Marc-Andre Fleury

The Pittsburgh Penguins rebounded from an ugly loss to the New York Rangers by shutting the Washington Capitals down. The Capitals could only manage two shots on goal in the third period and lost to the Pens by the score of 2-1.

The Penguins currently rank third in the NHL in goals allowed (1.9 per game), they have the best penalty-killing unit in the league at 97.3-percent effectiveness, and they've lost 12 man-games to injury from their three best defensemen.

The team can score, but it's their ability to prevent goals that has them at 8-2-2 with the most points in the NHL and the best winning percentage in the Atlantic Division by a mile (.800).

At the end of every season, the NHL entry draft is held, and the general managers of each team take their best swing at securing prospects that will ultimately materialize into contributors at the NHL level at some point down the road.  

A general manager's ability to do so depends on both the quality of each team's scouting department and the number of quality players available in the talent pool, which typically can't be determined until at least five years after the draft takes place.  

The Penguins won seven straight shootouts on their way to an 8-2 record in games decided by a shootout round. These weren't consecutive games, but it was still an impressive streak and the Pens have continued their shootout success into 2010.

It seemed like every other game the Penguins played this season without their two superstars ended in shootout. While it is an uncanny way to decide a highly competitive contest, it is exciting and suspenseful nonetheless.

Welcome once again to another edition, episode, podcast of the T.J. McAloon and the Sports Half Hour. Today, we were joined by the editor of the Baldwin-Whitehall Patch.com Robert Edward Healy III. 

With the series headed to Tampa deadlocked at 1-1, the Tampa Bay Lightning and Pittsburgh Penguins will struggle to take control of this Eastern Conference quarterfinal matchup.

Here are five keys for each team to find victory in Game 3.

Pittsburgh Penguins

5. Tilt the Ice

There are times when the Lightning start running around in their own zone. Use that to your advantage, Penguins.

To say Marc-Andre Fleury was stellar on Wednesday night in Pittsburgh would be a huge understatement. The Sorel, Quebec native held the line with his outstanding saves throughout the whole game, keeping the Tampa Bay Lightning at bay and helping his team win Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals.

When the Tampa Bay Lightning look back on their first playoff experience in four years, they'll see a number of missed opportunities and a lesson in what it takes to win in the Stanley Cup playoffs.

Sidney Crosby's future for this season is a waiting game. Whether or not he will come back will be meaningless if Penguin's goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury doesn't show up.

He has been fantastic this season posting a 35-20 record with a 2.31 goals against average. He is saving 92 percent of the shots he sees.

Fleury wasn't getting it done to start the season. In came Brent Johnson, who held the fort until Fleury found his game. The talk around town was how Fleury is overrated and how Johnson should start.

Pittsburgh Penguins goalie Marc-Andre Fleury is playing some of the best hockey of his professional career, and was recently rewarded with the team MVP award for his surgical performances lasting a good portion of the season.

Looking back at Fleury's tenure with the Pens, it wasn't always blooming season for the goalie who had a rough start in the NHL, despite being the first overall pick in 2003. Playing the most difficult position on the ice, Fleury had a tough time establishing himself on an initially poor team.