The Confluence
Entries with the tag: NHL-Hockey
Pens’ Malkin To Undergo Knee Surgery Thursday; Rehab Period Will Be Six Months
by Tony on 02/09/11 at 02:41 PM ET
Comments (18)
From the Penguins:
Pittsburgh Penguins forward Evgeni Malkin will undergo surgery Thursday to repair a torn ACL and torn MCL in his right knee, the team announced today.
Malkin’s rehabilitation period will take six months, and he will be ready for the start of training camp in September, general manager Ray Shero said.
Malkin, 24, the 2009 NHL scoring champion and Conn Smythe Trophy winner as MVP of the playoffs, suffered the injury during Friday’s game against Buffalo at CONSOL Energy Center.
He had 15 goals and 22 assists for 37 points in 43 games this season.
Filed in: Pittsburgh Penguins | The Confluence | Permalink
Tags: NHL-Hockey, Pittsburgh+Penguins,
Bylsma Discusses Malkin Injury, Moving Forward
by Tony on 02/05/11 at 10:15 PM ET
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Tags: NHL-Hockey, Pittsburgh+Penguins,
Bylsma: Malkin with Torn ACL and MCL
by Tony on 02/05/11 at 12:58 PM ET
Comments (42)
Per the Penguins’ Twitter, center Evgeni Malkin has both a torn ACL and MCL.
HCDB:
“Evgeni Malkin had an MRI this morning. The results show that he has a torn MCL and ACL. At this point in time we are discussing options with the doctors on what to do next.
“This is a difficult injury for him. It was kind of a fluke situation going into the boards with a guy. That’s a tough injury for Geno. We have dealt with games without him. We’ve managed to find our way without him. That’s what we’re going to have to look at now.
“We’re discussing options with our doctor. Surgery is a possibility. I’m not sure if there is a rehab possibility. But right now I just got the news on the MRI.”
Filed in: Pittsburgh Penguins | The Confluence | Permalink
Tags: NHL-Hockey, Pittsburgh+Penguins,
Penguins’ Talented Youth Blocked by Plethora of Grinders
by Tony on 02/05/11 at 11:25 AM ET
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The Penguins’ rash of injuries has created quite a few golden opportunities for a few of their top prospects to show they belong with the big boys in Pittsburgh, rather than languishing in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. And for the most part, just about every one of them has done an admirable job.
But eventually (one would hope) the Pens will get healthy once and for all. After all, there have been only two games this season in which Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Jordan Staal have been on the ice together (New Years Day and Jan. 5th, if you’re curious).
And when that happens, most of the youngins will take that trek back east on I-80 to the AHL.
It’s not that they played poorly, not because they don’t deserve to be a regular player in the NHL, but because the Penguins roster as it is currently made up is over-loaded with veteran grinders.
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Tags: NHL-Hockey, Pittsburgh+Penguins,
Malkin Back Friday vs. Buffalo, But Letestu out 4-6 Weeks for Surgery
by Tony on 02/03/11 at 12:56 PM ET
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According to HDCB, the Penguins will get Evgeni Malkin back for their home game Friday vs. Buffalo, but that news is tempered by Mark Letestu now being out of the lineup for 4-6 weeks after requiring knee surgery (assumption on the knee part).
In addition, HCDB stated that Arron Asham is considered day-to-day with an upper-body injury (believed to be shoulder).
No further updates on Sidney Crosby, other than he “continues his functional rehab and light exercises”.
Filed in: Pittsburgh Penguins | The Confluence | Permalink
Tags: NHL-Hockey, Pittsburgh+Penguins,
Penguins’ Injuries Continue to Mount, Tangradi Recalled
by Tony on 02/02/11 at 10:13 AM ET
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The Penguins might just get Evgeni Malkin back tonight vs. the Islanders, that is if his knee, sinuses and whatever else has been ailing him is better.
But with Mark Letestu’s skate getting caught in a rut in the MSG ice yesterday morning, plus Arron Asham suffering a upper-body injury during last night’s shootout win over the Rangers, the Penguins must make yet another call-up.
Joining Wilkes-Barre teammate Dustin Jeffrey, who scored the only goal in the shootout last night, will be power forward Eric Tangradi.
By the way, HCDB had an interesting quote in reference to Letestu’s injury, saying “For Mark we haven’t evaluated where it’s at,” Bylsma said. “I don’t expect him for Wednesday. We’ll see what our doctors say and hopefully it’s better than what it looks like right now.”
