The Confluence
Entries with the tag: Pittsburgh+Penguins
Confluence Soapbox: Pens’ powerplay won’t get better until Yeo isn’t running it
by Tony on 11/06/09 at 04:33 PM ET
Comments (22)
I apologize in advance: I know most Penguins fans are sick and tired of hearing about the putrid powerplay. I’m not even referring to the current Malkin/Gonchar-less PP units, the Penguins were mediocre on the PP even with them.
Sorry, I can’t help it. I must get on the soapbox and vent so, forgive me.
We fans have been giving our half-assed theories for a couple years now on ways to improve the Penguins’ powerplay. After all, it’s pretty much inarguable that the Penguins possess two of top handful of hockey players in the world.
So with all that firepower at your disposal, why the hell isn’t this unit constantly near the top of the NHL in powerplay percentage ??
One schmuck’s opinion ?? ‘Cause even after a head coaching change, there’s been one constant regarding the Penguins’ powerplay since December 2005, and that is Michael Yeo has been in charge of it.
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Tags: NHL-Hockey, Pittsburgh+Penguins,
Stationary Penguins fall to Kings, 5-2
by Tony on 11/06/09 at 09:19 AM ET
Comments (17)
I read prior to the Penguins/Kings matchup last night on how the Kings are being compared to the ‘06-’07 Penguins. Those Pens made the playoffs for the first time in a long while were ousted in five games by Ottawa.
Now that the game is over, and the Kings soundly defeated the Penguins 5-2, I’d say those comparisons are pretty damn accurate.
The one statement I took from this game: The Kings are legit.
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Tags: Los+Angeles+Kings, NHL-Hockey, Pittsburgh+Penguins,
Secondary scoring boosts Penguins over Ducks, 4-3
by Tony on 11/04/09 at 09:49 AM ET
Comments (4)
For one game at least, this won’t be the typical California trip for the Penguins that we’ve become accustomed to.
The Penguins got timely goals from Alex Goligoski and Pascal Dupuis (with a Saku Koivu sandwiched in between) in a 78 second span midway through the third period to vault the Pens to a 4-3 win over the Ducks at the Honda Center in Anaheim.
The Pens have now tied the NHL record for road wins to start the season with seven, and can break the record Thursday night in Los Angeles against the Kings.
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Tags: Anaheim+Ducks, NHL-Hockey, Pittsburgh+Penguins,
Recent Penguins’ trips to California haven’t been too sunny
by Tony on 11/01/09 at 10:19 PM ET
Comments (6)
CORRECTION: The Pens beat the Kings in OT 4-3 on Nov. 1, 2006 on Evgeni Malkin’s game-winning goal. Thanks to “cs6687” and “cj” for reminding me.
The Penguins embark on a week long road trip with stops in Anaheim, Los Angeles and San Jose, then visiting Boston before returning home on Nov. 12th.
The California trip got me to thinking: You know, the Penguins haven’t exactly played very well on the Left Coast.
But I didn’t realize just how poor they’ve played.
Anyone care to hazard a guess when was the last time that the Penguins have won a game in the state of California ??
Answer after the jump.
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Tags: NHL-Hockey, Pittsburgh+Penguins,
Penguins’ peppering not enough, lose to Wild 2-1
by Tony on 10/31/09 at 11:19 PM ET
Comments (6)
I think we Penguins fans better get used to these wacky games while they have a chunk of their lineup out.
Like tonight, where the Pens are awarded with 35 shots on goal, compared to only 15 for the visiting Minnesota Wild, but lose 2-1.
Kyle Brodziak and Eric Belanger scored for the Wild, while Pascal Dupuis had the only tally for the Penguins.
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Tags: Minnesota+Wild, NHL-Hockey, Pittsburgh+Penguins,
“Penguin Nation” Invades Nationwide Arena
by Tony on 10/31/09 at 10:34 AM ET
Comments (10)
From PittsburghPenguins.com’s Jason Seidling:
Through the first 13 games of the regular season the Pittsburgh Penguins are racking up victories at a historic level. Perhaps even more impressive is how they have continued to increase fan support, as evidenced by the Pittsburgh takeover of Nationwide Arena during the Penguins’ 4-3 shootout victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets Friday night.
“Penguin Nation” invaded the Blue Jackets’ home rink with a vengeance, providing an atmosphere that was almost “college-like”, especially during the game’s exciting conclusion the last three minutes of regulation through the Penguins’ 1-0 advantage in the shootout.
“I think this might have been the most electric crowd of the season,” head coach Dan Bylsma said after. “Right from warmups our fans were screaming and yelling. “We had a lot of Pittsburgh fans here so it was entertaining and it was a great energy in the building … it was good to see.”
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Tags: NHL-Hockey, Pittsburgh+Penguins,
Penguins’ comeback again in 3rd, top Blue Jackets in SO, 4-3
by Tony on 10/30/09 at 10:58 PM ET
Comments (3)
Just like a infield dribbler counts as a single in baseball just as much as a line drive, there is not a separate category in the NHL standings for “ugly win”.
