Penguins sending Fleury back to minors

The Pittsburgh Penguins will send their former No. 1 draft pick back to the minors on Wednesday, and it has nothing to do with the quality of his play or their latest last-place finish.

And, no, it is not Sidney Crosby.

NHL teams rarely make their starting goalies go down to the minors when the season ends, but the Penguins will do that by sending Marc-Andre Fleury - the No. 1 pick in the 2003 draft - to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton for the team's first AHL playoff game Thursday night.

• Penguins sending Fleury back to minors

Higgins, Kovalev net two goals each to lead Habs

Chris Higgins and Alex Kovalev each had two goals, and the Montreal Canadiens avoided a season sweep by the
Pittsburgh Penguins with a 6-5 win Sunday night.

• Higgins, Kovalev net two goals each to lead Habs

Penguins 4, Islanders 3, OT

The last thing the Pittsburgh Penguins wanted was to go to another shootout with the New York Islanders.

So Sidney Crosby made sure that didn't happen.

The star rookie scored with 1:32 to play in overtime to give the Penguins a 4-3 victory over New York on Friday night. The Islanders had won the last three meetings between the teams - each in a shootout.

• Penguins 4, Islanders 3, OT

Islanders-Penguins, Sums

N.Y. Islanders 2 1 0 0-3

Pittsburgh 1 2 0 1-4

First Period-1, Pittsburgh, Malone 18, 2:20 (sh). 2, N.Y. Islanders, Hunter 14 (Bates, Tambellini), 3:40. 3, N.Y. Islanders, Blake 25 (Nilsson), 19:13. Penalties-LeClair, Pit (interference), :39; Scuderi, Pit (tripping), 4:57; Orpik, Pit (roughing), 5:37; Bergenheim, NYI (diving), 11:46; Malone, Pit (hooking), 13:31.

Second Period-4, N.Y. Islanders, Bergenheim 3 (York, Gervais), 1:16. 5, Pittsburgh, Hilbert 7 (Crosby, Gonchar), 9:52 (pp).

• Islanders-Penguins, Sums

Hockey Daily March 26

Alexei Kovalev and the Canadiens look to avoid getting swept in the season series against the Penguins on Sunday. Watch it on FSN Pittsburgh.

• Hockey Daily March 26

Spector: Penguins have work to do

There were high hopes for the Penguins before the season, but they proved way too lofty. Spector looks at some changes the Pens may make.

• Spector: Penguins have work to do

Canadiens-Penguins, Sums

Montreal 2 3 1-6

Pittsburgh 0 3 2-5

First Period-1, Montreal, Higgins 15 (Koivu, Ryder), 4:24 (pp). 2, Montreal, Bonk 5 (Sundstrom, Streit), 5:05. Penalties-Surovy, Pit (holding), 3:00; Whitney, Pit (hooking), 8:21; Murray, Mon (hooking), 16:09; Kovalev, Mon (hooking), 19:47.

Second Period-3, Pittsburgh, Armstrong 11 (Crosby, Gonchar), :41 (pp). 4, Montreal, Higgins 16 (Koivu, Souray), 3:14. 5, Pittsburgh, Surovy 11 (Ouellet, Welch), 6:04 (pp).

• Canadiens-Penguins, Sums

Panthers-Penguins Preview

GAME: Florida Panthers (32-30-9) at Pittsburgh Penguins (18-41-12).

TIME: Wednesday, 7:30 p.m. EST.

The Florida Panthers look to match their franchise-record winning streak at seven games, and continue their late push for a playoff berth when they visit a Pittsburgh Penguins team they've beaten 11 straight times.

Florida has moved to within striking distance of the final three playoff spots in the Eastern Conference by winning six straight and nine of its last 10 games.

• Panthers-Penguins Preview

Canadiens gut out win over Pens

Playing their fifth game in seven nights and coming off two emotional wins against their national rivals, the Montreal Canadiens were facing the classic "trap game" scenario against the team with the NHL's worst record.

But Montreal didn't fall for the trap, beating the Pittsburgh Penguins 6-5 on Sunday night to avoid being swept in the season series.

"We've got to be happy with the two points," forward Radek Bonk said.

• Canadiens gut out win over Pens