The Confluence
Entries with the tag: NHL-Hockey
First Round Home Playoff Online Average Ticket Prices
by Tony on 04/13/11 at 05:05 PM ET
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Courtesy of our friends at TiqIQ:
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Tags: NHL-Hockey, Pittsburgh+Penguins, Tampa+Bay+Lightning,
Encounter with Crosby warms the heart of Lisbon family
by Tony on 04/13/11 at 11:38 AM ET
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From the Lisbon, OH Morning Journal’s Samantha Cresanto:
Many of our locals know Kyle. As a family, we don’t ever go to the grocery store, the gas station, or out to dinner without running into someone who knows and warmly greets my brother. We’ve even been in airports, hundreds of miles away and even in another country, where we’ve run into people who shout from afar, “Kyle!” and then run up to give him a hug and ask how he is.
However, Sidney Crosby is not someone I would expect to stop Kyle on the street. But he did.
Sidney Crosby actually pulled up behind my family and me in the parking lot adjacent to the Consol Energy Center and asked, from his vehicle, who the young man in front of me was. I did manage, after a brief moment of awe, to introduce him to Kyle, and proceeded to ask Kyle if he knew who this man in the suit and tie was. (The two are only a year apart in age). Kyle - being Kyle - squealed with happiness and did a dance in his wheelchair in confirmation. From there, Crosby offered Kyle an autographed picture of himself, made casual conversation - asking how many games Kyle attends, where Kyle is from - and even got out of his car to take a picture with his young fan. And if ever we were wondering what made him stop, he did offer, “Well, I saw you were wearing my shirt, so”
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Tags: NHL-Hockey, Pittsburgh+Penguins,
Penguins Sign Prospect Defenseman Philip Samuelsson
by Tony on 04/12/11 at 08:34 AM ET
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From the Penguins:
The Pittsburgh Penguins signed draft pick defenseman Philip Samuelsson to a three-year entry level contract, it was announced by executive vice president and general manager Ray Shero.
Samuelsson, the son of former Penguin and two-time Stanley Cup-winning defenseman Ulf Samuelsson, was Pittsburgh’s second-round pick (61st overall) in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft.
Samuelsson has played the past two years with Boston College of Hockey East, winning the NCAA National title with the Eagles in 2009-10 as a freshman. That season, Samuelsson notched 14 points (1G-13A) and a plus-15 in 42 contests. The 6-foot-3, 198-pound blueliner completed his sophomore campaign this year with four goals, 16 points and a plus-17 rating in 39 games. Samuelsson was invited to the USA Hockey National Junior Evaluation Camp for the 2011 competition in Buffalo, N.Y. Samuelsson played one season with Chicago of the United States Hockey League in 2008-09, racking up 22 assists in 54 games.
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Tags: NHL-Hockey, Pittsburgh+Penguins,
Pens Call for Playoff “White Outs”
by Tony on 04/11/11 at 09:07 AM ET
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From the Penguins:
The Pittsburgh Penguins are calling for White Out conditions at home playoff games this season.
The Penguins are encouraging fans to “Wear the White”—white jerseys, sweatshirts, sweaters, shirts or t-shirts—for all playoff games at CONSOL Energy Center. Fans also have the option to purchase the Official Penguins White Out t-shirt, on sale now at the PensGear store at CONSOL Energy Center and local Dick’s Sporting Goods locations. There are special designs for males and females – each on sale for $14.99. A portion of the proceeds will go to The Pittsburgh Penguins Foundation to support youth activities, including youth hockey. In addition, the team will distribute white rally towels to all 18,000-plus fans at every home playoff game.
The Penguins’ 2011 Playoffs are presented by Trib Total Media.
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Tags: NHL-Hockey, Pittsburgh+Penguins, Tampa+Bay+Lightning,
Pens Fans Can Gather to Watch Playoff Games On ‘Big Screen’ Near CONSOL Energy Center
by Tony on 04/11/11 at 09:02 AM ET
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From the Penguins:
A Penguins playoff tradition is returning – with a new twist.
The popular “Big Screen,” which has enabled thousands of Pens fans to watch playoff games together outdoors since 2008, will return for the first round of the playoffs, starting Wednesday against the Tampa Bay Lightning. The 16’ x 9’ high definition screen will be located in the Civic Arena south parking lot along Centre Avenue, just across the street from CONSOL Energy Center. The board is presented by Trib Total Media.
Pre-game activities will be hosted by Mikey and Big Bob of 96.1 KISS FM. There also will be a dunk tank for Games 1 and 2, courtesy of First Niagara. For safety reasons, grills and alcoholic beverages are not permitted.