So on a night where the Penguins were quite the disorganized group because of the absence of Evgeni Malkin, they found a way to overcome a two-goal third period lead to tie the game, then defeated the Blue Jackets on a Sidney Crosby goal in the shootout, 4-3.
Chris Kunitz scored for the second game in a row, while Ruslan Fedotenko and Alex Goligoski also scored for the Pens.
The Penguins’ comeback win gives them an NHL-best 11-2 record and 22 points.
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Tags: NHL-Hockey, Pittsburgh+Penguins,
VH1’s Jim Shearer’s “Yinz Luv Da Guins”, 2009 Episode #1
by Tony on 10/30/09 at 02:44 PM ET
Comments (0)
Filed in: Pittsburgh Penguins | The Confluence | Permalink
Tags: NHL-Hockey, Pittsburgh+Penguins,
Morning Levity: Pensblog goes back in time
by Tony on 10/30/09 at 07:54 AM ET
Comments (0)
Fellow Penguins bloggers and personal favorites of the A2Y gang, The Pensblog, have turned back the clocks in their second commercial of 2009.
Enjoy. By the way, I think we’ll all get a good chuckle out of a little dig at everyone’s favorite anonymous hockey fraud.
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Tags: NHL-Hockey, Pittsburgh+Penguins,
Injuries sure to test Penguins’ mettle
by Tony on 10/29/09 at 03:31 PM ET
Comments (15)
It’s those damn hockey gods. Yeah, that’s it.
First it was the Game Seven hero, the team’s #1 grinder. Then came their powerplay quarterback . Now it’s the team’s leading scorer for the last two years, not to mention the reigning Art Ross and Conn Smythe trophy winner.
News that Evgeni Malkin will be out of the lineup for 2-3 weeks nursing a strained shoulder has spread like wildfire throughout the Penguins’ blogosphere.
Now, unfortunately, we get to see how the Penguins fare for the first time without the other half of their dynamic duo.
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Tags: NHL-Hockey, Pittsburgh+Penguins,
Crosby’s hat trick fuels Penguins over Habs, 6-1
by Tony on 10/28/09 at 10:56 PM ET
Comments (3)
I wonder what all those self-appointed “experts”, the ones who were asking what was “wrong” with Sidney Crosby this season, are saying now ?
Crosby scored his third career hat trick on the third anniversary of his first one in Philadelphia, while the Penguins had a dominating performance tonight in a 6-1 win over the Canadiens at the Igloo.
Chris Kunitz got off the schnide in a big way, with a goal and assisting on all three Crosby goals.
The Penguins are now 10-2 on the season.
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Tags: Montreal+Canadiens, NHL-Hockey, Pittsburgh+Penguins,
Kunitz not making excuses
by Tony on 10/28/09 at 08:02 AM ET
Comments (2)
From the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review’s Josh Yohe:
There are goal-scoring droughts, funks, slumps and skids.
And then there is what Chris Kunitz is enduring.
The Penguins left wing has yet to register a goal in 11 games this season and has only scored once in his past 40 outings. Kunitz might be down on himself, but the Penguins are certainly supporting him.
“There is no excuse for it,” Kunitz said. “I feel like I’m playing well, and being streaky is something I’ve been through over the years. But, like I said, there’s no excuse for it.”
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Tags: NHL-Hockey, Pittsburgh+Penguins,
Crosby to carry Olympic Torch
by Tony on 10/27/09 at 01:36 PM ET
Comments (5)
From the Penguins:
It was announced today that Pittsburgh Penguins’ Sidney Crosby will carry the Olympic Torch in the Vancouver 2010 Olympic Torch Relay on November 18 in Halifax, Nova Scotia.
“I am honored and thrilled to have the opportunity to carry the Olympic Flame in my home province of Nova Scotia,” said Crosby. “The torch relay will pass through so many communities and hands on the way to Vancouver and I’m privileged to be part of that special group as the Olympic Flame makes its way to Vancouver for the 2010 Winter Games.”
Crosby, originally from Cole Harbour, Nova Scotia, will be one of 12,000 torchbearers taking the Olympic Flame 45,000 kilometers across Canada. In association with Bell, a supporting sponsor of the 2010 Olympic Torch Relay, Crosby was selected because of his outstanding achievements in hockey and his unbridled passion for his home city, province and country.
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Tags: NHL-Hockey, Pittsburgh+Penguins,
Penguins by the Numbers: 1st Edition
by Tony on 10/26/09 at 01:24 PM ET
Comments (1)
Throughout the regular season I’ll throw out several Penguins statistics, some more pertinent than others.
The most important stat, naturally, is the team’s overall record of 9-2, good enough for 18 points, leading the Eastern Conference and tied with the Colorado Avalanche for the best record in the NHL.
Let’s take a look at some of the other stats for the Pens;
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Tags: NHL-Hockey, Pittsburgh+Penguins,
Pens need power play plan
by Tony on 10/26/09 at 08:49 AM ET
Comments (5)
Many ‘Burghers dislike Mark Madden. He definitely has had his controversial moments. But one thing you can’t argue; The man knows his hockey. And if I do say so myself, he repeats what I’ve been saying for years now concerning the Penguins’ powerplay;
---------------------------------------
From the Beaver County Times’ Mark Madden;
At 9-2, the Penguins look like champions. Except when it’s easiest to exert dominance: with the man advantage.
