-We don't know if it's the weather or what, but it's a slim night for jerseys. Marc-Andre Fleury from last season's all-star game:

-Rick Kehoe:

-These are just kind of bizarre jersey fouls. P.J. Stock Bruins:

-And Cal Clutterbuck Wild:

-Fans walking in off Centre Avenue:

-Police officers collecting donations for the family of East Washington, Pa. police officer John David Dryer are wearing these t-shirts:

-It never ceases to amaze us how often Luc Robitaille jerseys pop up:

-Alexei Kovalev:

-Former Penguins and Hurricanes defenseman Paul Coffey:

-Another former Penguin/Hurricane, Mark Recchi:

-A rare Ulf Samuelsson/Jeff Skinner pairing:

-Jersey Foul of the Night: Wear a blue and white Mario Lemieux jersey is bad enough, but you have to tuck it in?

-Hat of the Night: Hartford Whalers:

-Jersey of the Night: Given theis man's place in each franchise's history, we'll go with Ron Francis:

FIRST PERIOD

19:40: Without any prompting, a strong "Let's Go Pens!" chant starts right off the faceoff.

19:35: After a pinch-in by Despres forces a turnover in the Hurricanes' zone, Malkin picks up a loose puck on the left wing and whips it on net. Peters eats it up. Great play by Despres.

18:32: Tyler Kennedy controls a puck on the right wing boards at the red line and taps a backhanded pass to Jordan Staal at center ice. Staal races into the offensive zone. With space, he rips a heavy wrister from above the left circle which clanks off the cross bar and deflects out of play. What a release.

17: 14: From his own zone on the right wing boards, Michalek slides a pass up to Craig Adams in the neutral zone. Adams has a step on the defense, cuts through a few players in white and whips a heavy shot on net. Peters steers it away.

16:37: Brandon Sutter releases a heavy wrister from above the right circle to the far side. Fleury kicks it out with his right skate.

15:38: Brooks Orpik rattles Drayson Bowman along the right wing boards of the Penguins' zone.

14:46: Eric Staal controls the puck behind the Penguins net and deals a pass to Bowman in the slot. Bowman crashes in but his shot is deflected over the cage.

14:35: Kennedy weaves his way through the Hurricanes' defense, gains the offensive zone and uncorks a heavy wrister from the slot. Peters kicks it out. Kennedy jumps on his own rebound and tries to flip it on to his backhand. Peters is able to poke it away.

13:00: Malkin whips a quick shot on net from along the goal line on the left wing. Peters knocks it dead and covers to freeze play.

11:50: Neal chops a slapper from deep on the left wing. Peters eats it up.

10:36: Bowman goes wide on the left wing against Ben Lovejoy. Lovejoy prevents him from getting a shot off with a stick on puck.

9:37: The Penguins get a little sloppy defensively and the Hurricanes make the pay. Michalek collects a dump in behind the Penguins net. The Hurricanes pressure with forechek and Michalek forces a bad pass up to the blue line. Tim Gleason jumps on the puck at the left point and feeds an immediate pass to former Penguin Tim Brent coasting near the right of the crease. Brent taps it home behind a helpless Fleury's right leg. Fire Ray Shero. Put that one on Michalek. Gleason gets the only assist. Michalek could make a case for one. Penguins 1-0.

8:24: Kunitz hustles up the right wing and cuts to the crease. He tries to chop a shot by Peters who says no. Neal is all over the rebound but bangs it high of the cage.

7:41: Kennedy hustles the puc ip the left wing on a three-on-two. Jordan Staal and Dupuis drive to the cage carrying defenders with them. Kennedy holds up on the boards and deals a pass to a trailing Despres at the top of the slot. Despres booms a one-timer wide to the right of the cage.

7:23: Kennedy coast up the left wing with the puck one-on-one with Jay Harrison and whips it on net. Peters fends it off.

5:37: Despres recovers a loose puck at the left point, spins and chucks a backhander towards the cage. It gets blocked in front.

5:31: Malkin whips a low heavy wrister on net from above the right circle. Peters fights it off. Kunitz is there for the rebound but can't do anything with it.