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Tags: NHL-Hockey, Pittsburgh+Penguins, Tampa+Bay+Lightning,
Penguins Playoffs: Tampa Series is no Gimmie
by Tony on 04/11/11 at 08:30 AM ET
Comments (27)
Relatively speaking, getting the Tampa Bay Lightning in the first round of the playoffs isn’t a bad draw.
Let’s face it, other than Buffalo, the Penguins’ would have had a tougher matchup vs. some of the other options in the first round, such as their 1-2-1 record vs. Montreal, 2-3-1 vs. the Rangers.
So sure, in that point of view, the Penguins will take the Lighting matchup in Round #1.
But while it might be a “better” matchup for the Pens, that doesn’t mean this will be an easy series.
At all.
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Tags: NHL-Hockey, Pittsburgh+Penguins, Tampa+Bay+Lightning,
Penguins Open at Home on Wed./Fri. Against Tampa Bay
by Tony on 04/10/11 at 09:32 PM ET
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From the Penguins:
The Penguins will open their first-round Stanley Cup playoff series against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Wednesday at 7 p.m. at CONSOL Energy Center.
Game 2 will be Friday at 7 p.m. at CONSOL Energy Center.
The best-of-seven quarterfinal series then shifts to Tampa Bay for Games 3 and 4 on Monday, April 18 and Wednesday, April 20.
The broadcast schedule has not been announced by the NHL, but any Penguins game that is not a national TV broadcast will be carried locally by ROOT Sports.
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Tags: NHL-Hockey, Pittsburgh+Penguins,
Confluence Interview with Pittsburgh’s TribLive Radio
by Tony on 04/09/11 at 08:11 AM ET
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Had a nice conversation with Pittsburgh TribLive Radio’s Chris Mack yesterday, discussing the now-finished Penguins/Islanders game, the infamous yinzer accent, and my illustrious blogging history (I kid, I kid).
You’ll see that somehow, inexplicably, HCDB completely disregarded my advice to not dress Eric Godard last night. Gonna have to have a talk with him.
NOTE: There’s a couple of naughty words in the beginning of the interview. If you want to download the interview separately, here’s the link.
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Tags: NHL-Hockey, Pittsburgh+Penguins,
Penguins Fans Invited To “Grow One for the Team”
by Tony on 04/08/11 at 09:18 AM ET
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Penguins Beard-A-Thon presented by SUPERCUTS to Benefit the Mario Lemieux Foundation
From the Penguins:
This playoff season, the Pittsburgh Penguins are asking fans to “put down the razor” and “grow one for the team” with the team’s third annual “Beard-A-Thon” campaign. This year’s program is presented by SUPERCUTS and all proceeds from the fundraiser will benefit the Mario Lemieux Foundation.
Fans willing to grow playoff beards are asked to enroll online at http://www.beardathon.com/penguins and upload photos of their freshly shaved faces. Throughout the playoffs, beard growers can ask their friends, family members and co-workers to pledge their beards while updating their profile pictures.
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Tags: NHL-Hockey, Pittsburgh+Penguins,
Confluence Interview with Penguins’ Director of Content, Sam Kasan
by Tony on 04/05/11 at 01:30 PM ET
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Last year I posted a nice interview with former Penguins Director of Media Technology, Chris Devivo.
Well, it’s a year later and I wanted to interview another Penguins employee. This time it’s Sam Kasan, the Penguins’ Director of Content. Penguins fans hear from Sam all the time, they usually just don’t know it. Kasan’s duties require him to be on the Penguins’ traveling staff. He’s usually the man behind the Penguins’ Official Twitter feed, as well as publishing daily Penguins articles.
Let’s see what Sam has to say:
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Tags: NHL-Hockey, Pittsburgh+Penguins,
Penguins Offer “Heads Up Pittsburgh” Baseline Concussion Testing
by Tony on 04/05/11 at 11:29 AM ET
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From the Penguins:
The Pittsburgh Penguins Foundation and UPMC Sports Medicine are teaming up on a first-of-its-kind initiative – “Heads Up Pittsburgh” – to offer free baseline concussion testing and educational programs to youth hockey players in the Pittsburgh region.
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and Community College of Allegheny County (CCAC) also are playing key roles in this unique program to enhance the safety of local youth hockey through concussion education and awareness among players and their families.
Free testing will be available to youth players in the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Hockey League (PIHL) and Pittsburgh Amateur Hockey League (PAHL), as well as others registered locally through USA Hockey programs. “Heads Up Pittsburgh” is being funded by the Penguins Foundation.
