Pittsburgh Penguins Report

In Case You Didn't Know...

2008-01-09T12:01:00.001-05:00

...I have been the voice of the Pittsburgh Penguins over at www.hockeybuzz.com since September 2006. All blogs and coverage can be read over there. I have maintained this page as a resource of links etc for Pittsburgh Penguins fans...and myself! Please check out my blog at Hockey Buzz and be sure to become a part of the online Pittsburgh Penguins Hockey Buzzcast! You can get all of the Penguins info you need...what's happening in the Pens room?, insider rumblings, trade rumors, NHL insights etc. Check the player below for more info! As always, please feel free to leave comments and questions here! Thanks for the support!

Crosby Named Penguins Captain...

2007-05-31T16:58:00.001-04:00

"A person and a player who is not only the best in the league at what he does, but he is also a player who exhibits the will to win, a passion for the game and a team first mentality..and a player that always strives to be the best.

To me this is a well earned honor for Sidney Crosby and when I say earned, I mean earned and it is a privilege for myself to announce that today Sidney Crosby is the new captain of the Pittsburgh Penguins."

Those were the words of Ray Shero as he kicked off the festivities at Mellon Arena this afternoon, where Sidney Crosby was officially announced as the captain of the Pittsburgh Penguins. This is a good move by the team and solidifies this young man as the team leader. He had been filling that role throughout the year, as evidenced by the way he was directing traffic throughout last season and the playoffs. Crosby looked comfortable leading players like Mark Recchi, Gary Roberts and Sergei Gonchar on the ice...directing them on positioning etc. Crosby has great relationships with his teammates and is not going to change who he is. He has always lead by example on and off of the ice and that is something he pledged to continue. He will also count on his teammates to pull their weight and will utilize any and all input.

"I try to lead by example...I don’t think that I put that solely on my shoulders, as a captain you have to take responsibility of course...but at the end of the day it’s a team sport. There are a lot of guys I can lean on for advice or for help in that area. It takes a team to win. There are responsibilities that come with being a captain...lead on and off the ice. That is something I am ready to do."

The kid does not come across as cocky or in your face and will make a great leader. This is a logical step heading into his third season in the league...and he is ready for the challenge. People who say he isn't ready can relax at knowing he was offered the "C" last season and turned it down because he didn't feel it was his time.

"It was talked about midway through last year, and it wasn’t the right time for me. As a team were playing great and you don’t want to disrupt things like that and myself individually I wasn’t ready to accept that responsibility quite yet," Crosby said. "Going through the playoffs and having that experience has given me more confidence."

This is a great day for the Pittsburgh Penguins and the next step in their return to greatness. For all the great players on this team, Sidney Crosby is the cornerstone and face of the franchise.

Watching Mario Lemieux hand Sidney Crosby his number 87 jersey with the "C" stitched on the left chest seemed a bit like a passing of the torch. Mario may still own the Penguins, but they are now officially Sidney Crosby's team.

Penguins By The Numbers - Part Three The Goalies

2007-05-03T14:16:00.000-04:00

Over the last week we have broken down the existing Penguins Forwards, and Defensemen...today we will get into the team's goaltenders and goaltending prospects. Which two goalies will make the team next season and who will man the crease in Wilkes Barre-Scranton? Here is my take...

With that let's get going...

Marc Andre Fleury - signed through '07-'08 and brings a cap hit of $1.295. Fleury is quickly becoming the goaltender that the team envisioned when they traded up to take him first overall in the 2003 National Hockey League Draft. Fleury is very athletic and quick as lightning. The one thing that stood out about his game this past season was that he no longer relied on straight athleticism and was starting to play the position. Goaltending coach Gilles Meloche had a lot to do with that, as he has spent much time working with the young goaltender on positioning and playing angles. Marc Andre Fleury is starting to make the spectacular save of old look routine...a product of proper positioning and staying upright. Fleury still needs to improve in certain areas such as rebound control and playing the puck, but he has taken major steps in the right direction. Fleury will be a part of the Penguins organization for years to come.

Jocelyn Thibault - Unrestricted Free Agent - Thibault is hoping to return to the Penguins but that is far from a given at this point. He did seem to finally get past the lingering hip problems that had dogged him during his first season in Pittsburgh and actually put together a fairly solid campaign behind Fleury. He worked very well in the role he was given by Coach Michel Therrien and is willing to stay on as a back up, but with the goaltending needs around the league some one could sign him by dangling the opportunity to start. Though Thibault looked more like his old self, he still seemed to have issues with perimeter shots, especially through traffic. He also seems to have lost a step and occasionally looked slow moving laterally in the net and getting back up during rapid flurries of shots. I foresee him moving on, but am not completely ruling out a return to the Penguins.

Nolan Schaefer - Unrestricted Free Agent - Schaefer was acquired from the San Jose Sharks at the trade deadline and immediately played a big role in Wilkes Barre-Scranton. The 27-year-old appeared in 15 games posting a record of 9-4, GAA of 2.24 and S% of .914. He has also been the main man for the Baby Penguins during their current Calder Cup run and could be positioning himself to be Marc Andre Fleury's back up come next season. The Penguins management team is intrigued with Shaefer and is trying to decide what they would like to do in regard to signing him. Schaefer has often been looked at as a career back up, but he is skilled and posted good numbers when given a 7 game look in San Jose. He has a large frame and doesn't make a ton of mistakes. He has not been given the opportunity to face top talent very often. He is my pick to be the top back up in Pittsburgh next season.

Goaltending Prospects:

David Brown - will become an Unrestricted Free Agent if not signed by August 15, 2007. Brown was one of the top goaltenders in NCAA Division I this past season as he posted career highs in almost every category. The Notre Dame Senior went 30-6-3, posting a 1.58 GAA, .931 S% and 6 shutouts. Brown is very athletic and has great reflexes; both traits make him tough to beat. He was a finalist for the Hobey Baker Award and will probably be signed for one of the open positions in Wilkes Barre Scranton. Ray Shero and Chuck Fletcher would like to add Brown and/or Bobby Goepfert to add goaltending depth.

Bobby Goepfert - will become an Unrestricted Free Agent if not signed by August 15, 2007. Goepfert was also one of the top goalies in NCAA Division I hockey this past season at St. Cloud State. I am doubtful that the Penguins will retain he and David Brown of Notre Dame, as the numbers each have posted could add dollars to any potential contract. Goepfert posted a record of 17-10-7, a GAA of 2.29 and a S% of .924. He has great reflexes and doesn't make a lot of mistakes. He and David Brown grade out very closely and it may come down to which one the organization can sign easier.

Projected Goaltenders Pittsburgh '07-'08:

Marc Andre Fleury
Nolan Schaefer

Projected Goaltenders Wilkes Barre-Scranton '07-'08:

David Brown

I think that the Penguins will look at goaltending during free agency. Schaefer may be kept to start in Wilkes Barrie-Scranton if the team picks up a veteran NHL back up, which I think is a strong possibility. That would be best for the development of whichever college goaltender the team opts to retain. I will get more into who could potentially be signed when we discuss free agency and the Forward/Defensive prospects.

Look for the fourth and final "By the Numbers" regarding the forward/defensive prospects and free agency soon!

*****

The Wilkes Barre-Scranton Penguins begin their second round series with Hershey tonight. The defending Calder Cup Champions have been known to give the Penguins headaches, but the Baby Flightless Birds are ready after getting by Norfolk in 6 games. Jonathan Filewich and Ryan Stone have been playing very well during the playoffs, but they are doing it with the help of great Edmonton prospects Robert Nilsson and Marc-Antoine Pouliot.

Hershey knocked the Baby Penguins out of the playoffs last season and they will be looking for revenge as they pursue their first ever Calder Cup.

*****

In a vote being conducted by ESPN, all of the Penguins award nominees are leading their respective categories.

Stay tuned!

Penguins By The Numbers - Part Two the Forwards

2007-04-28T01:10:00.000-04:00

Well our defensemen discussion brought some good ideas of possible fill ins on the Penguins blue line...some notables: Andy Sutton, Scott Hannan, Vitaly Vishnevski, Brent Sopel, Kimmo Timonen, Cory Sarich and Aaron Miller. I am not sure which direction Ray Shero is going to go, he could look to fill the defensive need via trade, but most likely is going to bring in some one through free agency. I will discuss some of the above names when I get to the Free Agency "By the Numbers."

Today we will look at the Penguins forwards and discuss cost and who will be staying with the team.

Let's go started...

Sidney Crosby - signed through '07-'08 and brings a cap hit of $3.7 Mil. (Of course it is hard to predict his actual hit based on bonus payments) What can't this kid do? He has already broken 100 pts in each of his first two seasons, won an Art Ross Trophy and is the potential Hart Trophy winner. Crosby is the closest thing to a Penguin for life that they have on the roster. Ray Shero will discuss long-term contract with Sidney Crosby in July. The team cannot negotiate with him until after July 1st. I can envision the wording of any new Crosby contract stating that he will be the team's top paid player under the terms of the existing CBA...terms that dictate that no player can make more than 20% of the total salary cap for any team.

Evgeni Malkin - signed through '08-'09 and brings a cap hit of $3.834 Mil. Malkin cooled off a bit down the stretch, but there is no denying that he is a dynamic talent. He is the likely Calder Trophy winner, which is awarded to the league's top first year player and should evolve into a top two line center in the NHL. Malkin will be fine, he showed us only flashes of what he can be when he is completely comfortable and confident...something that he wasn't fully this past season. Malkin will be a dominant player in the NHL and will be one of the Penguins cornerstones for quite some time.

Jordan Staal - signed through '08-'09 and brings a cap hit of $2.2 Mil. Staal wowed the hockey world as he made the Penguins roster at the age of 18. Many thought he would be sent back to his junior team in Peterborough, but the young center gave the team no choice but to keep him. He went on to score 29 goals, 7 of which were short handed - a record for first year players. Staal looks as if he could be better than his older brother Eric and may end up being better than Evgeni Malkin...a great situation to be in if you are the Penguins. This is the player that will make it hard for the team to keep Malkin as they both approach free agency down the line. Michel Therrien calls him: "Scary good!"

Mark Recchi - Unrestricted Free Agent - Recchi had a good year playing almost exclusively with Sidney Crosby. He will probably not be given that opportunity very often if the Penguins resign him. Recchi is a good mentor and leader to have around, but he may not have a place on this team if Gary Roberts is retained. Recchi has said that he will work from now on with one-year contracts and will fill any role that the team envisions for him. If I had to place odds upon his return I would set them at 60-40. Recchi started here and will most likely end his career here.

Ryan Malone - signed through '07-'08 and brings a cap hit of $1.375. Malone has shown glimmers of the talent that he possesses, but he is very inconsistent. Malone is popular because he hails from the Pittsburgh area, but I can't see him getting another chance next season. Ray Shero came close to trading him a couple of times this past year, and I think he will get the offer he has been waiting for this summer. Malone may still blossom into a good NHLer, but it is going to have to be with another team. He is great at killing penalties, but that isn't enough for a player who is going to make $1.45 Mil during the coming season...say good-bye to Ryan Malone.

Jarkko Ruutu - signed through '07-'08 and brings a cap hit of $1.15 Mil. I think that Ray Shero envisioned a little more scoring out of Ruutu, but the Finnish agitator did everything he was asked this season. He occasionally took penalties at the wrong times, but will be a great compliment to the "stars" once again next season. He is so tenacious that he was quoted in Russia's Sport Express as saying he would hurt Malkin in the World Tournament if he had too to secure victory for Finland. Win at all cost guys are hard to come by...

Nils Ekman - Unrestricted Free Agent - To say that Nils Ekman was a disappointment this past season is an understatement. Much more was expected of him prior to his injury, a horrible dislocated elbow. Ekman will most likely be allowed to walk. I mentioned him getting another look in camp this coming year in a prior blog, but I was mistaken on his contract status...the $1.1 Mil he was making will be put to use in plugging some of the teams other holes. Nils, we hardly knew you!

Colby Armstrong - Restricted Free Agent - Armstrong has the heart of a lion and showed the hockey world that he is not afraid to mix it up with anyone. He disappointed many with his lack of scoring this past season, but he was really never known as a huge offensive threat...he is a great energy guy, and a great teammate. He may not cash in often, but the ones he does put in are big goals. Armstrong will be on this team for the foreseeable future and should come a bit cheaper than originally thought.

Maxime Talbot - Restricted Free Agent - I absolutely love this player. If I had to choose one Penguin to clone other than Sidney Crosby, this is the guy. Talbot was a much bigger scorer in Canadian Junior hockey than he will ever be in the NHL, but he is the prototypical 3rd line energy guy. He can play Center or the wing and is a great presence on and off of the ice. There is no doubt that Max Talbot will be qualified...he was one of the better face-off men that the Penguins had coming down the stretch. Not to mention his knack for scoring very timely goals...think Ottawa with 1.9 seconds remaining in regulation.

Michel Ouellet - Restricted Free Agent - I am sure that he will be qualified, but I also think Ray Shero would move him if approached with the right deal. I cannot knock Ouellet though, for as much abuse as he has taken, he did end up putting a nice year together. It is just a shame that he is not a better skater because he does have some hands, especially around the net. If only we could splice him with Konstantin Kolstov! I look for Ouellet to be back, but wouldn't be surprised to see him move one. He is known for scoring goals and that is a commodity in the league.

Gary Roberts - Unrestricted Free Agent - Roberts was amazing after coming over from the Florida Panthers and the Penguins would love to keep him. He showed a young Penguins team how to win and what it takes to be a professional hockey player. Many of the Penguins core asked Ray Shero if they could work out with Roberts this off-season, and it is no surprise because he is in great shape for an older player...probably better than some players half his age. The decision to come back to the Penguins will be made more by the player than the team, but I have a feeling he will be back. He seemed to really enjoy himself here and realizes that the team is close to competing for the Stanley Cup. Pittsburgh is not that far from Toronto and his daughter. Based on things I have heard...Roberts signs.

Ronald Petrovicky - Unrestricted Free Agent - Petrovicky played sparingly this past season after having hip surgery during training camp. I wouldn't mind having him back, but I think that he will be allowed to move one. He hits everything that moves and will fight if he has too, but the team was hoping for more than the 6 points that he put up in 31 games. Just like Nils - Petro, we hardly knew ya!

Chris Thorburn - Restricted Free Agent - Thorburn had some ups and downs this past season, but definitely should come back next season. He does have some hands and can score goals in the right situation. There could also be some interest in him around the league, as one scout told me that his team was looking at Thorburn if the Penguins hadn't grabbed him off of waivers from the Sabres early last season. I can see Ray Shero bringing him back at the right price and teaming him with Ruutu or Talbot.

Erik Christensen - Restricted Free Agent - Christensen is a wild card...he could potentially be a top two line player in the NHL, but his inconsistency knocks him down to 3rd and 4th line duty too often. The team will definitely retain this 18-goal scorer because they have to be intrigued with what he has done in spurts. His shot is lethal; he can play the wing and center and is decent in the face off circle. There are games where he looks like the Penguins most dangerous forward and others where he just looks lost. If he puts it all together...look out. I would love to see him get more of a look on Sidney Crosby's line.

Georges Laraque - signed through '07-'08 and brings a cap hit of $1.2 Mil. Laraque was sort of a disappointment since coming over from Phoenix at the trade deadline. He didn't do much fighting, though you can't fight if others will not drop the gloves. He did show some skill in the corners and seemed to cycle the puck well with his line mates. He will probably be on the team next season, but will not dress on a nightly basis. He could be next season's Andre Roy and find himself on waivers before it is all said and done.

Ray Shero has said that finding a goal-scoring winger for Sidney Crosby is not a top priority, but it is something he will try to accomplish. Shero has stated that he was comfortable with the goal scoring he got for the guys he has, but would like to find someone who could be a long-term solution on Crosby's wing...someone who could grow with Sid. That is easier said than done, but the right guy could be out there. If that player is available, I am confident that Ray Shero will find him.

I will discuss the Wilkes Barre-Scranton forwards who could potentially break into the NHL next season in the prospects part of this series. Stay tuned in the upcoming days for Goaltenders/Prospect and possible free agents.

Keep the comments coming...

Penguins By The Numbers - Part One the Defensemen

2007-04-28T01:09:00.000-04:00

This will be the first in a series of blogs regarding the current Penguins roster. I have broken it down into Forwards, Defenseman and Goaltenders...we will give a player capsule, contract status and prospects of the individual being a Penguins next season. I will also look at possible free agent signings, trade options and prospects during this series.

Tonight we begin with the Defensemen. That seems to be where the most question marks linger and where we will most likely see some changes this off-season. With that in mind, let's get started!

Sergei Gonchar - signed through the '09-'10 season and brings a cap hit of $5.0 Mil. The Gonchar signing was lambasted across the league when he failed to live up to expectations during his first season with the team. That all changed in '06-'07, as Sarge found himself among the league's leading scoring defensemen. He actually finished second in the race with 67 pts and will be back next season. Sarge will most likely serve as Evgeni Malkin's landlord again and will be a big part of the Penguin power play. Unfortunately, he is not a huge defensive presence, although he was typically matched against the opposition’s top line this season. He would be best served as a number 2 or 3 defenseman.

Mark Eaton - signed through the '07-'08 season and brings a cap hit of $1.6 Mil. Mark Eaton was just what the doctor ordered through the first 2.5 weeks of the season and then he was derailed by a nasty wrist injury. Eaton missed 35 games then went on to miss another 12 late in the season with a knee injury. The Delaware native never seemed to fully bounce back and he just wasn't the same player. Mark Eaton is a quality stay at home defenseman, but is more of a 3,4,5 guy than a number 1. Eaton will be back but will most likely be used a bit differently after some off-season acquisitions are grafted onto the roster. He is a tenacious shot blocker and taught his teammates how to give up their bodies for the cause.

Brooks Orpik - signed through the '07-'08 season and brings a cap hit of $1.038 Mil. Orpik continued to evolve into the bruising physical presence the team was hoping for when they selected him 18th overall back in 2000. He didn't go for as many "big" hits as he had done in the past, but he improved his overall game and stayed physical. Orpik is improving and will be used on one of the Penguins top two pairings next season.

Ryan Whitney - Restricted Free Agent - Ryan Whitney took many steps forward during the last season. He became a huge part of the Penguins power play and improved upon his defense. His offense is top notch, but he does need to get better with the defensive aspect of the game. Some have mentioned him as a future Norris Trophy candidate, but he will not be considered until he begins to play a more complete game. He is a big kid who could probably play a more physical game, but will be relied upon to score in this line-up. Whitney will receive a qualifying offer from the Penguins who will look to get him signed to a 2 or 3-year deal.

Josef Melichar - Unrestricted Free Agent - Melichar was the lightning rod for much criticism this season on the Penguins blue line. However, was it all deserved? I don't think so, especially when you consider that he is at best a 5 or 6 defensemen and was being cast in a much different role. Michel Therrien used him to offset Sergei Gonchar was Mark Eaton was out of the line-up and was typically matched against the other team's top line. He was also among the team's ice time leaders night to night. Melichar was over matched at times, but did the best he could with his skill set. Look for the team to retain Melichar and use him as a 5 or 6 d-man or for depth.