4:33: Lovejoy chops a one-timer from the right point. Peters eats it up despite having Kennedy hovering around snooping for a rebound.

2:57: Eric Staal steals a puck in the neutral zone and tries to start a give-and-go with Jiri Tlusty on the right wing. Tlustry tries to tap it back to Staal but Orpik kicks it out of the defensive zone.

2:32: Steve Sullivan goes deep on the right wing and taps a centering pass to the slot. The great Joe Vitale is there and chops it on net despite tripping. Peters fends it off.

2:16: Kennedy snaps off a wrister from a tough angle on the right wing. Peters says no.

1:36: Lovejoy chops a slapper from the right point. Peters kicks it out.

0:59: Kennedy grips and rips a wrister from the right circle which Harrison blocks.

0:51: Niskanen chops a slapper from the right point. Peters fights it off. Jordan Staal is there for the rebound but can't get a clean handle on it.

0:40: Chad LaRose is called for slashing Orpik. Niskanen, Neal, Malkin, Kunitz and Sullivan take the ice.

0:00: End of period. Hurricanes 1, Penguins 0.

FIRST INTERMISSION

-The story of that period was Justin Peters. He is just kicking out anything and everything the Penguins are throwing on net. The Penguins are going to have to earn a goal on him tonight. He's just tuned in.

-It's amazing how one mistake can be the difference. Michalek screws up that pass attempt and the Hurricanes convert it to instant offense.

-Tyler Kennedy has been everywhere for the Penguins tonight. He's putting puck on net from everywhere. He's been strong.

-The Penguins have a 16-7 lead in shots.

-Kennedy and Malkin each lead the game with three shots.

-LaRose leads the Hurricanes with two.

-Niskanen leads the game with 8:21 of ice time.

-Harrison leads the Hurricanes with 7:44.

-The Hurricanes have an 8-6 edge in faceoffs (57 percent).

-Sutter is 7 for 9 (78 percent).

-Jordan Staal is 2 for 3 (67 percent).

-Harrison leads the game with two blocked shots.

SECOND PERIOD

20:00: The Penguins will have a healthy 1:20 of power-play time on fresh ice. Niskanen, Neal, Kunitz, Malkin and Sullivan take the ice.

19:53: Off the faceoff, Neal snaps off a wrister from the left half wall. Peters eats it up.

19:28: Niskanen chops a slapper form the right point. Peters kicks it out. Gleason clears it out of danger.

19:24: Malkin cranks a slapper from the right circle. Peters says no.

19:15: Sullivan booms a slapper from above the left circle. Peters kicks it out. Brent sweeps it down ice.

18:40: The LaRose minor is killed. The Penguins threw a lot of rubber on net.

17:25: Cooke snaps off a low wrister from the left circle. Peters eats it up. Attendance is announced as 18,600. It is the team's 226th consecutive sellout.

16:06: Sutter lugs a puck up the right wing and chips a pass to the slot. Tlusty races after it but before he can get a stick on it, Fleury jumps out of his crease and poke checks it away.

13:03: After a few stagnant minutes, Sullivan taps a pass from the right circle to Lovejoy at the right point. Lovejoy booms a one-timer. Peters eats it up despite having Cooke and the great Joe Vitale jabbing away for a rebound.

12:44: Adams barrels in off the left wing along the goal line and is denied a few times down low.

11:50: You knew a goal like that was going to be the one which finally broke Peters. Kunitz lugs the puck up the ice, splits Gleans and Bryan Allen at center ice and attacks the net on his backhand he flings a backhander on net from the right circle. Peters fights it off. Kunitz chops the the rebound back on net. It squeaks behind Peters and bounces in the crease. Allen is Johnny-on-the-spot and attempts to clear it away. Just as he does that, Neal crashes in and prevents the clear. The puck hits off Neal's stick and deflects off Allen's leg into the cage. What a fluky goal. It wasn't going to be a pretty goal that would crack Peters. A brief video review confirms the goal. Kunitz gets the only assist. The "Woo-Hoo!" song is played. Hurricanes 1, Penguins 1.