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Tags: NHL-Hockey, Pittsburgh+Penguins,
Crosby Speaks After First Non-Contact Practice
by Tony on 03/31/11 at 01:11 PM ET
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From the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review’s Rob Rossi:
Q: Have you had any symptoms recently?
A: No. At this point when you haven’t skated that much and you’re out there it’s important that you’re able to separate the two into being fatigued, feeling what’s new, and what’s symptoms of a concussion. That’s why it’s more than one day.
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Tags: NHL-Hockey, Pittsburgh+Penguins,
Tickets for First Two Penguins Playoff Home Games To Go On Sale Wed., April 6
by Tony on 03/31/11 at 09:04 AM ET
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From the Penguins:
A limited number of individual game tickets for the Penguins’ first two home games of the 2011 Stanley Cup playoffs at CONSOL Energy Center will go on sale to the general public Wednesday, April 6 at 10 a.m.
Approximately 2,000 tickets will be available for each game.
As tickets are expected to sell out quickly, fans are encouraged to order online at http://www.ticketmaster.com
Tickets also will be available for purchase at the Dick’s Sporting Goods Box Office at CONSOL Energy Center, at all Pittsburgh area Ticketmaster locations, or by calling Ticketmaster at 1.800.745.3000. Fans are advised that lottery systems will be used at the box office and Ticketmaster locations.
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Tags: NHL-Hockey, Pittsburgh+Penguins,
Today’s Crosby Practice Video
by Tony on 03/29/11 at 11:41 AM ET
Comments (9)
After the jump:
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Tags: NHL-Hockey, Pittsburgh+Penguins,
Remarkably, Penguins to Play for Tie of Eastern Conference Lead vs. Flyers
by Tony on 03/29/11 at 08:15 AM ET
Comments (24)
Yes, I realize that the Philadelphia Flyers still have a game in hand over the Penguins.
And yes, I realize that if the Penguins and Flyers are tied in points at the end of the regular season, the Flyers would easily win the “no shootout wins” tiebreaker.
But the fact remains that Penguins have a chance to at the very least temporarily tie for the Eastern Conference lead with a regulation win over the Flyers at the Consol Energy Center tonight.
And that, my friends, is pretty damn remarkable.
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Tags: NHL-Hockey, Pittsburgh+Penguins,
Penguins Sign Hockey East Player of the Year Paul Thompson
by Tony on 03/28/11 at 05:47 PM ET
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From the Penguins:
The Pittsburgh Penguins have signed forward Paul Thompson to a two-year entry level contract, it was announced by executive vice president and general manager Ray Shero.
Thompson, who attended the Penguins development camp in 2010, just completed his fourth season of collegiate hockey with New Hampshire. He was named the 2010-11 Hockey East Player of the Year after posting a league-leading 52 points in his senior campaign.
Thompson (6-foot, 210 pounds) also scored 28 goals this season, which ranked second overall in the Hockey East. He helped the No. 11 Wildcats advance to the NCAA Regional Finals before falling to No. 9 Notre Dame, 2-1, Sunday. In four seasons with New Hampshire, Thompson compiled 57 goals, 55 assists and 112 points in 140 career games.
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,
Penguins Set Team, League Records
by Tony on 03/27/11 at 04:09 PM ET
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You shootout haters should get a kick out of this. From the Penguins:
The Pittsburgh Penguins established a National Hockey League record this afternoon by winning their fourth straight game via shootout in a 2-1 defeat of the Florida Panthers at CONSOL Energy Center. Here are the final scores, goaltender of record and the game-deciding goal scorers from the four victories:
3/21/11 at Detroit 5-4, W GDG: James Neal Winning Goalie: Brent Johnson
3/24/11 at Philadelphia 2-1, W GDG: Chris Kunitz Winning Goalie: Marc-Andre Fleury
3/25/11 vs. New Jersey 1-0, W GDG: James Neal Winning Goalie: Marc-Andre Fleury
3/27/11 vs. Florida 2-1, W GDG: Alex Kovalev Winning Goalie: Marc-Andre FleuryAdditionally, Penguins goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury established a franchise record for longest shutout sequence at 150:14. He bested the previous record held by Jocelyn Thibault (136:13).
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Tags: NHL-Hockey, Pittsburgh+Penguins,
Sidney Crosby: ‘I feel good’
by Tony on 03/26/11 at 08:21 AM ET
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From the Toronto Star’s Brendan Kennedy:
It was an explosive statement.