Eric Cairns - Unrestricted Free Agent - Cairns, who missed most of the season with post concussion syndrome, will not be a Penguin next season. He is a slow skater and does not fit the Shero plan. To be effective he needs to hit and fight...something his ailment does not allow. He may catch on with some one, but it will be a depth position, possibly in the AHL.

Robert Scuderi - Unrestricted Free Agent - Scuderi is a tenacious penalty killer, and in that lies his value. I am not a fan of his five on five play, but he is one of the best the Penguins while playing short handed. I could see him being retained for depth and used in a 5 or 6 role game to game. I do not foresee the team keeping he and Josef Melichar...if one is signed; it's happy trails to the other. However, Michel Therrien is loyal to a fault and he will most likely lobby to have them both retained.

Alain Nasreddine - Unrestricted Free Agent - Nasreddine seemed to lose his place in the line-up after he missed several games due to the birth of a child. That was unfortunate, because he was leading the team in +/- and was very steady in the defensive zone. Being held out of the line-up seemed to put his game off and he wasn't the same player when he returned. Nasreddine will most likely be retained, if not on the parent club then for Wilkes Barre Scranton, where he has worn the C in the past.

Joel Kwiatkowski - Unrestricted Free Agent - Kwiatkowski made only one appearance for the Penguins after coming over at the trade deadline from the Florida Panthers. I do not foresee him coming back to the Penguins next season. He is mobile and moves the puck well, but he obviously did not fit the Therrien system.

Micki Dupont - Unrestricted Free Agent - Dupont seems to be made for the new look NHL, but he couldn't seem to hold a roster spot this season. Dupont, who played 3 games for the Penguins, went on to have a big year in Wilkes Barre Scranton. Dupont was actually named the team's captain and could sign a deal to stay in that role. He will not be on the parent club next season.

New Arrival:

Kris Letang - signed through the '08-'09 season. Letang looked good in a 9 game cameo with the Penguins, and then went on to tear up the QMJHL. Letang will definitely compete for a position on the Penguins blue line next season and will give the team a third dangerous point man on the power play. Letang also boasts the only right handed shot in the organization, something the team sorely lacked this season.

The Penguins defense was exposed during their opening round playoff series against Ottawa and it is an area that Ray Shero will have to address. The defense was not mobile enough and was beaten by Ottawa's quicker forwards on a regular basis. Changes will be made, but if we had to come up with the Penguins top 6 defensemen for opening night October '07 from the names listed, it would look like this:

Sergei Gonchar - Mark Eaton
Ryan Whitney - Brooks Orpik
Kris Letang - Josef Melichar

Extra: Rob Scuderi, Alain Nasreddine

I could live with the groupings listed above, but it would be the same story come playoff time. Look for Ray Shero to pick up a true number one defenseman, but he could settle for a good 2 or 3 type. The team is deep with offensively gifted defensemen, so the player could be a bit more one-dimensional the other way. One name that has been mentioned in several circles around Pittsburgh is Andy Sutton. Sutton's size and how he uses it against opposing forwards would suit the Penguins, however he does have a history of ankle injuries.

We will see what Ray Shero works out to upgrade this dimension of the team, if last year was any indication, he will do a great job of finding a gamer at the right price.

Stay Tuned tomorrow as we look at the Forwards.

*****

Ryan Whitney had wrist surgery today to alleviate ongoing pain that had gotten progressively worse throughout the season. He will require 6 to 8 weeks of therapy on the wrist but is expected to be available for the start of training camp.

Moving Day...Pens Clean Out Lockers....Crosby Played on Broken Foot!

2007-04-22T01:41:00.000-04:00

It was revealed at the end of last season that Sidney Crosby played the final 10 games of his rookie campaign with a separated shoulder...some things never change. The team and Crosby spent today cleaning out lockers, saying goodbyes and making another injury revelation...Crosby played the final 16 games of the season and playoffs with a broken left foot! The injury occurred during a 6-3 victory over the Montreal Canadiens back on March 16th.

"The first two weeks were pretty sore, after that, it started to heal, so it got a little bit better. When we got to the playoffs, it was sore, but it wasn't grueling or anything. I got hit there a couple times after. It didn't help it, but I was fine. It just needs time," said the young superstar of the injury.

The teams training staff outfitted Crosby's skate with light padding; no other precautions were taken, so as not to reveal the injury to the opposition. Unfortunately the injury will hold Crosby out of the World Championships.

Crosby also revealed that he and the Penguins might explore a long-term contract, which should be exciting news for Penguins fans. It is obvious that this young man is falling in love with the city that loves him and he would like to remain with this team. He also made it known that he will live with Mario Lemieux and his family next season.

In other news...

The possibility of Gary Roberts staying with the Penguins next season is starting to seem more and more likely. Today Roberts talked a bit about his future and he said that he is considering staying here in Pittsburgh. He spoke of having a great time since arriving in Pittsburgh and really enjoying the atmosphere and playing with the young guys who are going to be stars for a long time. His exact comment about staying in Pittsburgh: "It's an option that I am looking at." Roberts would be a great player to keep around as this team looks to take the next step.

Evgeni Malkin and Sergei Gonchar were invited to join Team Russia for the World Championships and could join that team as soon as Monday.

Jordan Staal will join Team Canada. He will play on a team with brother and Carolina Hurricane Eric Staal for the first time in their hockey careers.

Jarkko Ruutu will join Team Finland, while Robert Petrovicky skates for Team Slovakia.

The Wilkes Barre-Scranton Penguins are tied 1-1 in their first round playoff series with Norfolk. I will be sharing some info about the Baby Penguins with you all during the coming weeks, since they will be played a bit longer. Hopefully they can make a run at the Calder Cup, something that has eluded many very talented WBS teams over the years.

Penguins Regular Season Wrap Up...

2007-04-09T15:25:00.000-04:00

The Pittsburgh Penguins accomplished more this season than anyone could have imagined. They have qualified for the playoffs for the first time since 2000-01 and flirted with winning their division until the final week of the season.

The Penguins finished the year with 105 points, which represents a 47-point improvement on the 58 they accumulated last season. That turnaround is the 4th highest in league history; it also makes them only the sixth team in NHL history to improve by over 40 points from one season to the next.

The season has been exciting from the initial drop of the puck when the Penguins shut out their cross-state rivals, the Philadelphia Flyers, 4-0 in their home opener. That also marked the first of 8 consecutive wins against the Flyers, something that the Flightless Bird had never done before. We were all given a chance to witness the Evolution and emergence of the assets acquired during the past 6 years of losing. Most of the stories have been nothing short of amazing.

One of the greatest moments of the season occurred on March 13, 2007. That was the day that we all officially learned that a deal had been struck to keep the Pittsburgh Penguins here where they belong. That night will be one of the fondest memories for a lot of Penguins fans and should rank along side the franchises Stanley Cup victories.

The Players

It was a great statistical season for most of the players who pulled on a Black and Vegas Gold sweater. The team produced:

- 2 players with at least 30 goals
- 5 players with at least 20 goals
- 11 players with at least 10 goals
- 5 players with at least 10 power play goals
- 7 players with at least 40 points
- 15 players with an Even or better +/- rating

These statistics pretty much debunk the thinking that the team didn't have enough scoring from the wingers and bodes very well for the future.

Here are some of the great accomplishments we witnessed from Penguin players this season.

Sidney Crosby

Of course any list that talks about Penguin accomplishments has to begin with Sidney Crosby. This young man has truly elevated himself to elite status in the National Hockey league. Crosby put up 6 points on December 13th against the Philadelphia Flyers to put himself ahead in the NHL scoring race and hasn't looked back since. He fended off charges by both Joe Thornton and Vincent Lecavalier to capture the first Art Ross Trophy of his career, making him the youngest winner in league history. He was the youngest player in history to hit 200 points in a career and his 2-season total of 222 is the 5th highest for any player during their first two seasons in the league. Crosby also earned his first Dapper Dan Sportsman of the Year award, a prestigious award in the city of Pittsburgh. The sky is the limit for this young man and he is only 19. Imagine Crosby in his prime...

Evegni Malkin

After what can only be described as a cloak and dagger affair to get this young man into a Penguin uniform, he did not disappoint. Malkin missed the first four games of the season after suffering a separated shoulder during training camp in a collision with John LeClair, but started the season strong. He set a NHL record by scoring goals in his first 6 career games, finishing the season with 33. Malkin was named Rookie of the Month for October and November, only the second rookie to capture the award in consecutive months to start a career. Malkin is the leading candidate to win the Calder Trophy as the Rookie of the Year. Malkin leads all rookies in almost every category including: Goals, Assists, Points, Shots, PP Points, PP Assists, and he is tied for Game Winning Goals with 6. This young man is pure talent and should be even more amazing as he gets completely comfortable with the North American game.

Jordan Staal

It blows my mind to think that we were all discussing sending this young man back to Peterborough after his initial 9 game cup of coffee in the league. I am sure glad that we were all wrong. Jordan Staal was probably the Penguin's best defensive player throughout the season and showed a goal scoring touch that most didn't know he had developed yet. Staal led all NHL players with a shooting % of 22.1. Staal was able to set two NHL rookie records during a great freshman season. The first by scoring 7 short handed goals, the second by becoming the youngest player in league history to record a hat trick (18 years, 153 days). Staal finished the campaign with 29 goals and 13 assists and could get himself on the ballot for Rookie of the Year. He is a huge kid and could end up being a monster, the likes of Todd Bertuzzi, once he fills out.

Marc Andre Fleury

MA or the Flower as his teammates call him finally got the chance to be the number one guy in Pittsburgh and he didn't disappoint. Fleury's 40 wins rank him second in team history and make him the first Penguin goaltender to record at least 40 wins since Tom Barrasso set the team record with 43 back in 92-93. MA also posted 5 shut outs and set career highs in most statistical categories. Fleury is quickly becoming a franchise goaltender, just as the team envisioned when they took him first overall back in 2003. This young man is as competitive as they come and hates to lose...he will be a future Vezina winner in this league.

Sergei Gonchar and Ryan Whitney

The Penguins have not boasted two point men of this pedigree since the days of Paul Coffey and Larry Murphy. The two combined for 27 goals and 126 points. Gonchar could find himself getting some darkhorse consideration for the Norris Trophy based on his scoring total and Whitney should be a contender in the near future. These two are vital to the Penguins breakout, especially Whitney, who seems to always make a great first pass out of the zone. The Penguins forwards definitely benefit from having these two on the blue line. Both should be here for at least the next three years.

The Veterans

Mark Recchi sipped from the fountain of youth this season while playing on a line with Sidney Crosby. He provided great leadership and scored some big goals in helping this young team learn how to win. All of the BS that was going on last season went right out the window and Recchi was a model citizen and teammate, helping the young players along in every situation.

Gary Roberts joined the team at the trade deadline and has been nothing short of phenomenal. He brings everything that a team going to the playoffs needs to be successful. Toughness, scoring and above all - Leadership. He has been a great teammate and has scored some big goals in his short time here. The team feeds off of his wolverine-like demeanor and also gets energized by his physical play. He will have a lot to do with any success that the team has in the playoffs.

The Role Players

These guys have been the unsung heroes of the team this season. There are not enough words to describe their contributions. Max Talbot and Jarkko Ruutu have been textbook 3rd and 4th line energy guys all season long. They have played defense in tough situations, killed penalties, agitated the other team and stood up for teammates. They have combined for 20 goals and 30 points, something that probably wasn't expected of them when the season began. These two are not alone...they are joined by the newly acquired Georges Laraque, Colby Armstrong, and Ronald Petrovicky.

The Rest of the Team

The team has gotten contributions from up and down the line-up and everyone has filled a role for the Penguins. Ray Shero wanted to build a team that would not make just one run, but compete for years to come and that is exactly what he did. He has decent depth at all positions on the ice, at least at the NHL level. The defensemen have overachieved to some extent and they will have to be strong during the playoffs for the team to be successful.

The Penguins regular season has been nothing short of amazing and the playoffs are gravy at this point. Though the team has a good opportunity to make a run at a Stanley Cup this season, this playoff year will most likely go down as a great learning experience.

This year can already be considered a success and the future is very bright. The March of the Penguins continues into the Stanley Cup Playoffs and beyond...the years of waiting have paid off Penguin fans get ready for the ride!

Hockey Buzz Podcast...

2007-03-16T12:38:00.000-04:00

After a crazy week of big Penguins news and big wins...here is an interview that Eklund from www.hockeybuzz.com conducted with me. Please check it out...

Hockey Buzz Podcast

This is a very exciting time to be a Penguins fan...the team is very close to securing it's first playoff spot in 6 years, they are guarenteed to be in Pittsburgh for at least the next 30 years, and they are the most exciting story in the league.

It has been a fun ride up to this point...fasten your seatbelts, it looks as if it is going to get even better!

"It's a Great Day For Hockey..."

2007-03-13T13:27:00.001-04:00

The Badger must be smiling down from the heavens today. His quote is one of the most appropriate on this day...the day that Pittsburgh kept their Penguins.

This has been one of the most emotional rides that I have ever been on, and I am sure that every person who follows this team will agree. The ups, the downs and of course the in-betweens have taken us all from tears to joy. It was a painstaking process and I am sure that we are not the only ones who are glad it is over. The politicians can get out of the hot seat. Mario Lemieux has piece of mind knowing that his legacy is secure. Ron Burkle can start deciding if he wants to stay in the hockey business and Kansas City can get to lobbying for the league's first expansion franchise in 7 years.

There was a lot of mudslinging from each camp throughout this process, but when things looked their darkest, the sides got themselves to the meeting table and hammered out a deal. The two sides will participate in a joint 5 p.m. press conference at the Sen. John Heinz Regional History Center to officially announce the deal.

Interesting to think how close the sides must have been...they just needed a final nudge in the right direction.

I am still not sure how to react, I don't think that this has sunken in yet. I have often stated that losing this team would be like a death in the family...and to have avoided that is an amazing feeling. Our team was on death row and the proverbial phone from the governor's office rang at the 11th hour with its pardon.

Thanks to everyone who had faith in the rumor I reported yesterday...and for your support in general. I really appreciate it.

The electricity is building throughout town and you can really feel the region's excitement. Reading your comments here and scanning other message boards for reaction has been a lot of fun. It has been a huge thrill to see the enthusiasm and pure joy that has come with this news. Pittsburgh is showing itself to be a great hockey town and its fans are carrying the torch.

*****

Tune in later for post game feedback, reaction and a wrap-up of today’s events...

Collection of Posts From Last Night...

2007-03-09T09:49:00.000-05:00

For some reason the newest firewall installed on my home PC did not allow me to log in...anyway, here is the latest...

Interesting Idea - Public Ownership of the Penguins

A former Democratic Allegheny County Commissioner, Mike Dawida and a local business man, Phil Isaly are going to pursue a court injunction barring any move to another city by the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Their goal, according to the Pittsburgh Tribune Review, is to prove that the team should be required to give the people of Pittsburgh the right of first refusal. They feel that since the public has invested tax dollars in the team, citing the $10 million that went towards putting in club seating 10 years ago as an example, that they should be given the opportunity to purchase the team before they be allowed to move.

The plan would not be unlike the stock offering in Green Bay that allowed the public to purchase the Packers. There is no doubt that the shares would sell like hot cakes, but two pitfalls stand in the way. The group will have to convince a judge to consider the public a stakeholder in the team based on the tax dollar contribution and they would also have to find a way to circumvent NHL bylaw. There is a rule in place prohibiting public ownership of a NHL franchise.

This situation isn't likely to come to fruition, but I thought it was interesting enough to pass along.

Here is a link to the actual article.

Trib Article

Though we are far from out of the woods on this cold Pittsburgh night, I think we got a very positive sign tonight. I know that there was optimism after the initial talks back on January 4th, but this seemed different..."substantial progress" is a very good sign. I think that getting Gary Bettman involved in the actual meeting was a great idea, he is a good tactician in these situations. His presence will bring these two sides close enough together to make the deal happen. Continue to keep those fingers crossed Pittsburgh!

Here is a little of Big Georges, since we haven't gotten to see him in action just yet. Could the bruisers of the East be dodging him?

Update: 11:30pm - Additional Talks Next Wednesday

A joint statement has been issued. Progress made during the almost 4 hour meeting tonight and the two sides agreed to talk again on Wednesday. I will keep it coming guys...keep those fingers crossed!

Was reported on KDKA and WTAE...WPXI missed the boat as usual in Pittsburgh.

*****

Reports are saying that the groups are still meeting and have been since just after 7:00pm. The longer the meeting lasts, the more optimistic I become. I will be following throughout the night and will report anything breaking.

As I said earlier, keep your fingers crossed!

Here is the latest from the Post Gazette...

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/07067/767915-100.stm

*****

Quick Post Game Notes...

Pens drop shootout. What were they doing, none of the three Penguins shooters did anything resembling what they have done during their latest shootout winning streak. Christensen shot instead of deking, I know that Marty is wise, but he has beaten some pretty good guys with dekes. Malkin and Sidney also chose to shoot...Marty giveth and he taketh away. They didn't have a chance. He was not going to be beaten by a shot after giving up the earlier goal to Ouellet. I feel that they would have been better served going with what was working...

Malkin finally scores his 30th goal. I am sure that he is glad to have gotten that "monkey out of his back." He looked like a new player after getting the goal, making plays in both ends. He could have finished with a couple more on the night.

Play got quite feisty during the final 3:00 minutes. The referees put the whistles away and almost lost control of the contest. Many hits were being thrown out and penalties ignored...both ways.

All in all the game was a good indicator of what we can expect the rest of the way. The teams are starting to fight and claw for every point and the playoff atmosphere is kicking in.

The Penguins are now 8 pts behind New Jersey in the Atlantic race.

With his next victory, Marc Andre Fleury will have the second highest single season victory total for a Penguin goaltender. Number one on the list: Tom Barrasso.

Stay tuned gang!

"It's the Final Countdown..."

2007-03-08T18:13:00.001-05:00

The phrase made popular in the 1986 Europe hit is upon us. All of the players in the arena game are arriving in Philadelphia and getting ready to face off in the final battle to save the PITTSBURGH Penguins. Pittsburgh being the operative term...

The past two days have been very difficult for the fans of the Penguins...they are the ones who are set to be hurt the most by any move. While the team's brass was meeting with officials in Las Vegas and Los Angeles, the people of Pittsburgh sat on pins and needles waiting for some kind of response from local government. News finally leaked of a meeting that would take place in Philadelphia at an undisclosed location. The Governor was not the happiest camper, but still remained cautiously optimistic that a deal could be brokered during a final sit down.

From the sound of the news that has come out over the past couple days, the competition may have gotten a bit stiffer. It is believed that Kansas City has significantly increased their offer to the Penguins, so much so that they cancelled any possible visits to Houston.

I was asked several times over the last couple days what I thought would happen...will they stay or will they go? I still think that they are going to stay, placing odds at about 60-40. However, if the Penguins have their so-called feather ruffled by the Governor as they did in a prior meeting, talks could breakdown quickly.

Everything that has happened up until this point was a necessary evil. These are the steps of the negotiation. There is take and give, good and bad, pressure to the brink and then hopefully a resolution.