Filed in: Pittsburgh Penguins | The Confluence | Permalink
Tags: NHL-Hockey, Pittsburgh+Penguins,
Penguins Rank No. 1 in Local TV Ratings Among U.S.-based NHL teams in 2010
by Tony on 01/31/11 at 10:15 AM ET
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From the Penguins:
The Pittsburgh Penguins ranked No. 1 in local television ratings among U.S.-based NHL teams in the calendar year 2010, according to Nielsen’s “State of the Media: Year in Sports 2010,” published in the Sports Business Journal.
The Penguins had an 8.0 rating on FSN Pittsburgh to lead the way in 2010. Rounding out the top five were the Buffalo Sabres at 6.3, the Detroit Red Wings at 3.9, the Chicago Blackhawks at 2.6 and the Boston Bruins at 2.3.
“The loyalty and passion of Penguins fans never cease to amaze us,” said David Morehouse, CEO and President of the Penguins. “This gives us another opportunity to say thank you to the greatest fans in hockey.”
Filed in: Pittsburgh Penguins | The Confluence | Permalink
Tags: NHL-Hockey, Pittsburgh+Penguins,
Fleury Turning Rocky Start Into Career Year
by Tony on 01/26/11 at 07:50 PM ET
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I quickly did a search of articles I’ve written in the 2 1/2 seasons here at KK, and there are no fewer than five articles I’ve done here at The Confluence that are criticizing Penguins goalie Marc-Andre Fleury in one way or another.
Not that I’m back-peddling on those at all, mind you.
But I’ve always said that I’ll praise a player with the same respect that I constructively criticize. So having said that, it’s only fair that I type yet another Marc-Andre Fleury article, but this time it’s one of praise.
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Tags: NHL-Hockey, Pittsburgh+Penguins,
Penguins Announce Crosby to Miss All-Star Game
by Tony on 01/24/11 at 02:07 PM ET
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Continue Reading for Penguins’ Official Statement:
Filed in: Pittsburgh Penguins | The Confluence | Permalink
Tags: NHL-Hockey, Pittsburgh+Penguins,
Confluence Live Blog from the Consol Energy Center
by Tony on 01/22/11 at 06:32 PM ET
Comments (4)
Greetings from Bloggers Night here on press row of the Consol Energy Center as the Penguins host the Carolina Hurricanes. Joining myself are Derek and Adam from Pensblog and Jesse from Faceoff Factor. It should be a fun night.
As I did during my last bloggers visit, rather than a play-by-play live blog, just going to jot down various observations during the night.
And here we go:
Filed in: Pittsburgh Penguins | The Confluence | Permalink
Tags: NHL-Hockey, Pittsburgh+Penguins,
Purchase Penguins and Steelers Tickets Right Here with TiqIQ
by Tony on 01/20/11 at 05:36 PM ET
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Excited to partner up here at KK with TiqIQ. I’ve asked them to also include Steelers tickets as well (not exactly stampedes for Pirate tickets nowadays). For tickets to the AFC Championship game, click here. Now, no need to separately go to Ebay, Stubhub, or the other ticket buying sites. One-stop shopping right here.
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5. All-in Pricing Option: Before you complete your sale you’ll be able to tell exactly how much your tickets will cost including all service and shipping fees.
Filed in: Pittsburgh Penguins | The Confluence | Permalink
Tags: NHL-Hockey, Pittsburgh+Penguins,
Malkin Out Thurs. at New Jersey with Undisclosed Injury
by Tony on 01/19/11 at 12:48 PM ET
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Per the Penguins’ Twitter account, center Evgeni Malkin will miss Thursday’s game in New Jersey with an undisclosed injury.
Filed in: Pittsburgh Penguins | The Confluence | Permalink
Tags: NHL-Hockey, Pittsburgh+Penguins,
“Pens & Pins” Help the Make-A-Wish Foundation
by Tony on 01/19/11 at 10:33 AM ET
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From PensTV’s Katie O’Malley:
Filed in: Pittsburgh Penguins | The Confluence | Permalink
Tags: NHL-Hockey, Pittsburgh+Penguins,
Penguins Sign Center Mark Letestu to Two-Year Contract Extension
by Tony on 01/18/11 at 09:40 PM ET
Comments (7)
From the Penguins:
The Pittsburgh Penguins have signed center Mark Letestu to a two-year contract extension, it was announced today by executive vice president and general manager Ray Shero.
