Thursday, November 30, 2006

Non Game Day Pens Notes....

Andre Roy has been sent to the Penguins AHL affiliate in Wilkes Barre Scranton. Hopefully he will get some quality ice time there and showcase the skills that he does have. He could possibly net the Pens a draft pick or something in a trade. I think that someone would have taken a flyer on him, but his salary is a bit to high for a guy who doesn't have a ton of "new" NHL skill and has been known more for his physical play and fighting. He had a decent run with the Lightning and even earned praise from TB coach John Tortorella earlier this season as an element his team was missing.


****

If John Leclair has played his last game in a Penguin uniform, I would like to send him off with some compliments. He has been nothing but a class act during his time in Pittsburgh.

He could have pouted last season when then GM Craig Patrick didn't find a trade partner to take him, even though he knew he would be missing the playoffs for the first time in his career and good friend Mark Recchi has been dispatched to eventual Cup winner Carolina. Instead, he chose to pick his game up to a level that hadn't been there most of the season and lead a very young team in a semi decent finish last year. Leclair was one of the Penguins best forwards down the stretch last year.

When this season began, he gladly filled the leadership role that Head Coach Michel Therrien had talked with him about even though he had been a bit chafed last season when the same coach took his "A" away. He reported to work every day knowing that his ice time was decreasing nightly. He was one of the first players on the ice at practice and one of the last to leave it. Leclair spent time talking and joking with the young nucleus of the team and settled into his role as a third and fourth line player. It is something that other players have balked at in the past, but Leclair went about his business with class.

I have to admit I wasn't thrilled when the Penguins signed him last year, but during his time here he really showed the kind of person he is. It was nice to see a veteran player realize that things change a bit over the years and he never once complained or became a problem. I hope that he lands on his feet somewhere and is able to contribute and be successful. Thanks Johnny Vermont...good luck in the future.

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Defenseman Mark Eaton is still looking at a late January early February return from his wrist injury.

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Something interesting that I saw the Penguins selling this season: Gift Cards. I have always thought of giving hockey tickets as gifts, but you have to know that the recipient can attend the game you have purchased. It seems that you can now purchase a card and the recipient can choose which game/s they want to attend. Very good idea!

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The Penguins also are still doing their "Student Rush" program. I only wish it were available back when I was in school. A student need only show their student ID at the box office one hour before game time and they can purchase "the best available seat" for $20. That is a steal! The lines have been around the entire Igloo this season. Students begin lining up at 2:00pm on occasion....it is a really great program that other teams should look into.

Pens Waive Leclair

John Leclair has been waived by the Pittsburgh Penguins. He had been a healthy scratch lately. General manager Ray Shero met with him yesterday and they two had a "good talk." More as we have it....


For some reason my browser isn't allowing me to respond to your comments.....this is an answer to the comment in this post...

He will have to clear waivers....if he does, he will be sent to Wilkes Barre Scranton. More than likely they did it to guage interest by other teams.

Johnny will never play in the AHL though, they can immediately recall him. At which point he would have to clear re-entry waivers and another team can claim him for only 900,000 and a fee of 3300. A lot less that the 1.8 mill cap hit he would be right now or in a trade.

Wednesday, November 29, 2006

Pens Knock Off Isles, Gary Bettman Issues a Challenge.....Armstrong Gets the "Monkey Out Of His Back!"

The Penguins continued their tour of the Atlantic Division last night against the New York Islanders. The flightless bird has played it's divisional opponents so often in the past few weeks that it seems like they are in several different playoff series all at once. By watching some of the chippy play in these games, you may begin to think it actually has been the playoffs.

Sidney Crosby returned to the line-up after having missed three games with an injured groin. He got back to playing Butch Cassidy to Colby Armstrong's Sundance Kid, and the two teamed up for Armstrong's first and second goals of the season. When Armstrong scored the first goal he jumped into Crosby's arms. He looked as if he had just heard the lottery drawing and was holding the winning ticket.

Armstrong was very relived after the game. "Yeah, definitely. I have been waiting awhile for that....guys have been saying shoot the puck, shoot the puck and I have been working on some things in practice," Armstrong said. "It was good to finally have the puck bounce in front there for me."

Head coach Michel Therrien was also excited for Armstrong and voiced it as only he can, "Pretty excited to see Colby got two goals tonight, especially the first one.....Hopefully he got the monkey out of his back."

It was definitely Marc Andre Fleury's night. He played very big in net for the Penguins...he had some extra incentive, it was his birthday and his bobblehead night! The 17,082 in attendance all got to take a little bit of MA home on his day. Even though he fought with a few rebounds, he made every big save late in the game.

Fleury was in a staring contest with Rick DiPietro all night, but DiPietro was the first to blink. No disrespect, but you would think that a $15 million dollar goaltender would have learned to hug the goal post when someone is cutting behind the net. He was beaten with a shot by Chris Thorburn that deflected off of his foot and in behind him. It would go on to be the game winner.

Therrien was pleased with his team’s effort, but not completely satisfied. "To win a hockey game, sometimes you need breaks. Lately, we didn't have any breaks," Therrien said. "Tonight we got the breaks and we end up winning the hockey game. I don't think it was our best game lately."

As Coach said, the team got the breaks they needed to win this game. Both teams had plenty of scoring chances, but the Pens took full advantage of the breaks that came their way.

Notes:

Sidney Crosby looked great. He did not show any signs of a lingering problem with his groin. Crosby brought energy to the team that had been missing during his absence. He picked up 2 assists to keep pace in the scoring race. He also has raised his points per game to 1.58, the highest in the league.

Crosby must have wanted to pay homage to Dennis Savard, who was just named head coach in Chicago, when he attempted Savard's famous spin-o-rama late in the game. He would have pulled it off too, if not for a great defensive play by grey beard defenseman Alexei Zhitnik.

*****

I had the opportunity to speak with Brett Hull last night. I am not sure what he was doing in Pittsburgh, but I made sure to ask a question that has been bothering me.

At one point there was some debate about Marc Andre Fleury's pads being a bad thing for him. I believe that Petr Forsberg said that the bright yellow pads would give shooters an advantage. Well, Hull seemed to shoot this theory down. I heard him comment on the pads to the individual he was with, so I asked, "You being a sniper, do you think that they would give you an advantage in finding openings on a goalie?" Hull responded, "I never looked for openings. I tried to hit certain spots that I knew I would score." He went on to point out the five hole right along the ice, right above the leg on the either side, high glove hand close to the shoulder and if all else failed, shoot it right at the goalies stick. "You see how they hold it," Hull said. "You knock that out and he never recovers." So, I would like to make a case for Fleury saying, the color of your equipment means nothing to a true goal scorer.....it is how you cover the spots that count.

