Penguins

-"The last three seasons have been really tough. You play that last regular-season game and then 16 other teams start to play the playoffs and you go home. That's the worst feeling you can have as a hockey player. It's great to have a chance again to go for the Cup, for the long run." - Jussi Jokinen (right) on missing the playoffs the past three seasons with the Hurricanes.

-Sidney Crosby will find out if he can play in Game 1 today.

-"They're a really tough team to match lines with. If it's not Crosby, they've got [Evgeni] Malkin on the other line. Whoever ends up going against their top guys has to take pride in playing without the puck, in defending. It's going to be a lot of hard work, but we've been doing that work the last month or so.'' - Islanders forward Frans Nielsen on facing the Penguins.

-Which is tougher for a player? Playing 48 games in a condensed schedule or 82 games in a spread-out schedule?

-A look at how Penguins and Islanders players did in head to head games this season.

-The Penguins have a pretty rotten postseason history against the Islanders.

-The Penguins will once again stage outdoor viewing parties at the site of the Civic Arena.

-Crosby speaks:

-Dan Bylsma speaks:

-Douglas Murray speaks:

-Mark Eaton speaks:

-Plum High School put together another fantastic Penguins-themed lipdub video:

-Warren Peters has been instrumental in the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins having a 2-0 series lead against the Binghamton Senators in their Eastern Conference quarterfinal series.

-Happy 38th birthday to former Penguins forward Steve Webb. Claimed off waivers from the Flyers early in the 2003-04 season, Webb's Penguins career amounted to five games and no points that campaign. At the trade deadline, he was dealt to the Islanders in exchange for Alain Nasreddine.

Atlantic Division

-"You talk to him sometimes and you think, all the expectations and the media and the coaches all [focusing] on this guy, and he's only 22 years old. He's 22. What the heck was I doing when I was 22?'' - Islanders goaltender Evgeni Nabokov on teammate John Tavares.

-Rangers forward Derek Dorsett is hoping to return to the lineup in the first round after recovering from a shoulder injury.

Northeast Division

-Bruins forward Nathan Horton (right) is still considered day to day as a result of a suspected hand injury he suffered against the Penguins earlier this month.

-Maple Leafs forward Tyler Bozak is dealing with a suspected shoulder injury as the postseason begins.

-A back injury is expected to keep Senators forward Jason Spezza sidelined as the postseason begins.

-“I don’t feel that there’s pressure on me. This is a team game and we win and lose as a team.” - Canadiens forward Carey Price on the postseason.

-The last time the Canadiens played an Ottawa Senators team in the postseason was 1927.

-A season ending press conference with Sabres executive Ted Black got nasty with some reporters.

Southeast Division

-Three Capitals coaches - head coach Adam Oates as well as assistants Calle Johansson (right) and Olaf Kolzig - had big roles in the franchise' only appearance in a Stanley Cup final in 1998.

-"Just count on your hand the amount of months before we play another meaningful game. It's unacceptable. You sit there and you really count it out: May, June, July, August, September. That's a long time, and something nobody in that room should ever accept." - Lightning coach Jon Cooper on missing the playoffs.

Central Division

-Blackhawks forward Dave Bolland and Ray Emery will miss Game 1 against the Wild due to "lower-body" injuries.

-"Me and Ray took a lot of scrutiny and a lot of heat after the season and throughout the summer. So for both of us to come back and prove to everyone we belong here and we can do the job means a lot." - Blackhawks goaltender Corey Crawford on criticism directed at himself and Emery.

-Blues forward T.J. Oshie said he's ready to return to the lineup after missing 15 games due to an ankle injury.

-“We expected production from Sergei and Craig Smith and we got none. Both those guys, we were looking at them to be top-six, top-seven forwards and we got no production. Craig Smith and Sergei were on power plays all year. I did it to try to get them going. I tried different things to get those guys going. I knew that we needed them because we score by committee and we had some committee members that didn’t get ‘er done.” - Predators coach Barry Trotz on forwards Sergei Kostitsyn and Craig Smith (right).