The new contract goes into effect at the start of the 2011-12 season and will run through 2012-13. The average annual value of the deal is $625,000 over the term of the contract.
Letestu, 25, is in his first full season with Pittsburgh. He has nine goals and 19 points in 46 games this year. He ranks eighth in goals, 10th in scoring and second (tied) with three game-winning goals among all NHL rookies.
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Tags: NHL-Hockey, Pittsburgh+Penguins,
Crosby on ASG Snub Column: “Not Even Close” to Being Accurate
by Tony on 01/18/11 at 01:45 PM ET
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Filed in: Pittsburgh Penguins | The Confluence | Permalink
Tags: NHL-Hockey, Pittsburgh+Penguins,
Audio of XM’s “War Room” Interview
by Tony on 01/18/11 at 12:24 PM ET
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Here’s the links for my interview this morning with XM Home Ice’s “War Room” with Mick Kern and Peter Berce.
If you want to download it, or your Media Player doesn’t work, here’s that link:
http://www.kuklaskorner.com/media/tfwr.mp3
CORRECTION: In the interview I mentioned Crosby went bowling last night, when in fact he was in attendance but didn’t actually bowl.
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Tags: NHL-Hockey, Pittsburgh+Penguins,
Penguins Recall Forward Dustin Jeffrey
by Tony on 01/15/11 at 11:43 AM ET
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From the Penguins:
The Pittsburgh Penguins have recalled forward Dustin Jeffrey from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of American Hockey League, it was announced by executive vice president and general manager Ray Shero.
Jeffrey, 22, has appeared in four games with Pittsburgh this season. He recorded his first career two-point game with a goal and an assist Dec. 11 at Buffalo.
Jeffrey (6-foot-1, 205 pounds) ranks sixth in the AHL in scoring with 39 points (13G-26A) through 36 games. He also ranks second in the league in shorthanded goals with five, while ranking ninth (tied) in assists (24) and eighth in shots with 130.
Jeffrey, Pittsburgh’s sixth-round pick (171st overall) in the 2007 Entry Draft, currently paces WBS in assists (24), points (39), shorthanded goals (5) and shots (130).
Filed in: Pittsburgh Penguins | The Confluence | Permalink
Tags: NHL-Hockey, Pittsburgh+Penguins,
As Trade Deadline Nears, Which Penguins Should Be Nervous?
by Tony on 01/14/11 at 07:46 PM ET
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Yeah, we’re still six weeks away from the excitement that is NHL Trade Deadline Day on February 28th.
But that doesn’t mean that the wheels aren’t starting to spin in the respective General Manager’s offices around the NHL. They might not be close to many deals, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t busy. They’re discussing deal parameters, team needs, salary cap implications, contract expirations, minor league rosters and numerous other intangibles.
So shazam, you’re GMRS. You’re looking to tweak your roster to hopefully improve your team for a long playoff run and another Stanley Cup.
Whatcha gonna do?
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Tags: NHL-Hockey, Pittsburgh+Penguins,
Inconsistency Continues to Plague Malkin
by Tony on 01/10/11 at 11:11 AM ET
Comments (4)
15 goals, 19 assists for 34 points. Nearly averaging a point a game. Selected to the All-Star Game in Raleigh.
Hey, this guy’s having a damn good year, eh?
Well, if you’re most NHL players, absolutely. But if you’re Evgeni Malkin, winner of several NHL awards in the past, making $8.7 million through the 2013-2014 season, not so much.
Filed in: Pittsburgh Penguins | The Confluence | Permalink
Tags: NHL-Hockey, Pittsburgh+Penguins,
Dan Shaughnessy Is Awful
by Tony on 01/07/11 at 05:50 PM ET
Comments (3)
From Deadspin.com’s Drew Magary:
I thought that the end of newspapers would end up making Shaughnessy’s particular brand of blithering local asshattery extinct. But no. Now, for reasons unexplained to the world, he’s allowed to piss all over SI.com as well, declaring the Winter Classic passé now that it’s not being played in his precious, precious hometown:
Let’s start with the host city. OK, professional hockey was born in Pittsburgh 100 years ago, but it’s simply not a metropolis we associate with hockey.