******

Gary Bettman was in town to meet with some city and county officials regarding the Stand Alone Slots License that is due to be awarded on December 20, 2006. He spoke with Mayor Luke Ravenstahl about plan B, but still wanted to go on record stating that the Isle of Capri plan is the best bet for keeping the Penguins in Pittsburgh.

"If the Isle of Capri doesn't get the license, we've got a lot of uncertainty to deal with, and it's best for everybody and the franchise that we're not dealing in uncharted and uncertain waters," Bettman said.

"I think I've been very clear about this: We want the Penguins to stay in Pittsburgh," Bettman said. "This is a great market, there are great fans here, and we would like nothing better for Pens to have a new arena ... and on the right economic terms, so we don't have to worry about the long-term viability of the franchise. If we have to deal with something else, a lot of factors come into play and I can't be as certain about the future."

On a lighter note, Bettman expects the Penguins sale to Jim Balsillie to be finalized within the next 2 to 3 weeks.

"Assuming the interview [with the executive board] goes well -- and we have no reason to believe that it won't -- then we'll brief the board in the meeting and then shortly thereafter we'll have what's known as a fax vote," said Bettman.

(Gary Bettman quotes from the AP, I was unable to make it to his press conference...I found out about it too late.)

Tuesday, November 28, 2006

An Update on Eastern Conference All Star Voting.....Pre Game Notes

I just saw the list of Eastern All Star vote getters and the leaders were sort of shocking. The league seems to love their Pittsburgh Penguins, with Sidney Crosby and Evegni Malkin leading all forwards in votes. Marc Andre Fleury is leading all goaltenders.

Can you imagine watching the game start with Crosby between Malkin and AO. You think that would make the All Star Game exciting?

Here are the top 10 of each catagory:

Forwards:

Sidney Crosby Pittsburgh 247,854
Evgeni Malkin Pittsburgh 156,469
Alex Ovechkin Washington 112,501
Daniel Briere Buffalo 110,913
Maxim Afinogenov Buffalo 105,737
Erik Cole Carolina 103,566
Chris Drury Buffalo 86,819
Jaromir Jagr NY Rangers 85,637
Marian Hossa Atlanta 48,150
Ilya Kovalchuk Atlanta 45,453

Defensemen:
Bryan McCabe Toronto 174,205
Jay Bouwmeester Florida 132,570
Brian Campbell Buffalo 118,406
Zdeno Chara Boston 110,416
Tomas Kaberle Toronto 105,137
Henrik Tallinder Buffalo 92,131
Sheldon Souray Montreal 84,503
Brian Rafalski New Jersey 59,330
Wade Redden Ottawa 56,723
Alexei Zhitnik NY Islanders 33,736

Goaltenders:
Marc-Andre Fleury Pittsburgh 138,151
Ryan Miller Buffalo 123,224
Martin Brodeur New Jersey 111,389
Andrew Raycroft Toronto 35,255
Cam Ward Carolina 33,430
Kari Lehtonen Atlanta 24,545
Henrik Lundqvist NY Rangers 23,190
Olaf Kolzig Washington 19,369

*****

Sidney Crosby will play this evening on a line with Colby Armstrong and Mark Recchi. Seems as if his groin is feeling strong and he has been bouncing off the walls while not being able to play.

Evgeni Malkin will fall back into his role of second line center. If nothing changes, he will be between Eric Christensen and Max Talbot.

I will update post game.....

Monday, November 27, 2006

Crosby Back Tomorrow...Hopefully and Some Notes....

Sidney Crosby could be back in the line-up tomorrow night against the New York Islanders. The team has really missed him and his 2 points per night...well it is more like 1.56, but who is counting.

He practiced with the team this morning and was skating like his old self. Let's hope that he doesn't aggravate the injury, because a groin can linger for extended periods of time. Isn't that right Mr. Jagr? Jaro has been famous over the years for having the nagging season long groin injury....it is not an easy thing to overcome, considering most hockey movements put stress on that particular muscle.

With Crosby's return to the line-up, Eric Christensen will most likely move to the wing as we discussed here over the past few days. The team thinks that he can be successful in that role. Christensen was playing some wing in Wilkes Barre Scranton right before his call up on a line with Edmonton prospect Rob Schremp. General manager Ray Shero thinks that EC can make the switch, "We want to give him a look on the side, so if he does come up, he's comfortable, and he knows what he's doing positionally. He's a smart player, so I don't think he'd have any trouble adjusting, no matter what role he was put in."

Aside from these items, it is a pretty slow news day in Penguin land. So, with that in mind, I will share a couple things I have been holding for just this situation!

Sidney Crosby is a Pen Thief! I am kidding of course, but I wanted to share a story that shows again the kind of person Sidney Crosby is. The other night when I was at the game, I am looking though my paperwork and taking some pregame notes. I get a tap on the arm and hear: "Excuse me, can I borrow a pen?" I look over my shoulder and it is none other than our injured superstar. I oblige and hand him my pen, the ONLY one I had with me. I always have an extra, but didn't on this night. I figured that he would bring it back in a second, to no avail! However I was touched when I heard where he went with my implement. In talking to an usher who was in the area I found out that as Sid had been coming through the corridor there was a little girl in a wheel chair lit up when she saw Crosby, and asked for an autograph. Sid didn't have a pen....alas; Metzer saves the day, and plays a small part in this act of kindness. Sid never made it back to me due to some other obligations....and inadvertently made off with my pen. I thought it was a neat story and wanted to share it with you all...

If you are a Crosby fan and haven't read Shawna Richer's book, The Rookie, you should. It chronicles her season with the young star. She was dispatched to Pittsburgh to cover his entire season, and she did a great job. The book really shows the type of player and person that this young man is. It is a very enjoyable read. Plus it would make a great gift for the Penguins or Hockey fan in your life!

Another great read: Tales of the Pittsburgh Penguins by Tribune Review columnist Joe Starky. Starky's book is a collection of great stories from the franchise's birth in 1967 through the night Sidney Crosby notched his 100th point during his rookie season. I really enjoyed, and think a lot of you will too. Let me know if you guys get a chance to read them. I am curious as to your thoughts.