Sidney Crosby, skating regularly now after more than two months away from the rink, roofed a swift backhand under the crossbar, blasting a hole through the water bottle on the top of the net and sending a shower-spray of water into the air.
The crowd of trainers watching from the Penguins’ bench cheered and hollered, while Crosby just shrugged apologetically.
“I feel good,” a smiling Crosby told the Star after he stepped off the ice at the Consol Energy Center on Friday morning, his sixth on-ice workout since March 14.
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Tags: NHL-Hockey, Pittsburgh+Penguins,
Latest Crosby Practice Video
by Tony on 03/25/11 at 11:21 AM ET
Comments (7)
After the jump:
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Tags: NHL-Hockey, Pittsburgh+Penguins,
Comrie Returns to Lineup Tonight vs. Devils
by Tony on 03/25/11 at 11:13 AM ET
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According to the Penguins Report’s Sam Kasan, Mike Comrie will finally return to the Pens’ lineup tonight at home vs. the New Jersey Devils.
Comrie last played Nov. 24, although we’ve now learned that he had been dealing with a nagging hip injury that would eventually require surgery. He was officially placed on IR on December 10th.
Comrie started the season well for the Penguins, scoring four goals and one assist in four preseason games. However, with the hip injury he ended up only playing in 16 games before being shut down.
He’s been skating with the team since March 15th.
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Tags: NHL-Hockey, Pittsburgh+Penguins,
Healthier Penguins Will Cause Interesting Lineup Decisions for Bylsma
by Tony on 03/24/11 at 12:48 PM ET
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Again, apologies for the lack of posts beyond pasting embedded clips and press releases. Just not my year writing-wise.
Slowly but surely, your Pittsburgh Penguins are getting healthier.
This past week saw the return of forward Arron Asham, just in time to relieve Matt Cooke as it turned out. Brooks Orpik is practicing with the team as his broken finger is nearly healed. Once Orpik is back in the lineup, which is looking like next week, that will make the Pens’ defensive corps back to full strength. Eric Tangradi is now skating with the team as well having recovered from the concussion caused by the Trevor Gillies elbow. Mark Letestu has been skating on his own after dealing with an upper-body injury. Even Mike Comrie, who has only appeared in 16 games with the Penguins before having hip surgery, is back on the ice and getting his conditioning back in shape. Nick Johnson is farther away, still experiencing concussion symptoms. And, oh yeah, that Crosby guy is ramping up the intensity of his workouts, both on and off ice. Not coming a moment too soon, I might add.
But as players eventually get back to the lineup, it makes Penguins’ Head Coach Dan Bylsma’s job that much tougher.
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Penguins Sign Prospect Tom Kuhnhackl
by Tony on 03/22/11 at 05:53 PM ET
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From the Penguins:
The Pittsburgh Penguins have signed forward Tom Kuhnhackl to a three-year entry level contract, it was announced by executive vice president and general manager Ray Shero.
Kuhnhackl (KOO-knock-el) was the Penguins’ fourth-round pick (110th overall) at the 2010 NHL Entry Draft. He is in his first season with Windsor of the Ontario Hockey League. He’s posted 39 goals and 68 points in 63 games with the Spitfires. Kuhnhackl’s 39 goals rank 13th in the OHL, while his 15 power-play tallies are the sixth (tied) best mark in the league. Kuhnhackl played for Team Germany in the 2011 World Junior Championships in Buffalo, N.Y., scoring one goal in six games. Kuhnhackl (6-foot-2, 192 pounds) played 38 games for Landshut in 2009-10, recording 12 goals and 28 points. He added four goals and six points in five games with Team Germany at the World Under-18 Championship. Kuhnhackl comes from a family rooted in hockey tradition. His father, Erich, was elected to the International Ice Hockey Federation Hall of Fame in 1997 and was named the German hockey player of the century in 2000. Kuhnhackl’s brother and sister also played hockey in Germany.
For more information please check http://www.pittsburghpenguins.com and the Penguins’ official Facebook and Twitter page.
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Crosby Continues On-Ice Workouts
by Tony on 03/21/11 at 02:14 PM ET
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Tags: NHL-Hockey, Pittsburgh+Penguins,
An Eyesore to Some, ‘Pittsburgh’s Parthenon’ Still Has Fans
by Tony on 03/19/11 at 07:46 AM ET
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From the Wall Street Journal’s James R. Hagerty:
As architectural landmarks go, it’s hardly the Taj Mahal. It looks like a giant steel turtle bolted into a hillside, surrounded by parking lots and highways. The roof resembles an overturned mixing bowl. And its big pop-culture moment came when it was nearly blown up in Jean-Claude Van Damme’s “Sudden Death.”