Think about how stupid that last sentence is. Think of the time Shaughnessy has to spend NOT thinking to write that sentence, instead daydreaming of Babe Ruth reading one of his terrible books and someone buying him hair relaxer for Father’s Day. It’s Pittsburgh. It’s as decent a hockey town as any other. Especially when compared to Boston, which NO ONE thinks of as a hockey town. BUT THEY HAVE BAWBBY FACKIN’ ORR-AH!!!! THE HOCKEY TED WILLIAMS!
Filed in: Pittsburgh Penguins | The Confluence | Permalink
Tags: NHL-Hockey, Pittsburgh+Penguins,
Tampa Bay Lightning D Victor Hedman on Crosby injury
by Tony on 01/07/11 at 05:42 PM ET
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From TampaBay.com’s Damian Cristodero:
Hedman said he hardly remembers the hit, and of what he does recall he does not believe he hit Crosby that hard. “I don’t really remember the play,” Hedman said of the hit Wednesday (actually more a push) from behind into the end boards at the Consol Energy Center during Pittsburgh’s 8-1 win. “It was just a hit. I never am going to go in and try to hurt somebody. It’s too bad he got a concussion. It wasn’t on purpose. I’m sorry he got a concussion.”
The question is did Hedman’s hit cause the injury (Crosby actually played after the hit which was not to Crosby’s head though it seemed his face hit the glass) or was it a result of a much more serious hit dished out by Washington’s Dave Steckel during the Winter Classic? The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review said the Penguins indicated the injury was caused in the game with Tampa Bay but did not identify the specific play.
Lightning players seemed to think Hedman’s hit was too minor to have caused Crosby’s concussion, even if it is characterized as mild by the Penguins. The way Hedman recalls his hit is, “I obviously laid into him. But it’s just playing the game. So, it was a surprise (he was hurt). It’s part of the game.”
Filed in: Pittsburgh Penguins | The Confluence | Permalink
Tags: NHL-Hockey, Pittsburgh+Penguins,
Crosby Out “About a Week” With Mild Concussion
by Tony on 01/07/11 at 01:09 PM ET
Comments (38)
Updated with video of Hedman’s check in the Tampa Bay game Tuesday.
Penguins captain Sidney Crosby, who missed tonight’s 2-1 shootout loss to Montreal, will be out of the lineup for “about a week” after suffering a mild concussion, per Penguins head coach Dan Bylsma.
It hasn’t been confirmed, but as I commented in JJ’s Tampa post from last night, after finally seeing the play tonight (I missed it live);
Not a dirty play, but a boarding penalty…. Just a matter of the 6’6” Hedman checking the 5’11” Crosby with his face to the glass…..
Hedman doesn’t go for Crosby’s head, but merely brings his hands to his chest and follows through… The problem is that because of the height difference, his hands and then his helmet crush Crosby’s head pretty well against the glass….
Filed in: Pittsburgh Penguins | The Confluence | Permalink
Tags: NHL-Hockey, Pittsburgh+Penguins,
Penguins to be Tested in January
by Tony on 01/06/11 at 10:02 AM ET
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If you were to glance at the NHL scores last night and see the Penguins’ 8-1 trouncing of the Lightning at the CEC, you would have probably thought that Sidney Crosby had yet another big night.
That wasn’t the case, at least on the scoresheet. Crosby only had a mere assist in the Pens’ big win. That could bode well for the Penguins, who have seemingly always needed secondary scoring help. Sure, Tampa was gassed from their 1-0 overtime win over Washington the night before. So let’s keep things in perspective.
But in the next few weeks we should get a pretty good idea of just what kind of team the Penguins have, as they face several of the top teams in the NHL.
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Tags: NHL-Hockey, Pittsburgh+Penguins,
Lemieux Reaches out to N.S. Player with Cancer
by Tony on 01/05/11 at 03:15 PM ET
Comments (1)
From CBCNews:
During a visit to the Penguins’ locker-room, Lemieux, an owner of the Penguins who battled Hodgkin’s disease in the 1990s when he was a player, spoke to Rumsby about his own experience with the disease.
“We talked a little bit about our treatments and he told me a little bit about what he went through, and I told him what I’ve gone through and what I’m gonna go through,” Rumsby said.
“It meant quite a bit because right from the beginning, when I found out I was going to have radiation, that was the first thing I thought was how Mario Lemieux had his. “It wasn’t a long, long conversation, but it was good,” said Rumsby, who was presented with a signed puck by Lemieux.