Sunday, November 26, 2006

Penguins Fall To Rangers....Therrien Update On Crosby

Unfortunately, the Penguins hard work didn't pay off against the Rangers and they lost the game 2-1 on Marty Straka's goal with 2.2 seconds left in overtime. Ironically, the goal was assisted by Jaromir Jagr and Michal Rozsival....Penguins East strike again.

Jagr also scored the tying goal late in the third period. He is typically good for at least one per game against the Penguins. He may have been grinning a little bigger after that one though, the standing room only crowd booed mercilessly throughout the night each time he touched the puck. They even booed a montage of Jagr goals scored with a Penguins crest on chest congratulating the former Pittsburgh star on scoring 600 NHL goals.

Marc-Andre Fleury played very well tonight, and he deserved a better result. Though he did not face a ton of shots in the first two periods, he was peppered in the third. He had to be spectacular and came close to shutting the Rags out tonight. He was very downtrodden post game. "Tough to lose like that, you know," Fleury said. "Two seconds left, it's tough."

Fleury went on to say, "Rik played a good game, made some big saves. I thought it was pretty close all night. Sucks that we are the one losing."

Sergei Gonchar picked up his 500th NHL point on a power play goal by Evgeni Malkin. Malkin, who had several great chances throughout the night, celebrated his goal in grand fashion. He leapt for joy, pumped his fist, jumped again and banged the glass. It seemed to be a release of all the Penguins frustration on the power play coming out of the young man. He is fun to watch, not only for his skill level, but also for his enthusiasm.

Jordan Staal missed an opportunity to win the game in overtime. He was awarded a penalty shot and lost the puck at the last minute before he could get off a clean shot.

Coach Therrien was very pleased with his team's effort. "I am not only pleased, I'm proud about the effort. We deserved better. Honest to God, we deserved better....we battle hard, played 6 games in 9 days. I am impressed, really am impressed."

Therrien also compared his team to the Sabres of a few years ago.

"This was a great game for our team and we learn from these things," Therrien said. "You've got teams like Buffalo a few years ago that went through this process. Look where they are now."

Overall the Penguins played a great game and were rewarded with a point. It could have been two, but this is an example of a game that they probably win next season. When you consider that they have been playing without Sidney Crosby, this is a pretty good outcome.

As for Crosby's possible return in their next game, Therrien said, "I hope so. We really hope that he is going to come back pretty soon. I am guessing he is really close."

The Penguins continue their crazy Atlantic Division schedule Tuesday evening against the New York Isles.

Saturday, November 25, 2006

Crosby to Miss Third Game...

Sidney Crosby will miss tonight's game against the New York Rangers. He is still not comfortable playing on the groin and doen't want to push it just to get back sooner, when it could cause a worse problem down the line. No time table is set for his return.

Marc Andre Fleury will get the start tonight.

Evgeni Malkin will be in the line-up, most likely centering the top line. The same spot he has occupied in each of the games Crosby has missed.

Hopefully they can get the power play going tonight, it has been their downfall lately. Especially in their last game when they went 0-9 against the Isles. The Penguins need to cash in with the extra man to have an opportunity to win most games. It is their difference maker. The skill that they can employ on the power play should give them a huge advantage on most nights, but they have got to shoot the puck.

More after the game....

Friday, November 24, 2006

Update: Crosby Took the Warm Up.....but....

Well, the Power Play failed the Penguins again today. It would have been the difference in a game that was 1-0 heading into the 3rd period. Two less than stellar Islander goals later, and the rest is history, the Penguins fall 3-1. Thibault didn't look great to me.

Evgeni Malkin left the game after taking a huge hit from Brendan Witt late in the game. He was coming through the neutral zone, trying to take a pass when Witt crushed him. Malkin seemed to see him coming at the last minute and absorbed the hit with his left shoulder, the same one he dislocated in training camp. He stayed down for a few minutes, but left the ice under his own power. No announcement has been made on the situation. I don't want to speculate beyond that right now. More info as I get it.

No word on Sidney Crosby for tomorrow's game just yet. The good news is that the game is still over 24 hours away. The more time he has to get that groin in shape the better the chances that he does suit up.

Finally, some unsolicited advice to the Penguins Power Play.....SHOOT THE PUCK! They had a 5-3 and a 6 on 3 advantage (when they pulled the goaltender late) and didn't get a shot through. You can't score, if you don't shoot.

I will update when and if news breaks about the Sid or Malkin.

*****
He is not on the ice with the Penguins at the start of the game. Jocelyn Thibault is in net....
More post game....

Thursday, November 23, 2006

Pens Fall To Bruins....Malkin Puts On Third Period Show

If you take away the first two and a half periods, I saw one of the most exciting hockey games of the season tonight.

The Penguins looked out of sync and tired for most of the game and found themselves down 3-1 after 2 periods. They weren't forechecking or getting to loose pucks and most of their shots were being blocked. The Bruins put their bodies on the line 13 times through 2 periods.

The Penguins would get a wake up call at 7:56 of the third period. That is when Evgeni Malkin, who had been filling the number one center role for the first time in his NHL career, took a holding penalty. The Pens were in the middle of cycling effectively in the offensive zone and generating pressure until the infraction. He realized that he cost his team and seemed to convince himself that he would single handedly bring them back in the game.

Marc Andre Fleury made several dazzling saves on the Boston power play, and when Malkin broke out of the box he would begin the process of earning a point for his team. Max Talbot got the puck up to him as he approached a Boston defender. Malkin tipped the puck past him and in alone he went on goaltender Tim Thomas. He made no mistake in burying the puck. Another highlight reel score from Malkin.

Malkin would say of the goal, "When I came out of the penalty box, I saw the puck next to me. I tipped the puck and scored the goal." Always modest in his descriptions!

Malkin went on to play like a man possessed on each of his following shifts, but the team was running out of time. They deserved to tie the game, and they did just that at 19:30 of the third period. Malkin was in the slot and took a feed from Ryan Whitney that he would have liked to one time, unfortunately it bounced on him. He was able to get the puck to Mark Recchi, who threw the puck into the net on his backhand. Malkin had done it; he single-handedly willed the team to tie this game.

