I was flipping back and forth between that game and the world series and I have to say the Crosby/Malkin tandem is powerful. One play that really stuck out was Crosby fighting for the puck behind/beside his own net. He was a bull, very strong on the puck in the corners. They really look for/and find each other out there. These guys are going to be exciting for a decade

Posted by johnnygloveside on 10/25/06 at 08:31 AM ET

Last night’s game was incredible! Every goal the Penguins scored was a pretty goal.

1. Ekman ripped a nice wrister between the glove, pad, and the post for the first goal.

2. A beautiful passing play between Malkin and Crosby setup Crosby’s goal. Crosby was on his knees when he took the shot.

3. Jordan Staal got a tap in, after a perfect 3-way passing play from Recchi, to Ekman, to Staal.

4. Malkin’s goal. enough said.

The Penguin’s defense was solid. Fleury was pretty sharp, even though he could have hugged the post a bit more for NJ’s second goal. If the Pen’s keep playing this way, they’ll be in the playoffs.

Posted by penguinsfan on 10/25/06 at 08:42 AM ET

If the future looks bright for Caps, it looks at least three times brighter for Pens. What a ton of extremely talented kids! They will dominate NHL very soon, if not this season.

Posted by Pete on 10/25/06 at 08:45 AM ET

Spector’s view of the Pens at his Fox Sports Blog. 

Don’t look now, Pittsburgh Penguins fans, but eight games into the 2006-07 season, your team is currently sitting atop the Atlantic Division and third overall in the Eastern Conference.
Now I know it’s far too early to suggest the Pens can keep up this pace. This club still needs a lot of work defensively and their lack of skilled depth on the blueline and on their checking lines will probably drag them down in the standings as the season progresses.

Posted by Paul from Motown Area on 10/25/06 at 08:48 AM ET

The Pens have scored 25 goals this season, and 13 of them have been scored by players who have not yet turned 21 years of age. Meanwhile, the rest of the 20-or-youngers in the league have combined for a total of 11 goals.
• Malkin has scored a goal in each of the four NHL games in which he has played. Since the 1979-80 season—the dawn of the Gretzky Era—only three players scored at least one goal in each of the first four NHL games of their respective careers: Boston’s Dmitri Kvartalnov (first five games in 1992-93); Quebec’s Reg Thomas (four, 1979-80) and the Rangers’ Steven King (four, 1992-93).

via the Elias Sports Bureau

Posted by Paul from Motown Area on 10/25/06 at 09:23 AM ET

Great stuff Paul! I partially agree with Spector’s analysis about depth on defense being a problem for the Pens. On the other hand, I think the Penguins recognize that, and are playing much better team defense than they did previously. This is been especially true on the penalty kill. The backchecking has been really good. Even the skill players have been getting back in their own zone. I wouldn’t call them Cup favorites, but I think they have more upside than 8 seed. Granted, they have quite a bit of downside too, since they’re not yet proven. But, I think they could finish anywhere from 3rd to 14th this season in the conference. I know that’s a hell of a spread, but with a young promising team, you never know.

Posted by penguinsfan on 10/25/06 at 09:38 AM ET