Pens Points: San Jose Game Day

Good morning one and all,

A string of four consecutive late-night games comes to an end as the Pens wrap up the West Coast road trip this evening in San Jose. Here is the game preview. [NHL.com]

It may not be pretty, but the Pens are happy to grind out some road wins. This type of play is what it'll take to win in the playoffs. [PPG]

The scoring race could come down to Crosby vs. Malkin, which would be super fun. How do Sid and Geno feel about going against each other for the Art Ross? [PPG]

Sweeping the California games won't be easy. The Pens haven't won at San Jose's Shark Tank since 1997. [Trib]

The Sharks have traditionally been good at containing Sidney Crosby, and they hope to do so again. [San Jose Mercury News]

Craig Adams is coping with being a healthy scratch several times in recent games. It's telling that the entire fan base reacted to Downie being scratched for Adams like we were sitting down Malkin, that's how low his effect is. [Trib]

For his part, Mike Johnston says it's all about keeping the guys fresh down the stretch. [PPG]

Great read alert: Don't look now, but the Penguins are becoming one of the best defensive teams in hockey. [CBS Sports]

Another recommended read" Five questions with Mike Colligan on Ben Lovejoy, Ian Cole, and playoff hockey. [The Pensblog]

And for the trifecta of excellent reads, an analysis of how to improve the ludicrously static Pens power play. [Hockey Buzz]

The last time a goalie won the Hart Trophy was Jose Theodore in 2002. The way Carey Price has been playing this year, I don't see a player more valuable to his team and it's not even close. [THN]

There hasn't been a better goalie in the AHL this season that WBS Pens own Matt Murray. Yesterday he set the new AHL shutout record with 304+ consecutive minutes in net without a goal. [Times Tribune]

Murray is no flash in the pan. Where exactly does he fit on the organizational goalie totem pole? [THN]

Marek Zidlicky has been on fire with Detroit since the trade deadline. The Red Wings, not so much. [Detroit Free Press]

Patrick Kane is taking a patient approach in recovering from the broken clavicle. [The Score]

Everything that could go wrong for the Maple Leafs this season did, in fact, go wrong. They should begin the search for answers and solutions by looking inward. [Sportsnet]

Ryan Kesler writes about being traded and becoming teammates with one-time enemies: The 30-year old rookie. A really good read. [The Players' Tribune]

For the end, check out this ridiculous, really ridiculous goal by Alex Semin. [You Tube]