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Tags: NHL-Hockey, Pittsburgh+Penguins,
Four Penguins Named to 2011 All-Star Game
by Tony on 01/04/11 at 01:46 PM ET
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From the Penguins:
The Pittsburgh Penguins will be well represented at the 2011 NHL All-Star Game in Raleigh, North Carolina Jan. 30, as four players were selected to participate.
The NHL announced the first six players to be named to the All-Star Game via fan balloting, and four of those six players are Penguins. Forwards Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, defenseman Kris Letang and goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury were chosen through the NHL All-Star Fan Balloting presented by XM.
Crosby, the current goals (32) and points (65) leader in the NHL, was the top-voted player overall with 635,509 total votes. Fellow forward Malkin placed third in voting among forwards with 376,887.
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Tags: NHL-Hockey, Pittsburgh+Penguins,
Penguins Need More Scoring Than 87 + 71
by Tony on 01/04/11 at 01:13 PM ET
Comments (35)
Things could be worse in Penguinsland, to be sure. Tied for the most points in the Eastern Conference, only two behind Vancouver for most in the NHL. It’s not like things are in crisis mode, I get that.
But I was perusing the stats of the Penguins’ regular starting lineup, and while it certainly isn’t breaking news, the amount of “role players” is noteworthy. Of course, role players are an integral part of an NHL team. Role players help teams win a Stanley Cup.
However, I think it’s always a delicate balance for coaches and GM’s not to overload your roster with too many role players, especially if those role players don’t score other than every once in a while.
After all, you need to score to win.
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Tags: NHL-Hockey, Pittsburgh+Penguins,
Penguins Sign Defenseman Engelland to 3-Year Contract Extension
by Tony on 01/03/11 at 10:29 AM ET
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From the Penguins:
The Pittsburgh Penguins have signed defenseman Deryk Engelland to a three-year contract extension, it was announced today by executive vice president and general manager Ray Shero.
The new contract goes into effect at the start of the 2011-12 season and will run through 2013-14. The average annual value of the deal is $566,700 over the term of the contract.
With the signing, the Penguins have locked up all seven defensemen on their current roster to contracts beyond this season: Alex Goligoski (2011-12); Ben Lovejoy (2012-13); Brooks Orpik (2013-14); Kris Letang (2013-14); Engelland (2013-14); Paul Martin (2014-15); and Zbynek Michalek (2014-15).
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Tags: NHL-Hockey, Pittsburgh+Penguins,
Capitals Win Winter Classic over Penguins, 3-1
by Tony on 01/02/11 at 09:59 AM ET
Comments (7)
Well, it’s over. (And I’m sure many say, Thank Goodness)
Kudos to the Capitals for the win. To me, it became apparent as the game went on that the Caps did a much better job of adjusting to the ice and weather conditions than the Penguins. Specifically, give the Caps’ coaching staff credit, they soon realized that conditions made it near impossible that anyone was going to dangle threw the entire defense, and they simply set up a pseudo-trap that the Penguins never really countered.
Looked like a great atmosphere at Heinz Field for fans of both teams.
Some other observations:
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Tags: NHL-Hockey, Pittsburgh+Penguins, Washington+Capitals,
HBO And NHL Scoring With 24/7 Penguins/Capitals
by Tony on 01/01/11 at 01:52 PM ET
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From Forbes’ Mike Ozanian:
Early indications are HBO’s series 24/7 Penguins/Capitals is going to be a big success for both the Time Warner cable channel and the National Hockey League. Based on audience tracking to-date it is expected that episode 1 of 24/7 Penguins/Capitals will attract approximately 2.8 million viewers, including linear and on-demand viewing (the final HBO audience numbers will be tabulated when the series run is completed). In its second outing, 24/7 Penguins/Capitals held strong, with 555,000 viewers across its premiere and encore replay. And episode 2 of 24/7 Penguins/Capitals on Dec. 22 attracted the same premiere night viewers as Episode 1.
To give some perspective to these ratings, consider that the Dec. 14 contest that saw the Philadelphia Flyers stake past the Pittsburgh Penguins to the top of the Atlantic Division averaged 750,000 viewers on Comcast’s Versus network, according to Nielsen data, to rank as the most-watched regular-season NHL telecast in Versus history.