The Penguins’ power play underachieved last year, ranking 20th in the NHL with a conversion percentage of 17.2. So far, so bad this campaign: The Penguins’ PP ranks 17th at 18.4 percent. Such sustained mediocrity is amazing given the plethora of offensive talent at the Penguins’ disposal. It probably won’t get any better with power-play quarterback Sergei Gonchar out.
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Tags: NHL-Hockey, Pittsburgh+Penguins,
Super Mario is a Super Dad and Bantam coach, too
by Tony on 10/25/09 at 09:07 AM ET
Comments (1)
From the Buffalo News’ Bucky Gleason:
If you didn’t know any better, the man behind the bench was a nameless, faceless youth hockey coach on a Saturday afternoon rather than one of the greatest players in NHL history. That’s how Mario Lemieux operates these days in his continuous battle to remain under the radar. Lemieux is a hockey superhero and owner of the Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins. He’s 6-foot-4, has GQ looks and could be the most respected sports figure in a city that includes Sidney Crosby and Ben Roethlisberger, yet he carries himself like he’s the utility infielder for the Pirates.
Super Mario is quietly coaching his son’s Bantam Minor (1996 birth year) team in the Empire West Amateur Hockey League. In the interest of full disclosure, his Junior Penguins team plays in the same league as my son’s West Seneca team. Lemieux isn’t just the sponsor or a figurehead. He’s the head coach. And he’s having a ball.
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Tags: NHL-Hockey, Pittsburgh+Penguins,
Brodeur, Devils cool Penguins off, 4-1
by Tony on 10/24/09 at 10:45 PM ET
Comments (4)
There would be no comeback tonight.
With all due respect to the Florida Panthers, it’s not quite the same trying to come back from a two-goal third period deficit against Tomas Vokoun and the Panthers as it is trying against future Hall of Famer Marty Brodeur and the New Jersey Devils.
It was vintage Brodeur and a vintage Devil-ish performance, as the Devils played a great game on both ends of the ice, while perhaps taking advantage of a weary Penguins team in a 4-1 win at a quiet Igloo tonight.
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Tags: NHL-Hockey, Pittsburgh+Penguins,
Crosby bails out Penguins in 3-2 OT win over Panthers
by Tony on 10/23/09 at 11:34 PM ET
Comments (9)
Over the course of an 82 game schedule, you take the wins anyway you can get ‘em, I imagine.
Like tonight, where the Penguins mailed it in for the first two periods, before waking up with two third period goals to tie the game, and eventually winning 3-2 in a shootout over the Florida Panthers.
Sidney Crosby did the damage for the Penguins with two regulation goals, including the first short-handed goal in his NHL career, along with the only shootout goal.
The Penguins have now started the season with a 9-1 record, whose 18 points ties the record for most points after 10 games for a defending Stanley Cup champion with the ‘84-85 Oilers and the ‘92-’93 Penguins.
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Tags: NHL-Hockey, Pittsburgh+Penguins,
When Crosby speaks, NHLPA listens
by Tony on 10/23/09 at 08:32 AM ET
Comments (2)
From the Toronto Star’s Damien Cox:
When Sidney Crosby spoke up, the world changed for the embattled NHL Players’ Association.
It was the 22-year-old Crosby, arguably the highest-profile player in the sport today, who raised his voice last Sunday on a union conference call and firmly told interim executive director Ian Penny to hang up the phone because union members wanted to have a players-only discussion. Penny, who had first been rebuffed in his efforts to have baseball union leader Donald Fehr speak to the NHLPA team representatives, finally had to relent and get off the line.
It was a bad moment for Penny, whose future with the association after leading a coup that dethroned former executive director Paul Kelly in late summer now seems to be hanging by a thread. More important, it was one of several signals that the players appear intent on regaining control of their own union nearly two months after Kelly’s dismissal plunged the organization into disarray.
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Tags: NHL-Hockey, Pittsburgh+Penguins,
Analysis: The Penguins Will Overcome Loss of Gonchar
by Tony on 10/22/09 at 03:54 PM ET
Comments (1)
From PittsburghPenguins.com’s Sam Kasan:
The Penguins have enjoyed a remarkably unmarred season thus far in the 2009-10 campaign. The team has the best record in the National Hockey League at 8-1 and tied for its second-best start in franchise history.
But in the harsh and unforgiving world of professional sports, no one expected the team’s fortuity to remain in a state of perpetuity. That became evident Wednesday afternoon with the announcement that veteran defenseman and locker room leader Sergei Gonchar will miss four to six weeks after breaking his left wrist in Pittsburgh’s 5-1 victory over St. Louis Tuesday night.
Pittsburgh will no doubt miss a player with Gonchar’s talent and skill level, but if history has taught us anything about this generation of Penguins, it’s that nothing – not even an injury – will deter the team. After all dealing with injuries, and particularly injuries to key players, is nothing new for Pittsburgh.
