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Comrie healthy scratch for Penguins, Crawford starts in goal for Chicago

Pittsburgh Penguins v Detroit Red Wings

DETROIT,MI - OCTOBER 3: of the Detroit Red Wings skates in a pre-season game against the Pittsburgh Penguins on October 3,2010 at the Joe Louis Arena in Detroit,Michigan. The Penguins defeated the Red Wings 5-2. (Photo by Claus Andersen/Getty Images)

Claus Andersen

A couple of tonight’s games are going to be a bit more intriguing thanks to some lineup decisions made this afternoon. In Pittsburgh, forward Mike Comrie will be a healthy scratch for the Penguins. That in itself is pretty big news except that Comrie is being replaced by enforcer Eric Godard.

Did we forget to mention the Penguins are playing the ever-truculent Maple Leafs? Yeah, that’s kind of a big deal for this decision. Still, Comrie is a guy counted on to be Crosby’s wingman and be an offensive producer for them. Sitting him down in favor of pugilist Godard is more than a bit curious. Also out of the lineup for Pittsburgh are defensemen Brooks Orpik and Zbynek Michalek. Newly recalled Andrew Hutchinson gets to make his debut with the Penguins tonight in Michalek’s place.

Goalie Jonas Gustavsson starts for Toronto, getting the nod over Jean-Sebastian Giguere. Gustavsson was likely going to start either this game or against the New York Rangers on Friday. Getting the nod against a fairly banged up Penguins squad isn’t the worst idea in the world.

In Chicago, goalie Corey Crawford will be making his second straight start for the Blackhawks. The Blackhawks say that Crawford’s start against Buffalo was predetermined, but this start against Nashville seems a bit strange. Crawford will be facing off against Predators backup goalie Anders Lindback who is replacing the injured Pekka Rinne. Backing up Lindback is former Colgate goalie Mark Dekanich. Neither Lindback nor Dekanich have ever started an NHL game.

It’s not a time to panic over starting goalie Marty Turco in Chicago but in his two starts against Colorado and Detroit, he was fighting the puck a bit and took the loss in both games. Crawford wasn’t a world beater against Buffalo but still managed to get the win.

You mean to say that the backup did about as well as the starter did and got rewarded with a win? Chicago fans should be used to this by now.