Northwest Division

-Wild forward Jason Pominville is expected to return to the lineup after missing the final two regular season games due to a suspected head injury.

-“In 2007 and 2008, I don’t think at that point I realized how big it is. But when the years go by and you get older, you do realize. The playoffs are cool. You want to be part of a winning team and know that every game every night matters.” - Wild captain Mikko Koivu on reacing the posseason for the firt time since 2008.

-The Wild recalled defenseman Marco Scandella from Houston of the AHL and assigned forward Stephane Veilleux to Houston.

-The Canucks are being really wishy-washy over the health of goaltender Cory Schneider.

Pacific Division

-“I get too worked up when we’re down a goal or the game is too quiet. I feel like I need to go out there and do something to get the momentum back — throw a big hit or score a goal. I’ve done a better job with that this year. I just don’t run around any more, and without the recklessness I’m still contributing in other ways and I still feel that I can create more.” - Sharks forward Raffi Torres (right) on cleaning up his game.

-Have the Sharks become Logan Couture's team as opposed to Patrick Marleau's or Joe Thornton's team?

-Sharks defenseman Jason Demers is dealing with a sprained ankle.

-The Sharks will wear their black jerseys for their home postseason games.

-“The bar is set high. I didn’t come here to be in the playoffs one year, lose another year, be in the playoffs two years, lose two years. That’s not why I came here. I came here to restore this franchise to what it was in Mike Modano’s years, Derian Hatcher’s years. We want to win here. The bar is going to be set high. We’re going to change the culture a little bit.” - New Stars general manager Jim Nill.

Adams Division

-The Post-Gazette's Dave Molinari takes a look at all eight quartefinal series.

-The NHL's draft lottery was held last night. The first first 14 selections are:

1. Avalanche
2. Panthers
3. Lightning
4. Predators
5. Hurricanes
6. Flames
7. Oilers
8. Sabres
9. Devils
10. Stars
11. Flyers
12. Coyotes
13. Jets
14. Blue Jackets

-TSN filmed this wonderful spoof of "The Hangover" with some members of the Kings:

(Photos: Jokinen-Bruce Bennett/Getty Images; Horton-Claus Andersen/Getty Images; Johansson-Rick Stewart/Allsport/Getty Images; Smith-Jeff Gross/Getty Images; Torres-Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

A quick look at how players currently on the active rosters of the Penguins and Islanders did in head to head games this season:

Penguins

Skaters:

Goaltenders:

Islanders

Skaters:

Goaltenders:

(Photo: Justin K. Aller/Getty Images)

The Penguins had six players appear in every game of this shortened but compacted 48-game schedule. For the sake of comparison, they only had four players appear in every contest of the typical 82-game slate in 2011-12.

Which is tougher to accomplish? The sprint of 48 games in 99 days with little in the ways of extended multi-day breaks or the marathon of 82 games over 185 days with trips to the Western Conference included?

The six players who appeared in all 48 games this season for the Penguins as well as the team's head coach recently weighed in on the difference

Pascal Dupuis (above, with Matt Cooke), RW - "We played the last 48 (games) in 103 (days) last year. It wasn’t any different for me than any other season for me travel-wise or game-wise. That’s what we did down the stretch basically (last season)."

Chris Kunitz, LW - "They’re all tough. This one obviously, there was hockey every day for 99 or 100-some days. There wasn’t many breaks in between until the end of the year. It was hockey all the time. You get home, you prepare for the next game and there was another game coming. It was different."

Tanner Glass, LW - "I’d say the 82 just by the sheer number of games. I got to 78 last year and broke my foot so I’ll say 82."

Brandon Sutter (right), C - "I think 82 is definitely a grind. I think if you ask around the room, a few of the guys would say they wish every year was 48 games. Eight-two [games] is long. You forget how long it is when you play a short season. Obviously we played a lot of games in a short amount of time [this season] but I think still the 82 games is definitely more of a challenge."

Craig Adams, RW - "I don’t know. I think each year is different whether you’re battling injuries or having to play though things or you’re playing well or not as well as you like. This season I’ve had a few things here and there just like everybody. It seems like it’s gone by quickly. It’s been a smooth ride."

