[Open Thread] Game Ten: Pittsburgh Penguins at San Jose Sharks (Tuesday October 28, 2008)
 | @ |  |
| 5-2-2 | 7-2-0 | |
| 2nd Atlantic Division | 1st Pacific Division | |
| 4th Eastern Conference | 2nd Western Conference |
Trick or treat time.
It's not often both teams from last year's Stanley Cup finals come to town in successive games. If nothing else, other than guaranteeing a full house it provides an excellent opportunity now that all parties concerned are legitimately into the season to see how a couple of league powerhouses stack up.
While on paper the Penguins are weaker than last year due to the defection of Marián Hossa to Detroit and losing Sergei Gonchar to injury, they still have Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin. FrankD over at Pensburgh is dreading this game due to Pittsburgh's defensive woes, but I'm not exactly enthralled with the thought of seeing either of the above against a Sharks defense I'm not always comfortable with.
The last time the Penguins were in town was one of the best games in Sharks franchise history, a contest between Joe Thornton and Crosby as to which is truly the NHL's top dog. Tonight promises more of the same as two of the league's best seek to make a statement at the other's expense just in case they see each other again this season. And I'm not talking the game in Pittsburgh on February eleventh of 2009.