Penguins' Early Struggles Won't Last

You can hear the giggles, however tentative, from the other 29 NHL rinks.

The Pittsburgh Penguins are 1-3. Entering their match Friday night against the New York Islanders, the Penguins are 0-3 in their brand new (spank-us-in-the) Consol Energy Center. Although there is little shame in losing to the Maple Leafs in the first week of the season (Toronto is 3-0), few saw the Penguins making it 0-for-3 in their new building against the Leafs on Wednesday. Colton Orr scored against them. They blew a 2-1 lead in the second period. They made Clarke MacArthur look like Darryl Sittler. Down 4-3 after two, the Penguins out-shot Toronto 9-2 but couldn't get one past Jonas Gustavsson.

Dan Bylsma's team is an easy target right now. One night, Mike Comrie is playing on a top line. The next night, Comrie is scratched. (On Friday, he will center Evgeni Malkin and Eric Tangradi).

General manager Ray Shero either didn't want to or couldn't bring back 39-year-old wing Bill Guerin for a third year. Proving his determination to play at least one more NHL season, Guerin tried out in Philadelphia. The Flyers chose not to give him a spot. Now the highly-respected Guerin has been spotted recently hanging around Pittsburgh.

Marc-Andre Fleury has been unsteady in goal, so Brent Johnson will get the start against the Islanders. Sergei Gonchar, as expected, is missed on the power play.

The injury bug has hit. Brooks Orpik, hailed by hockey people last year when NHL FanHouse gave an award to Best Defensive Defenseman, has missed the last two games with a groin strain and will sit out Friday. Zbynek Michalek, signed away from Phoenix as one of Shero's praised blueline additions in the summer (along with Paul Martin) is out 2-4 weeks with what is believed to be a shoulder injury. Invaluable all-zone center Jordan Staal and rugged third-line UFA signing Arron Asham remain out.

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However impressive the Islanders have been to start the season -- the undermanned Isles are 1-1-1 and coming off a hard-luck 2-1 loss in Washington -- perhaps their visit is the cure for Pittsburgh. Crosby is usually dominant against the Islanders, with 18 goals and 61 points in 31 career games. The Penguins have won their last eight consecutive home games over the Islanders, even if all those games were in the old barn. Skeptics have wondered if the Pens left behind some of their mojo in the Igloo; a loss to the Islanders might force the spiritual Bylsma to ask for a shaman.

Still, it's tough to feel sorry for the 2008-09 Stanley Cup champions, and anyone who wants to laugh at them or say, "You know, I didn't think they'd be good this year," should stand up now. Crosby and Malkin are two of the five greatest players in the league, Staal is on his way back and Shero has a skill for correcting any roster mistakes. The Penguins could make it 0-4 at Consol Energy Center with a loss to the Islanders on Friday, but sooner or later, the light is going to go on.