9:37: LaRose chips a wrister on net from the right wing. Fleury knocks it dead and covers to freeze play.

8:40: Zac Dalpe picks up a loose puck on the right wing in the neutral zone, chugs into the offensive zone and pumps a slapper on net from the right circle. Fleury kicks it out.

7:36: Neal recovers a loose puck just to the right of the cage, spins and whips it off the near post.

6:39: Picard races in on the left wing cand chops a slapper at the cage. Peters steelrs it away.

6:28: Cooke gets a pass on the back door and is all alone on Peters. He hesitates a bit. Peters takes advantage and fends off the wrister.

5:36: Gleason pounds a loose puck at the left point. It hits something in front and kicks over the cage.

4:43: Off some tremendous cycling by Malkin the right wing corner, Neal taps a pass from the crease to Kunitz to the right of the cage.

4:19: Kunitz steps up to hit LaRose in front of the Penguins' penalty box but accidentally clips Despres in the face with his stick. Ouch. Despres is stunned a bit. He heads off the ice to the dressing room.

3:54: Jokinen drives the puck up the right wing and leaves a drop pass. Tuomo Ruutu steps up and rips a shot on net. Fleury eats it up. That was only the 10th shot of the game for Carolina.

3:41: Sullivan drives up the right wing and pounds a slapper from the right wing. Jaroslav Spacek crouches down to block it. He's dropped by the shot. Ouch.

3:36: Allen is called for interference against Cooke. As Spacek is helped off the ice, Niskanen, Neal, Kunitz, Malkin and Sullivan take the ice.

3:17: Neal snaps off a wrister from the top of the slot. Peters kicks it out. Kunitz follows up on it and snaps off a wrister which hits a body in front.

2:49: Neal grips and rips a heavy wrister from the right circle. Peters says no to that.

1:36: The Allen minor expires. The Penguins didn't do much with that chance beyond their inital rush.

0:57: LaRose races up the right wing with the puck and bails out as soon as he see Brooks Orpik pursing him. Orpik slams into the boards.

0:51: LaRose drops Michalek with a solid check into the left wing corner boards of the Penguins' zone.

0:00: End of period. Hurricanes 1, Penguins 1.

SECOND INTERMISSION

-More of the same that period. Justin Peters playing his butt off. The guy is just stopping (almost) everything put on net. If not for a fluky goal by Neal, this is still a 1-0 game.

-The Hurricanes have almost nothing going on offensively. They have 10 shots. They had all of four in that period alone.

-Neal continues to look like a scary player. His release is just wicked right now.

-Malkin was awarded an assist on Neal's goal.

-The Penguins have a 37-10 lead in shots.

-Neal leads the game with seven.

-Malkin is right behind him with six.

-LaRose leads the Hurricanes with three.

-Niskanen leads the game with 15:52 of ice time.

-Gleanson leads the Hurricanes with 15:08.

-The Hurricanes lead the game with 20-14 (59 percent).

-Sutter is 12 for 18 (67 percent).

-Jordan Staal is 5 for 9 (56 percent).

-Harrison leads the game with three blocked shots.

-None of the Penguins have more than one.

THIRD PERIOD

20:00: Despres is back on the bench.

19:22: LaRose heads back to the box, this teim for interference against Michalek.  Sullivan, Malkin, Niskanen, Kunitz and Neal take the ice. You can't imagine the Penguins are going to get too many more power-play chances at this point.

18:42: Third time is a charm. Malkin controls the puck on the right wing and deals a pretty simple cross ice pass to Sullivan above the left circle. Sullivan uncorks an on-edge one-timer which juuuuust sneaks by the left skate of Peters on the far side. Peters overplayed the pass just a tad. That looked remarkably easy. The "Woo-Hoo!" song is played. Malkin and Neal get assists. Penguins 2-1.