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Tags: NHL-Hockey, Pittsburgh+Penguins, Washington+Capitals,
Report: Jordan Staal to be in the Lineup Tonight vs. Capitals
by Tony on 01/01/11 at 11:24 AM ET
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According to various reports, Jordan Staal will in the lineup at tonight’s Winter Classic vs. the Capitals.
Filed in: Pittsburgh Penguins | The Confluence | Permalink
Tags: NHL-Hockey, Pittsburgh+Penguins, Washington+Capitals,
Winter Classic Alumni Game Highlights
by Tony on 12/31/10 at 01:18 PM ET
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Tags: NHL-Hockey, Pittsburgh+Penguins, Washington+Capitals,
Jordan Staal, Matt Cooke and Max Talbot with Heidi Androl
by Tony on 12/31/10 at 12:21 PM ET
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Tags: NHL-Hockey, Pittsburgh+Penguins, Washington+Capitals,
Winter Classic Alumni Game Streaming Live Now
by Tony on 12/31/10 at 09:48 AM ET
Comments (2)
You can watch the Winter Classic Alumni Game live right now on either http://nhl.com, http://penguins.nhl.com, or http://capitals.nhl.com
The game is currently tied at 3 in the first half.
Filed in: Pittsburgh Penguins | The Confluence | Permalink
Tags: NHL-Hockey, Pittsburgh+Penguins, Washington+Capitals,
“24/7” Episode 3: Now That’s Hockey
by Tony on 12/30/10 at 09:19 PM ET
Comments (7)
Naturally the third installment of HBO’s “24/7” focused much of the hour on the pre-Winter Classic showdown between the Penguins and Capitals at the Phone Booth, won by the Pens 3-2 in a shootout.
Of course, that wasn’t all that was shown. Plenty of other fascinating insight into both teams.
Some observations:
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Tags: NHL-Hockey, Pittsburgh+Penguins, Washington+Capitals,
Sidney Crosby Named Canada’s Male Athlete of the Year
by Tony on 12/30/10 at 07:12 PM ET
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From the Toronto Globe and Mail’s Chris Johnston:
Sidney Crosby’s entire year was defined by a split second at the end of February.
In the time it took the superstar forward to deftly corral Jarome Iginla’s pass and beat Ryan Miller between the legs, Crosby put an exclamation mark on the Vancouver Olympics and secured a spot in Canadian hockey lore. Not only did his overtime goal against the Americans clinch the men’s hockey gold medal for Canada, it sent the entire country into a jubilant frenzy on the final day of the Games.
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Tags: NHL-Hockey, Pittsburgh+Penguins,
Tangradi Embracing Ability as Power Forward
by Tony on 12/30/10 at 07:07 PM ET
Comments (1)
From NHL.com’s A.J. Atchue:
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton forward Eric Tangradi may only be 21 years old, but he’s already experienced a rollercoaster ride’s worth of emotions in his young hockey career.
For someone who was raised just outside of Philadelphia and grew up as a Flyers fan, not least among those emotions was the February 2009 trade which sent him from the Anaheim Ducks organization to the Flyers’ bitter cross-state rival, the Pittsburgh Penguins.
It isn’t easy getting people back home to turn in their Flyers orange for Penguins black and gold, but Tangradi is giving it his best shot anyway. “My parents and family were pretty easy to turn over to the Pittsburgh side, but my friends in Philly, I still haven’t gotten them on board quite yet,” he said. “Hopefully if I can make Pittsburgh a permanent home, that might get them to change their minds.”
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Tags: NHL-Hockey, Pittsburgh+Penguins,
Crosby’s Point Streak Halted at 25 Games
by Tony on 12/30/10 at 10:56 AM ET
Comments (15)
Penguins captain Sidney Crosby failed to score a point in the Pens’ lackluster 2-1 shootout loss to the New York Islanders in Long Island, stopping his point streak at 25 games.
That makes two straight disappointing road losses against teams the Penguins should beat, sandwiching the 6-3 home win against Thrashers that I attended on Tuesday night.
It was just one of those games for Crosby last night, including not only hitting the post early in the game, but having the puck bounce off his stick several times in the Isles’ zone.
Other notes:
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Tags: NHL-Hockey, Pittsburgh+Penguins,
Final Rosters Set For Pens-Caps Alumni Game Friday At 9:30 a.m. at Heinz Field
by Tony on 12/30/10 at 10:16 AM ET
Comments (2)
From the Penguins:
Final rosters have been set for the Penguins-Capitals alumni game Friday at 9:30 a.m. at Heinz Field – featuring the return to the ice of Penguins great Mario Lemieux.