The game went to overtime and Malkin had a golden opportunity to finish what he started. He had a mini break away and had goaltender Thomas beat, he just could not get the puck up into the top part of the net. It will definitely go down as one he would love to have back.

The Penguins went on to lose in a shoot out, with Malkin being 1 of the 3 shooters stopped.
Though the team struggled, they can hold their heads high knowing that they played hard when their backs were against the wall and earned a point.

I was looking for Malkin to have a big night and though it took him a while, he came through for the sell out crowd at Mellon Arena.

*****

Mark Recchi continued his hot streak in picking up 2 goals on the night. He has definitely found his scoring touch again and that will only help the team win. He is not only valuable scoring goals, but he has really taken a leadership role this season.
When asked if he was disappointed about not being one of the shooters in the shootout, he answered with class. "You always like to be out there, absolutely. To give your team a chance to win. That is why we play the game, but the coach makes those decisions and we have to live by them. Those guys are all great shooters. Whatever the coach wants."

*****

Chris Thorburn was a healthy scratch for the second time in the last week.

*****

I saw Sidney Crosby after the game, he was in a hurry, but seemed to be walking fine. Not that it is a true indication of how his groin is feeling, but it could be a good sign.

******

Eric Christensen needs to find his NHL gear again. Though he had a couple scoring chances, including a breakaway in which he drew a penalty, he seemed a step to slow tonight. He was a bit dejected after the game and didn't hang around very long post game.

Pens Fall To Bruins....Malkin Puts On Third Period Show

If you take away the first two and a half periods, I saw one of the most exciting hockey games of the season tonight.
The Penguins looked out of sync and tired for most of the game and found themselves down 3-1 after 2 periods. They weren't forechecking or getting to loose pucks and most of their shots were being blocked. The Bruins put their bodies on the line 13 times through 2 periods.
The Penguins would get a wake up call at 7:56 of the third period. That is when Evgeni Malkin, who had been filling the number one center role for the first time in his NHL career, took a holding penalty. The Pens were in the middle of cycling effectively in the offensive zone and generating pressure until the infraction. He realized that he cost his team and seemed to convince himself that he would single handedly bring them back in the game.
Marc Andre Fleury made several dazzling saves on the Boston power play, and when Malkin broke out of the box he would begin the process of earning a point for his team. Max Talbot got the puck up to him as he approached a Boston defender. Malkin tipped the puck past him and in alone he went on goaltender Tim Thomas. He made no mistake in burying the puck. Another highlight reel score from Malkin.
Malkin would say of the goal, "When I came out of the penalty box, I saw the puck next to me. I tipped the puck and scored the goal." Always modest in his descriptions!
Malkin went on to play like a man possessed on each of his following shifts, but the team was running out of time. They deserved to tie the game, and they did just that at 19:30 of the third period. Malkin was in the slot and took a feed from Ryan Whitney that he would have liked to one time, unfortunately it bounced on him. He was able to get the puck to Mark Recchi, who threw the puck into the net on his backhand. Malkin had done it; he single-handedly willed the team to tie this game.
The game went to overtime and Malkin had a golden opportunity to finish what he started. He had a mini break away and had goaltender Thomas beat, he just could not get the puck up into the top part of the net. It will definitely go down as one he would love to have back.
The Penguins went on to lose in a shoot out, with Malkin being 1 of the 3 shooters stopped.
Though the team struggled, they can hold their heads high knowing that they played hard when their backs were against the wall and earned a point.
I was looking for Malkin to have a big night and though it took him a while, he came through for the sell out crowd at Mellon Arena.
*****
Mark Recchi continued his hot streak in picking up 2 goals on the night. He has definitely found his scoring touch again and that will only help the team win. He is not only valuable scoring goals, but he has really taken a leadership role this season.
When asked if he was disappointed about not being one of the shooters in the shootout, he answered with class. "You always like to be out there, absolutely. To give your team a chance to win. That is why we play the game, but the coach makes those decisions and we have to live by them. Those guys are all great shooters. Whatever the coach wants."

*****

Chris Thorburn was a healthy scratch for the second time in the last week.

*****

I saw Sidney Crosby after the game, he was in a hurry, but seemed to be walking fine. Not that it is a true indication of how his groin is feeling, but it could be a good sign.

******

Eric Christensen needs to find his NHL gear again. Though he had a couple scoring chances, including a breakaway in which he drew a penalty, he seemed a step to slow tonight. He was a bit dejected after the game and didn't hang around very long post game.

Wednesday, November 22, 2006

Trouble A'Bruin As Pens Face Boston Without Crosby

The Penguins announced today that Sidney Crosby would sit out tonight's game against the Boston Bruins with his sore groin. How will the team fare without their young superstar? Well, that will be determined by the play of the other young guns on this roster.

Tonight will mark Evgeni Malkin's debut as a number one center. He will slide up to center the first line with Colby Armstrong and Mark Recchi. Hopefully this will motivate Malkin to step his game up, not that he hasn't been great, but I am not convinced that he is completely comfortable with the North American style of play yet. This could be just the situation he needs to succeed, which will help the team overall when Crosby returns. He will be looked at to be a game breaker, what he does with the opportunity is up to him. Not to say that being the second line center on this team is not important, but this will be a whole new ball game for him. I think that he will run with the opportunity and will have a huge game.

Eric Christensen, who may be receiving his last opportunity to make the team, was called up and will center the second line. I actually hope that Therrien shuffles him to the wing. If EC can succeed in that role, one he has played periodically in Wilkes Barre-Scranton, he may slide into one of the top six forward spots. Which would alleviate one of the major issues with this team, a lack of scoring wingers. Christensen and his wicked wrist shot could look awful nice along side one of Crosby or Malkin if he puts it all together and stays consistent.

The team will need to get scoring from all of their lines tonight to make up for the loss of Crosby, who has scored or set up 9 of their last 18 goals. Losing 50% of your offensive production is no way to keep a winning streak going against a Boston team, who is 6-3-1 in their last 10 games.


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Marc Andre Fleury is expected to start for the Penguins.

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Nursing Injury:
Nils Ekman - took puck to the face in practice.
Michel Ouellet - Leg/Knee day to day.
Ryan Malone - Broken Arm - due to have cast removed and could be back in the line-up in 2 weeks.
Mark Eaton - Still Out Indefinitely, could out until February.

Tuesday, November 21, 2006

Pens Beat Flyers, Sid Tweaks Groin and Notes....