17:32: And it looks like the flood gates are open. Kennedy coasts up the right wing on a two-on-one with Dupuis against Harrison. He sneaks a pass through the legs of Harrison to Dupuis in the left circle. Dupuis moves in on net and chips a little wrister over the right shoulder of Peters who was doing a Roberto Luongo-esque forward flop. A bad play by Peters there. The Penguins have him figured out. Kennedy and Michalek get assists. The "Woo-Hoo!" song and the "Super Duper" clip from "Anchorman" are played. Penguins 3-1.

16:34: Cooke races up the right right wing and glings a backhander on net. Peters eats it up.

16:13: Lovejoy sneaks a wrister from the top of the slot through traffic. Peter punches it away.

15:11: A total of $30,400 is announced as the figure collected to benefit the family of East Washington, Pa. police officer John David Dryer.

14:43: Eric Staal gets a step on Orpik on the right wing and shuffles backhander at the cage. Oprik appears to send it wide with a stick on puck.

14:28: Tyler Kennedy pumps a slapper on net from the right wing. Peters fends it off.

13:34: Kunitz chips a backhanded feed from the left circle to the top of the slot. Neal is there and whips it wide of the cage.

13:07: Neal is just having his way with the Hurricanes. He races after a loose puck behind the Hurricanes' net with Allen. Neal (6-foot-2, 208 pounds) simply flings the larger Allen (6-foot-5, 226 pounds) to the ice in annoyance.

12:35: Jamie McBain snaps off a wrister from the right point. Malkin blocks it.

11:55: It was fun while it lasted Justin Peters. Jordan Staal races up on the left wing on a two-on-one with Dupuis against  Faulk. Faulk takes away the pass. Staal takes the shot and whips a wrister to the far side under Peters' glove. What a shot. The "Woo-Hoo!" song is getting winded. The Hurricanes call a timeout to get organized. Kennedy gets the only assist. Penguins 4-1.

10:49: Gleason chips a weak shot from the left point. Fleury catches it like like a shortstop fielding a ground ball.

10:25: The great Joe Vitale chops a half slapper from above the right circle. Peters eats it up.

9:50: The Penguins look like they're having fun. Neal carries the puck up the right wing and gains the offensive zone. He leaves a drop pass for Malkin at the right point. Malkin picks it up, surveys the offensive zone and forces a pass to Neal. Neal kind of swats the bouncing puck on net. Peters sprawls down to prevent the goal.

9:42: Lovejoy guns a wrister from the right point. It hits a body in front.

9:35: It took a while, but a sing-song "Peeeeeeee....Teeerrrrsssss....." chant begins.

9:20: The Penguins finally take a penalty. Tlusty flings a wrister from the left circle. Fleury fends it off. Sutter follows up on the rebound but is hooked up by Picard. That's two minutes. Jordan Staal, Dupuis, Orpik and Michalek take the ice.

9:10: Jordan Staal races up the right wing off the faceoff, gains the offensive zone and snaps off a low wrister. Peters makes the save. Staal pokes the rebound wide to the far side.

7:46: Fleury is getting some work in now. Alexei Ponikarovsky snaps off a wrister form the right circle. Fleury fights it off and covers the rebound despite a screen by Ruutu.

7:20: The Picard mino si killed. Solid effort by the Penguins.

7:00: Another chance for the Penguins. Dupuis takes a pass in the neutral zone, blows by the slower Harrison and is off to the races. He moves in on net and shoots five hole with a forehand shot. Peters kicks it out and covers the rebound.

6:25: Arron Asham chips a pass from the left wing to the slot. Adams is there but is hooked down to the ice by Harrison and crashes into the end boards. No call. It's a late game and the ice in the beer cooler in the officials' locker room is melting. That's why that wasn't a penalty.

5:07: This isn't quite over. The Penguins get a little sloppy in their own zone again and give up a goal. Fleury fumbles a puck behind his own net. Jokinen deals it to Ruutu in front of the crease. Ruutu snaps it by the glove hand of a scrambling Fleury. Picard and Lovejoy were out of position, but Fleury is to blame on that one. Just a bad puck-handling play. Jokinen and Ponikarovsky get assists. Fire Ray Shero. Penguins 4-2.