Matt Cooke, LW - "I think they’re equally as hard and probably for different reasons. It’s tough to put a full season together. It’s not an easy thing to do."

Dan Bylsma, head coach - "This season playing all the games I think is more impressive. The amount of training camp and the situation coming into a season starting in January were generally speaking in not as good of shape as they would be coming into a September camp. Camp was only really six days. Players didn’t leave camp in the shape they would leave a full three-week camp. So to be able to play all 48 games in a shorter period of time is a bigger accomplishment than a regular 82-game season."

(Photos: Cooke/Dupuis-Claus Andersen/Getty Images; Sutter-Justin K. Aller/Getty Images)

Penguins

-Mark Eaton (right) sees similarities between this Penguins team and the 2009 squad.

-The Penguins will face the Islanders in the Eastern Conference quarterfinals.

-The entire schedule for the quarterfinal round.

-Could the Long Island marathon make things tricky for Game 3 at Nassau County Coliseum Sunday?

-Why did Root Sports switch from the Pirates game to the Penguins game Saturday?

-Jeff Zatkoff made 35 saves for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins in a 3-2 road win against the rival Binghamton Senators in Game 2 of their Eastern Conference quarterfinal series. The Penguins lead the best-of-five series, 2-0 and host Game 3 of the series, Thursday, 7:05 p.m.

-Former Penguins forward Petr Sykora has joined HC Pardubice of the Czech Extraliga.

-Today would've been the 75th birthday of former Penguins forward Mel Pearson. Claimed in the 1967 expansion draft from the Blackhawks, Pearson's Penguins career amounted to two games and one assist with the 1967-68 club. After being loaned for most of the next two seasons, he was traded to Portland of the WHL for cash during the 1969 offseason. He died in 1999 at the age of 60.

-Happy 52nd birthday to former Penguins forward Doug Shedden (right). A fifth-round pick in 1980, Redden spent parts of five seasons with the Penguins. As a rookie in 1981-82, Shedden saw action in 38 games and scored 25 points. He followed that up in 1982-83 by playing in 80 games and scoring a team-leading 67 points. During 1983-84, he was limited to 67 games and 57 points. In 1984-85, Shedden appeared in 80 games and contributed 67 points. After 67 games and 66 points in 1984-85, Shedden was traded to the Red Wings in exchange for Ron Duguay. In 332 games with the Penguins, Shedden scored 282 points, 23rd-most in franchise history. The first player in franchise history to score a home overtime goal in the regular season, Shedden is currently the coach of EV Zug in Switzerland.

Atlantic Division

-"We know what we can do, what we're trying to accomplish. If someone out there wants to underestimate us, so be it. We can't control that." - Islanders forward Michael Grabner on reaching the postseason.

-Flyers goaltender Ilya Bryzgalov had some strong parting words with the Philadelphia media:

-The Islanders recalled forwards Brock Nelson, John Persson, Ryan Strome, Johan Sundstrom, defensemen Matt Donovan, Calvin de Haan, Aaron Ness and goaltender Anders Nilsson from Bridgeport of the AHL.

Northeast Division

-Jean-Gabriel Paggeau and Kyle Turris each had a goal and an assist for the Senators in a 4-2 win against the Bruins. Erik Karlsson recorded two assists for Ottawa while teammate Robin Lehner made 34 saves. Dennis Seidenberg led Boston with a goal and an assist.

-Ottawa's Chris Neil and Boston's Milan Lucic had a spirited bout:

-Boston's Dennis Seidenberg got everything on this shot:

-Ottawa's Marc Methot > Boston's Wade Redden:

-The crew at TD Garden didn't wast time getting the ice ready for the playoffs:

-Boston's Tuukka Rask stopped Ottawa's Erik Condra here:

Southeast Division

-Capitals captain/forward Alex Ovechkin officially claimd the Maurice "Rocket" Richard award as the NHL's leading goal scorer with 32 goals.

-The Hurricanes assigned forwards Tim Wallace, Nicolas Blanchard and Jared Staal to Charlotte of the AHL.

