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The Pens are back in Pittsburgh and practice today at Southpointe. The western Canada road trip started well, continued even better, but finished on a sour note with a bad loss in Vancouver, which took a lot of luster out of it. [PPG]
Sidney Crosby in 2014-15 is excellent, but not amazing. Is this a slump or a new reality for the league's standard bearer? [Globe & Mail]
When will we see Beau Bennett again? Johnston didn't want to change the lineup that did well in Edmonton in Calgary. After the disaster in Vancouver, this farce should end. [BC Times]
The Oilers, Sabres and the like aside, even average possession teams like Vancouver have no problems exposing the current Pens. [Hockey Buzz]
The Pens have a real problem on the tail end of a back-to-back set. They've been outscored 36-19 in those games and the power play is zip-for-26. [Trib]
Highly recommended newly launched site from Mike Colligan. His latest post explores Fleury's workload and Ehrhoff's extension (or lack thereof to be precise). Definitely check it out. [Colligan Hockey]
The latest episode of the Evander Kane drama series ended as abruptly as it started with a season-ending shoulder surgery. What will the next season's episodes bring? Bob McKenzie explores. [TSN]
Good story on Don Fehr, labor peace, and growth of the NHL. [Sportsnet]
Corey Crawford was in goal, but it hardly matters when Vladimir Tarasenko is on a breakaway. He makes it look really easy. [SB Nation]
Henrik Lundqvist is on the shelf for a while with a vascular injury sustained when he was hit in the neck with a puck. He will be evaluated after 3 weeks, but return to the lineup is projected at closer to 4-6 weeks. [NY Rangers]
The Habs have the Bruins number of late. They swept the season series against the Bruins for the first time in 70 years. [The Score]
On Friday night, Saskatoon honored its favorite son. Gordie Howe was well enough to attend the event, but at 86 and battling dementia, who knows if this is the last time we saw Mr. Hockey in public. [Sportsnet]