Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: The Penguins realize that. Knew it long before their 2-0 loss to Tampa Bay at Mellon Arena last night, actually.
That wasn't much consolation, though, while they digested the details of a defeat that went down like a cup of rancid eggnog.
«They're at the bottom [of the overall standings], with the fewest wins," winger Ruslan Fedotenko said. «There's no excuse. We shouldn't come out flat like that, at home. It's just not acceptable.»
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The Penguins had a chance to grab the lead when Fedotenko sprung Petr Sykora behind the Tampa Bay defense at 5:05 of the second period, but Sykora's backhander sailed wide of the net.
Play went the other way and, 10 seconds later, Matt Pettinger took a feed from Paul Szczechura and beat goalie Marc-Andre Fleury for the only goal the Lightning would need.
«It was a quick turnaround and then, boom, they scored," Fedotenko said. «It's kind of tough to swallow.»

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: Fedotenko's goal came three minutes before Eaton's save.
Taking a feed from Malkin —- who increased his NHL-leading point total to 59 —- in the high slot, Fedotenko sent a low shot toward goaltender Scott Clemmensen.
«He made a save, but the puck just went through him," said Fedotenko, who couldn't celebrate until he had watched the puck scoot under Clemmensen and just inside the left post at 12:51 of the second period.
«I kept looking to see if it was going to go in," Fedotenko said.
«One-nothing, we'll take it.»

Sports Network: Pittsburgh made it a one-goal game at the 6:20 mark of the third as Miroslav Satan hit Fedotenko with a pass behind the defense and Fedotenko followed up his initial shot, which Sabourin stopped, and banged home the rebound.

Илья: Записал его интервью в перерыве между вторым периодом. Выкладывать? Кому-то интересно?

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: An interesting tone was set early when former Penguins winger and willing scrapper Colby Armstrong squared off with winger and definitive non-fighter Ruslan Fedotenko —- who promptly dropped Armstrong with a jab to the nose.
It provided a spark for the Penguins, but at a cost. Fedotenko left the game with what seemed to be a right hand injury and did not return.

Pittsburgh Tribune-Review: The win came at a cost, though. Forward Ruslan Fedotenko left the game after a first-period fight with Atlanta's Colby Armstrong. Forward Pascal Dupuis left the game in the second period with an undisclosed injury.
Fedotenko is believed to have broken a bone in his right hand after delivering a punch to Armstrong's nose. The Penguins would not confirm the injury due to a policy that does not require teams to disclose the nature of injuries. Fedotenko is scheduled to have X-rays taken.
In just his second NHL fight, Fedotenko surprised a few teammates and his coach when he dropped his gloves and his helmet.
«I think Armstrong got more surprised than me," Penguins coach Michel Therrien joked.
Fedotenko gave the Penguins an extra boost when his punch knocked Armstrong — a former Penguin — to the ice just 1:27 into the game. Fedotenko left the game after the fight favoring his hand, but not before he left an impression on his teammates.

The Tennessean: Penguins injuries: RW Pascal Dupuis (knee) is questionable; LW Ruslan Fedotenko (hand) and D Sergei Gonchar (shoulder) are out.

USATODAY: —LW Ruslan Fedotenko (right hand) is day-to-day. He was injured fighting Atlanta RW Colby Armstrong Jan. 6.

Pittsburgh Post-Gazette: Fedotenko skates

Penguins winger Ruslan Fedotenko, whose right hand was broken when he punched Atlanta right winger Colby Armstrong in a fight Jan. 6, skated by himself for about 15 minutes yesterday.
Fedotenko's hand remains severely swollen and he doesn't have clearance to carry a stick, but getting back on the ice is a significant milestone in his recovery.
Still, there is no word of a change in the original prognosis that he would be out four to six weeks.