Penguins vs. Blue Jackets: 3 things you need to know

EAST
BOS vs. DET | TBL vs. MTL
PIT vs. CBJ | NYR vs. PHI
WEST
ANA vs. DAL | SJS vs. LAK
COL vs. MIN | STL vs. CHI

The Pittsburgh Penguins are looking to make progress with their eighth playoff appearance in the last eight seasons when they face the Columbus Blue Jackets. While the Penguins can be considered playoff veterans, the Blue Jackets are making their first playoff appearance since 2008-09.

Pittsburgh hosts Columbus Wednesday evening opening up their seven-game series. Here are three things you need to know:

Fleury vs. Bobrovsky

It's not going to be easy to score goals against either team with the performances fans have been treated to by goaltenders Marc-Andre Fleury and Sergei Bobrovsky.

Through 58 games played, Bobrovsky has a record of 32-20-5 with a .923 save percentage. He is the reigning Vezina Trophy winner as the league's best goaltender and has shown no signs of slowing down. Marc-Andre Fleury has a similar record to Bobrovsky, 39-18-5, with a .915 save percentage. Both goaltenders have five shutouts on the season.

In Fluery's last ten games he has a record of 5-3-2, while Bobrovsky holds a 6-3-1 record through his last ten.

Will Malkin be ready to go?

Evgeni Malkin has been dealing with a foot injury that sidelined him for what was expected to be two-to-three weeks at the end of March. Since then, Malkin made his first appearance at practice Sunday.

With the return of defenseman Kris Letang, Malkin would be a welcome addition to the team as captain Sidney Crosby has shouldered the load scoring 16 points in his last 15 games. Without Malkin, the Penguins will rely on James Neal who has 12 points in his last 15 games to fill the gap.

If Malkin is absent for the first few games of the series, it could be a blessing for the Blue Jackets who are without Nathan Horton who underwent abdominal surgery. Nick Foligno, lower-body injury, and Ryan Murray who has a sore knee, are both questionable for Game One.

Blue Jackets struggle against Penguins

The Blue Jackets failed to solve the Penguins through the entire regular season coming close on two occasions but never winning. The Penguins outscored the Blue Jackets 16-7 through their five-game regular season series.

The Penguins finished first in their division with 109 points, placing them second in the Eastern Conference. The Blue Jackets had a tougher road as they clinched the seventh playoff spot with 93 points.

Both teams have never met in the playoffs.

Schedule