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Tags: NHL-Hockey, Pittsburgh+Penguins,
Penguins thump Blues 5-1: Gonchar reportedly out with broken wrist
by Tony on 10/20/09 at 10:26 PM ET
Comments (7)
UPDATE: Per the Penguins’ Bob Grove, Gonchar’s injury might be a shoulder injury rather than a wrist injury. There won’t be any Pens’ announcement until Wednesday.
Thank Goodness for the Internets.
Tonight’s game vs. the Blues was the first of eight Penguin games this season on the Versus network. You know what that meant for my DirecTV butt. Well, thanks to a couple of those “other” streams online (thanks guys !), I was able to watch the game.
And because of that, I was able to watch a dominating Pens performance at the Igloo tonight in a 5-1 Penguins win.
The win was not without some potentially bad news. Pens’ defenseman Sergei Gonchar left the game after two periods with an undisclosed injury. Unofficially, there are reports that Gonchar has suffered a broken wrist.
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Tags: NHL-Hockey, Pittsburgh+Penguins, St.+Louis+Blues,
Crosby doesn’t believe in haunted hardware
by Tony on 10/18/09 at 10:37 PM ET
Comments (5)
From NHL.com’s Rocky Bonanno;
He did what?
On May 27, 2009, moments after the Penguins swept the Carolina Hurricanes in the third round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, captain Sidney Crosby glided to center ice at the RBC Center to accept the Prince of Wales Trophy from NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly, signifying Pittsburgh as Eastern Conference champions for the second consecutive season.
Crosby didn’t just accept the trophy, he—gasp!—touched it. He even called over alternate captains Evgeni Malkin and Sergei Gonchar to get the party started.
He did what?
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Tags: NHL-Hockey, Pittsburgh+Penguins,
Penguins down Lightning 4-1 for 5th straight win
by Tony on 10/17/09 at 10:44 PM ET
Comments (6)
So much for that “first game back home after a road trip” cliche’.
The Penguins used an excellent defensive effort to propel them to their fifth straight win tonight at the Igloo with a 4-1 win over the Lightning.
The Pens are now 7-1 and kept pace with the victorious Rangers for the NHL’s best record. Marc-Andre Fleury stopped 22 of 23 shots to raise his undefeated record to 7-0.
Bill Guerin, Sergei Gonchar, Pascal Dupuis and Mike Rupp scored for the Penguins, while Steven Stamkos had the only tally for the Bolts.
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Tags: NHL-Hockey, Pittsburgh+Penguins, Tampa+Bay+Lightning,
Still way too early for all of these NHL pronouncements
by Tony on 10/16/09 at 10:36 AM ET
Comments (11)
I guess, in retrospect, it’s human nature in all of us sports fanatics, regardless of college or professional, or what particular sport it is.
A new season starts after long, agonizing months of impatiently awaiting its return, and when the games are finally underway, it’s almost inevitable, the decrees start:
“Mark Sanchez is the next Joe Montana !”. “Alex Ovechkin will challenge Gretzky’s records !”. “The Red Wings’ window is closing !”.
Now, understand, all of those could end up being true, who the hell knows. But damn people, do the bold pronouncements have to start so early ??
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Tags: NHL-Hockey, Pittsburgh+Penguins,
Penguins sweep road trip, down Canes 3-2 in shootout
by Tony on 10/14/09 at 10:22 PM ET
Comments (5)
The effects of a four-game road trip certainly showed tonight for the Penguins in Raleigh, as the Hurricanes came back from a third-period two-goal deficit. But the Penguins persevered through the remainder of regulation and overtime, and finally outlasted the Canes on Chris Kunitz’ shootout goal, the sixth shooter for the Pens, for a 3-2 win.
It marked a four-game sweep of their early-season road trip through Philly, Toronto, Ottawa and Carolina. The Penguins now stand with a 6-1 record, tied with the Rangers for the best record in the NHL.
Mike Rupp scored his first goal as a Penguin, while Evgeni Malkin scored his third of the season.
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Tags: Carolina+Hurricanes, NHL-Hockey, Pittsburgh+Penguins,
Penguins’ new arena on pace for Aug. 1st completion
by Tony on 10/13/09 at 04:07 PM ET
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According to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, the Penguins’ new home, the Consol Energy Center, is on pace to open on or before it’s Aug. 1, 2010 scheduled date.
In fact, the lead architects indicate that it could well open before that time, stating “they’re flying over there”.
Interestingly, they also state that there are no plans for a marquee, such as one that is located outside Mellon Arena across the street. However, there have been several hints during various press conferences that there will be a statue of Penguins’ Hall of Fame player, owner and team savior Mario Lemieux installed at the CEC.
To check out the progress of the arena, feel free to check out the Penguins’ webcam.
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Tags: NHL-Hockey, Pittsburgh+Penguins,
Penguins find defensive answer in Jay McKee
by Tony on 10/13/09 at 01:52 PM ET
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From ESPN’s Pierre LeBrun:
“It was a real easy decision for me,” McKee told ESPN.com over the weekend. “I had my eye on this team when I was unrestricted. I know they had just an incredible year last season; everything came together for them. When that happens, it’s tough to keep the whole team together. So Gill and Scuderi left, [and] that was kind of the style of game that I have. I’m fortunate that Mr. Shero liked what I brought to the table.”
