Pens, Sens meet again

Down and out for the count were the flightless birds of the ‘Burgh last spring in the first… Down and out for the count were the flightless birds of the ‘Burgh last spring in the first round of the 2007 National Hockey League playoffs against the Ottawa Senators, but don’t be too ready for a repeat.

That Pittsburgh Penguins team lost its first-round playoff matchup against a high-powered Senators team that thrust its way into the Stanley Cup Finals against a much superior Anaheim Ducks team.

While the Sens lost out on their chance to hoist Stanley’s Bowl, the team entered this past regular season with high hopes.

But, with their regular season going through as many ups and downs as Jonathan Cheechoo’s career, the Senators snuck into the seventh seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs.

Their opponent? The Pittsburgh Penguins. The Pens enter the playoffs as the Eastern Conference’s No. 2 seed after a loss to the Philadelphia Flyers in the season finale. Had the Penguins won that game, they would have clinched the top spot in the East and would have squared off in a seven-game series versus those same Broad Street Bullies.

But instead, they have rematch of last year’s first-round embarrassment.

In comparison to last years’ team, this 2008 squad looks a bit more potent. It has added even more scoring with the offseason addition of Petr Sykora, who has gelled wonderfully with sophomore sensation Evgeni Malkin, who finished second in league scoring to fellow Russian Alexander Ovechkin of the Washington Capitals.

Sykora, who played with Malkin in Russia during the lockout season, has been effective since the season’s start. He posted his best numbers since the 2000-01 campaign with the New Jersey Devils.

Joining the duo on the left wing has been Ryan Malone. Malone, who put up career numbers in every major category, has rounded himself out to being one the top power forwards of the game both on and off the ice.

But don’t forget about the reigning NHL Most Valuable Player and league poster child Sidney Crosby. While injured for most of the second half of the season with a high ankle sprain, Crosby averaged the second highest points per game number among players eligible with 1.36. Ovechkin finished first with 1.37.

Mid-season addition Marian Hossa, a former Senator, was brought in at the trade deadline to play on Crosby’s right wing, but with Crosby’s injury and a bum knee for Hossa, the two have only skated a handful of games together. Although he has had playoff trouble in the past (one point in four games with Atlanta last season), Hossa’s quick release off of Crosby’s slick passes should quell any concerns.

The backside of the team is exponentially better with Hal Gill and Darryl Sydor taking the place of Josef “Garbage” Melichar and Alain “Pylon” Nasreddine. Rookie sensation Kris Letang adds another offensive dynamic to the defense, while Rob Scuderi and Brooks Orpik are playing the best hockey of their lives.

In goal, the Pens have a much improved Marc-Andre Fleury in net and the backup position is being held solidly by season savior Ty Conklin, who came in after Fleury’s ankle injury to post an 18-8-5 record.

The Senators, on the other hand, have an injured captain and No. 1 line center in Daniel Alfredsson, checking line center Mike Fischer got knocked out of the last game with a knee injury and their two goaltenders should really seek a psychiatrist with all their problems.

These issues coupled with the Penguins’ improvements should help propel Pittsburgh into a favorable second-round matchup against either the Washington Capitals or Philadelphia Flyers.