It’s Pittsburgh’s Civic Arena, and if the Penguins hockey team has its way, the stadium will soon be torn down to make way for office buildings, shops and apartments.
The team, co-owned by supermarket mogul Ron Burkle and former Penguin star Mario Lemieux, has an option to acquire the land under the arena. Since the Penguins moved to the new glass-and-brick Consol Energy Center last year, the team says the abandoned Civic Arena has to go—it’s sitting on top of potentially lucrative real estate.
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Penguins Hold “Skates & Plates” For Charity
by Tony on 03/18/11 at 06:56 PM ET
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Crosby Skates for First Time
by Tony on 03/14/11 at 09:09 AM ET
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From Pittsburghpenguins.com’s Sam Kasan:
Penguins captain Sidney Crosby was back on the ice for the first time since missing 29 games with a concussion.
Crosby skated on the ice for about 15 minutes in full gear early in the morning at CONSOL Energy Center. He stick handled around some cones and shot a few pucks.
Crosby last played for the Penguins Jan. 5 vs. Tampa Bay. He was the NHL’s leading scorer at the time with 32 goals and 66 points.
More details to come…
UPDATED with link to Crosby’s Q&A with the media this morning.
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Penguins to Play Before 200th Straight Home Sellout Saturday vs. Montreal
by Tony on 03/11/11 at 12:43 PM ET
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From the Penguins:
The Penguins will play before their 200th straight home sellout when they host the Montreal Canadiens Saturday at 2 p.m. at CONSOL Energy Center.
The sellout streak – by far the longest in franchise history – began on Feb. 14, 2007 against the Chicago Blackhawks at Mellon Arena.
The Penguins are on pace to sell out every home game for the fourth straight season. Before 2007-08, the team had never sold out every game in a season.
“Our fans are incredible,” said David Morehouse, CEO and President of the Penguins. “Their support, their passion, and their love for the team and the game of hockey give us a true home-ice advantage, and help to make Pittsburgh such a strong hockey city. We salute them.”
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Bylsma’s System: It’s Not For Everyone
by Tony on 03/10/11 at 10:40 AM ET
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Yesterday’s announcement of a three-year contract extension for Penguins’ head coach Dan Bylsma is certainly well-deserved.
After all, immediately upon his hiring in Feb. 2009 he led the Pens in a furious rally into the Eastern Conference playoffs, coming at a time when there was a legitimate concern that the defending Eastern Conference champions would even make the playoffs. That culminated of course with the Penguins hoisting the Stanley Cup that June.
However he’s arguably done his best coaching this season, with his roster depleted of its star players in Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin due to injury. Bylsma not only has the Penguins competing, he now has them playing at an intensity that not many other Eastern Conference teams would like to face as their opponent in the playoffs.
But one thing’s for sure in the two years Bylsma’s been behind the Penguins’ bench: Not just any ‘ol NHL player can flourish in his system.
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Work Ethic Compensating for Penguins’ Lack of Firepower
by Tony on 03/07/11 at 08:46 PM ET
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If you would have told me on Feb. 4th, when Evgeni Malkin had his knee blown out vs. Buffalo, with Sidney Crosby already being out of the lineup a month, that the Penguins would be a mere two points away from not only the Atlantic Division lead but the Eastern Conference lead, I would have told you that you were out of your frickin’ gourd.
Yes, as of today the Flyers have two games in hand over the Penguins, so it’s not quite that close most likely. But the fact that the Penguins have not only kept their collective heads above water while their depleted roster slowly but surely gets healthy, they’re within at least striking distance of gaining additional home ice advantages in the playoffs.
And they’ll be getting even healthier in the next few weeks, with Chris Kunitz, Arron Asham and Brooks Orpik due to return. Of course, Mr. Crosby remains the penultimate wildcard. If he comes back, I’m not sure I’d like the Penguins as my playoff opponent. I’m not really sure I’d like them in the playoffs as is right now, in fact.
But here’s the question: How the hell are they doing it?
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Penguins Without 87 & 71: It’s Not Rocket Surgery
by Tony on 03/05/11 at 09:25 AM ET
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It’s a calculated risk that Penguins’ GM Ray Shero and Head Coach Dan Bylsma had to know they were dealing with, and praying it never came to fruition.
They looked their roster at the end of last season, one which ended in a frustrating fashion, basically getting outworked by the Montreal Canadiens. So they did some shoring up, re-signing Matt Cooke, signing free agents Zbynek Michalek, Paul Martin and Arron Asham.
Things were good, really good. A President’s Trophy was certainly not out of the equation this season.