The Pittsburgh Penguins are used to going several seasons without beating the Philadelphia Flyers 4 times, let alone knocking them off for a 4th consecutive time in one season! Hard to believe that the Penguins once went 15 years and 43 games without a win in Philadelphia and have won only one season series against them in the last 12 years.

The Penguins, who are dominating their divisional schedule, made it look pretty easy last night as they jumped out to a quick lead. The Flyers just couldn't get their stars aligned and ended up falling 5-3. The score is not an accurate telling of how this game actually played out. The Penguins were in control throughout.The Penguins dominated play from the earliest parts of the game and when the first period came to an end, they found themselves with a comfortable 3-0 lead.

Simon Gagne scored early in the 2nd period and it looked like the Flyers might make it a game. Sidney Crosby thought differently and worked a give and go with Ryan Whitney to make the score 4-1 less than a minute later. Sid, who finished with 2 points, would soon leave with a sore groin muscle. He will be evaluated today. Sid's comments about the injury: "It's a muscle you use a lot in hockey, so it's not the best one to be sore. If it's a groin, you don't want to keep pushing it and make it worse."

The Penguin power play served them well, though it only went 2-8. The Penguins generated many scoring chances throughout the evening on both special teams.

The team got two goals from their blue line, which had been struggling to score of late.

The most telling stat for the Penguins: Face Off %. The team won 62 % of its draws, 82 % in the third period. That is a huge step forward for these young Penguins. They have struggled mightily at times this season in the circle. Here are the Penguins face off leaders from last night:

Dominic Moore - 80% 12-15
Evgeni Malkin - 70% 7-10
Sidney Crosby - 64% 9-14

A high winning percentage in the circle usually translates to a high winning percentage in the standings. The Penguins have worked on getting better and their young centers are doing just that.

The Penguins will continue their stretch of division games, as 6 of their next 8 come against Atlantic division opponents. Though the date is just under a month off, I am sure the team has December 13th circled on their calendar. That happens to be the night they can make it 5 in a row against the Flyers at Mellon Arena.

*****

Sidney Crosby now has 23 points (13G 10A) in 12 career games against Philadelphia, including 9 (6G 3A) pts this season in the 4 games.

Crosby (30 pts) is now 2 points behind NHL leading scorer Jaromir Jagr (32 pts) and has played 2 less games. He also leads the league in points per game with a 1.58 average.

*****

Ronald Petrovicky made his Penguins debut against the New York Rangers Saturday night and has fit in very well with linemates Jarkko Ruutu and Jordan Staal. He has been exactly what Ray Shero was hoping for when he signed him. He has played a great two way game and is willing to mix it up with anyone to support and protect his teammates.

*****

The Penguins are playing to 91% of capacity through 10 home dates this season. The support is there; will a new Multi-Purpose arena be as well? The gaming license is due to be awarded in about a month and perspective new Penguins owner, Jim Balsillie, was at the latest round of hearings talking up the IOC plan to the Pennsylvania Gaming Board. Balsillie has done all the right things since signing his letter of intent to purchase the team and seems to want this team to stay and thrive in Pittsburgh. More on the gaming license as I get it....

Friday, November 17, 2006

Give Me a Home, Where the Buffalo Roam!

The Penguins have had three days to get ready for tonight's match up against the Buffalo Sabres. Did they use the time wisely? Have they worked through the deficiencies in their game that developed during their 5 game losing streak? We can only hope so....otherwise, it could get ugly.

Though the Penguins are coming off a win against the Philadelphia Flyers Monday night, they didn't play a particularly great game. Buffalo will be the second big test for this young team, the first was their clash with the Anaheim Ducks on November 6. The Penguins were able to hold their own in that match up, but will need to play their A game to beat Bufflo, who has lost in regulation only twice this season. It doesn't get any easier as news broke yesterday afternoon that Max Afinogenov would most likely be in the line-up tonight. He tends to hurt the Penguins even during years when Buffalo isn't one of the best teams in the league.

What could this game do to the Penguin psyche? A win could be a monumental confidence boost, a loss could send them into a tailspin. Hopefully it is the former, a tailspin could really derail their season at this point. Especially with 6 games against Eastern Conference foes during the next two weeks; 5 of which are in the division.

The Penguins will need to work very hard and play their system to be successful against the Sabres. This will not be a game in which they can fall behind early, you don't come back against this team. You also are guaranteed nothing, since they are more than capable of coming back against you. Ask the Boston Bruins, who watched the Sabres come back from a 4-1 deficit with 8:50 left in the third to win a Nov. 2 game 5-4.


Notes:

Will the Malkin Ruling Help His Game?

Evgeni Malkin had to be worried about the outcome of the Penguin/NHL court date on Wednesday that would determine if he could continue his young career with the team or have to sit out until a resolution was brokered with the Russian Federation. Well, when the injunction was denied, it had to take a load off of this young man. He can now focus on nothing but hockey. I cannot say for certain that this was weighing on his mind, because anytime I have been able to chat with him there were restrictions about asking questions regarding the case. However, speaking from experience, it had to be. This outcome will energize him. Malkin will be leading all rookies in scoring before the end of November, and he won't look back. Mark it down.....

*******

Jocelyn Thibault will start in goal for the Penguins tonight. Marc Andre Fleury will face the New York Rangers tomorrow.

Stay tuned for a post game update....

Thursday, November 16, 2006

Judge Rules Malkin To Stay!

A New York District Judge denied Metallurg's request for an injunction barring Evgeni Malkin from playing for the Pittsburgh Penguins this season. This was exactly what the Penguins and the league had been hoping for. Metallurg along with the other Russian teams can still move forward to a trial requesting compensation if they choose, but they will not be able to keep Malkin, Andrei Taratukhin of the Calgary Flames, or Alexei Mikhnov of the Edmonton Oilers from playing NHL games this season.

The Penguins VP of Communications,Tom McMillian, finally broke his silence on the matter today. ''We always have been confident in our position in Evgeni's case. We are very happy for Evgeni, his family and Penguins fans.''

More on this matter tomorrow, along with some notes.

Tuesday, November 14, 2006

Young Guns Fly Past Philly....

The Pittsburgh Penguins were mired in a 5 game winless streak but the NHL schedule maker provided the elixir to cure all that ailed them: the Philadelphia Flyers. The Flyers are off to one of the worst starts in their history and after dropping a 3-2 decision to the Penguins last night, have lost 3 in a row to their cross-state rival. Something that is very rare with these two teams.

