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[Dark Knight]

Please post your thoughts, pictures and comments on tonight's game in this thread.

Pittsburgh at Carolina

[DropThePuck]

TSN's Ice Chips

Forward Tuomo Ruutu, who missed Game 2 with a lower body injury skated today and is expected to take warm up. He will be a game time decision. - TSN

Nikolai Khabibulin and Martin Havlat did not practice on Saturday and following the morning skate, coach Joel Quenville said both players are doing better and he hasn't ruled them out for Game 4 on Sunday afternoon. Colin Fraser is the likely replacement for Havlat, possibly Jack Skille, should he miss the game. - TSN

As per usual, Sammy Pahlsson, Matt Walker and Cam Barker were not at practice on Saturday. - TSN

Forward Pavel Datsyuk missed Game 3 because of a sore foot. Forward Kris Draper is considered day-to-day after pulling a groin Friday. - Detroit Free Press

If the Penguins go back to 12 forwards and 6 defencemen for Game 3 tonight, expect to see Pascal Dupis playing on the 4th line and Philippe Boucher out, but coach Dan Byslma was non committal on a lineup change. - TSN

[DropThePuck]

6 - Malkin, E. (PPG, 06:50 in 1st), Crosby, S. (19:17 in 1st), Malkin, E. (19:48 in 1st), Fedotenko, R. (11:29 in 3rd), Adams, C. (EN, 18:12 in 3rd), Guerin, B. (PPG, 18:52 in 3rd)
2 - Cullen, M. (04:06 in 1st), Samsonov, S. (01:58 in 3rd)

3 Stars and Kunie's Ducks heritage is still showing


{click on image for larger view}

Malkin is certainly playing the best he's ever played. The Russian center followed up his hat trick in Game 2 with a two-goal, one-assist performance in Game 3. He has registered multi-point efforts in six-straight games -- something not done since Buffalo's Dale Hawerchuk in 1993 -- totaling 7 goals and 9 assists during that span. He has 6 of Pittsburgh's 16 goals in this series.

"First of all, I think it is my teammates helping me," Malkin said. "I feel great and I think I play not that bad."

"Not that bad" is clearly an understatement by a player still finding a comfort level with the English language.

<NHL.com recap>



Pittsburgh Penguins coach Dan Bylsma, standing, talks with an official during the second period of Game 3 of the NHL hockey Eastern Conference Finals against the Carolina Hurricanes in Raleigh, N.C., Saturday, May 23, 2009.
(AP Photo/Gerry Broome)


Pittsburgh Penguins' Marc-Andre Fleury (29) and Chris Kunitz (14) look back towards Carolina Hurricanes' Scott Walker (24) lying on the ice after a hit by Sergei Gonchar, not shown, during the third period of Game 3 of the NHL hockey Eastern Conference finals in Raleigh, N.C., Saturday, May 23, 2009. Gonchar received a penalty for boarding on the play.
(AP Photo/Karl B DeBlaker)


The Carolina Hurricanes bench looks on in the third period against the Pittsburgh Penguins during Game Three of the Eastern Conference Championship Round of the 2009 Stanley Cup Playoffs at RBC Center on May 23, 2009 in Raleigh, North Carolina.
(Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)


Sidney Crosby #87 of the Pittsburgh Penguins scores a goal past goaltender Cam Ward #30 and Joni Pitkanen #25 of the Carolina Hurricanes during Game Three of the Eastern Conference Championship Round of the 2009 Stanley Cup Playoffs at RBC Center on May 23, 2009 in Raleigh, North Carolina.
(Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)


Pittsburgh Penguins' Evgeni Malkin (71), of Russia, shoots the puck past Carolina Hurricanes' Cam Ward (30) with Hurricanes' Joe Corvo and Ray Whitney in pursuit during the first period of Game 3 of the NHL hockey Eastern Conference finals in Raleigh, N.C., Saturday, May 23, 2009.
(AP Photo/Karl B DeBlaker)