Hindsight is 20/20, as we all know. Still, as we embarked on this season, after the FA signings, one thing stood pretty apparent: You’ve got Sidney Crosby to score goals, you’ve got Evgeni Malkin to score goals, and then you’ve got everyone else.
But what would happen if the Dynamic Duo would ever to go down? Well, we’re now seeing it. A roster full of grinders.
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Penguins coach a constant in crazy season
by Tony on 03/02/11 at 02:58 PM ET
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From the Canadian Press’ Chris Johnston:
It’s tempting to look at the Pittsburgh Penguins and focus on what they don’t have.
With a concussion continuing to keep Sidney Crosby(notes) off the ice and knee surgery having ended Evgeni Malkin’s(notes) season, the absences have cast a large shadow over this group. However, one major steadying presence remains in the form of coach Dan Bylsma, who has defied the odds by keeping his team pointed in the right direction.
The secret to his success? Whether Bylsma is sending out No. 87 (Crosby) or No. 10 (Mark Letestu(notes)) to take the opening faceoff, the way he prepares his team doesn’t change.
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Igloo Denied ‘Historic’ Status, Way Paved For Demolition
by Tony on 03/02/11 at 02:05 PM ET
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From Pittsburgh’s WTAE.com:
In what is apparently the final nail in the coffin of Pittsburgh’s Civic Arena, Pittsburgh’s Historic Review Commission voted not to recommend to city council that the building receive a historic designation.
Channel 4 Action News’ Marcie Cipriani reported that the commission announced its decision not to designate the Igloo as a historic building at its meeting on Wednesday. The vote paves the way for the razing of the arena.
The Sports and Exhibition Authority voted unanimously in September to tear down the old arena, but the planning commission’s approval was also required for any demolitions and redevelopment within Pittsburgh’s Golden Triangle.
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Penguins Re-Assign Jeffrey, Vitale and Strait to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton
by Tony on 02/27/11 at 05:26 PM ET
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Chris Kunitz, Paul Martin and Tyler Kennedy should be back in the lineup for the Penguins’ next game at Toronto on Wednesday, but this move also provides Pens’ GM Ray Shero a lot of flexibility on his roster as we are under 24 hours until the deadline. From the Penguins:
The Pittsburgh Penguins have re-assigned Dustin Jeffrey, Brian Strait and Joe Vitale to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the American Hockey League, it was announced by executive vice president and general manager Ray Shero.
Jeffrey has eight points (5G-3A) in 15 games with Pittsburgh this season. Strait has played in three games for Pittsburgh this year. He made his NHL debut Feb. 21 vs. Washington. Vitale has notched one goal and two points in nine contests with the Penguins. He posted his first career NHL goal Feb. 16 at Colorado. For more information please check http://www.pittsburghpenguins.com and the Penguins’ official Facebook and Twitter page.
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As Shero Wheels and Deals, It Still Boils Down to Crosby
by Tony on 02/25/11 at 09:11 AM ET
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Kovy’s back.
Remember him? The guy with the back-to-back hat tricks. The guy who moonwalked after his goals.
But as Penguins’ GM Ray Shero continues his wizardry, the Pens’ roster has one huge asterisk, one that will determine the overall success of the team this season.
That asterisk is next to Sidney Crosby’s name.
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Shero Discusses Kovalev Return to Pittsburgh
by Tony on 02/24/11 at 06:46 PM ET
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NHL should be terrified of threat to Crosby
by Tony on 02/23/11 at 10:58 PM ET
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From the National Post’s Bruce Arthur:
It has been eight weeks now. Eight weeks since Victor Hedman smashed Sidney Crosby’s head into the glass in Tampa Bay, which was four days after David Steckel ran his shoulder into Crosby’s temple in Pittsburgh. Which means that it has been eight weeks since Sidney Crosby played an NHL game.
And that should make anybody who cares about hockey nauseous. It should give them a headache. It should cause sleepless nights. In other words, it should make them feel like they have suffered a concussion.
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James Neal Meets with the Pittsburgh Media
by Tony on 02/23/11 at 01:57 PM ET
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Penguins Re-Assign Craig, Strait
by Tony on 02/22/11 at 12:13 PM ET
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From the Penguins:
The Pittsburgh Penguins have re-assigned forward Ryan Craig and defenseman Brian Strait to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the American Hockey League, it was announced by executive vice president and general manager Ray Shero.
Craig has appeared in six games this season for Pittsburgh. Strait made his NHL debut Monday vs. Washington, logging 13:02 minutes of ice time.