The alumni game will be the first official event on the Winter Classic rink at Heinz Field.
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Tags: NHL-Hockey, Pittsburgh+Penguins, Washington+Capitals,
U.S. Seizes Fake Jerseys Ahead of NHL Winter Classic
by Tony on 12/29/10 at 04:00 PM ET
Comments (1)
From Reuters Canada:
U.S. authorities said on Wednesday they have seized shipments of counterfeit souvenirs, including National Hockey League jerseys ahead of the league’s Winter Classic game this weekend between the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Washington Capitals.
In the past month authorities in Pittsburgh scanned incoming packages for counterfeit goods and intercepted shipments from overseas of almost 800 fake items. The counterfeits included NHL and National Football League jerseys, hats, T-shirts and other souvenirs worth an estimated $100,000, the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency said.
Pittsburgh is hosting the Winter Classic game between the Penguins and Capitals on Saturday, New Year’s Day. The teams will play a rare outdoor game on an ice rink set up on the field of a professional football stadium, Heinz Field.
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Tags: NHL-Hockey, Pittsburgh+Penguins, Washington+Capitals,
Penguins Re-Assign goaltender John Curry
by Tony on 12/29/10 at 03:50 PM ET
Comments (1)
From the Penguins:
The Pittsburgh Penguins have re-assigned goaltender John Curry to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the American Hockey League, it was announced by executive vice president and general manager Ray Shero.
Curry, 26, has an 11-5 record with a 2.33 goals-against average, .913 save percentage and one shutout with WBS this season.
For more information please check http://www.pittsburghpenguins.com and the Penguins’ official Facebook and Twitter page.
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Tags: NHL-Hockey, Pittsburgh+Penguins,
Four Penguins Rank Among Potential All-Star Starters Entering The Final Week Of Voting
by Tony on 12/29/10 at 03:42 PM ET
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From the Penguins:
Penguins goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury earned more than 52,000 votes last week to move into the top spot among goaltenders with 311,623 votes heading into the final week of 2011 NHL All-Star Fan Balloting, presented by XM.
Fleury, who owns a 15-2-1 record, 1.82 goals-against average and .937 save percentage over his past 18 starts, joins fellow teammates Sidney Crosby (523,822), Kris Letang (391,525) and Evgeni Malkin (289,878) as potential All-Star Game Starters.
Crosby, who leads the NHL in both goals (30) and points (61), is the only player to cross the half-million mark in votes. He and Letang continue to rank Nos. 1-2 among overall vote-getters.
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Jordan Staal discusses his injury and possible return date
by Tony on 12/29/10 at 03:39 PM ET
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NHL’S Winter Classic/Heritage Classic Alumni Roster More Than 100 Strong
by Tony on 12/27/10 at 05:25 PM ET
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From the NHL:
The Pittsburgh Penguins and Washington Capitals who participate in the 2011 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic at Heinz Field will join a privileged group of 121 athletes currently on NHL rosters who have forged their own memories of playing in a special NHL game in a unique setting.
Since the NHL’s first outdoor game, the 2003 NHL Heritage Classic, was played in Edmonton, more than 150 players currently on NHL rosters have played in a major outdoor game—at least one from each of the League’s 30 Clubs.
A select 10 active NHL players have played in multiple major outdoor games, with St. Louis goaltender Ty Conklin the only man to have appeared in three. Those players who have dressed for two outdoor games include Boston teammates Michael Ryder and Daniel Paille, Buffalo’s Ryan Miller, Calgary’s David Moss, Dallas’s Adam Burish, Chicago defensemen Brian Campbell and Duncan Keith, Minnesota’s Eric Nystrom and Tampa Bay’s Adam Hall.
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Sidney’s Greatness
by Tony on 12/27/10 at 05:23 PM ET
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From Sportsnet.ca’s Mark Spector:
Today, the NHL’s portal into mainstream North American sports is Sid Crosby. He has become the one who scores the Olympic winner, the one on whose back we now ride through a modest, but fascinating, 24-game scoring streak.
It’s far from the record 51-gamer Gretzky weaved that distant winter, but for a hockey fan who hasn’t witnessed a streak of this magnitude in a generation (18 years), it’s Dream On as the NHL comes out of hibernation after the Christmas break.