3:35: Eric Staal is doing everything he can to get a third goal for his team. He weaves his way through the defense and undressed Despres with a nice inside-out move in the left circle. He tries to tap a backhander to the slot but Michalek slides down to block it. Despres owes Michalek a beer.

2:49: The Hurricanes have a little bit of life here as Neal is called for slashing. Ruutu. Jordan Staal, Orpik, Michalek and Dupuis take the ice.

2:44: A wrister by McBain from the top of the slot is tipped wide to the left of the cage.

2:28: Peters is pulled for an extra attacker.

2:01: Orpik blocks a wrister by Harrison in the right circle. Dupuis hustles after the rebound and flings it down ice.

1:02: Sutter chops a half slapper from the left circle. Despite not having a stick, Michalek is able to drop to his knees and block it.

0:49: Neal returns to the ice. The Penguins did a solid job preventing the Hurricanes from really doing anything with that chance.

0:00: End of gmae. Mike Lange informs us of Elvis' whereabouts. That lame "PIIITTTTSSSSBUUUURGGH" song is played. Penguins 4, Hurricanes 2.

POSTGAME

-The final score of this game should probably read Penguins 4, Justin Peters 2. The Hurricanes left poor Peters out to dry most of the game. He gave a valiant effort but eventually, things kind of caved in on him at the end.

-After the game, Hurricanes coach Kirk Muller admitted his team was a little fatigued having had to travel after a hard-fought game against the Devils last night. Dan Bylsma wouldn't really admit, but his team realized the Hurricanes were a little worn out from the opening draw and took advantage. The Penguins were just on all sorts of loose puck and just had a little extra jump than the Hurricanes. They had the benefit of rest and took full advantage of it.

-James Neal and Evgeni Malkin are just scary right now. With all due respect to Claude Giroux and Jaromir Jagr in Philadelphia or Joffrey Lupul and Phil Kessel in Toronto, there probably isn't a better tandem of scorers in the NHL right now. Add Chris Kunitz blend of scoring touch and tenacious forechecking, and you have a pretty darned good line right now.

-After tonight's game, Neal (150) and Malkin (139) lead the league in shots. The last teammates finish No. 1 and 2 in shots were the Blues' Brendan Shanahan (397) Brett Hull (392) in 1993-94.

-Tyler Kennedy had a strong game also. He was a shot machine as he fired all sorts of pucks from all sorts of angles. He created quite a few things with his hustle. And his pass to set up Pascal Dupuis for a goal was pretty sweet.

-The power-play goal by Steve Sullivan pretty much shifted everything in the Penguins' favor tonight. Peters didnt' make a great play on the shot by Sullivan and that seemed to knock him off whatever groove he was in because he was shaky from that point on.

-The Penguins' blue line was solid all around. With the exception of Zbynek Michalek's turnover which led to the goal by Tim Brent, the Penguins' defensemen really limited their errors.

-The Penguins' second line of Jordan Staal, Kennedy and Pascal Dupuis was strong defensively. It paid a heavy role.

-The Penguins dominated shots, 52-18.

-The Penguins' franchise record for shots is 65, set against the Capitals in a 12-1 win, March 15, 1975.

-Neal led the game with nine shots.

-Tuomo Ruutu and Chad LaRose led the Hurriacnes with three each.

-Justin Faulk led the Hurricanes with 23:33.

-Brooks Orpik led the Penguins with 22:38.

-The Hurricanes controled faceoffs, 38-31 (55 percent).

-Jussi Jokinen was 12 for 19 (63 percent).

-The great Joe Vitale was 5 for 11 (55 percent).

-Michalek and Jay Harrison each led the game with four blocked shots.

-Jordan Staal appeared in his 400th career game.

-Malkin moved into a tie with Jean Pronovost for ninth-most assists in franchise history (287).

-Kennedy (141 points) moved ahead of Vic Hadfield (140), Kevin Hatcher (140) and Dupuis (140) for 55th place on the franchise's all-time scoring list.

-Kunitz moved ahead of Gregg Sheppard for 65th place. Both players have 123 points, but Kunitz (55) has more goals than Sheppard (50).

-Game summary.

-Event summary.

-Highlights: