Pens Gear Up for Leafs and Mario Agrees to a Sit Down...
The Pittsburgh Penguins have lost 5 in a row for the second time this season. They have been up and down throughout the year...winning streak, losing streak, winning streak, and another losing streak. Throughout the process, they have hung in the Atlantic Division race, as well as the playoff chase. However, if they would like to stay in those races, consistency is going to have to come. Gaining 10 points, only to lose 10, doesn't gain you a lot of ground.
The Penguins are trying to stop their latest streak against the Toronto Maple Leafs at Mellon Arena tonight. Games in Pittsburgh against the Leafs almost feel like they are being played on the road, especially this close to the holidays. The Toronto faithful travel south in mass for these games. They are also not shy about representing their team, celebrating wildly when Ole Blue gets on the board. This is not the opponent that you want to see on the schedule when you are trying to pull out of a skid, but the Penguins will have to make the best of it tonight.
It is thought that Michel Therrien may use his top two players on the same line tonight. Malkin and Crosby have been practicing together, but Therrien would not confirm the combo.
Dominic Moore will return to the line-up after having been a healthy scratch for 2 out of the last 4 games.
Marc Andre Fleury gets the start for the Penguins and JS Aubin will go for Toronto.
*****
Mario Lemiuex has agreed to sit down with local politicians to discuss a revamped plan B. Lemieux, who has been the face of the franchise during most of the process, has brought Ron Burkle in to the fray. He has asked that any meeting be attended by himself, Burkle, team President Ken Sawyer and consultants David Morehouse and Chuck Greenberg.
This is the best news to come out since the Isle of Capri lost their bid for the stand alone slots license in Pittsburgh.
"We appreciate the positive tone of your recent public comments and look forward to seeing what has been described as a plan that is significantly better than the original 'Plan B,' " Lemieux and Burkle wrote in their letter to local politicians agreeing to a meeting.
Gov. Ed Rendell has said that he would like an arena agreement in place by March 31, but Lemieux and Burkle said in their letter that the team needs an answer "well in advance" of that deadline.
I can only look at this news as positive. The two sides are sitting down with the intention of coming to an agreement. I just hope that both sides are willing to negotiate in good faith...especially when the situation has been pretty slimy for the better part of 7 years.
These situations tend to foster 11th hour agreements, let's hope that is the case here. Mario Lemieux does not want to be the man who moved the Penguins out of town, and the men currently in office don't want the blood on their hands either. That being said, the team could still move, but I am still feeling better by the day.
I will keep you posted...
The Penguins are trying to stop their latest streak against the Toronto Maple Leafs at Mellon Arena tonight. Games in Pittsburgh against the Leafs almost feel like they are being played on the road, especially this close to the holidays. The Toronto faithful travel south in mass for these games. They are also not shy about representing their team, celebrating wildly when Ole Blue gets on the board. This is not the opponent that you want to see on the schedule when you are trying to pull out of a skid, but the Penguins will have to make the best of it tonight.
It is thought that Michel Therrien may use his top two players on the same line tonight. Malkin and Crosby have been practicing together, but Therrien would not confirm the combo.
Dominic Moore will return to the line-up after having been a healthy scratch for 2 out of the last 4 games.
Marc Andre Fleury gets the start for the Penguins and JS Aubin will go for Toronto.
*****
Mario Lemiuex has agreed to sit down with local politicians to discuss a revamped plan B. Lemieux, who has been the face of the franchise during most of the process, has brought Ron Burkle in to the fray. He has asked that any meeting be attended by himself, Burkle, team President Ken Sawyer and consultants David Morehouse and Chuck Greenberg.
This is the best news to come out since the Isle of Capri lost their bid for the stand alone slots license in Pittsburgh.
"We appreciate the positive tone of your recent public comments and look forward to seeing what has been described as a plan that is significantly better than the original 'Plan B,' " Lemieux and Burkle wrote in their letter to local politicians agreeing to a meeting.
Gov. Ed Rendell has said that he would like an arena agreement in place by March 31, but Lemieux and Burkle said in their letter that the team needs an answer "well in advance" of that deadline.
I can only look at this news as positive. The two sides are sitting down with the intention of coming to an agreement. I just hope that both sides are willing to negotiate in good faith...especially when the situation has been pretty slimy for the better part of 7 years.
These situations tend to foster 11th hour agreements, let's hope that is the case here. Mario Lemieux does not want to be the man who moved the Penguins out of town, and the men currently in office don't want the blood on their hands either. That being said, the team could still move, but I am still feeling better by the day.
I will keep you posted...
posted by Bmetzer66 at 4:29 PM
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