Watching Saturday’s game in Toronto, where the Penguins manhandled the Maple Leafs, it seemed McKee had more blocked shots than Fleury had saves. McKee already leads the Penguins with 17 blocked shots. He’s not going to make a lot of highlight reels this season, but he’s going to do the dirty work in the defensive zone.
“Coming here, I wasn’t nervous, I was excited,” said the 32-year-old McKee. “I just wanted to get comfortable on the ice with their system and their players and getting to know the guys. That’s happened in a real hurry and it’s been a lot of fun.”
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Tags: NHL-Hockey, Pittsburgh+Penguins,
Penguins dispose of Senators, 4-1
by Tony on 10/12/09 at 10:49 PM ET
Comments (12)
The Penguins and the Ottawa Senators renewed acquaintances from playoffs past tonight. While sniper Dany Heatley has departed (finallly, many said) to San Jose, they signed former Penguin Alex Kovalev, along with trade returnees Jonathan Cheechoo and Milan Michalek.
After a ‘07 playoff defeat in five games, the ‘08 Penguins swept the Sens in the first round.
And after 60 minutes of play, it was more of the same tonight, as the Penguins used their depth to their advantage in a 4-1 win over the Senators at Scotiabank Place. The win gives the Penguins a league-leading 5-1 record, and gives Marc-Andre Fleury a 5-0 record.
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Tags: NHL-Hockey, Ottawa+Senators, Pittsburgh+Penguins,
HNIC Opening Intro - Penguins vs. Leafs
by Tony on 10/11/09 at 09:02 PM ET
Comments (3)
Here’s the comic book’ish opening intro of CBC’s Hockey Night in Canada telecast of last night’s tilt between the Penguins and Maple Leafs.
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Tags: NHL-Hockey, Pittsburgh+Penguins, Toronto+Maple+Leafs,
Sid the Kid: Unplugged
by Tony on 10/11/09 at 12:16 PM ET
Comments (2)
From the Toronto Sun’s Mike Zeisberger:
On Ovechkin
No matter what he does in his career, Crosby and Ovechkin will always be compared. “It’s not something I personally need but I accept it,” Crosby said. “It’s great for hockey if there is competition like that.
“To sit here and say we’re the same, well, we’re not. There’s nothing wrong with that. It doesn’t mean one is better than the other. We’re different.” Crosby does not think the lack of a championship makes Ovechkin any less of a player.
“He’s a great player. Just because he has not won a Stanley Cup doesn’t mean anything.”
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Tags: NHL-Hockey, Pittsburgh+Penguins,
Penguins’ powerplay fuels 5-2 win over Maple Leafs
by Tony on 10/10/09 at 10:52 PM ET
Comments (1)
For whatever reason, the Penguins looked downright lousy last year vs. Toronto, losing their last three meetings, including the final one that resulted in Michel Therrien’s firing.
This season, for the first meeting at least, the tables certainly turned. The Penguins took advantage of three consecutive powerplay goals en route to a relatively easy 5-2 win over the Leafs in Toronto.
Sidney Crosby had 2 goals for the Pens, while Evgeni Malkin had 3 assists.
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Tags: NHL-Hockey, Pittsburgh+Penguins, Toronto+Maple+Leafs,
Behind the Scenes look at Penguins’ home opener ceremony
by Tony on 10/09/09 at 06:35 PM ET
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If you happened to see the Penguins’ opening night ceremony last Friday night, which featured the raising of the Stanley Cup banner, you saw some very impressive effects. Here’s a behind the scenes look, hosted by PensTV’s Alonyka Larionov.
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Tags: NHL-Hockey, Pittsburgh+Penguins,
Stopping Crosby and Malkin, by Mike Komisarek
by Tony on 10/09/09 at 03:28 PM ET
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From the National Post’s Joe O’Connor;
Hockey players always put on a brave face. It is just what they do. But there are some things worth being scared of. And three of them will be at the Air Canada Centre tonight as the Toronto Maple Leafs play host to Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and the defending Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins.
The Leafs have opened the season in a funk. They are winless after three games, and currently dead last in the Eastern Conference standings. The Penguins are 3-1, and sat atop the conference pecking order before Friday’s slate of NHL games.
Something is bound to give when a good team plays the bad Leafs. And someone will have to stop Crosby and Malkin. So, how does one do that, beyond offering the hockey gods a solemn pre-game sacrifice?
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Tags: NHL-Hockey, Pittsburgh+Penguins,
Letang says Hartnell bit him, and Hartnell ‘can’t say what happened’
by Tony on 10/09/09 at 10:31 AM ET
Comments (7)
From ESPN’s Pierre Lebrun:
The Flyers-Penguins rivalry is one of the best in hockey. And tonight’s 5-4 win by Pittsburgh was another dandy. But there’s good, hard-nosed, vicious, physical hockey, and then there’s just plain idiotic.