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,
Ray Did It Again, Should Anybody Be Surprised?
by Tony on 02/22/11 at 09:26 AM ET
Comments (5)
UPDATED with video after the jump.
He made the biggest splash in the waning minutes of the 2008 NHL Trade Deadline by snagging Marian Hossa and Pascal Dupuis from the Thrashers, and only giving up mediocre forwards Erik Christensen and Colby Armstrong, former #1 pick but recently disappointing Angelo Esposito and the Pens’ #1 pick in the ‘08 Draft.
The next season he traded away offensive-minded but defensively shaky defenseman Ryan Whitney to Anaheim and getting not only Chris Kunitz in return but promising power forward Eric Tangradi as well. Whitney lasted only a season before he was traded again, this time to Edmonton.
So really, it should come to no one’s surprise that Penguins’ GM Ray Shero pulled off yet another larceny yesterday, getting promising power forward James Neal and defenseman Matt Niskanen in return for defenseman Alex Goligoski.
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Tags: NHL-Hockey, Pittsburgh+Penguins,
Sunday Penguins Notes: Hypocrite = Mr. “Rock ‘Em Sock ‘Em Hockey”
by Tony on 02/20/11 at 01:02 PM ET
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Just some quick blurbs as we await the Sunday afternoon matinée between the Penguins and Blackhawks:
- As the Toronto Star’s Damien Cox accurately pointed out this morning, Don Cherry’s proclaiming of Mario Lemieux as a hypocrite is a bit, well, hypocritical. This coming from a guy that has created 22 videos called “Rock ‘Em Sock ‘Em Hockey”, no doubt earning him hundreds of thousands of dollars, probably more.
And by the way, as the Pittsburgh Post Gazette’s Empty Netters’ Seth Rorabaugh mentioned this morning, let’s not overlook the decades-long bias against French-Canadian hockey players (as well as European) Cherry has become infamous for. Don’t think that has nothing to do with it.
Other stuff:
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Crosby is Shero’s Wildcard Heading Towards Deadline
by Tony on 02/18/11 at 10:41 AM ET
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Well, it’s that time of year. The anticipation is building. The rumor mongers are coming out of the woodwork (thanks, Twitter).
Some pretty significant trades have already been made, some 10 days before the trade deadline on Feb. 28th. So in that respect it’s natural for Penguins fans to start getting antsy, especially since so many teams have already made at least one move to re-shape their rosters.
But for Pens’ GM Ray Shero, he’s got more than just your normal NHL GM things to consider when it comes to making any major moves as we get closer to the deadline.
He somehow needs to assess whether he’s going to have his franchise player available sometime this season.
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Tags: NHL-Hockey, Pittsburgh+Penguins,
Catch the Penguins and Blackhawks at NBCSports.com Sunday for Free
by Tony on 02/17/11 at 03:45 PM ET
Comments (1)
From NBC Sports:
NBCSports.com will be streaming Sunday’s 3:30 p.m. Penguins-Blackhawks game free of charge on NBCSports.com.
The specific URL where the game will be shown will be available on NBCSports.com on Sunday.
The stream will be HD quality, feature an online-only camera angle and in-game highlights.
Filed in: Pittsburgh Penguins | The Confluence | Permalink
Tags: NHL-Hockey, Pittsburgh+Penguins,
A Deep Dive into the Penguins’ Fighting Majors
by Tony on 02/16/11 at 06:38 PM ET
Comments (25)
One of the main topics of discussion as a result of the Penguins/Islanders fiasco last Friday night was the fact that the Penguins lead the league in penalty minutes, major penalties and fighting majors, which they still do with 1113, 63 and 59 respectively.
I was really curious into the individual game circumstances that resulted in that league-leading number of fights by the Penguins, such as were the Pens winning at the time, prompting the opposition to try to give themselves a kickstart by dropping the gloves? Or vice versa?
So I went through each game of the Penguins’ season to date, here’s what I came up with:
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Vote for The Confluence in the “Best Pittsburgh Sports Blog Tournament”
by Tony on 02/15/11 at 02:48 PM ET
Comments (1)
The good folks at Sean’s Ramblings have been kind enough to once again nominate The Confluence into it’s “Best Pittsburgh Sports Blog Tournament”.
Looks like I’m matched up against the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette’s Steelers blog “Blog N’ Gold”.
So if you’re so inclined, please vote here.
Thanks, as always.