“It’s hard for me to even to imagine,” Crosby said on a hastily conducted media conference call Monday. “Somebody watching Wayne Gretzky play every night and kind of expecting that after 41 games, to expect (a streak of) 41. Forty two, etc. To think he did that over the course of 51 games? I can’t even imagine that, really.”
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Penguins Re-assign forward Dustin Jeffrey
by Tony on 12/26/10 at 08:39 AM ET
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From the Penguins:
The Pittsburgh Penguins have re-assigned forward Dustin Jeffrey to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the American Hockey League, it was announced by executive vice president and general manager Ray Shero.
Jeffrey, 22, has appeared in three games with Pittsburgh this season. He recorded his first career two-point game with a goal and an assist Dec. 11 at Buffalo.
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10 Years Ago, Lemieux Super in Comeback
by Tony on 12/26/10 at 08:31 AM ET
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From the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review’s Kevin Gorman:
What made it so improbable wasn’t just that Lemieux returned at midseason, but he did so in a shroud of secrecy. He trained with former teammate Jay Caufield for a month before his intention was revealed, keeping it top secret at the dawn of the instantaneous news cycle.
Lemieux’s comeback became one of the first major sports stories to break on the Internet, as Kevin Allen posted it on USA Today’s website the morning of Dec. 7. Nowadays, in the never-ending rush to be first, it probably would have appeared as a rumor on a social network site or sports blog.
“It was an incredibly big story, as you can imagine,” Allen said. “It would be completely different now. Somebody would have Twittered it.”
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Round One Goes to the Penguins
by Tony on 12/24/10 at 09:38 AM ET
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Capitals fans spouted “We Want Pittsburgh” during their recent home win over the Devils.
Well, you got ‘em. Anything else we can help you with?
Helluva hockey game at the Phone Booth last night. Pascal Dupuis’ goal in the bottom of the 7th shootout frame gave the Penguins a 3-2 win over the Caps. The win was the third straight for the Penguins, who have now gone 17-2-1 in their last 20 games.
Notes:
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Various Media Platforms Ring In New Year with Blanket Coverage of Winter Classic
by Tony on 12/23/10 at 03:25 PM ET
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From the NHL:
Through its media and social networking platforms—NHL Network™, NHL.com, NHL Radio™ and NHL Mobile—the National Hockey League will provide fans with the most complete coverage surrounding the 2011 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic® as the Pittsburgh Penguins host the Washington Capitals at Heinz Field on New Year’s Day.
Star-laden lineups, fierce rivalries, a spectacular outdoor venue, unpredictable weather and a sold-out crowd of more than 65,000 passionate fans from Pittsburgh, Washington and beyond will combine to make the 2011 Bridgestone NHL Winter Classic a highlight on the North American sports calendar. In special programming over the days leading up to and following the main event, the League’s media platforms will cover the wealth of storylines and convey the on-site excitement.
The build-up begins tonight on NHL Network U.S. when Washington and Pittsburgh meet for the last time before the New Year’s Day extravaganza. NHL Network will have pre-game coverage beginning at 7 p.m. ET and live intermission studio reports from NHL On The Fly™.
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Penguins Recall Forward Dustin Jeffrey, Goaltender John Curry
by Tony on 12/23/10 at 01:22 PM ET
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From the Penguins:
The Pittsburgh Penguins have recalled forward Dustin Jeffrey and goaltender John Curry from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the American Hockey League, it was announced by executive vice president and general manager Ray Shero.
Jeffrey, 22, has appeared in three games with Pittsburgh this season. He recorded his first career two-point game with a goal and an assist Dec. 11 at Buffalo.
Jeffrey is the fourth (tied) leading scoring in the AHL and paces WBS with 32 points on 14 goals and 18 assists in 27 games. He also boasts a plus-5 rating, four power-play goals, five shorthanded goals and 99 shots.
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Winter Classic Public Skating Opens Friday at 3 p.m.
by Tony on 12/23/10 at 11:09 AM ET
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From the Penguins:
Winter Classic public skating will open Friday, Dec. 24 at 3 p.m. at the “Winter Classic Community Rink at Stage AE,” adjacent to Heinz Field.
The Christmas Eve public skating session will take place from 3-9 p.m. There will be a special “Skate With Santa” from 4-6 p.m.
The rink will be open for public skating and/or youth hockey every day through Jan. 2. The cost for public skating is $7 per session, and skate rental is $3.
The complete public skating schedule is:
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