Central Division

-Blackhawks goaltenders Corey Crawford (right) and Ray Emery claimed the William F. Jennings trophy after allowing a league-low 102 goals this season.

-The Blackhawks recalled defenseman Klas Dahlbeck and Dylan Olsen from Rockford of the AHL.

-“It’s something I’m sure everyone in this room has thought about over the last 12 months." - Blues defenseman Barrett Jackman on facing the Kings in the quarterfinal round. Los Angeles eliminated St. Louis from the postseason last year.

-"It was really tough for me to get out of bed today. It was easy every day leading up to it, but it was tough this morning getting up." - Blue Jackets coach Todd Richards on missing the playoffs.

-The Blue Jackets assigned forward Ryan Johansen and defenseman Dalton Prout to Springfield of the AHL.

-Predators goaltender Pekka Rinne revealed he's been dealing with an undisclosed injury most of the season.

-The Predators assigned forwards Daniel Bang, Taylor Beck, Kevin Henderson, Chris Mueller, Joonas Rask and defenseman Victor Bartley to Milwaukee of the AHL.

Northwest Division

-“I’m not going to name any names, but there were definitely some other guys who could have been scratched." - Oilers defenseman and former Penguin Ryan Whitney (right) on being a healthy scratch multiple times this season.

-After head coach Joe Sacco was fired, Eric Lacroix, the Avalanche's vice president of hockey operations, resigned.

-EN Says: The Avalanche needed some major changes. At one time, the Avalanche was the model franchise in the NHL. Now, it's routinely in "contention" for the top pick in the draft.

Pacific Division

-“I had a list of candidates and when it became clear that Jim Nill would be interested in leaving Detroit and coming here, I threw the list away. I think he is without a doubt he best candidate to take his job.” - Stars owner Tom Galiardi on new general manager Jim Nill who previously served as the Red Wings' assistant general manager.

-EN Says: The Stars have been spinning their wheels for the past five seasons. The haven't progressed or even regressed during that time. Nill, who was seemingly destined to be a general manager for several years, should provide a sense of direction for this wayward franchise.

-“I think I need a little time to enjoy my kids, It’s a big commitment and one that I took seriously and put a lot of time and effort into. But I think it’s time that my kids get to see their dad a little more.” - Joe Nieuwendyk on being fired as Stars general manager.

-The Stars assigned forwards Alex Chiasson, Reilly Smith and defenseman Alex Chiasson to Texas of the AHL.

IIHF World Championships

-Team Canada named goaltenders Devan Dubnyk (Edmonton), Michael Garnett, (Traktor Chelyabinsk - KHL), Mike Smith (Phoenix Coyotes NHL), defensemen T.J. Brodie (Flames), Brian Campbell (Florida), Brenden Dillon (Dallas), Jay Harrison (Carolina), Stéphane Robidas (Dallas), Luke Schenn (Philadelphia), Justin Schultz (Edmonton), forwards Matt Duchene (Colorado), Jordan Eberle (Edmonton), Claude Giroux (Philadelphia), Taylor Hall (Edmonton), Andrew Ladd (Winnipeg), Ryan O'Reilly (Colorado), Matt Read (Philadelphia), Wayne Simmonds (Philadelphia), Jeff Skinner (Carolina), Eric Staal (Carolina), Jordan Staal (right) (Carolina) and Steven Stamkos (Tampa Bay) to its roster for next month's IIHF World Championships.

-Hurricanes defensemen Justin Faulk and Tim Gleason will play for the United States while forward Jiri Tlusty will play for the Czech Republic.

-Panthers forward Tomas Fleischmann (Czech Republic), Marcel Goc (Germany), Nick Bjugstad (United States), Tomas Kopecky (Slovakia) and goaltender Jacob Markstrom (Sweden) will play in the tournament.

(Photos: Eaton-Harry How/Getty Images; Shedden-Penguins Hockey Cards; Senators/Bruins-Steven Senne/Associated Press and Jared Wickerham/Getty Images; Crawford-Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images; Whitney-Perry Nelson/Getty Images; Staal-Claus Andersen/Getty Images)