Today reminds me an awful lot of the final days before the lockout ended. Granted, that was a long process that resulted in the loss of a season, but I have the same feeling in my gut. A feeling that says we will not be let down. One that says we will find out that we have our team signed, sealed and delivered for the next 30 years.

Something else that came to mind today, I remember sitting in the stands in 1999 watching as Jaromir Jagr came back from a horrible groin injury to tie and then win a playoff game against the New Jersey Devils. There was a very big chance that it would be the last game ever played in Pittsburgh. The team's future was very much in doubt. Two people were involved in the process that saved the team that year...those same two men are part of the group involved in tonight's meeting: Mario Lemieux and Gary Bettman.

I still believe that Mario wants to keep the team in Pittsburgh and I think that he will do what is needed to broker this deal. Gary Bettman also would like this team to stay right where it is; it is the poster child for HIS new NHL. One that has a lot of home grown, drafted talent...and one that will be able to control the future of those players for at least 7 years under the new CBA. Pittsburgh is one of the biggest draws in the league on television and at the gate, the league doesn't want them buried in Kansas City or anywhere else. A move is not out of the question, but it will be a last resort.

I am hoping that by tomorrow at this time we can start to reminisce about the last time we almost lost the Penguins and look ahead to winning multiple Stanley Cups in our region's new Multi Purpose Arena! Imagine how great that new building could look with that Mario Lemieux statue looking on from in front of the building.

Keep your fingers crossed Penguins fans...it is going to be a long night.

*****

Coach Michel Therrien lost his father today. Gerry Therrien died at home in Montreal after a long illness. He was 77 years old.

Assistants Mike Yeo and Andre Savard will coach the team in Therrien's absence.

*****

Nils Ekman will return to the press box in favor of Michel Ouellet. I think Nils will ultimately regain a regular spot in the line-up, but he may not have been completely back conditioning-wise. He does have the capability of playing on the top lines and I look for him to do so as soon as he is able to get his wind.

*****

Marc Andre Fleury will make the start tonight.

*****

Jordan Staal set and NHL Rookie Record by recording his 7th short handed goal of the year Tuesday night in Ottawa. The record was previously held by Gerry Minor of Vancouver in 1980-81 and tied by John Madden of New Jersey in 1999-00.

*****

Newly acquired defenseman Joel Kwiatkowski could play tonight.

Trade Wrap Up...

2007-02-27T16:21:00.001-05:00

A couple last minute deals that were wrapped up by Ray Shero...

The Penguins acquire Florida d-man Joel Kwiatkowski for a 4th round draft pick and San Jose minor-league goalie Nolan Schaefer for a 7th rounder.

Joel Kwiatkowski 6-2 210 lbs, left handed shot, is a mobile defenseman who can move the puck well out of the defensive zone. Has been criticized for not using his size effectively enough and tends to make critical mistakes.

Nolan Schaefer 6-2 200 lbs, he is a big kid who can come off the bench. Perfect for a back-up role. Has only 7 games of NHL experience but posted a gaa of 1.88 and s% of .920.

Big Deals of the Day:

Gary Roberts for Noah Welch

I think that this is a good deal for the Penguins. Welch had been given every opportunity to make the NHL roster and was not able too. He may end up being a solid contributor in Florida, but you have to give an asset to gain one. Roberts is a warrior who will bring veteran leadership, toughness and touch around the net. He has also been there done that when it comes to the NHL playoffs. This 19-year vet will show the youngsters in Pittsburgh how to win. He will also be great for potential power forwards Colby Armstrong and Ryan Malone.

Georges Laraque for Daniel Carcillo and 3rd round pick

Laraque will ensure that the opposition does not abuse the Penguins young stars, especially Sidney Crosby. He has some history with Michel Therrien; the two won a QMJHL championship together in Granby. He is not just brawn; Laraque can play the game and has posted 22 points this season. He will fit nicely on the Penguins 4th line and his presence should keep eastern tough guys honest. Is he the Dave Semanko to Sidney Crosby's Wayne Gretzky?

3rd round pick from the Wild for Dominic Moore

In Moore the Wild get a great two-way player. Moore goes all out on every shift. It will be a shame to break up the RPM line, but it is not a crippling move. He had worked his way in and out of the team's doghouse a couple times this season, and occasionally tried to do too much. Subtracting Moore opens a role for Ryan Malone, I foresee him falling into place as the third line center. He tends to flourish a bit more in a role where he is considered one of the better players on his line. This trade also washes the third rounder that was spent in the Laraque deal.

It is still a bit surprising that Shero did not acquire a defenseman of note. Kwiatkowski may fill a role for this team, but he is not the big steady guy most thought would be brought in. Is the defense steady enough to make a long playoff run? That is yet to be determined...a step in the right direction would be to reinsert Alain Nasreddine into the line-up. The journeyman has been very steady this season. Josef Melichar would make a nice fill in, but hasn't been near as effective since returning from his knee injury.

What would you have liked to see the Penguins do?

Update 12:35pm - Pen Grab Roberts and Laraque

2007-02-27T12:40:00.001-05:00

As I mentioned a couple days ago, the price for Big Georges would go down, and it did just that. Dan Carcillo may end up being the same type of player in the NHL as Laraque, maybe even a bit better, but I like the deal. If the Penguins had parted with anything over a 4th round pick it would have been horrible. That is not to say that I have figured out where Laraque fits in, but on paper it is a good deal.

The Roberts saga thankfully has come to an end. No more should he stay or should he go....signed, sealed and delivered. I will get you guys more on that one tonight.

Sounds like Ray Shero should take up sales, because he has done a great job in talking Roberts and Laraque into coming to Pittsburgh.

More soon...

*****

The Pittsburgh Penguins have announced the acquisition of Gary Roberts. As noted yesterday, Noah Welch has gone the other way.

I am tending to one of my Dad's appts this morning, but will be back online soon...updating via wireless. Will be live at Mellon Arena tonight...

Stay tuned...

Pens Trade Deadline Preview...

2007-02-23T16:20:00.000-05:00

The trade deadline is now only 4 days away and for the first time in many years the Penguins may actually be buyers. Instead of wondering which big name player was going to be subtracted from their roster only to be replaced with the likes of Richard Lintner or Rico Fata they will be waiting anxiously to see what magic Ray Shero has up his sleeve. Will he pull off something close to the deal that brought Ulf, Ronnie and Grant to town along with the Stanley Cup or will he end up with something horrifying like Nasland for Stojanov! We will all know by 3:00pm on Tuesday, but at least we are able to speculate about possible deals that will make the team better instead of tear it apart.

Even during the bad times in Pittsburgh, the trade deadline was one of my favorite times of the hockey season. This year is no different, with that in mind I put together a list of the possible players that could be on their way to Pittsburgh along with cap/contract info and my feeling on whether the deal could happen. I have selected players that have been rumored to Pittsburgh over the past couple weeks...of course I have subtracted Anson Carter, as he has been traded to the Carolina Hurricanes.

Here is where the Penguins are roughly situated capwise. The team has spent $27,075,021.00 to this point leaving them with plenty of room under the cap to acquire a player or two.

On to the list (cheapest to most expensive)....

Georges Laraque
Laraque has been rumored to the Pens a couple other times this season but things seem to have heated up. He is widely considered one of the best fighters in the league and has some history with head coach Michel Therrien. The two won a QMJHL title together in Granby. Laraque is the type of player who can skate a regular shift on a third or fourth line and chip in with more than just fists. Laraque has a No Trade Clause and would have to approve any deal. I could see this going down...the 'Yotes shouldn't be asking for too much in return.

06-07 salary Remaining Salary 07-08 Status
$1,100,000.00 $281,715.00 signed $1.3 Mil $1.2 cap hit

Bryan Smolinski
Smoke, who once was a Pittsburgh Penguin, has drawn a lot of attention from around the league. He is a good face-off guy and a leader in the locker room. Smolinski also has a scoring touch and can play the power play. He would most likely bump someone from the Penguins third line upon arrival in Pittsburgh. Would he stunt the growth of Max Talbot? That is debatable. Smoke would be a nice addition, but the Hawks may want more than Ray Shero is willing to pay. I see this one as a low percentage.

06-07 salary Remaining Salary 07-08 Status
$1,520,000.00 $389,277.00 UFA

Curtis Joseph
Cujo is getting a bit long in the tooth, but he still has some gas in the tank. He will probably end up with a contender, but it will not be Pittsburgh. The Penguins would have been in the market for a consistent back up to Marc Andre Fleury, but Jocelyn Thibault has re-emerged as a very viable option, having won his last three starts. Thibault will be the Penguins back up. No deal.

06-07 salary Remaining Salary 07-08 Status
$2,000,000.00 $512,190.00 UFA

Bill Guerin
Bill Guerin's 28 goals and 19 assists would look great on one of the Penguins top two lines, however he has not played very much Left Wing during his career and that is where the Penguins could use him most. They need a proven goal scorer to hop onto Sidney Crosby's line. They individual would play along side the Kid and Mark Recchi. The Blues are believed to be asking for a lot in return. Ray Shero will not sell the farm to acquire what could only be considered a rental for the rest of the season.

06-07 salary Remaining Salary 07-08 Status
$2,000,000.00 $512,190.00 UFA

Eric Brewer
Brewer has great size and carries a cannon of a shot from the point. He would instantly become a top 4 defenseman on the Penguin blue line. It has been said that he could play a more physical game and that he has never fully harnessed his offensive ability. If he would sign a deal to stay in Pittsburgh, this could happen. Though there are plenty of suitors and the price may quickly climb out of the Penguins range.

06-07 salary Remaining Salary 07-08 Status
$2,014,000.00 $515,781.00 UFA

Aaron Miller
Miller is the most likely to come to the Penguins. He is exactly what they need. A big, strong defenseman who is capable of effectively clearing the front of his net. He is not prone to mistakes and is known as a winner wound the league. Miller has ties to USA hockey, as does Penguins GM Ray Shero. Miller could come cheaper than some of the other options, such as Brewer.

06-07 salary Remaining Salary 07-08 Status
$2,280,000.00 $556,100.00 UFA

Nick Boynton
Boynton is a younger more expensive version of Aaron Miller with some additional offensive upside. He could come as part of any deal bringing Laraque to the Penguins, but that is not a given. The bottom line is that he is known to be available, but his price may be too high for the Penguins. The good thing about him is that he is signed for the next two years.

06-07 salary Remaining Salary 07-08 Status
$$2,950,000.00 $755,496.00 signed next 2 seasons @ 2.95 mil

Keith Tkachuk
Tkachuk has always intrigued me, and he was one of the most dominant power forwards in the league at one point in time. He has a huge frame, a great shot and plays with an ill-tempered disposition. He can still put up some numbers and would look great next to Malkin or Crosby. The bottom line is that he is a bit too expensive and the Blues are going to want more than Shero is willing to pay. Stranger things have happened, but of the two power forwards in St. Louis, Guerin is more likely to Pittsburgh and that in and of itself is a long shot.

06-07 salary Remaining Salary 07-08 Status
$3,800,000.00 $973,161.00 UFA

Most Likely Future Penguins: Laraque, Miller, Smolinski
Least Likely Future Penguins: Guerin, Tkachuk, Boynton, Brewer, Joseph

Most Likely Ex Penguins: Noah Welch, Ryan Malone, Dom Moore, Nils Ekman, Josef Melichar

This Crazy Life and The Penguins...

2007-02-16T23:45:00.000-05:00

Sorry for the layoff. I want to start by apologizing to everyone who has come back regularly since the Pittsburgh Penguins Report began in October of '05. I know that it stinks to navigate to a blog that you just may enjoy reading, only to find out that it has been stuck in last week...or worse, last month! The PPR will get back to regular updates this week.

The last couple weeks have been pretty crazy and haven't allowed a lot of time to do what I needs to be done for two sites. I found out recently that my father has been dianosed with cancer and he has needed some help...plus it has been a shock not knowing exactly what siuation we are in. It doesn't look very good right now, but updating you guys here and at www.hockeybuzz.com is something that I love doing and keeps me sane during the tough times. It is a great escape and helps to keep thoughts off of the scary things. So please keep coming back...I appreciate your patience! I am no longer able to post my Hockey Buzz material here as it is under a copyright there, but that just means I will be posting completely original material here and there. Two sources for Penguins info! It is going to be an exciting ride the rest of the way and I hope that you will all be here to follow it with me. I have a lot of exciting things planned...please keep questions, comments and ideas coming!

*****

The Penguins took the first step towards challenging the New Jersey Devils for the Atlantic division title tonight by beating them 5-4. Who would have thought that would even be something worth speculating back in September? Well, get ready Penguins fans, because your Pittsburgh Penguins find themselves only 5 points behind the Devils with 3 more head to head match-ups and one game in hand.

I know that the 5 point is going to be tough to make up, but it is possible. The Penguins have been on fire, and seem to have found a way to win games even when they do not play well. They are now 13-0-2 in their last 15 games and look as if they may never lose another game! I know that the streak will end at some point, but they have been very consistant during the streak and have gotten contributions from up and down the line-up. They were able to overcome an eight game goaless streak from Sidney Crosby and have not allowed the fact that they have blown leads in for consecutive games effect what they are doing.

Marc Andre Fleury seems to have taken the next step in his development, something I predicted would happen after the all star break. Even when he allows too many goals, such as tonight, he tends to make the big save when the game is on the line. He even shook off a very soft goal tonight...something that he has been unable to do in the past. Last season he would have unravelled a bit and possibly lost the game.

Sidney Crosby got the monkey off of his back and finally got back in the goal column, that will only help the team. Look what they were doing when their best played wasn't scoring goals...what will they do when he is putting the puck in regularly?

This Penguin team is the hottest in the league right now and have also morphed into one of the most exciting. I am not predicting that they will win the division, but they do have the chance...a playoff run is definitely in their future. Get ready for 1988-89 redux folks, this will be the year our young Penguins cut their playoff teeth...that next cup can't be too far in the future.

How About A Notes Column!?

2007-02-06T17:06:00.001-05:00

The Penguins have a huge test tonight as they face the Nashville Predators...the same Predators who happen to have the best record in the league. The Predators are 7-2-1 in their last 10 against the Penguins.

The Penguins always seem to have a tough time against Steve Sullivan and Jason Arnott, but they are not the only ones that the 'Guins need to worry about. The Predators have had 14 different players score power play goals this season a testament to their balanced attack. Nashville currently has 8 players with 10 or more goals.

Tonight's probable goaltenders: Marc Andre Fleury for Pittsburgh and Tomas Vokoun for Nashville.

*****

The Eaton Factor

What does former Predator Mark Eaton mean to the Penguins? Well, a look at the standings with and without him is very telling. When Mark Eaton is not in the line-up they are a .500 hockey club. When the steady D-man is in the line-up they are 9 games over.

Without Mark Eaton: 14-14-8
With Mark Eaton: 12-3-1

*****

The Penguins have been getting production across their line-up, something that coach Michel Therrien stressed early in the season. Though Crosby and Malkin can shoulder a pretty big load when it comes to production, they cannot be the only ones scoring. It is no surprise that the team has gotten goals from Jarrko Ruutu, Ronald Petrovicky, Michel Ouellet and Dominic Moore during their 8-0-2 run.

The team has 4 lines that can play the game, and that is what you need in today's NHL.

*****

So You Need a Goon?

The rumors have been running wild about the Penguins being in the market for a goon to protect Sidney Crosby. I don't see them as being true, though it was speculated here that they were in the hunt for Sean Avery.

Ray Shero is not willing to pick up a player who cannot play the game. If he were to bring in a "goon," he would have to be a lot more Bob Probert than Brian McGrattan. People who remember Bob Probert in his prime will understand this comment. Probert had 5 seasons of 14 or more goals...his best being 87-88 when he scored 62 pts (29G 33A) and put up 398 PIMs.

It is hard to utilize a roster spot for a player who doesn't take a regular shift, precisely the reason why Andre Roy was waived earlier this season.

A move will not be made unless the above is part of the equation.

*****

Samsonov??

I admit to being very intrigued by this situation. Samsonov was a player I had a lot of interest in during the off season. He is a fast skater who can finish and set up others. He would look nice playing on either of the Penguins top two lines. Crosby could make him a rich man, however he may already be too rich for the Penguins tastes.

My take is that the Penguins take a pass on this one.

*****

Noah Welch has been sent back to Wilkes Barre-Scranton again, his 6th trip back on the season. Ray Shero said that Welch is not getting discouraged. They apparently had a conversation about Welch's role this season and that included being the "insurance" from WBS.

*****

Paralyzer - Finger Eleven.....I cannot get it out of my head. Anyone else having this problem??

They're Heating Up, The Dads, Number 500 and the "New Fleury"

2007-01-29T13:52:00.000-05:00

First of all, I want to apologize for laying low the last couple of days. I have been sick...dealing with horrible congestion, coughing, headache etc. Seems to be getting a bit better now...so I am back with a vengeance!

What can be said about this past weekend's games aside from: amazing. The Penguins are really rounding into form and are one of the hottest teams in the league. They seem to have picked up right where they left off before the All-Star break. They are doing a lot of things right and are playing their system to perfection. Their special teams have been very impressive; especially the power play and they are getting contributions from top to bottom, even getting goals from Ronald Petrovicky, Max Talbot and Jarkko Ruutu during their road trip.

Mark Recchi has obviously been sipping from the fountain of youth, I guess playing with Sidney Crosby will do that for you. He has been amazing and is a big part of why the Penguins are in the hunt for a playoff berth in the Eastern Conference. He notched his 500th career goal on Friday night and has picked up 13 points in his last 6 games (7G 6A). He is a point per game player right now, and is performing far beyond any expectation that anyone could have had for him prior to the season. With Sidney Crosby being the MVP of this team, Recchi is as close as anyone at making a run at 1B. Recchi has been a great team player and is becoming the mentor to the young core that many hoped he would be last season.

Sidney Crosby continues to do super human things and he seems completely effortless in doing them. What I mean by that is that he doesn't seem to be trying anything out of the ordinary. It is like I mentioned here in the past, it is just how he plays the game. He sees the ice like no other player and makes everyone around him better. He made a great pass to Ryan Malone Saturday night while in mid-air on his way to the ice after being tripped, but the most amazing thing was the goal he scored later in the game. Crosby picked up a loose puck that was headed into the right wing corner, and as he was falling twisted his body and snapped a backhand shot over goaltender Mikael Tellqvist's shoulder. How did he get the shot off, let alone score the goal? Those types of things are just a regular occurrence with this young man.

The Penguins Father/Son trip seems to have been a huge success. The Dads were along for the entire road trip and were able to watch their sons in situations that they normally wouldn't have been able to. They were invited to practice, had dinners with the team and had the opportunity to gold together in Phoenix Saturday morning. Most of the dads relished the opportunity to spend time with their sons in this capacity and were exciting to meet each other.

Some quotes from the dads...

Dan Whitney - Ryan Whitney

"It's been fantastic. It's been a wonderful experience and so nice of the Penguins to do this. Just to meet all the dads, they all have similar experiences, but they're from all over the world. (Ronald Petrovicky's) dad came from Slovakia, Nils Ekman's dad came from Sweden, then you've got Colby Armstrong's dad from Saskatoon. People came a long distance to spend this time with their kids. It's very special."

Henry Staal - Jordan Staal

"This is so much fun. It's fun to meet all the other dads, put a face to a name. You get to see where [the players] are, what they're doing, what their routine is. You get to become a part of it and see what goes on behind the scenes."

As I mentioned last week, I will get some player reaction about having their dads present this week...

*****

Noah Welch is becoming the Marc Andre Fleury of this season; at least he seems to be shuttling between Wilkes Barre-Scranton and Pittsburgh as much as the young goaltender did a year ago. Welch was just sent back to WBS for the third time. Could Welch become trade bait? It is possible. I think he definitely has a future on the Penguins blue line, but there doesn't seem to be a place for him right now. If you can net a young winger, who happens to have a goal scoring pedigree, I think you do the deal.

*****

Most people wonder if the Penguins will be active at the trade deadline. Well, I think that they just shored up one area of weakness by "acquiring" a tough, stay at home defenseman in getting Mark Eaton back. They essentially didn't have him after their 11th game of the season and have remained in the hunt. He will solidify a young defense that has been playing very well and adds a veteran shot blocking presence. Getting him back in the line-up is a psychological lift. Between he, Gonchar, Whitney and the group of effective role players that the Penguins boast this defense is no longer the laughing stock of the Eastern conference.

*****

When the Penguins were in Dallas Friday night, Pittsburgh's own Mark Cuban took in the game and stopped in the locker room. He was seen with a white Evgeni Malkin jersey and got the young star to sign it. Could he have been admiring a future investment? Time will tell...

Gaaaame On!!

2007-01-26T11:48:00.000-05:00

I am very happy to announce that the Penguins get back to game action this evening in Dallas. It is definitely nice to have something "hockey" related to discuss. Seems that the only things I have been able to report to you lately have revolved around the ongoing arena negotiations, posturing, visiting other cities etc. I know that those stories are very important and the information has to get out there, but ultimately we are here to discuss hockey!

The Penguins went into the All Star break with an impressive 8-2 drubbing of the Toronto Maple Leafs. Their power play was clicking at 50% that night and everything seemed to be falling into place for the team. What will the week off do to that momentum? Unfortunately, it will probably derail it to some extent. The good thing is that all teams will be in the same boat.

While the Penguins are getting some people healthy tonight, Mark Eaton for one, the Dallas Stars are dealing with the injury bug. They have no less than 6 players listed on their injury report, including Sergei Zubov and former captain Mike Modano. Injuries aside, the Stars are 7-2-2 in their last 11 against Pittsburgh.

The game will mark the Penguins first trip to Dallas since March 2, 2003 and their first game against the Stars since March 9, 2004.

The Penguins will have their hands full with All-Star goaltender Marty Turco. He has not allowed an even strength goal in almost 200 minutes of play.

Sidney Crosby, Jordan Staal, Ryan Whitney, and Evgeni Malkin remained in Dallas after the All-Star festivities and hooked up with the team when it arrived in Dallas.

*****

Their fathers will join the Penguins on their current 2 game road trip. The Father/Son road trip is becoming more and more popular around the league. It allows the players and their fathers to bond on a different level. It is something that the Predators used to do and Ray Shero brought it with him to Pittsburgh. For most of the players and their fathers it is a once in a lifetime experience.

The Penguins players seem very excited about the opportunity. I will get some post trip reaction when they return to Pittsburgh next week.

*****

Rail Cam. A lot has been said about it so far here and everywhere. I will say that I liked some of the shots it produced, however I do not want to see it zooming back and forth across the bottom of the screen. I wouldn't call it distracting, but I would call it annoying. Unless they find a better way, let's hope it goes the route of Fox's ill-fated glow puck.

*****

A couple quick second half predictions:

Sidney Crosby continues his greatness and wins his first Art Ross Trophy. If the Penguins get to the playoffs, which I think they will, he also gets his first league MVP. A little bit of Hart for the kid with all the heart.

Marc Andre Fleury will continue to solidify his position as the Penguin's number one goaltender and steal some important points down the stretch for this team. This second half will cement his spot among the top 10 goaltenders in the league.

Evgeni Malkin will continue to pile up points. He has looked more comfortable over the last month and is becoming the NHL player that we all thought he would be. The "Malkin Montage" did not lie!

Jordan Staal completes his dream season and becomes a 20-goal scorer in the NHL at the age of 18.

Post some of your predictions and keep the comments and thoughts coming!

Two Lines Drawn in the Sand...Interesting New Twist...

2007-01-23T17:21:00.000-05:00

Mario Lemieux went public with some comments yesterday that have pushed the Penguins arena situation from hopeful to bleak. Le Magnifique went on record as saying, "I heard it wasn't very good. Our people were offended and very disappointed. Now, as always, we have to go out and explore our options. Once we find a deal we like, we'll sign it up" Lemieux said. "A few weeks ago, I said 30 days, and we're getting very close to that. Sooner or later, we're just going to make a decision and go with it. Whatever happens, happens."

Bill Daly also backed the sentiment saying, "Don't think the league won't allow this team to move. If they don't have a viable arena plan, it would be wrong for us to make the franchise stay there."

Of course this rains heavily on the parade of thinking that had been surfacing over the last two weeks...the thinking that a deal in Pittsburgh was imminent. (As a side note, I hate to use the term imminent. Ever since Mr. Hradek said something a little while back about a deal being imminent.) Does this mean a deal is not in the works? Maybe, but maybe it is something else.

Could it be the logical answer to some initial salvos that were fired by Governor Rendell last week? The Governor made some remarks that were backed up by Mayor Luke Ravenstahl that touted the greatness of the deal offered the Penguins. "I believe the offer we put before the Penguins is the best of any offer that's been made to any NHL team for a new stadium in recent times and it's also by far the best of any offer made to any Pennsylvania professional sports team for a new stadium."

At the time I told anyone who would listen that the local government was drawing a line in the sand, one that they could use when or if the Penguins decided to leave. Ravenstahl even went so far as to say, "At the end of the day, we will know that we did everything we could to keep the Penguins." Something that they have been trying to set up for quite some time. Something that would paint Mario Lemieux the bad guy in a bad situation.

I can't see Lemieux going public with these comments while the two sides were still essentially exchanging information if it hadn't been provoked. The Governor has said that this deal would not be negotiated in the media, yet he went straight to the microphone the minute the Penguins didn't immediately accept the proposal.

The two sides can’t be that far apart and I still feel that there is a deal to be made in Pittsburgh that can suit all parties. Let's just hope that they can come to a resolution before we arrive at the deadline set by Mario Lemieux. It would be a crime to have come so close to saving the franchise only to have it slip away at the 11th hour.

*****

Stan Savran of ESPN Radio and Fox Sports Pittsburgh floated a story last night on his Sportsbeat television show stating that some of the minority investors in the Penguins may be willing to buy Mario Lemieux out. He clarified the scenario today on a local radio show.

Six of the minority investors in the team have already committed at least $10 million dollars towards a buy out and are looking for several others to join them.

Their plan is to buy out Mario Lemieux and keep the team in Pittsburgh. This group may or may not have contacted Ron Burkle. They also seem to be satisfied with the terms of Plan B as stated in the past meetings.

This is by no means a lock to happen, but I thought it was an interesting story. I will caution that Stan has had some ties to the Democratic Party in the past and almost ran for public office. I do not think he would compromise his ideals to aid the political agenda though. He is a big Penguin guy and has been for close to 30 years.

Penguins 8 Leafs 2 - Final

2007-01-20T22:24:00.001-05:00

What a way to head into the All Star break. The Penguins dominated the Leafs throughout the game. When the tough stuff started the Penguins didn't back down, they supported each other, and actually had the upper hand on some pretty tough guys...

Evgeni Malkin had a career night with 5 helpers and has really found his game. Like I mentioned earlier in the week, he is starting to look like what I was expecting and it is amazing!

Jordan Staal is 18...just thought I would mention it, because you would never know it by watching his game. To think that there was a question if he should stay in the league this season. What he has done is nothing short of unbelievable. Staal was great before, but he has found a home on Malkin's wing.

We saw why Ray Shero signed Jarkko Ruutu tonight and I liked it...

Chris Thorburn is on the fast track to being one of the toughest guys in the league. Great work tonight in sticking up for his teammates.

Sergei Gonchar quietly added 3 more assists tonight giving him 36 points on the year...8 behind league defensive scoring leader Scott Niedermayer.

Let's not forget about Sidney Crosby, who went about his business and picked up another 3-point night. (1G 2A) He was kept on the bench for the last 4 minutes of the game after things began to get a bit chippy. No point risking the health of your super star in a blow out win.

Last but not least, Marc Andre Fleury was great again tonight. As I stated a few weeks ago, he is going to have a huge second half. He could be the one last great thing that Craig Patrick did for the organization. I know that we always say how anyone could have picked the Crosbys and the Malkins etc, but he actually had to trade up to get this young goaltender and passed on a couple of very good players in doing so (Eric Staal, Nathan Horton to name a couple). MA has really started to look like a number one goaltender in the NHL and is only getting better.

Next up for your Pittsburgh Penguins...Staal, Whitney and Malkin take the ice in the Young Stars extravaganza Tuesday night in Dallas...Sid gets back to work Wednesday. The rest of the team will join them there on Friday for a game against the Stars.

*****

The Penguins had plenty of jump right from the start, but found themselves down 1-0...then the floodgates opened for them.

The team has been very sharp; their passes tape to tape. Toronto has taken a lot of penalties and the Penguins have made them pay for them. The Flightless Bird is 3-6 after 2. Mark Recchi has notched a hat trick, giving him 498 in his career. Could 500 come tonight, they way the puck is going in for him anything is possible.

Evgeni Malkin is having another very strong game. He has been all over the ice and has notched 2 assists. He and Jordan Staal continue to show the strong chemistry that we have seen in the past couple of games. Actually, the entire teams looks very cohesive. Michel Therrien has finally found the line combinations that he has been looking for. Very balanced...

This evening is a very nice way to head into the All Star break....more after the game...

Horrible Loss, Melichar Hurt, Welch Recalled...

2007-01-11T17:48:00.000-05:00

The Penguins did not show up for their game against the Panthers last night. However, a group of guys in Penguins uniforms did take the ice and proceed to get knocked all over the place in losing 5-2.

The Penguins were hit early and often and couldn't match Florida's intensity. Michel Therrien changed his lines in hopes of generating more offense, but the attempt failed. He split Crosby and Malkin but neither was a huge factor in the game. Crosby had a few chances and Malkin scored a garbage goal off of a rebound but the team was not able to beat Alex Auld more than twice.

This team needs to play physical to win games and they did not hit nearly enough last night. There were times during the contest where the Penguins did ramp up the physical play a bit, and they were able to generate some turnovers, which translated into scoring chances. They just could not sustain those flashes and lost two more valuable Eastern Conference points to a team that was behind them in the standings.

We will see if a trip to Philadelphia, a team the Penguins have beaten 5 times this year, can pull them out of their funk.

*****

Josef Melichar sustained a leg injury last night. The Penguins have recalled AHL All Star Noah Welch to replace him in the line-up.

Sidney Crosby, Lightning Strikes Twice and Shootout Woes...

2007-01-10T15:10:00.001-05:00

It was made official last night, Sidney Crosby will start the all-star game in his second season in the league. Crosby was not only named a starter, but was the leading vote getter among all players. I had been hoping to see what he and AO could do together on a line and we will get a chance...at least for about 30 seconds after the drop of the puck. There is no guarantee that the two will play together throughout the game.

I find it hard to come up with new ways to explain the greatness that is Sidney Crosby. It is one thing to see the numbers on paper and assume he is an elite player. It is a completely different thing to watch him play night in and night out. The only way to say it is to call it a blessing for hockey fans in Pittsburgh. The scoring and playmaking is amazing, but just watching him shift to shift and seeing the little things he does, scoring chances that the creates that no one sees, because there isn't a proven finisher to knock them home, his defensive prowess, skating and reflexes. Crosby has one of the fastest first steps in the game, and his legs are tree trunks.

One of the most unbelievable things at this point is that when he does something completely mind blowing, he doesn't even realize it. It is just how he plays the game. When Crosby is asked about a particular play that is going to end up on Sports Center's list at the end of the night, he seems to be surprised he is even being asked about it. Pretty much saying that he saw an opportunity and tried to make a play or set up a teammate.

For example, his comments after the goal against Tampa Bay on Sunday that has been replayed numerous times since, one in which he chose to go to his knees to see a pass from Mark Recchi, slid past a defender got his stick on the puck and knocked it home. "I tried to go on my knees, so I could find where the puck was coming from," he said. "I got a better look at the puck and it was going a little bit ahead, so I just reached for it." Makes it sound like I would in telling you about brushing my teeth.

I shutter to think what this kid will be when he is 25. Remember that the league's leading scorer is 19 years old! That completely blows my mind. I am not ready to say Crosby is better than some of the all time greats, but as someone who had the privilege of watching Mario Lemieux's entire career unfold, he is doing things at 18 and 19 that we saw Mario and Wayne do at 20 and 21. If he remains healthy throughout his career the sky is the limit. I have said this before, but players like Sidney Crosby are once in a lifetime. Many people I talk to lament the fact that they didn't pay much attention to Mario Lemieux until after his comeback and kick themselves for it. Don't make the same mistake with this amazing talent.

*****

The Tampa Bay Lightning continued their dominance of the Penguins during a home and home series that ended with a 3-2 Penguins loss last night in Tampa.

The usual suspects played big parts in the victories, Vinny Prospal, Marty St. Louis and Vinny Lecavalier...however none was bigger than Johan Holmqvist was. The young goaltender played great in both games against the Penguins. Though the Penguins didn't have the jump that they had during wins against Toronto, Carolina and Buffalo, they still worked hard throughout both contests. They very well could have earned a W in either game, but came up short in large part because of the hot goaltender they faced.

Tampa Bay has dominated the Penguins over the past couple of seasons, but the Birds will have another crack at redemption February 25.

*****

The Shootout...one of the most exciting events in professional sports. Not if you a Pittsburgh Penguin. The Penguins have a stable of capable candidates to utilize during shootouts, a group that should strike fear in most goaltenders. However, that just isn't the case. It doesn't matter if it is Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Mark Recchi or Sergei Gonchar taking the opportunity, the results is almost predetermined: Shoot Out Loss.

What is the issue? More specifically, what is the issue with Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin? I know both are very capable players when it comes to breakaways...one on one situations with the goaltender.

I think that it is a combination of things. The most telling is the lack of speed at which these players are approaching the opposing goaltender. During regulation play, the duo flies into the offensive zone at breakneck speeds and has success doing it. When Sidney Crosby comes through the neutral zone with speed, he looks like a rattle snake ready to strike and can laser a shot past a goaltender 9 of 10 times, just ask Antero Niittymaki of the Philadelphia Flyers. The same goes for Malkin, look at the goal he scored earlier in the season against the Boston Bruins to tie a game late. He took a loose puck and moved into the zone with speed, rifling a shot past Bruins goalie Tim Thomas.

When it comes to the shoot out, they cruise in slowly, without confidence. Dipsy doodling around before trying a last minute move that usually results in an easy save for the goaltender. To say that these two lack confidence on the shootout may sound crazy, but it is true at this point. They seem to be over thinking what they are going to do and commit to what they intend to do early.

In my estimation, the goaltender has the advantage in a shoot out situation. As long as he waits for the shooter to commit, he typically can make the save. The key for the shooter is to read and react against the goaltender. Make him make the first move, deke around him and score the goal.

The Penguins practice the shoot out on a regular basis, with people like Ryan Whitney and Jordan Staal having a high level of success. Maybe the Penguins should consider some personnel changes on the shoot out while Sid and Geno build some confidence in the daily practice sessions.

One bright spot has been the play of Marc Andre Fleury. The shoot out seemed to be his Achilles heel, but he has been much better in them as of late. The bad thing for Fleury is that until his team can start to score in the extra, extra frame, he will need to be perfect.

*****

The Penguins will face the Florida Panthers this evening. Yet another team that tends to give them headaches...each Eastern Conference game is a 4-point affair and is must win. The Penguins are in the hunt for a playoff spot, but need as many points against the teams around them in standings as possible.

Hopefully the team can rebound from back to back losses against the Lightning and get back in the W column.

*****

Jonathan Filewich and Noah Welch will represent the Wilkes Barre Scranton Penguins in the AHL All Star game.

Hmm, The Penguins Actually Play Hockey Too!

2007-01-05T15:47:00.001-05:00

I know that it didn't really seem like it over the past couple of days, but the Penguins do actually play some hockey. What has also been lost in the shuffle is the fact that they are coming off of two very impressive victories against opponents that tend to give them headaches. The team played what was probably its best game of the season Tuesday night against the Hurricanes.

What has the team done differently during the past two games that they hadn't done prior? Well, let's start with penalty killing. The team is still taking too many penalties, twelve during the streak, but has killed them all off. Max Talbot, Jordan Staal, Sergei Gonchar, Josef Melichar and Rob Scuderi have led the way. I would also like to point out that Colby Armstrong may not be scoring like the team thought he would, but he has been playing a very responsible game and logging plenty of time on the PK.

The team has also been blocking shots at a break-neck pace, something that they had struggled with since Mark Eaton went down earlier in the season. Penguin players have blocked 40 shots in the past 2 games, an astonishing total. They have put together two of the finest defensive efforts I have seen in quite some time.

They are also finding ways to manufacture goals. Of course that is a bit easier with Sidney Crosby on your team, however Cam Ward played a whale of a game Tuesday and still lost 3-0. Aside from the Whitney deflection goal, I really think that he could have been one of the three stars. When you are finding ways to beat hot goaltenders, you are doing something right in the goal-scoring department. That exact situation is where the Penguins have lost 1-0 or 2-0 after an empty netter in the past. They didn't allow it to happen.

Great goaltending from Marc Andre Fleury is not being wasted. He has played two of the finest games of his career and allowed only 1 goal during the streak. The more confident MA gets, the harder he is to beat. Notice he isn't making that many highlight real saves either; he doesn't have to anymore. Gilles Meloche has worked long and hard to teach him to be in better position. If your entire body is in front of the puck, you do not have to make spectacular stops all of the time. The shooter ends up hitting you. I look for him to have a very strong second half.

The Penguins will face a very tough test over the weekend. They have to travel to Buffalo tonight to meet the Sabres, who have given the Penguins fits over the past couple seasons. Not to mention, they are the beasts of the east this year. They will then head into a home and home series against the Tampa Bay Lightning beginning Sunday in Pittsburgh. You all know that Vinny will get his points in those two games, he always does! When the Penguins thought they were going to hold him off of the board in an earlier match up this season, all he did was steal the puck in OT and score the game winner on a break away.

All of the things I mentioned above will have to stay consistent for the team to pick up these 6 points. A win tonight will get them on the right track.

*****

Do not forget the Save the Pens rally happening outside Gate 1 at Mellon Arena Sunday afternoon. It begins at 3:00pm prior to the game against the Lightning. Come out and support your Pittsburgh Penguins...if you need extra incentive, it is also Evgeni Malkin Bobblehead night!

Meeting Ends with Pa Officials...

2007-01-04T21:51:00.001-05:00

Mario Lemieux seemed more optimistic than I can remember him being in some time about the prospects of the team staying in Pittsburgh. After the meeting he mention being very impressed with what he heard, and being optimistic of the prospects of reaching an agreement in Pittsburgh.

