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Penguins-Islanders Preview

Apr 11, 2010 - 3:29 AM By JON PALMIERI STATS Editor

Pittsburgh (46-27-7) at New York (34-36-10), 5:00 p.m. EDT

With an Atlantic Division title no longer a possibility and fourth place in the Eastern Conference secured, the Pittsburgh Penguins can treat their final regular-season game as a tune-up for the playoffs.

Sidney Crosby may have a little more incentive than the rest of his teammates.

Crosby tries again for his first 50-goal season Saturday against one of his favorite opponents as the Penguins visit the New York Islanders.

Pittsburgh (46-28-7) entered Saturday tied with New Jersey atop the Atlantic, but any chance the Penguins had at a division title ended with a 1-0 loss at Atlanta.

"It's disappointing," Crosby said. "We hoped to win and get second place. We'll have to play a good game (Sunday) and start focusing on the playoffs."

A third straight road defeat left Pittsburgh locked into fourth in the East, setting up a first-round meeting with Ottawa. The Penguins, shut out for the second time in five games, need one point to reach 100 for the third time in four seasons.

Getting at least a point against the Islanders (34-37-10) hasn't presented much of a problem for Pittsburgh, which is 10-1-1 in the last 12 meetings, losing 3-2 at Nassau Coliseum on Nov. 27. The Penguins are 22-8-5 versus the Islanders since drafting Crosby prior to the 2005-06 season.

Crosby was held without a goal for the sixth straight road game and remained stuck on 49. He has four goals and eight assists in five games this season against the Islanders and 56 points in 30 career matchups, tied with Philadelphia for his most against any opponent.

The Pittsburgh captain could still lead the league in goals. He trails Washington's Alex Ovechkin and Tampa Bay's Steven Stamkos by one with one game left for each.

Crosby isn't the only Penguin that has enjoyed success against New York. Evgeni Malkin has six goals against the Islanders this season, and 12 goals and eight assists during a 12-game point streak in the series.

Marc-Andre Fleury, who could be rested instead of playing for the third time in four days, is 6-0-1 with a 1.68 goals-against average in his last seven starts against New York. Brent Johnson has split a pair of starts this season versus the Islanders.

Penguins forward Matt Cooke may miss this game after he took two hard punches to the face from Atlanta rookie Evander Kane on Saturday. Medical personnel brought a stretcher onto the ice as Cooke laid on his back, seemingly unable to sit up, but the 12-year veteran soon insisted he was strong enough to skate off the ice and didn't return.

"He left the ice saying he was fine and he continues to be that way now," coach Dan Bylsma said. "He obviously will go through a battery of (concussion) tests."

After finishing with a league-worst 61 points last season, the Islanders have made strides and could see a 19-point improvement with one more victory.

A dismal 7-15-2 record against Atlantic foes is a major reason whey they will miss the playoffs for the third straight season.

The Islanders were overwhelmed by a division opponent for the second straight game Saturday, losing 7-1 at New Jersey two nights after a 7-3 loss in Pittsburgh.

Matt Moulson was the lone bright spot for New York, scoring his team-leading 29th goal. A goal in this game would make him the first Islander with 30 since Jason Blake had 40 in 2006-07.