If it is indeed true that Scott Hartnell bit Kris Letang’s finger with just seconds remaining in Thursday night’s game, the Philadelphia Flyers winger should be suspended. I guarantee you the NHL’s hockey operations staff was already looking at the scuffle. But unless there’s clear video evidence of the action, it might be tough to do anything about it.
The incident was sparked by Flyers captain Mike Richards’ colliding with Penguins goalie Marc-Andre Fleury, which took the net off and stopped play with 1.2 seconds left in the game. Letang and Hartnell then got entangled; so did Flyers defenseman Chris Pronger and Penguins forward Chris Kunitz (both later received 10-minute misconducts). Letang and Hartnell scuffled and fell to the ice, but there was no clear shot from the game broadcast to see the bite.
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Tags: NHL-Hockey, Philadelphia+Flyers, Pittsburgh+Penguins,
Penguins down Emery, Flyers 5-4
by Tony on 10/08/09 at 10:40 PM ET
Comments (24)
If you listen to some of these hockey “experts”, they’ve all but awarded the Stanley Cup to the Philadelphia Flyers.
You know, the ones that added Chris Pronger and Ray Emery, among others.
Well, tonight, facing the actual Stanley Cup champions, their supposed #1 goaltender Emery gave up a 5-spot for the second game in a row, while Pronger was for the most part invisible other than taking part in the requisite Flyers goon squad in the last seconds of the game in the Penguins’ 5-4 win tonight at the Wachovia Center.
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Tags: NHL-Hockey, Philadelphia+Flyers, Pittsburgh+Penguins,
Best Penguins prospects info continues at Faceoff Factor
by Tony on 10/08/09 at 01:38 PM ET
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As it has been for a couple of years now, if you want the best information on Penguins prospects at all of the levels, go no further than the Faceoff Factor.
This season not only do they have the latest information on the Pens’ prospects, but they have a member of the Pens’ ECHL affiliate, the Wheeling Nailers, guest blogging for them.
Here is Nailers’ defenseman and Pittsburgh native Cliff Loya’s first entry.
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Tags: NHL-Hockey, Pittsburgh+Penguins,
Penguins flat as a board in 3-0 stinker to Coyotes
by Tony on 10/08/09 at 08:57 AM ET
Comments (9)
If I may, let me quote my colleague Hooks Orpik, in his post last night at Pensburgh, ‘cause he just hits the nail on the head;
“Uninterested. Half-hearted. Ugly. Lacksidasical. Piss-poor. Uninspired. Bland. Disappointing. Vomit-inducing.”
The Penguins got caught red-handed looking past the troubled Phoenix Coyotes towards tonight’s slobber-knocker against the Flyers, and it cost them. A completely flat and lazy Penguins performance resulted in a penalty-filled game, which turned into two Coyote powerplay goals in an eventual 3-0 stinker in front of a soldout but quiet Igloo crowd.
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Pittsburgh tops Sporting News’ Annual Best Sports Cities List
by Tony on 10/07/09 at 10:19 AM ET
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Pittsburgh, with the Super Bowl-winning Steelers and Stanley Cup-winning Penguins leading the way in 2009, is No. 1 in Sporting News’ 16th annual Best Sports Cities rankings.
The Steel City dethroned 2008’s No. 1 Boston, which had finished atop the list three of the past five years but dropped to third, behind No. 2 Philadelphia, on the 2009 list. Rounding out the top 10 are No. 4 Chicago and No. 5 Los Angeles, No. 6 New York, No. 7 Phoenix, No. 8 Miami, No. 9 Dallas-Fort Worth and No. 10 Detroit.
“It’s been quite a year in Pittsburgh. Sports fans in Western Pennsylvania have had a lot to be proud of these last 12 months,” Pittsburgh Mayor Luke Ravenstahl said, acknowledging the honor. “Pittsburgh truly is the City of Champions once again.”
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Tags: NHL-Hockey, Pittsburgh+Penguins,
Q&A: Penguins’ Sidney Crosby
by Tony on 10/06/09 at 01:09 PM ET
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From USA Today’s Kevin Allen:
How do you avoid the Stanley Cup hangover? How do you stay at your best for a second run at the Stanley Cup?
Crosby: We are a pretty young group across the board. But a lot of our guys have had success now early in their careers, and we have to use those lessons and apply them this season. Everyone realizes how hard it was to get to the top. But it is way harder to stay there.
In trying to repeat, is there an advantage to being a younger team under the theory that your team is less worn down?
Crosby: It should help. But regardless of age, a team has to be ready to turn the page. Just because you won the year before doesn’t mean you start off playing at the same level. A lot of people don’t realize that. You have to build. Although we had a tough start last year, we always kept in mind what we were building toward. We never lost of that. We can’t lose sight of that now. When you have success, it’s easy to forget the details. We have to start from scratch.
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Penguins Season Opener Sets Ratings Record
by Tony on 10/05/09 at 09:07 PM ET
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From the Penguins:
Friday night’s telecast of the Pittsburgh Penguins season opening 2009-10 game versus the New York Rangers registered a 10.5 average HH rating on FSN Pittsburgh, according to Nielsen Media Research. The telecast, viewed by more than 120,500 households in the Pittsburgh DMA, set a new record rating as the highest ever for a Penguins season opening game telecast on the regional sports network. The game also falls into the top five of the highest rated regular season Pens games on FSN.
