Penguins-Blue Jackets preview

Here are some news and notes, stats and quotes to get you ready for Game 4 tonight between the Penguins and Columbus Blue Jackets at Nationwide Arena.

**The Penguins lead the series, 2-1. Each game has ended 4-3, and in each game the losing team has blown a 3-1 lead. “I think that’s just kind of an odd stat right now.” Blue Jackets winger R.J. Umberger said. “I think if you’ve got a 3-1 lead, you’d take your chances with that. It’s a pretty good thing.”

**The 3-1 lead the Penguins really want is in the series with a win tonight, which would give them a chance to close out the series Saturday in Game 5. “We’d like to go up, 3-1, going back home,” center Sidney Crosby said.

**The goaltending matchup is expected to remain the same – Marc-Andre Fleury for the Penguins vs. Sergei Bobrovsky for the Blue Jackets. As for the lineup, Columbus coach Todd Richards said he doesn’t see any changes, so defenseman Fedor Tyutin is still out. Coach Dan Bylsma declined to talk about his lineup, but judging from the game-day skate it doesn’t look as if forwards Brian Gibbons, Marcel Goc or Chris Conner will return from injury. Bylsma coyly said he could see a possibility of Goc playing in Round 1. The catch is, just how much longer the series will last.

**The Penguins are 25-26 all-time in Game 4s, including 17-14 on the road.

**The Penguins have won six games in a row at Nationwide Arena, including the regular season, and are 8-2-1 there all-time.

**Defensemen have accounted for 14 points for the Penguins through three games, including six from Paul Martin. The flip side is that Kris Letang is not one of the defensemen with any points, and elite forwards Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, James Neal and Chris Kunitz have combined for eight assists and no goals. Crosby does, however, have a 13-game points streak, including the regular season. “It doesn’t matter whether they’ve been cold or they’ve been hot; they’re dangerous when they’re on the ice,” Richards said. Added Crosby, “I’d like to think if we get those chances consistently, we’re going to score.”

**Martin leads the Penguins in ice time with an average of 28 minutes, 50 seconds.

**Faceoffs have favored Columbus. The Blue Jackets have won 107 of 205 draws (52.2 percent). During special teams play, Columbus has won 34 of 58 (58.6 percent).

**The Blue Jackets were credited with an astounding 65 hits in Game 3. For the series, Columbus has nearly double the number of hits as the Penguins, 164-87. Brandon Dubinsky (22), Derek MacKenzie (18) and Blake Comeau (17) lead Columbus. Dating to the regular season, the Blue Jackets have outhit the Penguins in nine meetings in a row. “It’s been a part of our game all season,” MacKenzie said. “I don’t think it’s anything that we’re necessarily really focused on.”