Atlanta has lost five of its past six games. Owns the third-highest goals-against average in the NHL. Is tied for last place in its division. It's easy to see why the Penguins would be envious.

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After all, they're winless in nine games, have the league's most bloated goals-against average and hold undisputed squatting rights to the bottom of the Atlantic Division.

They haven't just struggled through the first three weeks of this season; they've self-immolated.

Still, the Penguins (0-4-5) are only one point behind the Thrashers (3-6) going into their game at Mellon Arena tonight at 7:38, and actually could vault back onto the periphery of the Eastern Conference playoff field by winning a couple of games.

Goalie Sebastien Caron will get a chance to earn one of those victories tonight, when he makes his first start since Oct. 8. The Thrashers are expected to counter with Steve Shields, who recently signed with their American Hockey League affiliate in Chicago, and worked out an NHL contract with Atlanta yesterday.

Shields, who has a 3-2-2 career record against the Penguins, played in only a couple of minor-league games before being summoned to the Thrashers.

They turned to him when Adam Berkhoel and Michael Garnett, whose combined NHL experience is slightly more than 7.2 seconds, proved to be inadequate replacements for Kari Lehtonen and Mike Dunham, who are injured.

	SCOUTING REPORT Matchup: Atlanta Thrashers at Penguins, 7:38 p.m. today, Mellon Arena. TV, Radio: FSN Pittsburgh, WWSW-FM (94.5). Probable goaltenders: Sebastien Caron for Penguins. Steve Shields for Thrashers. Penguins: Have all-time record of 8-2 against Thrashers at Mellon Arena. ... LW Ryan Malone does not have an assist in nine games. ... C Sidney Crosby has gotten eight of his 12 points at even-strength. Thrashers: Are most penalized team in league, averaging 26.6 minutes per game. ... Road power play is tied for fifth-best in league, scoring on 7 of 31 chances (22.5 percent). ... RW Marian Hossa ranks among league leaders with 43 shots, despite scoring just three goals. Hidden stat: Penguins have been outshot, 18-2, in overtime.

Lehtonen is a sensational talent, and Dunham is a solid pro; Berkhoel and Garnett, between them, have faced 190 NHL shots. That is a good weekend's work for a Penguins goalie.

The Penguins probably would have preferred to save Caron for their game against Carolina Saturday because he stopped 31 of 33 shots during a shootout loss to the Hurricanes Oct. 7, but coach Eddie Olczyk decided to make a change after Jocelyn Thibault gave up a few suspect goals in a 4-3 overtime loss to Florida Tuesday.

"We expect [Caron] to play at his very best and give us an opportunity to win a hockey game," Olczyk said. "He's looked good in practice the last five or six days.

"I know it's been a while since he's seen a full game, but, with the way the schedule has been and is going to be, it's important that we get Sebastien a game. [Tonight] is his opportunity."

Caron said the Penguins' failure to win a game this season does not put additional pressure on him -- "It doesn't matter to me," he said. "You have to play well, no matter what" -- but the Thrashers have several forwards who could make it a miserable night for him.

Ilya Kovalchuk and Marian Hossa rank among hockey's most gifted goal-scorers, Peter Bondra has tormented the Penguins since he broke into the NHL and Marc Savard was tied for seventh in the NHL scoring race before last night.

"They've got some great players over there," Penguins forward Ryan Malone said. "I don't think we want to go up and down the ice with those guys."

That might be, but the Penguins have a few imposing forwards of their own. Trouble is, several have not performed to expectations, and one, Mario Lemieux, has been looking a lot like a 40-year-old about to appear in his 899th career game.

Lemieux, who is averaging 20:09 of ice time, said last week that he would like to reduce his workload, and reiterated that when asked about it again yesterday.

He said he has not discussed the issue with Olczyk, but added that, "I'm sure we'll talk about it as we go along."

Olczyk, though, believes that Lemieux's total playing time is misleading, because much of it comes when the Penguins have an extra man. Of the 21:09 Lemieux played during the Florida game, for example, 10:23 came on power plays.

"If you get seven or eight power plays, and he's on every one and he's out there an extra 15, 25 seconds, all of a sudden it adds up to 2¹/₂, three minutes," Olczyk said.

Getting some offense from Lemieux, who has been shut out in six of the first nine games, could help to rejuvenate the Penguins. So would good special-teams play at critical junctures, a few timely saves and a team-wide commitment to sound defense.

Do that, and the Penguins might be able to pull out of the worst start in franchise history and take the first steps toward being competitive before it's too late.