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Penguins return home to face first-place Thrashers

Mar 24, 2007 - 2:15 PM Atlanta (39-26-10) at Pittsburgh (41-23-10) 1:00 pm EDT

PITTSBURGH (Ticker) - The Pittsburgh Penguins' trip to New York was unsuccessful. Now, they look forward to returning home.

The Penguins look for their fifth straight home win when they take on the Atlanta Thrashers on Saturday.

They will look to avoid their first three-game losing streak since January 7-10 and have not gone three contests without recording a point since December 1-5.

Pittsburgh had won five games in a row before dropping back-to-back games to the New York Rangers and New York Islanders this week. However, the Penguins now are returning home where they are 23-9-5 this season.

The NHL's leading scorer with 108 points, superstar Sidney Crosby was held scoreless in the two contests in New York.

Despite its skid, Pittsburgh still is within two points of sliding New Jersey for first place in the Atlantic Division. The Devils have lost three in a row - keeping the Penguins in the race.

The Thrashers are two games ahead of Tampa Bay for first place in the Southeast Division and will hit the road for back-to-back. Atlanta had won eight of 10 games before suffering a 5-1 loss to Tampa Bay on Thursday.

Losers of six of seven games before acquiring Keith Tkachuk, the Thrashers now are 8-3-0 since obtaining him from St. Louis at the trade deadline.