The Penguins didn't play a great game, but they did what was needed to win. Sidney Crosby, who has recently begun shooting the puck after a severe case of passitis, scored the teams first goal. The play was vintage Crosby and had to look like a nightmare scene in Antero Niittymaki's head. Crosby came through the neutral zone with speed and set up a 2 on 1 with Chris Thorburn, he decided to take it himself and fired a shot over Niittymaki's right shoulder. Mike Rathje's turnover back in the Penguins zone turned into a goal for the Penguins.

Crosby wasn't the only young Penguin superstar to get in the mix. Jordan Staal, who was dropped off of the second line and had gone 5 games without a point, wasted no time in reminding everyone that he was still a major contributor on the team. He and Michel Ouellet came into the flyer zone on a 2 on 1, Ouellet fed a perfect pass right into Staal's wheelhouse and he got all of it. His one timer found the twine and Staal was credited with his 6th goal of the year.

The Penguins were leading 2-1 heading into the third period, but Geoff Sanderson knotted the contest early in the period. The teams exchanged chances, but the score remained tied as the period began to wane. Michel Therrien knowing that his team had the better of the opportunities throughout the second period, had his team playing a fairly conservative game in the final frame, but he decided to go for the win and put Crosby and Evgeni Malkin back together. The two wasted no time in generating some quality chances. Malkin hadn't done much up to that point, but was now all over the place. You had a feeling that "Geno" was going to get one, and he did just that late in the period. Crosby broke into the zone and was stood up in the face off circle, sending the puck into the left wing corner. Mark Recchi was the first to get to it; Malkin saw the play developing and quickly got into shooting position and was cocked and loaded. Recchi made a perfect pass and Malkin made no mistake in burying the shot. Chock 2 points up for the Penguins.

The game got very chippy late and penalties were handed out like parting gifts to all participants. Ryan Whitney may have earned himself a suspension and a fine for his coach after being assessed an instigating penalty in the final 5 minutes of the game. Whitney racked up 17 penalty minutes at the 19:17 mark of the third for a scuffle with Derrian Hatcher.

The Penguins played a solid game and once again got strong goaltending, especially late in the contest. The timely goal scoring and commitment to playing their system resulted in a victory, but the road gets no easier as they head north to face the 15-1-1 Buffalo Sabres Friday night.

Sunday, November 12, 2006

Pens Winless Streak Continues....

The Penguins hit the ice in Carolina with a lingering foul taste in their mouths, the product of the 6-3 loss last night. Well, any hopes of getting rid of it tonight went out the window at the 12:51 mark of the first period. That is when Justin Williams scored the first of 6 goals the Hurricanes would post on this struggling Penguins team.

The Penguins could get no sustained pressure in the offensive zone, and spent 19 minutes and 18 seconds of the game short-handed, something that they just cannot fight off. Especially in light of the fact that they are without their best defenseman and penalty killer, Mark Eaton. I don't believe that all the calls were valid, but they were playing very undisciplined hockey and found themselves on the wrong end of the call 13 times. Though Carolina only scored on 2 of those chances, it was the difference in the game.

Losing an entire period to killing penalties is no way to win a game against a very good opponent. The penalties also kept Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin off the ice for large portions of the evening. Crosby notched 4:57 of ice time in the first period and Malkin wasn't much better at 6:07. Though they did finish with 15:58 and 18:23 overall, it was more a product of them being played heavily in the 3rd as the team was trying to generate late offence. These players being stuck on the bench before the game is decided will kill a team every time.

I wasn't hard on Marc Andre Fleury last night and I will do the same for Jocelyn Thibault today. Though I don't think he played as great as some folks are reporting, he did make several spectacular saves and they were keeping the Pens in the game until a possible Penguins tying goal was waived off. Nils Ekman thought he had his 4th goal in 3 games, but after a lengthy review the officials decided that the video footage just wasn't conclusive enough to overturn a no goal call on the ice. Though Carolina had the better of the chances throughout the evening and obviously had the better team too that point, the Penguins were only down 3-2. After the goal was waived off, the wheels started to come off.Thibault allowed a very soft goal to Eric Belanger and the game was essentially over. The score barely did the game justice, at least on the Carolina side, it could have been much worse.

The Penguins need to pull themselves out of this funk. They won an impressive 5 games in a row, and were still playing some very inspired hockey just over a week ago. Since then, they have abandoned their system, allowed some horrible goals, played poor defensively, and have forgotten how to shoot(especially Crosby). Even coach Michel Therrien has hopped on board by playing musical lines. He stayed fairly consistent with them until the Anaheim game, since then lines have changes almost by the shift. This is confusing for the players and when it doesn't get you results, it could mean your job.

I am not saying that Michel Therrien is on the hot seat, but if the team cannot pull out of this nose dive, he could be in the twilight of his Penguins career. I think that he is a good coach, and maybe it is time for one of his signature melt downs. I know that doesn't always play well with NHL players, but it seemed to light a fire last season.

The schedule maker has served up a big dose of medicine for what ails the Penguins and it will show up Monday evening in the form of the Philadelphia Flyers. Though the Fly Guys have been playing better as of the past day or so, the Penguins have beaten them two times this season. Plus the Flyers have been bitten by the injury bug. Hopefully the Penguins can exploit the slow moving Philly defense and get their offense rolling.

Unfortunately, the Penguins are starting to look a lot more like the team that finished 2nd to last in the standings last season, than the one who was taking the league by storm just weeks ago. They are not beyond repair, and are still a game over .500, something that speaks to how successful that have been this season. However, if a turnaround doesn't happen soon, they may find themselves in a race for Angelo Esposito(next year's possible number 1), instead of an Eastern Conference playoff spot come April.


******

Chris Thorburn, a scratch last night against Ottawa, was back in the line-up tonight and played his usual game. He brought energy, tried to create and got in a fight. All aspects that make him valuable to the team.

******

Brooks Orpik and Eric Cole took to the same sheet of ice for the first time since last year's controversial hit. Nothing really came of it other than Orpik being booed each time he was seen by a Carolina fan. Though Cole was hurt and it was a hit from behind, I still say Orpik had no intent to injure on the play.

