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MacDonald looks to stymie Penguins

Nov 26, 2008 - 11:16 AM Pittsburgh (12-5-3) at NY Islanders (9-10-2), 7:00 pm EST

UNIONDALE, New York (Ticker) -- Joey MacDonald has made the New York Islanders' time without starting goaltender Rick DiPietro a bit easier. The same cannot be said of fellow backup Dany Sabourin and the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Seeking more relief from their respective reserve netminders, the Islanders and Penguins faceoff in a matchup of Atlantic Division rivals on Wednesday.

The Islanders have won consecutive games and five of six, while MacDonald has yielded two or fewer goals in five of those contests. The 28-year-old has started 11 straight and is 8-7-2 with a 2.78 goals-against average in 17 games overall this season.

Meanwhile, Sabourin has started three straight games in the wake of Marc-Andre Fleury's undisclosed injury and the Penguins have dropped two. He has surrendered six goals in that span but the Penguins' potent offense has been silenced, netting just five.

In an effort to boost a struggling power play, Pittsburgh coach Michel Therrien put Evgeni Malkin back on the right point with Alex Goligoski on the left, Sidney Crosby on the half-wall, Miroslav Satan down low and new addition Tyler Kennedy in front, according to the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review.

Such a move was made to propel a power play that has converted just 9 of its past 59 chances.

The Islanders, meanwhile, have succeeded with their special teams and are second in the NHL in shorthanded goals (five), while the Penguins are third-last in short-handed goals allowed (five).