Cooke when the two
were going for a puck. The end result was a torn Achilles' for Karlsson, who
will miss the remainder of the season.
Some felt that it may have been intentional on the part of Cooke, but the NHL
disagreed and he will not be subject to any discipline.
"I understand that," Cooke said. "If it was (Crosby) or (Kris Letang), I'm
sure the initial reaction in Pittsburgh and within our team would be to be
really upset.
"But, if you look at the video, it's purely an accident. ... It was so quick.
It's unfortunate."
Winnipeg, meanwhile, lost for the fifth time in seven tries on Tuesday,
falling to Philadelphia, 3-2. Andrew Ladd posted both goals in the loss for
the Jets.
"Every guy in this room has to look at themselves, first, and realize there's
more to give," Ladd told the Winnipeg Sun. "Everybody. It's not OK to just go
out there and do your job and come off the ice. We want guys to try to make an
impact every time they touch the ice, and make things happen."
Winnipeg was scoreless in three power-play opportunities and is 0-for-8 over
its last three games.
"I didn't really care much for the game, certainly the outcome," said Winnipeg
head coach Claude Noel.
Al Montoya got the start and yielded two goals on 12 shots in two periods
before leaving with a lower-body injury. Ondrej Pavelec spelled him in the
third period, allowing one score on 11 chances.
Pavelec, who made 33 saves against the Penguins on Jan. 25, is 2-10-0 against
them with a 4.56 GAA - his highest mark against any opponent he's faced more
than once.
Winnipeg got the best of the Penguins in that contest last month, but
Pittsburgh has won seven of nine and 15 of the last 18 meetings overall,
including six of the last nine as the road team.
The Sports Network