Lemieux said that the officials addressed issues that went back 7 years in the process. He also said that he had "two great meetings today."

He specifically said: "I'm very optimistic after the meeting with the Officials in Pittsburgh today, it was a very positive meeting." He went on to mention that more meetings would be necessary, but was impressed.

Ed Rendell also said that he was "very hopeful and optimistic that the deal would be accepted by the Penguins."

Onorato and Ravenstal remain optimistic as well, though future meetings have not been scheduled as of yet.

This is the best news so far in a dark process...I will write a more complete blog about this later, but wanted to get you guys the latest. Especially for out of town fans, since the news is actually doing a decent job of covering this in town...

Into the Great Wide Open...

2007-01-04T13:51:00.000-05:00

Mario Lemieux and Penguins officials will meet with members of local and state government this afternoon in downtown Pittsburgh. I am hoping that both sides come ready to negotiate in good faith. Dan Onorato, Allegheny County Executive, has been the most vocal leading up to the meeting and has stated that he is "cautiously optimistic" about the prospects of coming to an agreement.

As we know, the Penguins were in Kansas City over night and have met with Tim Leiweke, president of Anschutz Entertainment Group. They were given the opportunity to see the $276 million Sprint Center that would be available for the start of the 2007-08 season. Is the KC deal very enticing? I am sure it is to some extent, however, the potential earnings in a new arena in Pittsburgh could be more lucrative.

In Kansas City, the Penguins would have to buy in with $27 million dollars. That would get them 50 percent of all revenue generated by the Sprint Center, with AEG getting the rest. The officials in Pa are dangling all of the revenue generated by a new facility in Pittsburgh to keep the Penguins viable. Some experts are saying that could be upwards of $20 million per year. Whatever the total ends up being, getting all as opposed to half of the pie is always a bit more attractive. In the end, the yearly revenues received by the Penguins from a new facility in Pittsburgh would more than offset the contribution to construction costs over the 30 years called for in Plan B. Will that be enough to entice the team to stay? That is yet to be determined. (Penguins contribution in Pittsburgh: $8.5 million up front, $4 million yearly for 30 years, with $1.1 coming from naming rights bringing Pens yearly contribution to $2.9 million.)

The main difference between the two situations right now is getting a free arena in Kansas City, as opposed to having to contribute to one in Pittsburgh. With KC boasting more Lemieux business associates and Pittsburgh offering more possible revenue. What will win out? Will Mario's connection to "Boots" Del Biaggio give KC an advantage? These are all questions that will be answered in the coming weeks.

The Penguins have stood firm by their statement about examining all of their options, and may still look at some other locations such as Oklahoma City, Houston, Portland, Winnipeg, Las Vegas and Hartford.

Hartford Mayor, Eddie A. Perez, has written a two-page letter to Mario Lemieux expressing his desire to have the Penguins relocate to his town.

The Penguins seem to be the belle of the ball and have no shortage of suitors at this point. This is going to get a lot more interesting before it is resolved. Let’s hope that when the Penguins youth gets to raise their first banner, which seems like a good bet in the near future, that it is on Pittsburgh.

*****

The Penguins have finally ended their silence in regard to Nils Ekman. He has been diagnosed with a dislocated elbow and is expected to miss extensive time with the injury. The MRI that he had this week revealed significant damage to the elbow. No surgery is scheduled at this point, but he may be lost for the season.

Some Pens Notes....

2006-12-30T18:55:00.000-05:00

The Penguins ended their losing streak in style last night by knocking off the Toronto Maple Leafs, something that they rarely do. I don't have the stats in front of me right now, but I believe they had beaten the Penguins 8 of the last 10 times they have met.

The win didn't come without a cost. Nils Ekman was lost during the first period to a pretty ugly elbow injury. The team has still not made an official announcement on how severe the injury was, but I am thinking that points to it being a bad one. As I mentioned in the comments last night, Michel Therrien wouldn't make much of a comment on the injury and just said that they hadn't talked to the docs yet. The team is planning to re-evaluate him at some point in the future, but with an off day today, I don't expect any kind of formal announcement until tomorrow at the earliest. This is unfortunate for two reason, the first being the Pens lack of skilled wingers to compliment their centers, the second being the fact that Nils was having a great game playing with Dom Moore and Jordan Staal. It was one of the better outings for Nils in quite a while, and now he could potentially be out for a long while, if not the season.

*****

Sidney Crosby notched 3 assists last night pushing his season total to 41 and his overall point total to 58, 6 ahead of Marian Hossa. Evgeni Malkin also reclaimed the lead in the rookie-scoring race by picking up 1 goal and 1 assist in last night's game. He now leads LA's Anze Kopitar by 1 point.

*****

Did Ronald Petrovicky insult Michel Therrien in some way? He has been a healthy scratch 32 times since being recalled from a conditioning stint in Wilkes Barre Scranton on November 18th. Is there a place for him on this team? Doesn't seem like it. It is nice to have him in the cupboard if needed, but the acquisition of Chris Thorburn seems to have made him obsolete. I can see some one picking him up later in the season to play a third or fourth line role in the playoffs.

He is a great energy guy and could definitely be an asset. I think that he will get some work while Ekman is nursing his elbow injury.

Pens Gear Up for Leafs and Mario Agrees to a Sit Down...

2006-12-29T16:29:00.000-05:00

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...

Can Stella, I Mean the Penguins Get Their Groove Back??

2006-12-27T15:55:00.000-05:00

It seems like something has been missing for the Penguins over the last couple weeks. After winning 4 in a row earlier in the month, they have now lost 4. The team has drifted 7 points behind the Atlantic Division leading Devils. The team has gotten into the horrible habit of putting together winning streaks only to match them with equally long losing streaks. The Penguins have to be looking at themselves in the mirror and saying, "I lost me mojo."

Back to back games against the Devils and Thrashers is no way to get on tracked but they are going to have to make the best of it. After dropping last night's game in New Jersey, the Penguins will have to find a way to contain Kovalchuk, Hossa and Kozlov. Something that they have had difficulty with in the past.

Marc Andre Fleury will get the start in goal. He is coming off of a strong performance against his idol, Marty Brodeur, but will have to be on top of his game again tonight. Atlanta's snipers will be firing rubber at him from all angles. Sometimes you need your goaltender to pull you out of these mini slumps and that is what they need from Fleury tonight.

Michel Therrien was starting to get a bit more consistent with his line shuffling during the winning streak, but he has since begun to tinker with them on a nightly basis again. After splitting Sidney Crosby and Mark Recchi last night, he will put them back together tonight. The lines will looks something like this:

Crosby, Recchi, Malone
Malkin, Christensen, Armstrong
Staal, Ekman, Ouellet
Talbot, Ruutu, Thorburn

Let's hope that these combinations can get gel and generate some offense. They couldn't seem to get anything sustained going against Brooder last night and will face another great goaltender in Kari Lehtonen tonight.

The schedule gets no easier for the Flightless Bird in the coming weeks, as they face Toronto, Carolina, Buffalo, Florida and Tampa Bay twice. All of these opponents give the Penguins major headaches.

Happy Holidays!!!

2006-12-25T02:23:00.000-05:00

Here is something I wrote for Hockey Buzz...I wanted to share it with you all! Hope that you all have a very happy and safe holiday. Thanks so much for the support here and checking the Pittsburgh Penguins Report.

The Twelve Days of Christmas...For a Penguins Fan!

On the first day of Christmas, my true love gave to me:

A New Areeeeeena!

aaaaand

On the Second day of Christmas, my true love gave to me:

2 Scoring Wingers!

On the Third day of Christmas, my true love gave to me:

3 Franchise Players! (Sid, Evgeni and Fleury)

On the Fourth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me:

4 Top 6 Centers (Did I mention we need scoring wingers!)

On the Fifth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me:

5 wins over Philly! (More on the way??)

On the Sixth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me:

6 Pts for Sidney (a career first, but not the last)

On the Seventh Day of Christmas, my true love gave to me:

7 first round draft picks (all on the roster!)

On the Eighth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me:

8 owners bidding (maybe it just seems like it)

On the Ninth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me:

9 hours practice on the shootout! (Why can't we win!)

On the 10th day of Christmas, my true love gave to me:

10 Morozov Rumors

On the Eleventh day of Christmas, my true love gave to me:

11 Staal Brothers (Oh there's only 4??)

On the Twelfth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me:

12 Gonchar Hookings

Lemieux Shopping the Team to Other Cities??

2006-12-21T15:21:00.001-05:00

It seems that Mario Lemieux's level of frustration has reached a boiling point and he would now consider selling the team to other cities. Lemieux does state that he is still willing to negotiate an arena agreement here in Pittsburgh, but is bound to IOC for several more weeks. Here is a statement released on the Penguins official website.

Recent developments, including Wednesday’s decision by the PGCB, and the recent termination of the purchase agreement by Jim Balsillie have convinced us that it is time to take control of our own destiny. Accordingly, starting Thursday, the team is off the market, and we will begin to explore relocation options in cities outside Pennsylvania. After seven years of trying to work out a new arena deal exclusively in Pittsburgh, we need to take into consideration the long-term viability of the team and begin discussions with other cities that may be interested in NHL teams.

As soon as we are no longer restricted by our agreement with Isle of Capri from negotiating an arena deal here, in the next few weeks, we will also begin discussions with local leaders about a viable Pittsburgh arena plan.

We will have no further comment at this time.

PITG/Northshore Gaming Wins Pittsburgh License

2006-12-20T11:41:00.001-05:00

The Isle of Capri has lost their bid to PITG/Northshore Gaming. Forest City Station Square has also been passed over.

Plan B here we come?

I hope that this is not the day that hockey in Pittsburgh died. I am sure that the team will be willing to have some sort of negotiations with the local politicos, but I can't see them being very receptive to making major financial contributions when they have a privately funded arena on the table.

The Penguins will most likely address the media this afternoon.

More later...

Final: Blues 4 - Pens 1

2006-12-19T22:55:00.001-05:00

The Penguins probably played their worst game of the season tonight. No offense to the St. Louis Blues, but coming off of 11 straight losses, this is a game that the Penguins should have won.

There did not seem to be a sense of urgency and the team looked very flat. Actually, I don't think that either team played particularly well, but the Blues were able to finish a handful of their chances.

The power play was a disgrace again, going 0-8 on the night. Special teams could have made a big difference, unfortunately they did, for the Blues.

St. Louis also scored a short-handed goal, something that is becoming common place for the Penguins. That is something that they need to get control of right away. I believe that they have allowed a shorty in their last 5 or 6 games.

Michel Therrien was not pleased with his team's performance and made it known. "Unacceptable, as far as I am concerned we have some loyal fans, building is full, our fans support the team," Therrien said. "To come and have a performance like this is unacceptable."

He referred to the squad as a "not mature team."

"We were behind the 8 ball right from the start," Therrien said. "They were not too quality scoring chances, but the puck is in the net."

Therrien also said that the play of Marc Andre Fleury "has got to be better."

The team has to be careful that they do not go into one of the tailspins that afflicted them earlier in the season. At one point they won 5 games in a row, only to go on and lose 5. They had a bit of a winning streak going over the last week and now have lost 2 in a row.

The schedule doesn't get any easier for them as they go on the road for two tough games against Atlanta and New Jersey. The Thrashers are no doubt going to be looking for revenge after losing to the Penguins in overtime in their last meeting and Marty and the Devils are never a walk in the park.

Michel Therrien will most likely work this team very hard in practice to get them ready for Thursday night. Hopefully it will snap them out of their current holiday funk.

****

I will be standing by to get you guys the Slots decision as soon as possible tomorrow. Keep your fingers crossed for the Isle of Capri.

The Mellon Arena fans just started an Isle of Capri chant, making it known who they want to win the slots license.

******

Sidney Crosby just fed a seeing eye pass across to Evgeni Malkin, who made no mistake firing the puck into an empty net.

Unfortunately, there must have been a law passed making it illegal to hit Bill Guerin, as he was left alone in the face off dot to score the 4th St. Louis goal.

*****

Jocelyn Thibault is in the game after Marc Andre Fleury surrendered a short handed goal to make it 3-0. Unfortunately, the comes after Evgeni Malkin missed on a mini break away the other way.

****

When the Blues scored at the :44 second mark to open the scoring, it marked the 5th occasion this season that they had cashed in during the opening minute of play.

*****

The Penguins have now taken the lead in shots, but were not able to cash in on a 4:00 minute power play opportunity. Alain Nasreddine took a high stick to draw the penalty. He had to head into the locker room for some stitch work.

Period 1 in the books...

*****

The Penguins received the ever popular mock cheer when they notched their first shot at the at the 9:41 mark.

*****

At the 6:35 mark of the first period, the Penguins do not have a shot and are down 2-0.

They are having trouble getting anything going offensively and are making the Blues look great.

Let the line shuffling begin??

****

Reporting live from Mellon Arena as the teams get ready to take ice for warm up.

The Penguins have made a minor trade with the Boston Bruins, acquiring defenseman Wade Brookbank for future considerations. The 6-4, 225 pound Brookbank was assigned to Wilkes Barre-Scranton.

Brookbank has played 68 NHL games with the Bruins, Canucks, and Nashville Predators.

*****

Marc Andre Fleury will start in net.

Mario Addresses The Media...

2006-12-19T22:54:00.000-05:00

The Penguins called a press conference so that Mario Lemieux could address the ownership situation. Here are some of the highlights.

Mario looked very somber and his body language showed him to be a bit uncomfortable.

"Obviously I am disappointed that we couldn't close the deal last week," Lemieux said. "We were all shocked and disappointed."

Mario repeatedly talked of how important the decision is on Wednesday and how Isle of Capri is the best fit for the region and the franchise.

He also addressed the speculation about Balsillie still being in the running by saying when asked if the deal was really dead, "Yeah it is." "We got the letter Friday, the deal is over."

Mario would not address speculation as to why Balsillie pulled out or which issues caused the disagreement with the NHL.

"I am not sure what he was told," Lemieux said. "His conversations with the comissioner are private...it is up to one of them to discuss the issues."

Mario went on to say, "We are moving forward without Jim Balsillie, it is our franchise again."

"We will determine the fate," Lemieux said.

When the questions started about plan B, Mario said that they had been trying to work something out for 7 years and been turned away. It wasn't until they had signed with IOC and could not have any discussions that the politicians came forward with plan B.

"I have never heard of a government turning down $290 million dollars," Lemieux said.

Mario said that there isn't a time table for making a move. They are just waiting for the decision Wednesday before regrouping and coming up with a plan.

Wednesday is D day for the Penguins, Mario Lemieux and the fans. That is not to say everything is lost if the IOC does not win, it will just push the team that much closer to the brink.

Updating on the fly...hope all comes through

UPDATED: Breaking News: Balsillie Drops Out....

2006-12-16T13:58:00.000-05:00

Ken Sawyer addressed the media after the first period. He didn't have much more info than what was already known, but he did confirm that Balsillie has rescinded his offer to purchase the team.

"There were no issues with the team," Sawyer said. "It was strictly an issue of not being able to come to an agreement with the league."

Sawyer went on to mention that the Penguins knew that Balsillie was having issues with the league, but never thought that it would cause the deal to fall apart.

The agreement between the Lemieux Group and Balsillie was fine, and everything had been agreed too. The sticking point is definitely with the league. There is much speculation that the reasoning for the disagreement stemmed from the specifics of Plan B, the alternative arena plan if the Isle of Capri does not win the stand alone slots license on Wednesday.

Sawyer would not comment on the fact that not having flexibility to move the team caused the deal to crumble, only saying, "You will have to ask Mr. Balsillie that question."

Balsillie had not been in communication with Sawyer or Mario Lemieux since Wednesday, when the team was in Harrisburg to testify in front of the Gaming Board.

When asked how Lemieux was taking the news, Sawyer said: "Mario is taking it in stride, but is disappointed."

Sawyer would not comment on any next steps that the team will take, only saying that they are hoping for an Isle of Capri win on Wednesday. If that were to fall through, they will have to evaluate everything and come up with a plan.

Sawyer would not speculate as to what the next move would be in finding a new bidder for the franchise.

It is strange that Balsillie pulled out now, with the slots decision days away. There is definitely something weird about the entire situation. It seems that we may never know how this situation played out, but Jim Balsillie will not be the next owner of the Pittsburgh Penguins.

All we can do at this point is hope for a decision in favor of the IOC. That will take a lot of the issues away, and the team can focus on just finding a buyer. The rest will have worked itself out and the Penguins will be here to stay. The alternative...time will tell.

****

Jim Balsillie pulls bid to purchase the Penguins...it is reportedly over a stalemate regarding terms of a consent agreement. Could this be because the league was trying to put stipulations in place that said he could not move the team...who knows. This is very shocking...especially with the slots decision coming Wednesday.

Here is the Post Gazette story on the matter. More after the game tonight...

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/06349/746509-100.stm

Pens Beat Flyers for 5th Consecutive Time...

2006-12-14T00:31:00.001-05:00

Sidney Crosby posted the first 6 point game of his career and led the Penguins to their 5th consecutive win against the Philadelphia Flyers. The Penguins have dominated the Flyers this season, and I cannot remember anything comparable.

The game seemed like it could potentially be a boring one at the start, but that changed quickly when Chris Thorburn beat Antero Niittymaki with a laser from the high slot. Crosby quickly added another for his first point of the night. The rout looked to be on, but Philadelphia quickly answered to tie the game at 2.

Sergei Gonchar, who also had a monster game, finished the first period scoring with a power play goal through traffic. The Russian d-man was firing on all cylinders tonight and was letting the puck fly anytime he could.

The second period could have been dubbed the Crosby Show as he set up 3 more goals in less than 5 minutes. It was magical, if Sidney Crosby touched a puck; it ended up in the net. "We were just having one of those nights where everything was going in," Crosby said. "It happened so fast, especially in the second."

The Flyers started to creep up on the Penguins a bit, but they were never really in the game. This was the penguins and Sidney Crosby's night, almost from the drop of the puck.

Michel Therrien was very pleased with his team, especially his young superstar. "What a night, tonight we saw a performance by a special player," Therrien said. "It was unbelievable...Sid was phenomenal tonight."

Evgeni Malkin was held off of the score sheet; though the team scored 8 goals. Therrien isn't that worried about him. "He had a rough night...we will evaluate the game and sit down with him, show him video," Therrien said. "He'll get better, he is a rookie...not bad for a rookie," Therrien said as he chuckled. Malkin was getting targeted by Philadelphia all night...he took some big hits.

Overall the Penguins played a very good game. There were a few breakdowns that the Flyers punished them for, but they don't matter as much when everything is going in for you. Let's hope that the Penguins ride this momentum into another big division match up against the New York Islanders on Friday night.

*****

The Penguins have always invited local mite teams to play on the Mellon Arena ice during intermissions, but they have recently revamped the whole scenario. They now show video of the kids in the locker room and allow them to talk on the jumbotron, calling the segment: Intermission Puck Pals. I think that it is great to allow the kids this opportunity. It has to be a thrill...even if they never go anywhere with the game; they will always treasure that moment in time.

