Panthers at Penguins
THE STORY: If the Pittsburgh Penguins were worn down at the conclusion of their three-game trip through Western Canada, they should be sufficiently energized by what will be a vocal crowd at the Consol Energy Center as they host the Florida Panthers in their home opener Tuesday. Pittsburgh opened the campaign about as well as it could have hoped, escaping Vancouver, Calgary and Edmonton with five out of a possible six points. With Sidney Crosby still on the shelf with a concussion and Evgeni Malkin day-to-day with a lower-body injury, the Pens begin a three-game homestand with considerably less firepower than they would like. Fortunately, they're facing a club that isn't likely to light up the scoreboard anytime soon. The Panthers opened their season with a 2-0 victory over the New York Islanders, playing the type of low-scoring, defensive-minded style that they'll need to employ in order to reach the playoffs.
TV: 7:30 p.m. ET, Versus, TSN2
ABOUT THE PANTHERS (1-0-0): Jose Theodore is back in a starting role, and it appears to suit him. The 35-year-old was sensational in the season opener, turning back 27 shots for his 31st career shutout. Playing for his fifth team in the last seven seasons, Theodore will be the key to Florida's success. He hasn't been elite in four seasons, but more games like the one he played Saturday will get him there in a hurry.
ABOUT THE PENGUINS (2-0-1): Even without Crosby and Malkin in the lineup, opposing teams will need to respect the Pittsburgh power play. The Penguins have five goals in 16 chances with the man advantage, rolling along at a 31.3 percent clip. And that isn't even the best facet of their special teams - Pittsburgh has killed all 11 shorthanded situations it has faced, one of only a handful of teams with a 100 percent success rate.
OVERTIME:
1. The Penguins swept the four-game season series last season and have prevailed in seven of their last eight meetings overall.
2. Few goaltenders have dominated the Penguins like Theodore, who is 19-4-1 with a 2.32 goals-against average and four shutouts against them in his career. The 19 victories are his highest total against any opponent.