Showdown in Pittsburgh

Okay friends. Okay Nugs. Okay everyone. It's time to let go of that point we left so tragically on the ice in Georgia and re-focus on the puck at hand. That is, our Saturday afternoon road game.

The new enemy: The Aquatic Birds of Pittsburgh.

Yes - it is the team that put us out of the playoffs last year - ending Jagr's Ranger career and spinning the Rangers off to the trajectory they find themselves on today.

The Penguins find themselves exactly 7 wins short of last year's regular season total with 7 left to play. They are coming off an odd 2-0 shut out of the Flames in which their own lines were shut out as well - only the defensemen scored.

Pittsburgh sits one point and one playoff notch above us in 6th place. They are where we want to be - and if we can beat them we will take their place.

There are just 7 games left now. 7 games - and then the rest of our lives.

Dave Pucks Incredibly Obvious Keys To The Game

1 - Play your best Goalie. Because, you know, he's better than your second-best goalie. I never thought I'd have to list this as a key to the game - but Torts thought it would be better to not use Lundqvist last night - and look what happened.

2 - Score. Then Score again. And, oh yeah, score once again. That, with Lundqvist - should get us home.

3 - Staal and Girardi. Let's keep those plus-minus totals above minus 4 this time, okay guys? Because we can never win if you both go minus 4.

This has been Dave Pucks Incredibly Obvious Keys To The Game

One closing note: how about that Sauer kid? He was plus 1 on the night. I have a really good feeling about him.