“Friday night defied ordinary on FSN,” said Ted Black, Senior VP/General Manager, FSN Pittsburgh. “Our ability to showcase the Stanley Cup banner raising ceremony and Coach Bylsma’s team pregame talk was a truly unique opportunity for fans and they proved that by the record number who tuned in for the opening season game on FSN Pittsburgh.”
The previous high mark of 7.1 for a Penguins season opening game rating was set at the start of the 2005-06 season, Sidney Crosby’s first as a Penguin. FSN Pittsburgh led all FSN regional sports networks in NHL game ratings the past two seasons.
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Tags: NHL-Hockey, Pittsburgh+Penguins,
Penguins nip Isles 4-3 in shootout in Tavares debut
by Tony on 10/03/09 at 11:13 PM ET
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It’s safe to say the New York Islanders are happy with John Tavares’ NHL debut tonight against the Stanley Cup champion Pittsburgh Penguins.
After all, a goal and an assist in your first NHL game is nothing to sneeze at.
But in the end, it was the Penguins who got the last laugh, scoring a late third period goal to tie the game, and eventually winning it on Sidney Crosby’s shootout goal for a final score of 4-3.
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Tags: New+York+Islanders, NHL-Hockey, Pittsburgh+Penguins,
Penguins open Cup defense with 3-2 win over Rangers
by Tony on 10/02/09 at 11:25 PM ET
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The banner was raised, then it was time to start it all over again.
The Penguins capped off a tremendous night of Stanley Cup championship celebrations with a scrappy 3-2 win over the New York Rangers tonight at the Igloo.
Evgeni Malkin, Sidney Crosby and Tyler Kennedy scored for the Pens, whiile Chris Drury and new Ranger Marian Gaborik scored for the Rangers.
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Tags: New+York+Rangers, NHL-Hockey, Pittsburgh+Penguins,
Penguins RW Bill Guerin: ‘Teams are gunning for you’
by Tony on 10/02/09 at 08:55 AM ET
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From the Sporting News’ Bill Guerin:
The Pittsburgh Penguins begin defense of their Stanley Cup championship Friday when they play host in a season opener to the New York Rangers.
Bill Guerin is one of the reasons the Penguins can call themselves reigning champs. Acquired at the trade deadline last year, Guerin provided the veteran leadership — as well as the scoring winger on their top line with Sidney Crosby. Guerin was especially valuable in the playoffs, where he scored seven goals in 24 games.
This summer, Guerin, a 38-year-old Massachusetts native, signed a one-year deal to return to the Penguins. He chatted with Sporting News’ Craig Custance about putting last season in the past, and the opportunity to play a full season with Crosby.
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Penguins announce 09-10 Student Rush Program
by Tony on 10/01/09 at 10:55 AM ET
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From the Penguins:
The Pittsburgh Penguins and American Eagle Outfitters will hold the first of five special American Eagle Student Rush Nights on Wednesday, Oct. 7 against Phoenix at 7:30 pm at Mellon Arena. American Eagle Student Rush tickets go on sale one hour before game time at the Mellon Arena Gate Eight (8) Box Office. You must have a valid college or high school Student ID and $20 cash to participate. Limit one (1) ticket per Student ID. For more information on the American Eagle Student Rush program, visit http://www.pittsburghpenguins.com/studentrush.
Students participating in American Eagle Student Rush on Wednesday night also will receive a “special” surprise before the game. The traditional Student Rush line will form along Mario Lemieux Place and tickets will go on sale at 6:30 pm at Gate 8. Other Special American Eagle Student Rush Nights currently scheduled include Oct. 20 vs. St. Louis, Nov. 16 vs. Anaheim, Jan. 28 vs. Ottawa and Mar. 2 vs. Buffalo. The Penguins have reserved at least 400 tickets exclusively for college and high school students for all five Special American Eagle Student Rush Nights. Additional American Eagle Student Rush Nights will be held throughout the season based on ticket availability. Students can text “RUSH” to 32623 to sign up for alerts and learn about ticket availability on a game-by-game basis. Students who register are eligible for special offers, including four complimentary tickets given away to one lucky student for each Penguins home game. All fans attending Wednesday’s game will receive a Penguins schedule mouse pad presented by Trib Total Media.
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Penguins claim Chris Bourque, lose Bissonnette on waivers
by Tony on 09/30/09 at 01:28 PM ET
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Via multiple Tweets, winger Paul Bissonnette was also been claimed off waivers by the Phoenix Coyotes. From the Penguins:
The Pittsburgh Penguins have claimed forward Chris Bourque off waivers, it was announced by Executive Vice President and General Manager Ray Shero. Bourque, who is the son of Hall of Fame defenseman Ray Bourque, will be added to the Pittsburgh Penguins roster.
