News and Notes

Another bit of feedback from the recent survey was a request for me to get back to doing more "link" posts beyond the weekly Best of the Web. As I often say, ask and you shall receive:

CAPITALS 1, PENS 0 - Once again, the Penguins struggled to score goals, throwing 39 shots at Michal Neuvirth to no avail in the final regular season meeting between the two teams. This makes 14 consecutive games in which the Pens scored three goals or less in regulation, a streak that goes all the way back to a 4-1 win over Detroit on January 18. It was also the second straight shutout of the Penguins by Neuvirth. The Capitals have now won an astounding seven straight on the road against the Penguins, while coach Bruce Boudreau raised his career mark against Pittsburgh to an equally unreal 11-1-3.

Alex Ovechkin, of all people, had this game's only goal, his first point against Pittsburgh this season. Marc-Andre Fleury stopped 23 shots and nabbed third-star honors, but I'm sure he'd trade that in for a W, given the chance. Jordan Staal, who took a Kris Letang slapshot to the head on Sunday, did play and had five shots on goal, but the Pens' two new additions, James Neal, Matt Niskanen, did not. Expect to see them in the lineup when the Pens host San Jose on Wednesday. [PG, ESPN]

JAMES HARRISON had back surgery on Monday, which coach Mike Tomlin has labeled "a success". The surgery was delayed a week after Harrison was battling a fever. The procedure is known as a discectomy  and it was done to remove a piece of herniated disc off a nerve that had been bothering Harrison all season. [PG]

HEINZ FIELD was recently ranked fourth in a National Football Post list of the NFL's best stadiums. I'm absolutely certain that field conditions were not part of the criteria. [Yahoo!]