Don't be surprised if #17 is back in the lineup tonight for Game 6 in Pittsburgh. All indications are that his injuries have healed enough for him to be able to play tonight, and it's up to coach Dan Bylsma and the Pens management as to his playing status for this one. At first, his return sounds rather insignificant. After all, the guy was mostly non-existent in the second half of the regular season and in six playoff games this spring he managed only one assist, seven shots on goal and a less-than-stellar -3 rating.

Well, hear this, puckheads: the man was playing hurt. Clearly, he was not the high-slot gunner in the playoffs this year that he has been in the past due to his injuries. But this is no fourth-line, border-line player whose return should be largely ignored. Sykora(or 'Peter Gun' as FSN Pittsburgh's 'Staggy' likes to call him) has scored 53 goals and 109 points in the 157 regular season games played wearing the Penguins colors. He's played in over 100 post-season contests in his career with a whopping 9 game-winners, none more memorable to Pens fans than the 3OT winner against the Wings in the summer of 2008.

So, let's take this for what it is, a chance for a man who's been great for the Pens to be great one last time in the Pens final game(s) this year(Sykora is a UFA this offseason and will most likely not return). Let's hope Petr 'guns' his way to a Game 7 and another Stanley Cup ring.