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Red Wings host Penguins in Stanley Cup rematch

Nov 11, 2008 - 2:26 PM Pittsburgh (8-4-2) at Detroit (9-2-2), 7:00 pm EDT

DETROIT (Ticker) -- Off to their best start in over a decade, the Pittsburgh Penguins have the chance to enjoy some revenge for getting bounced in the Stanley Cup Finals.

Evgeni Malkin and the Penguins visit the defending champion Detroit Red Wings on Tuesday in a rematch of last season's title series.

Winners of three straight, the Penguins are off to their best start through 14 games since the '95-96 season, when they went 8-3-3. They are coming off a 4-3 shootout victory over the New York Islanders on Saturday in which Dany Sabourin made 19 saves while starting netminder Marc-Andre Fleury rested after playing three straight contests.

A major reason for Pittsburgh's success has been Malkin, who leads the NHL with 22 points. The 22-year-old Russian recorded three points against Detroit in the Stanley Cup Finals and 22 overall in the playoffs.

The Red Wings have improved a great deal since last facing the Penguins, thanks to the offseason signing of superstar right win Marian Hossa. Hossa helped Pittsburgh to an Eastern Conference title, recording 12 goals and 14 assists in 20 postseason games before the team was bounced in six games by the Wings.

After signing a one-year, $7.45 million contract in the offseason, Hossa has eight goals and nine assists this season with Detroit, which is second in the West with 20 points.

Backup goaltender Ty Conklin also fled for the Western Conference foe after helping the Penguins mostly when Fleury was injured for all but 35 games in the regular season. Conklin is 3-1-0 with a 3.19 goals-against average in four games this season but will not get the nod by coach Mike Babcock in this game.

Chris Osgood will start again and try to notch his 370th victory, which would put him in sole possession of 14th place on the all-time wins list. He is currently tied with Tom Barrasso and three victories away from pulling even with Andy Moog, who stands at 13th.

The Red Wings are coming off a 3-1 win over the New Jersey Devils on Saturday, and a 3-2 win over the Vancouver Canucks one day earlier.