******

There were a couple of weird goaltending scenarios during the game tonight. First, Marc Andre Fleury did not come out to start the second period of play; Jocelyn Thibault was between the pipes. About 6 minutes in, Fleury replaced him and finished the game. Turned out that Fleury had the plastic covering come off of his skate boot and needed to have it repaired.

The Flyers replaced Antero Niittymaki with Martin Houle only to see him allow 2 goals on 3 shots in the span of 2 minutes 12 seconds. They tried to put Niitymaki back in the net, but quickly switched back to Houle, only to send Niittymaki back out on the next whistle. The reasoning for the play: The new rule mandating that you cannot change your players after an icing call. The Flyers had just iced the puck and had to stick with Houle until the next stop.

****

The 3 Stars of the Game:

#3 Ryan Malone: 1 G 3 A
#2 Sergei Goncher: 2 G 3 A
#1 Sidney Crosby: 1 G 5 A

Crosby V Ovechkin Redux - Introducing Evgeni Malkin

2006-12-11T15:22:00.001-05:00

The league obviously thinks very highly of the match up tonight on the VS Network between Sidney Crosby and Alexander Ovechkin. They have been hyping it for over a week, even having the 2 team up for a conference call last Monday. I am sure that these two young men will step up on the national stage, they always seem to play great against each other. When one of them does something amazing, the other answers with something even more amazing. The games between the two last season were definitely must see TV, and I am sort of surprised that this isn't one that NBC would have snapped up, even though their coverage doesn't begin until later in the season.

There is a new variable to consider this year, and his name is Evgeni Malkin. I think that his first game against Alexander Ovechkin could be his true coming out party, sort of like Sidney Crosby had his when he blew Jose Theodore's water bottle off the top of the net last season in his first game against the Montreal Canadians.

Malkin has sort of been in AO's shadow since they were drafted. Ovechkin the consensus #1 and Malkin the consensus #2 even though he was a full year younger. The two have started to form a friendship and Malkin has done his best to make everyone forget that he was the consolation prize for the Penguins when they lost the draft lottery. His best has shown the world that he is on the same stage with Ovechkin, and he may still prove to be the better player, though time will tell.

Malkin is coming off one of the best performances of his young career and I am sure he wants to keep the momentum going. What better chance than on National TV against your countryman who was drafted one spot ahead of you. This is his opportunity to thrive...the spotlight will be on Crosby and AO, Malkin can relax and play his game. I think that Malkin plays a major part in a Penguins victory this evening.

In the immortal words of Mike Lange, Penguins radio play by play man, "shame on you for 6 weeks if you miss this one." What more can you ask for, three of the top young players in the National Hockey League will be digging their blades into the same sheet of ice this evening. The three could also form the starting line for the Eastern All Star team if voting stays consistent. Cancel your plans, do what you have to do to see this one.

*****

Some news could break on John Leclair today. I will keep you posted.

*****

Marc Andre Fleury is expected to start in goal tonight. Let's hope that Michel Therrien keeps the lines together as he did against Atlanta. They seemed to gel a bit. More after the game...

*****

Here is the chat transcript from last week's call....I took out the questions about the Briere hit, I think it was debated enough last week....overall it was an upbeat interview with the two young stars.

DAVID KEON: I'm David Keon of the National Hockey League's Public Relations Department, and I'd like to welcome you to today's call. With us we have Pittsburgh Penguins center Sidney Crosby, and Washington Capitals left winger Alexander Ovechkin. Thanks to both of them for taking the time to join us today, and thanks to Frank Buonomo of the Penguins and Nate Ewell of the Caps for arranging the call.

Sidney leads the Penguins and is tied for fifth in overall league scoring with 34 points on 10 goals and 24 assists in 22 games. With a record of 11-10-4 for 26 points, Pittsburgh is fourth in the Atlantic Division.

Alex leads the Caps and is 20th in NHL scoring with 17 goals and 11 assists for 28 points in 26 games played. Washington sits third in the Southeast Division with a record of 11-9-6 for 28 points.
The two of them will meet next Monday, December 11, in Washington on Versus at 7:00 p.m. eastern time in the first of four head-to-head meetings taking place this season.

Thanks to both Sid and Alex for joining us today to answer your questions.

Q. I'd like to ask both players. How much do you guys get up when you face one another in a game? Do you guys consider that like a prime game for both of you just to show what you can do, or show each other what you can do?

SIDNEY CROSBY: I don't know. I think it's always a little bit more motivating. You know, from my side I think that it's built up so much that, in a way you want to respond and make sure you have a good game. But at the end of the night the win is most important. That's the way I looked at it. But there's no doubt there seems to be more emotion and intensity when we play each other.

ALEX OVECHKIN: I think Sidney is right. It's important for us, for our team, to win the game. Of course, Sidney and me want to score goals and have some points, but it's important for us to win the game.

Q. For both of you. You guys have been compared to each other a lot over the past couple of years. A lot of comparisons saying who's better. What are your feelings on finally getting to play together?

SIDNEY CROSBY: It will be nice. You know, like you said, there's always so many comparisons. But for me I think with my game I'm more much a playmaker and I think Alex is more of a shooter. It would be great to be passing to someone like that, so I look forward to that sure for.

ALEX OVECHKIN: Me too. He's a great player I watch lots of games he plays. He just give the pass, and guys just love to shoot, you know. So I’m looking forward to playing with him.

Q. Just wanted to know, for the both of you, how different is life in your second year now that you're not rookies anymore?

SIDNEY CROSBY: It's not a whole lot different. I think there are more familiar faces, which is nice, and not as many new buildings. So I think that's just nice part about not being a rookie.
You're not surprised by as many things. Just a little bit more comfortable and you know, other than that I don't think there's been a lot that's changes.

ALEX OVECHKIN: Yeah. I just feel for comfortable right now. We know the league and we know the rules and we now how good team -- you know, we know how to play against some teams. Just I think right now we know the league better than first year. For me right now I know the league and the team and I feel more comfortable.

Q. For Alex, how do you feel about your friend Malkin being involved in this rivalry now, too?

ALEX OVECHKIN: I'm really happy for him, because he is a great player and he's a great guy. He's a very good person and he's unbelievable player. His team is lucky team to have Sidney, Malkin. They were drafted and they are good players and probably will be best team in the league. But we have couple guys, too.

Q. This goes to Sidney. Tal k about the hype coming into last season, your rookie year, and all the, I guess, advice you got. What kind of advice do you pass on to Malkin this season?

SIDNEY CROSBY: To be honest, I think the main thing for me coming into last year was just to worry about playing hockey. I didn't really -- to be honest with you, I didn't really pass any advice to him.

I think everyone has their own way of handling things and dealing with it mentally. And for him he had been through so much just to get here, so I think hockey was the relaxing part for him. That's the way
I looked at it. You'd have to ask him how he handled it, but I think it was just important for him to come here and play hockey.

Q. Alex, what do you feel has been your biggest -- I guess your biggest thing you've had to get used to with the new rules and everything this season?

ALEX OVECHKIN: New rules?

Q. Yes. What have you had to adjust to the most this year?

ALEX OVECHKIN: Playing hockey, enjoy. You know, because I think me and Sidney, lots of young guys who play, should enjoy the time, because it was our dream. It doesn't matter what rules. If it's old or new rules, we just want to play hockey and do best what we can.

Q. One question for Sidney and one for Alex. Sidney, first of all, I'm just wondering with you and Malkin, obviously the two of you are the face of hockey or the future in Pittsburgh, if not for the whole league. How have the two of you meshed together? And how has it been being with him so far this year?

SIDNEY CROSBY: It's been great to be able to play with someone that's that creative and has that much fun out there on the ice. It's a lot of fun. I think that myself I'm improving just from playing with him. He's a fun guy to play with and even just to be on the ice practicing with every day. He's still learning English so it's hard to communicate, but we're doing our best. And I think he's coming along as the season goes on, which is good. It's just been fine.
I think that myself and him we're lucky we have guys like Staal and Fleury. It's been a lot of fun so far.

Q. You guys have been linked ever since last year started. Do you have any sort of a friendship away from the rink? Do you guys talk or compare notes at all away from the arena at all?

SIDNEY CROSBY: We don't really kee p really keep in touch other than when we see each other when we play each other. We've done a few things off the ice and ran into each other. But I think outside of that it's just a relationship where we see each other when we play.

Q. Alex, have you played golf since the hole-in-one?

ALEX OVECHKIN: No.

Q. Calling it quits there?

ALEX OVECHKIN: Yeah.

Q. Can you turn back the calendar to this time last year. Compare the player you were then to the player you are now. And how much more improving can you do? That's for both of them.

SIDNEY CROSBY: I think for me, I think experience is something that, you know, I can look back and say that I'm more experienced a lot more knowledgeable about everything that has to do about playing the game. So I think I have a lot to learning and a long ways to go, but I think I can definitely bring that from last year. I'm just more aware. I think I've tried to become a guy that's going to shoot the puck more often when I get the chance just to keep guys honest. I'm always learning, always trying. Those are the a couple things I've tried to improve on this year.

ALEX OVECHKIN: For me, this year, I try to play more defensively. I have talk with my coach a lot and he tell me, "I don't care about how we play offensively. I care about how he play defensively." I know I play right now better defensively. I think all my teammates and all my coaches, they my fans, see it and they know I try to play more defensively like last year.

Q. For Sidney, today they announced the roster for the Canadian World Junior Team, and amazingly you were still eligible for that. How distant does that seem to you now a few years into the NHL? What did the experience of playing for the national team do for you as a player

SIDNEY CROSBY: It's an amazing experience. I think it is for anyone. I think for me I was lucky enough to play on the team I did my second year. We were just so deep and so good.
And I think I improved over three weeks or a month just from playing with those guys. They were NHL caliber guys. If you look at the guys on that team there's an awful lot that are in the NHL already.
That was a special group, and having Coach Sutter coach our team was great as well. The on-ice part was an experience in itself, and I became a better player for it. And being part of the whole experience as far as having Canadian fans follow that it was so big and something I grew up watching. I wanted to be a part of it. It was a special experience, and no doubt it helped me a lot.

Q. Sidney, if you could tell me one thing you admire most about Alex's game, and Alex I'm going ask you the same question about Sid.

SIDNEY CROSBY: I'd say his goal-scoring ability. I don't think you can really teach anyone that. It's just a knack. It's an ability. You know, he definitely has that. So it's exciting to watch when someone can score goals like that.

ALEX OVECHKIN: Well, I think how he control the puck. How he find his partners. It's unbelievable.

The State of The Pittsburgh Penguins...

2006-12-08T17:43:00.001-05:00

The Penguins dropped another heart breaker to the New York Rangers last night. They had built a 2-goal lead and played some very inspired hockey during the first 45 minutes of the game. That all changed quickly.

Marc Andre Fleury, who looked like he was on his way to posting a shut out, allowed a deflection goal. The goal could have beaten anyone in the league, but it seemed to deflate him. He quickly allowed another, and the rest is history...regulation ended and the Penguins could not get it done in the shoot-out.

The Penguins hot start is still masking how bad they have been lately, at least in stretches. In case anyone is keeping track, the flightless bird has won only 4 of 17 games. Granted several of the losses have come in shootouts or overtime, but that is not going to get it done. They have played well in spurts, but they have had difficulty putting together complete games.

What are the major deficiencies on this team? Where can they improve? Well, let's start with the scoring.

They have gotten little offensive support from their wingers this season. In fact, Mark Recchi is the only winger who has more than 6 goals, that sort of production is not going to win games. Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin have no one who can truly finish for them and that aspect needs immediate attention from general manager Ray Shero. Certain guys have played well on the wing in spurts, such as Recchi, Nils Ekman and recently Eric Christensen, but the team will suffer without consistent scoring from the wing. Crosby would be leading the league by a 10-point margin if he played with a true finisher.

This cannot all be blamed on the players. Most of them have skated on different lines as often as every other shift. Michel Therrien is not allowing guys to build chemistry. Sure, it is Malkin's fault when he throws the puck to an area where a winger should be and it results in a turnover, but he would have an idea as to where a guy was really going to be if he skated with him frequently enough. Then again, after watching him for the first 1/4 season, even my hockey IQ tells me that all you need to do is get into open space and he will get you the puck. Why his wingers aren't doing it, I don't know. The line shuffling is going to be the downfall of Therrien if it continues.

Ray Shero's marquee acquisitions during the off-season were Nils Ekman and Jarkko Ruutu. Ekman, who was used to playing with Joe Thornton and Johnathan Cheechoo in San Jose, stated the season on Sidney Crosby's wing only to be taken out of that role on opening night. Many nights he was used in a checking role, and only recently has been getting top 6-ice time, which has helped him to look better. Ruutu, who is a great agitator with some scoring touch, was thrown into a 4th line role and not given much more than 6-7 minutes a game. When Shero made the signing, he mentioned using him with skilled players to see if they could catch lightning in a bottle, hasn't happened. Do not think the GM is turning a blind eye to these two situations.

The defense started the season playing very well, but the loss of Mark Eaton set them a ways back. The guys were able to hang in there for a while, but have since been exposed. Josef Melichar takes at least 2 horrible penalties per game and doesn't hit anyone. Sergei Gonchar is either one of the best players on the ice, or one of the worst...lately it's been the latter. Rob Scuderi is good on the penalty kill and not much else. Ryan Whitney has cooled off considerably and Brooks Orpik is up and down. As much as the Wilkes Barre-Scranton recalls want to help, there is a reason that both Alain Nasreddine and Micki Dupont haven't found work in the NHL over their careers. They need Eaton back...now. Shero should also use Eric Christensen or Ryan Malone to get a stay at home d-man to help solidify the squad.

The goaltending has been all things this season. Both Jocelyn Thibault and Marc Andre Fleury have been magical at times, but they are no longer stealing points for this team. Occasionally, goaltending is effected more by how many goals a team scores, than by how many they allow. The Penguins were able to generate offense early this season, and were winning games 4-2 and 5-3. Those have now become 3-2 and 2-1 losses. The goaltending has still been solid, but it looks a lot weaker when there is a goose egg on the board. The team has got to make up for an occasional bad goal. These goalies are not able to make mistakes right now and if they do, it is resulting in a loss. If a goalie feels like 1 or 2 goals against are going to lose the game for him, he is more apt to make a mistake trying to overcompensate for his team.

The special teams are one of the worst parts of the Penguins game right now. They are not scoring on the power play, but they are allowing the opposition to do so at an alarming rate. Remedy number 1: Shoot the puck and get it through to the net. As I have said before, the Pens have to lead the league in having their shots blocked. Also, when you get that shot through, have a couple guys crash the net...rebounds mean nothing right now. Remedy number 2: Block some shots, and they need to stop running around like the keystone cops. There are occasions this season when the Benny Hill Music should be played while the Pens are trying to kill a penalty.

Though I have just pointed out these problem areas, the team is not far away from being a winner. There is a lot of youth and inexperience but they are developing. These kids will learn how to win, and with Sidney Crosby leading the way, they cannot go wrong. I am not ready to concede the playoffs this year, but I think they will be more prepared for a run next season.

*****

The Penguins have not ruled out suspending John Leclair if he doesn't eventually report to Wilkes Barre Scranton or retire. Though GM Ray Shero is trying to find a good fit for him, the Penguins are not going to be content paying a salary while he sits at home. This is starting to take an interesting turn, one that I didn't see coming when this saga started last week.

*****

Ray Shero announced that Jordan Staal would not play in the World Junior Championships for Canada. They had invited him to camp, but the Penguins have declined the

Pens Game Day Notes...

2006-12-07T15:43:00.001-05:00

Micki Dupont will make his Penguin debut this evening in New York. He was scratched on Tuesday night against Florida. Could he have been the difference for the power play? I guess we will find out tonight. Dupont was a fringe player in the old NHL, but he seems tailor made for the league these days. He is quick, has great offensive instincts and can carry the puck. I am looking forward to seeing him in action this evening.

Jordan Staal will be back in the line-up tonight. Coach Michel Therrien said that wanted to sit him down for a game because his play had dipped a bit over the last month. They know that he is young and don't want to burn him out. They say they have a development plan for him and are sticking to it.

John Leclair has been re-assigned to Wilkes Barre-Scranton again. Ray Shero said that Leclair would like to stay in the league somewhere, and they are helping him to do that. He was shuffled again to make room for Michel Ouellet, who came off of the injured list. Leclair has been home with his family and is considering reporting to the Baby Penguins. Shero seems to think that his reporting will become inevitable. Time will tell. I still think he will end up being traded to offer cash relief to the team that takes him. He can still be a valuable commodity on the power play, a role that the Penguins didn't use him in often this season.

The lines will be shuffled again tonight. Seems that Michel Therrien has flipped Eric Christensen and Colby Armstrong. Christensen will play with Sidney Crosby and Mark Recchi, while Armstrong will flank Evgeni Malkin and Nils Ekman. When will it all end!!

Fleury will be back in net tonight. He has got to get back to where he was early in the season. Not that he has been very bad lately, but he isn't stealing points for the team like he was in October/early November. MA will put it together, he is too talented. The team defense has also been lacking lately and it is a lot harder to play well in net when you have opposing players practically on top of you.

More post game...

Pens Still Leading All Star Charge......Getting Ready for Florida...

2006-12-05T16:54:00.000-05:00

The latest Eastern All Star Ballot check shows that Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin are still holding on to the top two spots under forwards. Marc Andre Fleury has fallen to second place behind Buffalo netminder Ryan Miller. Here is the top 10 for each position...

Player NHL Club Votes

Sidney Crosby Pittsburgh 401,365
Evgeni Malkin Pittsburgh 217,146
Daniel Briere Buffalo 214,295
Alex Ovechkin Washington 203,138
Maxim Afinogenov Buffalo 200,776
Chris Drury Buffalo 156,788
Jaromir Jagr NY Rangers 151,576
Erik Cole Carolina 141,551
Ilya Kovalchuk Atlanta 97,011
*Thomas Vanek Buffalo 92,103

Defensemen

Bryan McCabe Toronto 245,976
Brian Campbell Buffalo 242,852
Zdeno Chara Boston 205,981
Jay Bouwmeester Florida 203,581
Henrik Tallinder Buffalo 202,637
Tomas Kaberle Toronto 194,850
Sheldon Souray Montreal 190,516
Wade Redden Ottawa 116,108
Brian Rafalski New Jersey 96,009
Dan Boyle Tampa Bay 78,211

Goaltenders

Ryan Miller Buffalo 253,024
Marc-Andre Fleury Pittsburgh 208,492
Martin Brodeur New Jersey 185,679
Cam Ward Carolina 57,826
Andrew Raycroft Toronto 57,677
Kari Lehtonen Atlanta 57,482
Henrik Lundqvist NY Rangers 52,035
*Cristobal Huet Montreal 51,363

****

Game Notes:

Ryan Malone will make his return to the line-up. He will play on a line with Evgeni Malkin and Nils Ekman. This will be a very good opportunity for him to show that he can be a top 6 winger. He has not lived up to expectations in this role in the past. He will be working through some rust, but hopefully the line will mesh. This is also an opportunity for Nils Ekman, who has been playing a greatly diminished role than when the season started.

Micki Dupont, who was recalled yesterday, will not dress tonight. I imagine that Therrien is giving his existing defensive core a one last chance, though Alain Nasreddine will suit up this evening.

