Oct 28, 2009 12:33 pm US/Eastern
Canadiens Vs. Penguins Preview
By: Casey Shea
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) ―
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Goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury will be in net for the Penguins when they take on the Montreal Canadiens Wednesday night.
Dave Sandford/Getty Images
The Pittsburgh Penguins (9-2-0) close out a five-game homestand tonight against the Montreal Canadiens (6-5-0).
The Pens have had a few days to recover after suffering a 4-1 loss to the New Jersey Devils on Saturday. A loss that snapped their seven-game winning streak.
In addition to being without defenseman Sergei Gonchar, winger Tyler Kennedy will not dress tonight due to an undisclosed injury.
Pascal Dupuis will be in the lineup missing the last two days of practice with an illness. According to the Penguins official Website, Chris Bourque will take his place on the second line with Evgeni Malkin and Ruslan Fedotenko and Dupuis will shift to the fourth line with Michael Rupp and Eric Godard.
There are some questions about who will be in goal tonight for Montreal. Carey Price, who has been the team's starter for the past two years, has struggled mightily this season and has not seen the ice much as a result.
Price is 2-4 with a 3.36 GAA and .886 save percentage this season.
Jaroslav Halak (4-1, 2.28 GAA, .910 save percentage) has started and won the last four games for the Habs.
On Monday night, the Canadiens knocked off the New York Islanders 3-2 when defenseman Roman Hamrlik found the back of the net in overtime.
Montreal got off to a bit of a slow start and all the new faces in town may have had something to do with that.
Montreal brought in seven new players this summer including and entirely new top line of Brian Gionta, Scott Gomez and Mike Cammalleri.
On defense, Montreal brought in Jaroslav Spacek and former Penguin Hal Gill.
Gone from the team are some marquee names such as former Penguins Alex Kovalev and Robert Lang, Saku Koivu, Mike Komisarek and Alex Tanguay.
One key member of their defense corps is out for an extended period of time.
Andre Markov sliced a tendon in his ankle on Price's skate in the team's season-opening game and is expected to miss at least four months.
The two teams split the season series last year.
The puck will drop at 7:30 p.m. at Mellon Arena.
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Penguins 2009-10 Season In Pictures
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