Bourque, 23, spent the previous five seasons in the Washington Capitals organization after Washington selected him in the second round (33rd overall) of the 2004 NHL Entry Draft. He has appeared in 12 games for the Capitals, recording one goal. Bourque (5-8, 180 pounds) played four seasons with the Hershey Bears of the American Hockey League, Washington’s top minor-league affiliate. Bourque was a member of two Calder Cup championship teams in Hersey in 2006 and 2009. In 270 games with the Bears, he posted 82 goals, 148 assists and 230 points. Last season, Bourque totaled 21 goals, 52 assists and 73 points in 69 games, while adding 21 points (5G-16A) in 22 post-season games to help lead Hershey to the Calder Cup title.
The Boston, Massachusetts native played one season of college hockey at Boston University, recording 10 goals and 23 points in 35 games.
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Penguins receive Championship Rings
by Tony on 09/29/09 at 08:41 PM ET
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Pittsburgh Penguins players, coaches, hockey staff and executives received their 2009 Stanley Cup championship rings at a private ceremony Tuesday night. Manufactured by Intergold, the rings were designed in consultation with Penguins owners Mario Lemieux and Ron Burkle, general manager Ray Shero and head coach Dan Bylsma.
“The ring is a lasting symbol of the championship effort of our players, coaches, staff and organization,” the Penguins said in a statement. “We want to thank Intergold for an exceptional effort in helping us commemorate the team’s achievement.” Each 14 karat white and yellow gold ring contains 167 diamonds, totaling approximately 4.50 carats of diamonds and averaging approximately 100 grams of gold. The top of the ring is crowned with a custom-cut black onyx imbedded with a 1.3 carat pear-shaped diamond to create the Penguins logo. The logo is placed on an image of the Stanley Cup, which is sitting on a bed of round diamonds replicating the arena and ice surface.
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Tags: NHL-Hockey, Pittsburgh+Penguins,
Shameless Plug: New York Times guest blogger column is up
by Tony on 09/29/09 at 07:03 PM ET
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I’ve been asked once again to be the Penguins’ guest blogger at the New York Times’ “Slap Shot” column.
Their questionaires for Eastern Conference bloggers is now up. Please check it out here.
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Tags: NHL-Hockey, Pittsburgh+Penguins,
Penguins make final cuts
by Tony on 09/29/09 at 05:18 PM ET
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From the Penguins:
The Pittsburgh Penguins cut their active roster to 21 players, it was announced today by Executive Vice President and General Manager Ray Shero.
The Penguins placed five players on waivers with the intention of assigning them to the club’s top minor-league affiliate in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the American Hockey League (AHL). They are forwards Ryan Bayda, Paul Bissonnette and Chris Conner and defensemen Deryk Engelland and Nate Guenin.
The moves leave the Penguins with 21 players on their active roster. Forwards Max Talbot and Mark Letestu and defenseman Ben Lovejoy are currently on Injured Reserve. Pittsburgh has 24 players on its overall roster – 14 forwards, eight defensemen and two goaltenders. All NHL teams must submit their 23-man active rosters to the league by 3 p.m. on Wednesday.
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Tags: NHL-Hockey, Pittsburgh+Penguins,
Penguins sign Martin Skoula to One-Year Contract
by Tony on 09/29/09 at 02:06 PM ET
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From the Penguins:
The Pittsburgh Penguins have signed defenseman Martin Skoula to a one-year contract, it was announced by Executive Vice President and General Manager Ray Shero. Financial terms were not disclosed.
Skoula adds nine years of NHL experience, including a Stanley Cup championship in 2001 with Colorado, to the Penguins’ roster. He has played in 724 career games and 79 playoff contests during stints in Colorado, Anaheim, Dallas and Minnesota. Skoula, 29, has posted career totals of 41 goals, 144 assists, 185 points and a plus-13 rating, as well as 14 post-season points (1G-13A). The reliable blueliner has appeared in at least 78 games in each of his nine seasons.
Skoula broke into the league in 1999, seeing action in 80 regular-season games and 17 post-season matchups at just 19 years old after the Avalanche selected him in the first round (17th overall) of the 1998 NHL Entry Draft. At the age of 20, Skoula totaled 25 points (8G-17A) in 82 games and five points (1G-4A) in 23 post-season games to help Colorado capture the Stanley Cup title in 2001. The Litomerice, Czech Republic native played the last three-plus seasons with Minnesota.
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Tags: NHL-Hockey, Pittsburgh+Penguins,
Crosby is Pens’ captain, and Guerin is his staff sergeant
by Tony on 09/29/09 at 10:28 AM ET
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From USA Today’s Kevin Allen:
When I asked Sidney Crosby whether on July 1 he had been confident that Bill Guerin would return to be his linemate, he said: “I was optimistic, but I tried not to get my hopes high.”
We both started to laugh, each of us amused by the memory that Crosby had also been optimistic that Marian Hossa was coming back to the Pittsburgh Penguins in the summer of 2008. Instead, Hossa scooted off to Detroit.
But Guerin. 38, was always less of a flight risk than Hossa. The only question was whether Guerin was willing to take less money and not demand a two-year deal. “I thought he realized the impact he had on this team and the impact he had on this team,” Crosby said.
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Tags: NHL-Hockey, Pittsburgh+Penguins,
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