The Pittsburgh Penguins are in their worst scoring drought in a 10 game span in years and it’s getting worse. The Penguins have registered only 3 goals over the last three games and have just announced that their leading goal scorer over the last two years, James Neal, is out with a concussion.
Nobody can say for sure whether the elbow Rangers defenseman Michael Del Zotto planted in James Neal’s face on Friday was dirty or not, but it’s in material. The NHL offices deemed it not to be dirty and there really is no way to prove otherwise. 
Neither Neal or the Penguins are putting a timetable on his return, but time is on the Penguins side. The Penguins clinched a playoff spot on Sunday. With playoffs set to start exactly three weeks from today, the Penguins have James Neal, the NHL’s leading scorer Sidney Crosby and their two top scoring defensemen Kris Letang and Paul Martin on the shelf.
Hope is on the horizon. Sidney Crosby looked and sounded way better than expected in his interview with the press yesterday. It would seem that once he gets back on a diet of regular food he will start skating again. Kris Letang has started skating and is with the team in Carolina today but will not be playing. He is considered day to day and is letting the trainers and coaches decide when he will be in action again. Once again there is no hurry for his return, that is unless you ask Letang: “I want to start playing and make sure when I get into the playoffs I’m ready to go.”
The last time the Penguins scored this few amount of goals over a ten game span was in February 2011. Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin were out of the lineup and James Neal was still playing for the Dallas Stars. The good news is that amidst the streak and injuries the Penguins have somehow won 8 out of the last 10 games and have clinched a playoff spot. If the Penguins win tonight against the Carolina Hurricanes they clinch the Atlantic Division and a top three playoff spot.
I hate to be a killjoy. I read the article, and agree with every word… except for these ones, “Nobody can say for sure whether the elbow Rangers defenseman Michael Del Zotto planted in James Neal’s face on Friday was dirty or not, but it’s in material.”
Seriously? “In material.”? Do you not have an editor? The word you want, and yes, it’s only one word, is immaterial. The first definition from dictionary.com is “Unimportant under the circumstances; irrelevant: “what the band played was immaterial”.” In material? I have no definition, except that I’m a quilter, so I imagine someone lost in my fabric stash. In material?
If you do not have an editor, maybe you could consider hiring one?
Mia
Biggest Scoring drought and top goal scorer, either they don’t watch sports, not watching hockey, not paying attention to the penguins this season or This was meant to be uploaded on April 1st as a joke, because that is what this headline is… A joke.
I couldn’t tell you about the scoring drought but Neal definitely has scored more goals than any other penguin the last two years like he says.
Brandon, please re read the article. The key is you have to read the article before making a comment if you want to be respected for your criticism. Everything in the article is accurate. These guys pay more attention to penguin hockey than anyone else on line.
Professional overreactor…..worst scoring slump…LOL….yet they score more than any other team in the league…..I know you are just trying to sell copy but be real.
It’s probably fair for me to be accused of being a professional over-reactor. In my defense it was the biggest 10 game scoring slump in over two years. Yes, by Penguins standards, not by Phoenix Coyotes standards.
If Vokoun & Fleury didn’t go on the shutout streak, the Penguins record for this ten game period could have easily been 2-8. Six of the Penguins wins in the streak they won by scoring 2 goals or less. This is without their top two defensemen in the lineup. The only reason no one cares is because the Penguins are winning. They need to start scoring goals.
Totally agree with you Krundle. Thank God for the shutouts. However, we are doing better these last games. Nice job on “selling copy”. LOL.
Poop
Oh great