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Tags: NHL-Hockey, Pittsburgh+Penguins,
Some Things Overlooked When Discussing Pens/Islanders Fiasco
by Tony on 02/15/11 at 02:38 PM ET
Comments (43)
Let’s put aside the dozens of articles that have been written since the debacle on Long Island last Friday night. Everybody’s got an opinion on the matter, whether you’re talking about the Islanders’ tactics, the individual acts of their players or the residual effects, such as the NHL’s and/or Mario Lemieux’ respective responses.
That dead horse has certainly been beaten. Personally, I’m moving on.
But before I do, allow me this one article to mention some topics relating to that game that either have been overlooked (maybe conveniently so), or simply ignored. Whether they were purposely ignored is anyone’s guess, but let’s take a look at some other things that occurred Friday night that didn’t quite make the headlines.
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Bylsma: Two Years on the Job
by Tony on 02/15/11 at 09:01 AM ET
Comments (3)
From the Penguins’ Sam Kasan:
Today, Feb. 15, marks the two-year anniversary of the hiring of Dan Bylsma as head coach of the Pittsburgh Penguins. In just two seasons, he is one of the most successful coaches in team history.
Bylsma began the 2008-09 campaign with his first-ever head coaching job, with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the American Hockey League, and ended it by hoisting the Stanley Cup with Pittsburgh. Bylsma led WBS to a 35-16-1-2 record before Penguins GM Ray Shero brought him to Pittsburgh on Feb. 15, 2009. “I got a call from Ray and he wanted to talk on my office phone,” Bylsma said. “That five minutes was a whirlwind.”
Bylsma was introduced to the team at their hotel and he was behind the bench for his first-ever NHL game as head coach the following afternoon. The rest, as they say, is history. But that history is still being written. Here is a look back at some of Bylsma’s monumental achievements so far:
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Tags: NHL-Hockey, Pittsburgh+Penguins,
Pens GM defends team’s style of play
by Tony on 02/15/11 at 08:22 AM ET
Comments (5)
From the Pittsburgh Tribune Review’s Rob Rossi:
Q: Does your team have an image problem?
A: No. Not at all. You’ve written that. You wrote it (Sunday). I don’t think it’s an issue.
I want to be a blue-collar, hard-working hockey team. We’re not a dirty team. OK, Matt Cooke - everybody is saying, “How can you say this and have Matt Cooke?” He gets fined, suspended. In the (Columbus defenseman Fedor) Tyutin case, (Cooke) was talked to by me and the coach. I talked to him after the Savard hit.
Hard-working and aggressive (play) go into the same thing. From our hockey team’s standpoint, I think we play with honor. I really do. Matt Cooke wasn’t about Friday night. Friday night was something different.
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Tags: NHL-Hockey, Pittsburgh+Penguins,
Crosby Gives Latest Injury Update
by Tony on 02/10/11 at 01:33 PM ET
Comments (3)
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Tags: NHL-Hockey, Pittsburgh+Penguins,
Penguins Recall Four Players
by Tony on 02/10/11 at 09:04 AM ET
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From the Penguins:
The Pittsburgh Penguins have recalled four players from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the American Hockey League, it was announced by executive vice president and general manager Ray Shero. The four players recalled are forwards Ryan Craig, Nick Johnson, Brett Sterling and Joe Vitale.
Johnson, 25, leads WBS with 20 goals while placing second (tied) with 39 points in 48 games. He also has a team-high 10 power-play goals. Sterling, 26, is also tied for second in scoring on WBS with 39 points through 46 contests. He’s posted 18 goals, 21 assists, six power-play goals and a plus-12 rating. Craig, 29, ranks fourth on WBS with 33 points on 13 goals and 20 assists in 49 games. Vitale, 25, has appeared in 50 games this season for WBS, recording eight goals, 27 points, a plus-12 rating and two shorthanded tallies.
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Tags: NHL-Hockey, Pittsburgh+Penguins,
Pens Notes: Hey, It Builds Character, Right?
by Tony on 02/09/11 at 08:30 PM ET
Comments (6)
What an absolutely ducky 2011 it’s been for your Pittsburgh Penguins so far, eh?
Before I start bloviating, allow me to apologize for my lack of very many opinion-related articles over the past couple of months. Admittedly, I’m in the midst of my worst writer’s slump in nearly five years of blogging. I’m fighting through it, and I thank Paul for being patient while I get my second wind. Combine that with being busy at my real job (yes, I have one), and just recently with preparing to fly to Connecticut to pick up a Camaro I’m buying, I just haven’t expended the energy that I used to when preparing a good opinion article. So, thanks.
But anyway, there’s certainly some hot-button topics to discuss, so let’s get started:
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Tags: NHL-Hockey, Pittsburgh+Penguins,
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