Peter Diana, Post-Gazette Michel Ouellet, Penguins winger on scoring a goal Tuesday against the Islanders. Click photo for larger image. Related articles Penguins Notebook: Shero blasts Blake's spearing of Crosby SCOUTING REPORT Matchup: Penguins at Boston Bruins, 7:08 p.m. today, TD Banknorth Garden, Boston. TV, radio: FSN Pittsburgh, WXDX-FM (105.9). Probable goaltenders: Marc-Andre Fleury for Penguins. Tim Thomas for Bruins. Penguins: Lost to Boston, 4-3, in shootout Nov. 22. ... Are tied for league-high five short-handed goals on the road. ... RW Mark Recchi has 37 goals, 74 points in 69 career games vs. Bruins. Bruins: Were 1-2-1 in four games before playing at Buffalo last night. ... Are 4-0 vs. Penguins at home since February 2003. ... Have scored just one short-handed goal at home. Hidden stat: Boston's team goals-against average of 3.53 was second-highest in the NHL before last night.

Yeah, Michel Ouellet heard the whispers.

Some of them were even coming from him.

"I was thinking, 'I have to score, I have to score, I have to score,' " Ouellet said yesterday after the Penguins' practice, a day after he did just that.

For much of this season -- Ouellet knows a lot of people think it has been too much for a second-line player -- he has been a goal-scoring winger with far too few goals.

After getting six goals in the Penguins' first 14 games, his stick went quiet. He didn't score for eight games with time off in the middle of that stretch for a shoulder injury. Then, he did not score for 12 games, until he knocked in a rebound from a scramble in front of the New York Islanders' net Tuesday in the second period of a 5-2 win.

"It felt good," Ouellet said. "I know I'm supposed to score. So, after I got that goal, it was like getting that monkey off of my shoulder."

Ouellet always has been a streaky scorer, but he doesn't have any answers for what switches things on and off. He's not the type to give in to superstition to try to change his luck.

He said coach Michel Therrien boosted his confidence in training camp, telling him to work at a steady pace.

That was effective for a while as Ouellet had 14 points in the first 17 games this season, including five two-point nights.

Then came a stretch of 16 games with just three points before he broke out of it with an assist last week at Florida, three assists Saturday at Philadelphia and a goal and an assist against the Islanders. That brings him to 23 points, sixth on the team, in 36 games.

"That's been his m.o. through his career so far, whether it's been in the minors or NHL," Penguins general manager Ray Shero said of Ouellet's confounding streakiness.

"The staff has worked with him whether it's conditioning, whether it's training, whether it's vitamins, whatever, to get him over the top.

"It's weird. I've watched him play in the minors, and he would have 15 goals over 25 games and just a few goals over the next 30. He's trying to figure it out, I'm sure, but it's good to see some production right now."

Ouellet's upswing correlates to his new line assignment with center Evgeni Malkin and converted center Jordan Staal, both rookies.

Ouellet likes the mix of size, speed and skill.

"We have good chemistry," he said. "We play well in both zones."

Especially when Ouellet is not in the Twilight Zone.

Therrien sometimes calls out players publicly as a means of motivation. It's usually the opposite with Ouellet, who gets a ton of support from his coach, not to mention consistent playing time and a spot on the power play. During Ouellet's recent dry spell, Therrien even gave him a long and loud vote of confidence.

The coach seemed relieved that Ouellet scored Tuesday.

"I know he hasn't put the puck in the net lately, but he had three assists in Philly and he had an assist in Florida," Therrien said. "We want him to score goals, but he's reliable defensively. He does the little things. He doesn't hurt you when he doesn't score."

Ouellet, who played for Therrien in Wilkes-Barre of the American Hockey League before both player and coach made it to the Penguins, said he has forged a good relationship with Therrien.

"I've played for him the past three or four years," Ouellet said. "He's always been nice to me. He asks for hard work, and that's what I'm doing."

The Penguins' fourth-round pick in the 2000 draft, Ouellet, 24, broke into the NHL last season, getting 16 goals and 32 points in 50 games for the Penguins.

Ouellet has played in 86 NHL games, the equivalent of barely more than a season, and has not played in every league building yet. Tonight will be his first visit to the TD Banknorth Garden to play Boston.

"He hasn't played a lot in the league, and he's trying to find his way," Shero said.

It felt good. I know I'm supposed to score. So, after I got that goal, it was like getting that monkey off of my shoulder."