There has been no word on John Leclair. I have to imagine that the only reason he went unclaimed through re-entry waivers is that some team who may have wanted his services didn't want to pick up the additional salary without losing some of what they already had on the books. One of three things is going to happen: 1. Leclair retires 2. He sits on the bench and plays periodically 3. A minor trade is made to offset the incoming 690,000(pro-rated) salary and the Pens pick up a player that can fill in on 4th line or in the AHL.

I do not agree with sitting Jordan Staal if he is healthy. I would much rather he had sat out a game when he was fighting off the flu last week. He needs to be used nightly to develop, and if team management thinks his performance has flat-lined, they should send him back to Peterborough. I personally would like them to let him play in the World Junior Championships. He has not been filling a huge role over the last 10 games and it would give him a chance to play on a national stage. He would probably be used in all situations for Canada and a medal has never hurt anyone's confidence.

As I mentioned yesterday, Thibault will start tonight.

More after the game....

Info On the Pens Roster Moves...

2006-12-04T14:57:00.000-05:00

As was reported earlier, the Penguins have recalled Alain Nasreddine and Micki DuPont. They also sent Noah Welch down to Wilkes Barre-Scranton. I wanted to share some thoughts on the moves....

Let's start with the demotion of Noah Welch. For some reason, he just can't capture the magic this season. He has often been out of position in the defensive zone and has not been the physical presence that he was last season. I am not sure what has stunted his growth and hope that some time, as a number one D-man in the AHL will do him good. That is how he initially got his call up this season, being demoted after camp and playing well in the A....Coach Todd Richards did send him a message earlier in the season when he sat him out early in the Wilkes Barre-Scranton season. His two-way contract played into the decision, but his play was a major factor in my opinion.

I am an Alain Nasreddine fan and think that he will bring something to the line-up that has been lacking since Mark Eaton went down. He is a solid stay at home type who knows how to play the game. He has been around for a long time and is a leader. The Penguins young core, many of which played with Nasreddine in WBS, respects him. He wore the C with the Baby Pens last season and Head Coach Michel Therrien loves him. He will definitely bridge the gab until Eaton is healthy.

Micki Dupont is being brought in to help the anemic power play. He is a right-handed shot who can carry the puck and play the point effectively. He is not the best defensive player on the planet, but can be an asset in the new NHL. Which is why Ray Shero brought him this summer. I am hoping that he can jump start the power play a bit...hopefully it will have the effect that Kris LeTang did early in the season.

As you all know, John Leclair has cleared re-entry waivers. I am not sure what the next move is at this point. The Penguins are not at the roster limit today, but Ryan Malone and Michel Ouellet will be coming off of injured reserve soon. Something is going to have to break.

Roy Claimed By Bolts, Johnny Vermont on Re-entry Waivers

2006-12-03T13:42:00.001-05:00

As I alluded to the other day, Tampa Bay has claimed Andre Roy on Re-entry waivers. The lightning felt that he was an element that they have been lacking since their cup run and jumped at the chance to grab him.

"It was never our intention or our desire to lose Andre Roy in the first place," Tampa GM Jay Feaster said. "Having lost him, we never regained that tough, physical, gritty element that Andre brings. Now, for the first time, the new CBA has helped us in that through re-entry waivers we have been able to bring back a very important player to our hockey team at a salary and cap hit that make sense."

I previously mentioned a similar quote from head coach John Tortorella. The Bolts seem thrilled to have Roy back and he seems just as happy, "Jay called me and he said welcome home," Roy said. "I told him that he is right because Tampa is my home and you have no idea how happy I am to be coming back."

John Leclair on Re-entry Waivers
The Penguins are passing John Leclair through re-entry waivers and the saga seems as if it will come to an end tomorrow at noon. I still say that he ends up in Philadelphia. There are some other teams interested, but they are the lowest in the standings that have shown an interest.

Non Game Day Pens Notes....

2006-11-30T18:02:00.001-05:00

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.

****

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

****

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!

****

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

2006-11-30T12:37:00.000-05:00

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.

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

2006-11-29T17:32:00.000-05:00

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.)

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

2006-11-28T14:48:00.000-05:00

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.....

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

2006-11-27T14:59:00.000-05:00

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.

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

2006-11-26T00:36:00.000-05:00

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.

Crosby to Miss Third Game...

2006-11-25T14:05:00.001-05:00

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....

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

2006-11-24T17:21:00.001-05:00

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....

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

2006-11-23T00:37:00.001-05:00

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

2006-11-23T00:37:00.000-05:00

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.

Trouble A'Bruin As Pens Face Boston Without Crosby

2006-11-22T14:30:00.000-05:00

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.

*******

Marc Andre Fleury is expected to start for the Penguins.

*******

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.

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

2006-11-21T10:51:00.000-05:00

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....

Give Me a Home, Where the Buffalo Roam!

2006-11-17T15:36:00.000-05:00

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....

Judge Rules Malkin To Stay!

2006-11-16T01:18:00.000-05:00

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.

Young Guns Fly Past Philly....

2006-11-14T12:45:00.000-05:00

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.

Pens Winless Streak Continues....

2006-11-12T01:07:00.000-05:00

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

Penguins Crushed by Sens....

2006-11-11T00:35:00.000-05:00

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

Vinny Wins it for the Lightning....

2006-11-09T00:00:00.000-05:00

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

Pens v Lightning

2006-11-08T23:59:00.000-05:00

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

Pens West Coast Swing - Operation Duck Hunt

2006-11-06T11:13:00.000-05:00

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.

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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.

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

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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

Malkin Named Rookie of the Month - October

2006-11-02T23:11:00.000-05:00

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

2006-11-02T01:20:00.000-05:00

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....

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

Penguins power play coming up after Norstrom tripped Malkin.

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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.

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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

...human sacrifice, dogs and cats living together... MASS HYSTERIA! - Peter Venkman, Ghostbusters

2006-10-31T10:46:00.000-05:00

Sorry for the delay in updating the blog.....I was still fighting off the sickness I mentioned a couple weeks back. Several things have happened since my last post, most importantly, Jordan Staal is staying in Pittsburgh......on to the blog!

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As the calendar begins to flip towards November, and the Witches, Ghouls, and Goblins make their Halloween rounds, something strange is happening 'round these parts. The city of Pittsburgh is aflutter over their "favorite" team having a successful October and discussion is ongoing about playoff aspirations and young superstars. No, I am not talking about the Pittsburgh Steelers and Ben Roethlisberger. Pittsburgh's new favorite team is none other than your Pittsburgh Penguins.

The Penguins currently have more wins than the Steelers, which no one would have believed coming into the season. The team did not have many games on the slate during the opening month of the season, but many of them were against formidable opponents, at least it seemed so when the schedule was released. The Penguins have answered the bell and posted wins against the Devils, Rangers and 2 against the Flyers. The most recent being an 8-2 laugher in Philadelphia, something that has been unheard of in years past.

The Penguins have gone from being a team picked to finish last in their division by most experts, to becoming the darlings of the league. The team boasts several of the NHL's brightest up and comers in Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Jordan Staal and Marc Andre Fleury to name a few and many power rankings have the Penguins in the top 10. Teams around the league are beginning to respect and in some cases fear this hard working team.

The team is proving to it's fans that it is serious about trying to accomplish something this season, the most telling evidence, keeping Jordan Staal. This young man is bringing something to the team that they cannot get by just plugging another player into the line-up. No matter what is thrown at him, he rises to the occasion. The team has made a decision based purely on hockey and has proven that they are serious about continuing their success.

This success cannot have come at a better time for the Penguins. The region is up in arms about the defending Super Bowl Champion struggling horribly, but the city's hockey team has provided numerous story lines to appease the masses. Evgeni Malkin's scoring streak and breathtaking moves, Sidney Crosby being 3 points off the league lead in the scoring race (in 2 less games), a convincing win in Philadelphia, Marc Andre Fleury's development into a number one goaltender, Jordan Staal, and the fact that the team had it's most successful October in years.

This is a very exciting time for a team who has been in transition for many seasons. The Penguins seem to be on the road back and it doesn't look to be any trick or treat.

Happy Halloween!

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Eric Cairns has been recalled from his rehab assignment in Wilkes Barre-Scranton.

Kris LeTang has been sent back to his Canadian Junior Team.

The City has acquired the final properties in and around the proposed new arena site, and hope to break ground as soon as July.

This can also be read at www.hockeybuzz.com

Some Friday Notes.....

2006-10-27T10:21:00.000-04:00

Not a whole lot of news coming out of Penguins land right now....just rehash of what we have been talking about for the past week and a couple minor personnel moves. Here is a notes blog to hold you over until the Flightless Bird faces off against the Philadelphia Flyers tomorrow night....

Karl Stewart was waived on Wednesday and claimed by the Chicago Blackhawks. Stewart didn't get much of a chance in Pittsburgh, having been acquired days before Chris Thorburn was snagged from Buffalo. It doesn't seem to be much of a loss for the Penguins, who should be getting Ronald Petroviky back from injured reserve soon. Losing him didn't seem to cause any shudders in Wilkes Barre-Scranton either, here is a quote from Jonathan Bombulie's Penguins Insider blog: (JB is the Baby Pens beat writer) "Karl Stewart being claimed on waivers by Chicago is probably for the best for everyone involved. As I understand it, he primarily plays left wing. He'd seriously probably be fourth on the WBS depth chart at that position at this point, behind Ryan Stone, Daniel Carcillo and Stephen Dixon." Fourth on the AHL depth chart = being a healthy scratch for 5 of 8 Pittsburgh games, plus lots of frequent flyer miles. Stewart has been with Atlanta, Anaheim, Pittsburgh and Chicago since June.
After clearing the spot on the NHL roster, the Penguins activated Eric Cairns from injured reserve and sent him to Wilkes Barre-Scranton for a rehab assignment. Cairns had to be added to the NHL roster prior to his rehab assignment, or he would have had to go through waivers on the way down to WBS.
Brooks Orpik is close to returning to the line-up. He could play as soon as Wednesday night at Los Angeles.
Being in Pittsburgh, we get to watch the NHL's future develop before our eyes, but we don't have blinders on. There are a handful of very exciting rookies in the league again this year. Thank god for NHL Center Ice! It is great to get an opportunity to watch rookie scoring leaders: Anze Kopitar and Matt Carle on the West Coast.
For anyone out there worrying about Marc Andre Fleury tiring out this season, don't? He is relishing the opportunity to play so many games, and actually gets better the more he is relied upon. It is great that the team has stuck with him and his confidence is growing. It is also worth noting that Fleury played 51 and 55 of Cape Breton's 70 games each of his last two seasons in the QMJHL. He should be good to start 60-65 Penguins games this season.
Last Penguins 3 game winning streak: March 19-23, 2004.
Don't believe the Glenn Murray hype. I was very shocked to even see it mentioned anywhere. The Penguins would be making a huge mistake to give up an asset or assets to acquire a player in the twilight of his career, especially one who gets paid the way Muzz does.

Can also be read on www.hockeybuzz.com

Response to a Couple Comments....

2006-10-26T14:00:00.000-04:00

To Cardiac Hill:

The Penguins have met and far exceeded many of the expectations placed upon them so far this season. The team was picked by many hockey pundits to finish in the basement or close to it. They have already notched some pretty impressive victories against division foes: New Jersey, Philadelphia and both New York teams. They currently lead the Atlantic Division after winning Tuesday evening.

The team is definitely going with a youth movement. General manager Ray Shero made a point of acquiring players who who would fill a specific role and compliment the young core he inherited, with special attention paid to killing penalties, a facet that the Penguins struggled with last year. He grafted players like Jarkko Ruutu, Dominic Moore and Mark Eaton on to a line-up that features the last team's last 7 first round draft picks: Brooks Orpik 2000, Colby Armstrong 2001, Ryan Whitney 2002, Marc Andre Fleury 2003, Evgeni Malkin 2004, Sidney Crosby 2005 and Jordan Staal 2006.

The Penguins should be able to stay in contention for the division title this season, with how bad the Atlantic is shaping up to be. Even if they do not win the division, they should win a playoff spot, their first since 2001.

This team is definitely playing a high level of hockey right now, and many of their young players are gaining much experience. This is definitely a year to build upon and the team shapes up to be a potential dynasty in the near future.

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To Cracktown! USA

Glad that you are supporting the Pens in Hockey Town. They are definitely one of the most exciting teams in hockey right now, and it is a thrill to watch them each night. Welcome aboard!

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To address a couple things that Peegalo brought up....

It is good to see that Recchi is off of the top line and back to 2nd line duty. He was too slow to play with Sid and losing the puck too much!

As for the acquisition of Chris Thorburn, I guess we see what that was all about. He is in the line-up each night and made Karl Stewart expendable. Not sure if I am sold on him though....

It is nice to get some feedback and questions here. Please feel free to leave a comment or message. We would love to hear from you...

Malkin: Shades of Lemieux - Staal Here to Stay???

2006-10-25T00:14:00.001-04:00

There was a clip floating around the Internet for months before Evgeni Malkin made his Penguins debut, it was called Malkin Montage. The clip showed many jaw dropping moments produced by Malkin in the Russian Super League and during International play. Well, the young Russian super star delivered a few to the Pittsburgh faithful in the flesh.

Malkin played left wing on Sidney Crosby's line for the first time tonight, and he looked like he had been there for ages. The two took a few moments to find their groove, but when they did, it was magical. The two did their best to set each other up for scoring opportunities in the first period, but were unable to produce any. That all changed in the second.

Malkin took a feed from Colby Armstrong, who must be feeling like a lottery winner playing on this line, and sent a beautiful pass to Crosby for the go ahead goal. Crosby got the puck over Marty Brodeur, something that he has been working on. Word is that he was at Mellon Arena by himself yesterday with a wooden plank blocking the bottom portion of a net, shooting an ungodly amount of pucks into the top portion of the cage. He had been disappointed with the amount of pucks he had shot straight into opposing goaltenders this season.

Malkin then stole the show with what can only be called a Marioesque goal. He took a feed from Crosby, who was at his own blueline. Malkin pulled the puck in at the opposite blueline and was met by Brad Lukowich and Colin White. He deked them using a backhand forehand move and bore down on Brodeur. Malkin used what used to be Mario Lemieux's signature move, the backhand. Brodeur had to think he had Malkin stoned, when he deftly used his monster reach to push the puck inside the far post. Malkin leapt to his feet and punched the glass with pure excitement, then greeted Crosby with a huge hug.

Malkin shared another quality with Mario on this night, modesty. After scoring that spectacular goal, Malkin could only say that he had some energy when he came off the bench and that it was a great pass from Crosby. They caught the Devils in a change and he was able to score the goal. Nothing more, nothing less. Tonight we saw how special this kid is going to be.

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How can the Penguins send Jordan Staal back to Peterborough? I don't think that they can. He was promoted to the 2nd line tonight and continued to plead his case.

Staal showed the world that he does know how to score even strength goals, I know that there may have been some concern, notching his 3 in the past 2 games and 4th of the season. He also was a +2 and won 6 of 9 face-offs.

There seems to be a bit of an internal debate about Staal between Michel Therrien and Ray Shero. Nothing bad, just thinking businesswise as opposed to what is best for the on ice product. Shero would love to ensure that Staal does not become a free agent the same summer as Evgeni Malkin, and Therrien would love to plug a hole in his depth chart with a great defensive player with huge offensive upside.

In my opinion, Staal is here to stay.....he has handcuffed the Penguins. They cannot justify sending him back; he is too valuable to the team.

Can also be read on www.hockeybuzz.com

Pens Load Up Top Line - Recall A Pair

2006-10-24T14:17:00.000-04:00

The Penguins are trying to power up their top line. Coach Michel Therrien has gone with many different line combinations this season and hasn't been able to settle on a left winger for Sidney Crosby. Especially, since current left winger, Ryan Malone will be out more than a month with a broken wrist. Crosby plays regularly with Colby Armstrong, with their left wing spot being a revolving door of sorts. They have played with Nils Ekman, Mark Recchi, Malone and a cavalcade of other Penguins forwards. This has also led to much line shuffling on the 2nd through 4th lines. Therrien has decided to experiment a bit, he has placed Evgeni Malkin on the left wing of his top line.

Therrien made a point of stating that "nobody said he is going to be a left winger." He did go on to say this of Malkin and Crosby: "We really like the way they play together. They make it really tough on the other team. They have skill, they have a lot of speed. They think the game the same way. It's a matter of execution, sometimes. With time, they're going to get better and better."

This is the type of line that could get Penguins fans thinking of a years past, when Mario Lemieux took the ice with Jaromir Jagr on his wing. These two young men have quickly developed a chemistry with each other and seem to know where the other is going to be. It is amazing to watch how players who speak two different languages can communicate through the game of hockey. Their skill just takes over and they read off of each other. Great players have that knack.

This line will give the New Jersey Devils some headaches tonight, but the case can also be made that the Penguins are putting all of their eggs in one basket, thus making the Devils job easier.

The move also effects another young Penguins forward. Jordan Staal, who still isn't sure if he will stay in the NHL this season, has been bumped up to center the second line between Mark Recchi and Nils Ekman. This will be Staal's first chance to get substantial ice time in an offensive situation during the regular season. He has been a regular on the 4th line and been very special in killing penalties. He has notched 3 short handed goals so far this season. Tonight will mark his 8th game in the league and the Penguins will have one more outing before they have to make a decision. With the injury to Malone, it is looking more and more like he will stay, time will tell.

Hopefully these moves will spur the Penguins to their third straight victory, one that would move them into first place in the Atlantic division.

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The Penguins have recalled two players from their Wilkes Barre-Scranton affiliate.

Defenseman Noah Welch was recalled yesterday, all but signifying the end of Kris LeTang's cameo in the NHL.

Center Max Talbot, who leads the Baby Penguins with 4 goals in 5 games, 3 of them game winners, was recalled today.

Both players are expected to be in the line-up tonight.

This blog can also be read at www.hockeybuzz.com

Quick Hits....

2006-10-21T13:19:00.000-04:00

I am running around this morning/afternoon getting ready to attend a wedding, plus fighting off what feels like the plague! Ok, so it isn't quite the plague, but it seems like the worst chest congestion that I have had in a while......anyway, here are a couple quick hits to get us ready for tonight's game against the Blue Jackets.

I am fairly disappointed that I will not be able to attend tonight's game, I always appreciate an opportunity to watch the Jacket's young stars: Nash, Zherdev, Brule, and LeClaire....not to mention the stable that we boast here in Pittsburgh, but alas, duty calls. Plus my we have already decided to spend most of our evening in the bar area of the "Stone Mansion" watching as much as we can!

After beating the New York Islanders last Thursday night, Sidney Crosby is being called a diver and whiner again. These charges are insane, considering how well he has been controlling himself this season. Crosby was punched, jammed head first into the boards and pretty much abused throughout the game, all the while collecting 3 assists. Ted Nolan and Mike Dunham made themselves sound like poor loser more than anything else. Bottom line, Sid wasn't out of line in the Isles game....
The Pittsburgh Penguins have received formal notice of the lawsuit filed by Evgeni Malkin's Russian Super League team, but consider it an NHL matter. Malkin is expected to be in the line-up tonight. The young Russian has tallied 2 g 1 a in his two games this season, and has been impressive on most shifts.
Marc Andre Fleury is expected to make his 7th start of the season. He has been a workhorse and they are going to continue riding him. Fleury has been great this season, and head coach, Michel Therrien, looks like he is going to continue riding the hot hand.
It is starting to look like the Penguins will call Noah Welch up after Kris LeTang's 9 game look. LeTang, though impressive, has had his ice time reduced game by game. Welch has been groomed for this role for a long time, and just may get his shot in the NHL in the next week or so.