Then again, I still say Colby Armstong had no intent to injure Trevor Letowski back in October, which is not a popular opinion among Carolina fans. Though Colby hit him pretty hard, it was more a product of a hard working player trying to get back on defense as Letowski happened to be coming through the middle. I am basing this opinion on the fact that I have never seen Armstrong lay that type of hit on anyone before that night, and haven't seen it since. I actually think that it did more damage to Armstrong this season than it did Letowski, considering he hasn't played a great game since.

******

The Penguins have sent Ronald Petrovicky to Wilkes Barre Scranton for a conditioning assignment. He will most likely rejoin the Penguins before the end of the month.

******

What happened to the Chili Goal!? I was disappointed at Mellon Arena Friday night when I heard that 3 goals in a game by the Penguins gets you 10% off at Dick's Sporting Goods. That is fine and dandy, but a lot more people are getting a discount these days than we were back in the 1980's when it took 7 goals to get a bowl of Chili from Wendy's!


You can also read this on www.hockeybuzz.com

Saturday, November 11, 2006

Penguins Crushed by Sens....

The Pittsburgh Penguins took a major step backwards last night as they were beaten 6-3 by the Ottawa Senators. All of the good things that they had been doing during the early part of the season and their winning streak went right out the window. The most glaring issue seemed to stem from the Defense and it's inability to control Ottawa's forwards. Who dominated the game from start to finish.

Dany Heatley, Daniel Alfredsson and Jason Spezza combined for 7 pts and had their way in the offensive zone, but they weren't the only ones wheeling and dealing around the Penguins this evening. The Ottawa defense accounted for 10 of the 44 shots against goaltender Marc Andre Fleury and accounted for 4 pts, 2 of which were goals.

The popular opinion in Pittsburgh is that Marc Andre Fleury did not play a good game. I don't agree. Granted, he may of let in a bad goal or two, if not for his play this embarrassing game could have been even worse. The Senators had close to 20 prime scoring chance, I stopped keeping track after it hit 18. It was the same old story with this Ottawa team who have won more often than not in Pittsburgh over the past 5 years.

If there were any bright spots on the evening, it has to be Evgeni Malkin and Max Talbot. Malkin was able to get back on the score sheet with 1 G 1 A and played a good game all around, his first since the win in LA. Talbot was his usual self, flying around the ice, hitting people, blocking shots and even scoring a late goal on a superb individual effort.

The schedule gets no easier for the Penguins as they head into Carolina tonight, and face a Flyers team Monday, who can't be pleased having dropped two in a row to the Penguins and is struggling through one of it's worse starts in history.

******

Chris Thorburn, who started the previous game on a line with Sidney Crosby, was a healthy scratch. Amazing how one game during a losing streak can change things.

******

There were 5 scouts in attendance at the Pens game against the lightning Wednesday night and 4 again last night. Could they be involved in any of the rumored activity around the league, I guess we will find out!

can also be read on www.hockeybuzz.com

Thursday, November 09, 2006

Vinny Wins it for the Lightning....

Well, I don't claim be a fortuneteller, but I will take credit for calling the Lecavalier goal. He scores every time he is in Pittsburgh, and it is always a big goal. Tonight was no different. He scored the OT winner after being held scoreless through regulation. Penguins lose their 3rd game in a row, 2nd in OT and Vinny extends his pts streak to 11 games.

The Penguins looked like a team coming off of a three game western road trip throughout the first half of the game. They didn't seem to have their legs and were being out hustled. That was until Nils Ekman set a new team record for fastest 3 goals. He scored his hat trick in 4 minutes 10 seconds, breaking Lowell McDonald's 33-year-old record. Two of the goals came off of great feeds from Sidney Crosby; the second was especially great. Crosby put a pass from the right wing corner between two sets of legs and onto Ekman's stick for his third marker of the game.

Michel Therrien broke up Crosby and Evgeni Malkin early in the game with positive results, at least for Crosby. Malkin didn't have a bad game, but it wasn't an Evgeni Malkin game. It speaks to his talent that he has already spoiled us to that extent, but he has been held off of the score sheet for 2 of the last 3 games and that isn't good. He looked a bit tired tonight, aside from a couple nice opportunities that he had.

Most people were expecting some kind of heated exchange between Malkin and Lecavalier tonight. It was the first time the two have met since the "incident" in Torino. It ended up being a non-issue, aside from one early pow wow that they had after a first period whistle.

The Penguins have picked up 6 out of a possible 10 point in their last 5 games, and though they have technically lost 3 in a row, that isn't half-bad. To get back in the "W" column the Penguins will need a strong effort against an Ottawa team who has now lost 4 straight.

Can also be read on www.hockeybuzz.com

Wednesday, November 08, 2006

Pens v Lightning

I am getting ready to head down to the Mellon Arena for tonight's match-up against the Lightning. I thought I would post a few game notes to get you all ready. Here goes!

Marc Andre Fleury is expected to be back in net for the Penguins tonight. Hopefully he is ready after having his first break of the season. The Lightning tend to give the Penguins headaches, and it seems as if Vinny Lecavalier has a stipulation in his contract stating he be allowed to score EVERY time he faces the team. Fleury's biggest challenge of the night will be holding him off the board.

Chris Thorburn, who scored his first NHL goal playing on the right wing of the Crosby/Malkin line against the Ducks, looks to be staying there. The physical presence that Thorburn brings will be much appreciated by his line-mates. Crosby and Malkin were hit more during the Western road trip than they had been all season. Thorburn is a tough kid and will add a dimension of protection to the line.

As reported Monday, Mark Eaton does have a broken wrist. It is not certain how long he will be out of the line-up. He will be sorely missed, especially in penalty killing situations. He also stabilized the Penguins young defense; they will have to step up in his absence.

If Sidney Crosby takes a shot tonight, you will get that news first! I say that jokingly, but he hasn't taken a shot in three games. I covered this point in my last blog, but it is slightly troubling and wanted to mention it again. I know that his assists will come, which is great, but he is an above average goal scorer and I hate that he has passed up many one on one shooting situations to set up a teammate.

More after the game guys!

This can also be read on www.hockeybuzz.com

Monday, November 06, 2006

Pens West Coast Swing - Operation Duck Hunt

Growing up I was always a fan of video games. After the Atari 2600, my favorite gaming system was the Nintendo Entertainment Center. The system came packaged with two games, one of which was Duck Hunt! I spent hours gunslinging with the NES pistol, shooting sets of 2, 3, and 4 ducks. Tonight, the Penguins will enact their version of the game.

The no longer mighty Ducks have yet to lose a game in regulation time and until recently were the leaders in the hunt for the President's Trophy with 24 points, posting a 10-0-4 record. The Penguins would love to be the first team to knock the Ducks off. They will have their hands full tonight, but they have been able to compete with any team in the league so far this season. The Pens played one of their worst games of the year against the San Jose were still in position to tie the game late in regulation.

The Penguins, 3-2 losers Saturday night, are looking to continue their early road success and are in position to move back into first place in the Atlantic Division with a victory.

Some troubling points of interest since the Flightless Bird left for Cali:


  • Sidney Crosby is not shooting the puck. He has gone back to back games without a shot on goal and seems to be over passing at times. Though Crosby is a great set-up man, he is one of the best goalscorers on the team. When he gets open looks in the slot he has got to put the puck on net. There have been numerous occasions where Crosby comes through the neutral zone with speed and could continue to the net, but he pulls up at the top of the circle and looks to make a pass to a teammate breaking into the zone. This works 40% of the time; the others result in a loss of possession and a breakout the other way.
  • Colby Armstrong's point production. Armstrong averaged close to a point per game once he was partnered with Sidney Crosby last season. This year, he has gone without a goal in the first 11 games and found himself demoted to the 4th line. He still brings energy to the rink on a nightly basis but he has got to produce. Any winger that is playing with Crosby and Evgeni Malkin is going to be looked at to score goals. Armstrong is also guilty of not shooting enough, picking up only 3 SOG in his last 4 games. One of which was the shooting gallery 8-2 win over Philadelphia in which he had none.
  • Ryan Whitney has got to play more physical and avoid turnovers in his own end. Whitney has been a workhorse on the Pens blue line this season. He has been productive in the offensive zone, but he needs to pay a bit more attention to his defensive game. Whitney logs an average of 25 minutes 21 seconds per game and is used in all situations, but sometimes looks skittish handling the puck in his own zone. Especially when he forced to make plays around his own net. These situations often result in a scoring chance for the opposition. Not that it happens every time, but 2 or 3 of them a game can be disastrous. This has been a problem since the earliest days of training camp and it needs to be addressed. He has definitely progressed as a player, but he cannot be one dimensional. Whitney also needs to start throwing his 6'4", 219 lb frame around a bit more, especially in front of Marc Andre Fleury.

For the most part, the Penguins are having one of their most successful Western road trips in recent memory, but a loss tonight could "Fowl" the mood. The Pens trip to this point is like a 2-1 lead in any game, the next "goal" is the huge, it makes the difference between a 2 goal lead and a tie. Let's hope that the Penguins can master tonight's game of Duck Hunt.


******

Defenseman Mark Eaton, who was injured in when he was driven into the boards by San Jose Forward Jonathan Cheechoo, was sent back to Pittsburgh for evaluation. Several sources are saying that Eaton may have suffered a serious wrist injury, but no official word has been given as of yet. Eaton will definitely be missed on the Penguins blue line, where he leads the team in blocked shots and is typically matched against the opposition's top line. He has been a very solidifying presence for the Penguins defense. Brooks Orpik coming off of a hand injury is expected to take his place in the line-up tonight in Anaheim.

******

The Penguins have already lost 37 man games to injury this season. At this point last year they had only logged 19.

******

Interesting Sidney Crosby Stats from NHL.com
Sidney Crosby has picked up right where he left off last season. Crosby recorded 40 points (11+29) over his last 23 games last season following the Olympic break. So far this season, Crosby has recorded 18 points (6+12) in ten games. Since March 1, or his last 33 games, Crosby has recorded 55 points (17+38) and over his last 20 games (March 31), Crosby has 40 points (13+27).

Top Scorers since March 1, 2006
Mats Sundin 58 pts
Jaromir Jagr 57 pts
Sidney Crosby 55 pts
Joe Thornton 52 pts
Max Afinogenov 52 pts
Daniel Briere 51 pts
Brian Gionta 46 pts

Top Scorers since March 31, 2006
Mats Sundin 42 pts
Sidney Crosby 40 pts
Max Afinogenov 36 pts
Brian Gionta 31 pts
Joe Thornton 31 pts

Can also be read on www.hockeybuzz.com

Thursday, November 02, 2006

Malkin Named Rookie of the Month - October

Evgeni Malkin, who set the modern day record by scoring a goal in each of his first 6 games, was named the NHL rookie of the month for October.

Malkin beat out a strong field of deserving first year players, including Anze Kopitar, Paul Stastny and Matt Carle.

Pens 4 v Kings 3 - Malkin Scores 6th and 7th

Evgeni Malkin scored his second goal of the game to win it in overtime for the Penguins. The win gives the Penguins 5 in a row, something they have not done since the 2001-02 season.

This is a prime example of a game that the Penguins would have lost last season. They were winning 2-1 before falling back 3-2. Instead of imploding, they went into the lockroom during the intermission, got their heads on straight, came out and got themselves back into the game.

The win gets the west coast road trip off to a positive start, something that is rare with the Penguins. They hadn't beaten LA since the 1998-99 season, going 0-7-1 in their last 8 against the Kings.

Noah Welch, played one of his better games in a Penguin uniform, notching the tying goal.

This young team is one of the best tickets in hockey right now. If you can't watch the Sabres, make sure to catch the Pittsburgh Penguins. They may not be as good yet, but they are a very fun team to watch!

More tomorrow....

******
To Overtime they go! The Penguins played a much improved period to earn it.

Penguins power play coming up after Norstrom tripped Malkin.

*******
Through two periods, the Kings lead 3-2. The Penguins looked and played like team that spent 5.5 hours traveling to LA yesterday. The jet lag must be catching up to them a bit. The line chages were sloppy and they were not able to connect on many passes. The Kings are ahead on the score cards and the score board, they will be looking for a knock out punch in the third.

Anze Kopitar is as advertised, he looks great. He has shown a great ability to keep the puck in traffic and is a great set up man. He has been involved in several great scoring chances, though he has not gotten on the board.

*******
Evgeni Malkin has scored his 6th goal in as many games, something that has not been done since year one of the National Hockey League. Malkin and his line looked strong in the first period, but they are looking fatigued in the second.

Jordan Staal has also scored in this game...

Half way through the second: Kings 3 Pens 2
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