Hockey Gods Smile On Pittsburgh Again....Plus Pens Notes....

2006-10-19T14:12:00.000-04:00

Last night marked the latest example of the good fortune bestowed upon the Pittsburgh Penguins by the Hockey Gods. Evgeni Malkin made his professional debut and was amazing. This 2004 2nd overall pick is following in the footsteps of Mario Lemiuex (1984), Jaromir Jagr (1990), and Sidney Crosby (2005). Though the team has had much turmoil off of the ice over the years, they have been blessed with having one of the best players in the game each of the last 23 years.

Most people in Pittsburgh were disappointed when the Penguins lost out to the Washington Capitals in the Alexander Ovechkin lottery, not that he would look bad in Black and Vegas Gold, but it would have all but eliminated their chance to land Sidney Crosby in 2005. They would have had one less ball in the hopper, significantly reducing the odds of winning.

In not winning in 2004, they got a great consolation prize, Evgeni Malkin. Malkin, almost a full year younger than Ovechkin at the time they were drafted, was speculated by some to have an even higher upside. Though the two play different styles of hockey and the debate will likely rage for years, the Penguins are not complaining.

Malkin took the ice last night and looked a bit nervous early, but it didn't last for long. He worked the rust off of his game as best he could after not playing in a competitive hockey game for close to a month and soon began to look dominant.

One of the amazing things about Malkin is the way he does not lose the puck. Even when checked, he uses all parts of his body: feet, legs, arms and hands to keep the puck moving forward and in better position to get his stick on it. One play from last night stands out, Malkin carried the puck up the ice during one of the team’s lone power play opportunities; he achieved the blue line and dumped the puck into the zone. Malkin then rushed into the left wing corner, where he used body positioning to get possession of the puck from a New Jersey defender. This allowed his team time enough to get set up and effectively work their power play. Malkin coolly moved towards the boards and sent the puck to the point, and the team was able to generate a scoring opportunity.

Malkin also has a very slick backhand. On plays that look as if he is going to stick handle through a defender, he slyly uses his backhand to throw passes to open teammates. On several occasions, where pucks are moving towards him, he will sort of tap at the puck and send it in another direction. He makes these passes tape to tape.

Malkin did make some big plays last night and was occasionally used with Sidney Crosby, something that helped generate Malkin's first career goal. Crosby, Malkin and Mark Recchi moved into the zone. All players touched the puck but it was the give and go between Malkin and Recchi that resulted in the goal. As Malkin set Recchi up for a one timer, he followed the play and banged a rebound between Martin Brodeur's legs.

Malkin proved that his shoulder is fine by unleashing a one timed slap shot that broke a pane of glass behind the goal. When asked if he has broken a lot of glass in his young career, he smiled and answered: "Just once before. It was at practice for the national team, but this, I think it was just old glass," a humble comment from a budding superstar.

Evgeni Malkin and Sidney Crosby have a very bright future together. Any team would be blessed to have one of these dynamic players; the Penguins have hit the lottery by having them both. It is true; the Hockey Gods have smiled on Pittsburgh yet again. Pittsburgh fans should relish these moments, and realize that they are some of the luckiest fans in the league.

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Mario Lemiuex was named the number one toughest hockey player of all time by Maxim magazine. Here is their write up:
1. Mario Lemieux
Tough Guy Cred: He beat cancer
The six-foot-four, 220 pound Lemieux has scored with more guys on his back than Paris Hilton, but he really proved he wasn't as soft as his French accent would suggest when he stared down Hodgkin's lymphoma in 1992. Not only did he let the disease sideline him for all of two months, on the day of his final radiation treatment, he went out and scored a goal and an assist against Philadelphia. He also continued to be one of the game's all time greats for another 10 years.

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TSN is reporting that the Penguins and the NHL may soon be receiving legal papers. Magnitogorsk is expected to file a suit over Malkin's departure. This is seen as a move to try and get some compensation from the league and or the Penguins.

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The City of Pittsburgh Gaming Task Force has thrown its support behind the Isle of Capri plan. The Task Force has sent a letter to the State Gaming Control board, voicing their support. This is another plus for a plan that was seen as an underdog 3 months ago.

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Marc Andre Fleury is expected to make his 6th start of the season tonight against the New York Islanders.

Also seen on www.hockeybuzz.com

Malkin's Long Journey Comes To An End

2006-10-17T14:34:00.000-04:00

Over the past two years, Evgeni Malkin has talked openly about playing in the NHL. It was his dream since he was a boy growing up in Magnitogorsk, Russia. Although he was the star player on his hometown team, he always wanted to see how he would stack up against the best in the world. He wanted to follow in the footsteps of other Great Russian players who had crossed the Atlantic with much success!

Malkin felt that there was little more to gain by staying in the Russian Super League another season. He actually had hoped to join the Pittsburgh Penguins last season, but was persuaded to stay in Russia for one more year. The management of Malkin's Russian Super League team assured him that he could leave for the NHL this season with their blessing. Something that changed as soon as it was time for him to leave.

The team reneged on their agreement and put the pressure on Malkin to stay. He felt that there was no other option and signed a renegotiated contract with Metallurg. The signing set into motion some of the most intriguing events of the young hockey season, as we saw Malkin vanish from an airport in Finland only to resurface in LA. From there he began on ice training sessions, got into playing shape and arrived in Pittsburgh to sign his first professional contract on September 5.

Malkin reported to Penguins rookie/training camp and he was as advertised. He was impressive against the rookies, but really began to shine when he was matched against other NHL players. He was starting to wow the Mellon Arena crowds during the intrasquad scrimmages and was flashing all the tools that had him dubbed: "The best player in the world not in the NHL." Though it wasn't a true game situation the 6'3" 185lb Malkin was getting a taste of the success he hoped to have in North America.

It looked as though nothing could keep Evgeni Malkin from achieving his goal of being on the Penguins opening night roster. Unfortunately, fate was still working overtime and Malkin would be forced to miss the start of the season after all. He was injured September 20 during his preseason debut, when he collided with teammate John LeClair. Malkin had been impressive in the first period and was skating his first shift of the second, when he tried to feed LeClair in the slot. He laid a perfect saucer pass across to LeClair who lost his footing and crashed into the end boards. Malkin, who was circling the net, tried to avoid LeClair, but ended up crashing headfirst into the ice, dislocating his shoulder in the process. Malkin's status wasn't clear at that point and his season was suddenly in doubt. His dream on hold again.

Malkin remained in high spirits and started his rehab program. Rumors were rampant that he would be out 3 to 6 months with shoulder surgery, but the team was very tight lipped about the injury. Almost overnight, Malkin was making significant progress. He accompanied the team on its final road trip of the preseason and began skating with teammates. He continued his quick progress but was expected to miss all the month of October. Positive reports continued to leak out of his skating sessions, and he began going through full practices with the team this past week. No one was sure of when he would debut.

That question was answered yesterday when the team announced that Malkin would dig his blades into an NHL sheet of ice for the first time this Wednesday, October 18, against the New Jersey Devils. Malkin couldn't be happier. "I'm in good shape, I feel good and my arm is good so everything is well," said Malkin through interpreter Sergei Gonchar.

Malkin will skate on a line with Mark Recchi and Ryan Malone, a duo he developed some chemistry with during training camp. The Penguins are hoping that getting this talented young center into the line-up will jump-start the offense. Malkin hopes to jump-start his chase for the Calder Trophy, and to finally reach his goal of playing in the NHL.

Penguins Set To Face Hurricanes....

2006-10-14T14:29:00.000-04:00

The Pittsburgh Penguins face the Caroline Hurricanes tonight at 7:30. The Penguins look to build upon their improved play and add another to the win column. Carolina picked up it's first win of the season last night and have not gotten off to the start that they had hoped as reigning Stanley Cup Champions.

The Penguins did not fare very well against Carolina last season, going 1-3 in their 4 meetings.

Tonight will mark the first time that Jordan and Eric Staal square off in an NHL game. Is there a bit of a family rivalry brewing here? According to the Jordan there may be: "We always try to do better than the other, and that's probably what brought us all to the next level, our competitiveness and pushing each other to do better."

Jordan is playing everyday in the league as if it will be his last of the season. There are only 6 games left until the team will make a decision on sending him back to his junior team. He has been doing his best to make it as hard as possible. The younger Staal has not looked out of place one bit. He is sound defensively and Head Coach Michel Therrien is using him in all situations. Staal scored his first career goal Thursday night against the Rangers on a short handed break away.

Players to Watch:

Pittsburgh:
Sidney Crosby: Crosby tied his career high with 4 points in New York on Thursday. Some in the Hockey Pool world were beginning to panic when "the Kid" only had 2 points after 2 games.
Ryan Whitney: Whitney scored 2 impressive goals Thursday night, but has had his defense called into question on several occasions this year, look for him to make adjustments in the defensive zone.
Marc Andre Fleury: Look for Marc Andre Fleury to continue his strong start to the season against a Carolina team that has struggled as of late. Though he yielded 5 goals in his last start, he has only allowed 7 on the season.

Carolina:
Eric Staal: Look for Staal to pick it up against the Penguins, a team he tends to have success against. This 100 pt scorer will be looking to add to his point total that stands at 3 (2G 1A) through 5 games.
Justin Williams: Williams who has 11 pts in 17 career games against the Penguins is something of a Penguins killer. The Penguins young defense will have their hands full with him tonight.
Cam Ward: Ward is looking to bounce back after a sluggish start to the season. He has notched only 1 win in 4 attempts and is hoping to bring down a GAA of 3.43.

Predictions:
Penguins win 4-2

Scorers:

Pittsburgh
Crosby, Armstrong, Staal, Gonchar

Carolina
Staal, Brind'amour

This blog can also be read at: www.hockeybuzz.com

Cuban To Join Balsillie???

2006-10-14T11:28:00.000-04:00

Is Mark Cuban going to partner with Jim Balsillie to purchase the Pittsburgh Penguins? It is a possibility. It is being reported today in the Pittsburgh Tribune Review that Cuban sent Balsillie an email to inform him of his interest in joining him. Balsillie supposedly sent a nice reply to Cuban, but he didn't give him an answer.

Cuban, who was part of the Andy Murstein group along with Dan Marino, has been rumored to be interested in the Pittsburgh Penguins and Pittsburgh Pirates for quite some time. He is a passionate sports fan, as evidenced by his antics court side as he cheers on his Dallas Mavericks. He is willing to spend money to win and doesn't like to lose. He would do what it took to keep Pittsburgh's young core together.

Cuban would love to keep the Penguins in Pittsburgh and this can only be looked at as a good thing. More to come...

Copps Coliseum Deal Cancelled By Mystery Group

2006-10-13T16:26:00.000-04:00

The group that had previously purchased exclusive rights to the Copps Coliseum in Hamilton, Ontario has cancelled its agreement with the city.

This news comes a week after Jim Balsillie signed a purchase agreement to purchase the Penguins. Though not officially confirmed, Mr. Balsillie was thought to be the moneyman behind the aforementioned group. The cancellation of the agreement is thought to be a move to dispatch fears of the team’s possible move out of Pittsburgh.

Mr. Balsillie has been very adamant about keeping the team in Pittsburgh as long as a favorable arena plan is reached. Which seems a lot more feasible today than even 6 months ago. The move also comes hand in hand with news of the Isle of Capri's bid gaining momentum in the chase for the stand alone slots license in Pittsburgh.

Pittsburgh may just keep their Penguins yet!

This Blog Can Also Be Read at www.hockeybuzz.com

Malkin to Make Debut Soon!

2006-10-13T14:28:00.000-04:00

Evgeni Malkin is set to make his debut soon according to coach Michel Therrien. He has been out with a dislocated shoulder since September 20, when he collided with teammate John LeClair. This is great news. The team has been shuffling it's lines since the season started, but are expected to go back to their original top 2 lines when Malkin returns.

Line 1: Crosby, Armstrong, Ekman
Line 2: Malkin, Recchi, Malone

From www.postgazette.com:
Penguins' Malkin could make NHL debut in days

Friday, October 13, 2006By Dave Molinari, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Penguins center Evgeni Malkin could make his NHL debut in a matter of days.

Malkin received contact in practice today for the first time since dislocating his left shoulder Sept. 20, and coach Michel Therrien raised the possibility that, pending further medical evaluation, Malkin could be in the lineup as early as Wednesday, when the Penguins will face New Jersey at Mellon Arena.

"I hope (he'll play in) less than a week," Therrien said. "We'll see. But he's close."

Malkin wore a black shoulder support under his hockey gear during practice and had ice on his shoulder afterward, but his play betrayed no problems related to his injury.

"He's making some great progress," Therrien said. "Evgeni's working really hard to get back into the lineup as soon as possible. We're excited about the way he's come along with that injury. He's close. He's close."

Pens Win Shootout At The MSG Corral

2006-10-13T00:23:00.000-04:00

The Penguins won a 6-5 decision on a Sidney Crosby goal with 3 seconds left in regulation. This will do wonders for the team's confidence level. They have proven, though it is early, that they can play multiple styles: wide-open and tight defense oriented. Plus they can win doing it.

This game was back and forth all night as the Rangers and Penguins exchanged goal after goal. It didn't start out that way though, as each team seemed to have some problems getting things going in the first period. The ice seemed to be a bit soft and it was very noticeable as the puck bounced around often. No score after one.

The second period started with a bang, as Jordan Staal scored his first NHL goal in spectacular fashion. Staal stole a Jaromir Jagr pass in the defensive zone and went end to end for a short-handed tally, all the while being hooked by former Penguin, Michael Rozsival. Staal shoulder deked and blew a shot past goaltender Henrik Lundqvist.

Things opened up from there, and the Rangers tied it on a Jaromir Jagr wrist shot from the slot. The boys in blue quickly took the lead on a Matt Cullen backhand and the Rangers seemed to have control of the game.

Kristopher LeTang stole some momentum as he fired a laser guided wrist shot into the upper right hand corner off a slick feed from Sidney Crosby to tie the game at two. The goal was LeTang's first in the NHL making the night special for he and Staal, who are both rumored to be heading back to their respective Junior teams.

The teams went on to exchange power play goals and the period ended tied at 3.
The third frame was wide open and the teams went goal for goal until Crosby notched his late winner.

Both teams had been struggling on the power play, but that changed tonight. The Penguins went 4-9 and the Rangers 3-9.

Sidney Crosby looked very good in tying his career high with a 4-point night (1G 3A). He was at his playmaking best tonight and could have had another couple points.

Ryan Whitney played one of his better games and scored 2 goals. Could this be a sign of things to come?

Marc Andre Fleury doesn't have a great statistical line tonight, but he player very well again in stopping 37 of 42 shots.

Goal scorers:

Pittsburgh: Staal, LeTang, Ouellet, Whitney (2), Crosby

New York: Jagr, Cullen, Hall, Nylander, Shanahan

Pregame predictions were off. However, it was correct about a 1 goal Penguin win. I also nailed 4 of 11 goal scorers. If I were a major league baseball player I would be a superstar with that kind of success rate. Shots were close though..... It is the small victories in life.

******

Next Game: Carolina Hurricanes - Saturday 7:30

This Blog Can Also Be Read at www.hockeybuzz.com

Pens Finally Get Back To Business

2006-10-13T00:21:00.000-04:00

The Pittsburgh Penguins will finally get back to game action tonight at Madison Square Garden against the New York Rangers. Or as we like to call them: Penguins East. That is sort of an exaggeration these days, considering that they are down to 4 former Pens: Jaromir Jagr, Marty Sraka, Darius Kasparaitus and Michael Rozsival.

The Penguins/Rangers rivalry dates back to the late '80s when the two teams were regular playoff opponents. Most recently the Rangers have lit the goal lamp with regularity against some pretty pedestrian Penguin teams, with the Flightless Bird stealing a few periodic wins. This season could be more of the same, as the Rangers have a fairly prolific offense, featuring the aforementioned Jagr, Straka and the newly acquired Brendan Shanahan.

Though the Penguins have been much improved defensively, they have only been able to generate 34 shots in their 2 games, resulting in 4 goals. They will have to pick up the offense tonight to hang in with their former superstar and his mates.

They have gotten spectacular goaltending from 21 year old, Marc Andre Fleury, and he will have to be sharp tonight. This is the third consecutive opponent who placed in the top 1/3 of the league in scoring and had notched 100 pts last season.

Sidney Crosby and Nils Ekman will both suit up after being injured in separate incidents earlier in the week. Crosby will most likely skate with Colby Armstrong and Mark Recchi, while Ekman will take the ice with Ryan Malone and John LeClair. The same line-combos that head Coach Michel Therrien crafted midway through the Detroit game Saturday night.

The Penguins power play has yet to notch a goal, but they have not allowed one either. The team has focused on their power play during the layoff, and hope that it can be the difference tonight.

*******

Predictions for tonight:

Penguins 3New York Rags 2

Goal scorers:

Pittsburgh:

Gonchar, Crosby, and Malone

New York:

Jagr, Shanahan

Pens outshot 39-24

Crosby Poised for Big Sophmore Season - Staal and LeTang to Head Back?

2006-10-11T20:47:00.000-04:00

Sidney Crosby broke into the league last season as one of the most hyped rookies in the history of the National Hockey League. This came with an unprecedented level of pressure and he spent the season under a microscope. All he did under those circumstances was go out and earn the respect of his teammates, become the youngest player in history to notch 100 pts, come in second in the rookie of the year race and bring Penguins fans out of their seats on a nightly basis.

How does a 19 year old top that? Well, he trains harder than ever before, works on his face-off ability, his skating, his defense and comes to terms with the fact that he is now a team leader in Pittsburgh. Once surrounded by "vets in the room," he is now one himself. At least on this young Penguin team.

The hard work has paid off for him and he is clearly faster. Crosby was no slouch in the skating department, but he has an extra step this season and it has been obvious since the earliest days of training camp. He regularly accelerated past teammates to create scoring chances for his line, and it continued in the preseason. He posted 2 G 7 A in 4 games played. He hasn't gotten off to as blazing a start in the regular season, but the team has only played 2 games. He has still managed 2 points against two tough opponents, Philadelphia and Detroit.

Crosby is a fiery competitor and he plays with a ton of emotion, this has occasionally gotten him in trouble. However, he seems to have harnessed his emotions and his only 2 penalty minutes came in an altercation with Peter Forsberg on opening night. Crosby hasn't barked at the referees and is leading teammates by example.

A player like Crosby cannot stand to lose, he is a winner by nature. The thing that makes him so amazing is that he doesn't seem to realize how good he is. He doesn't, at least publicly, set statistical goals for himself. He just does goes out and plays. If he faces adversity, he gets through it. Conflicts do not bring him down and he rarely has a bad word to say about anyone. This quote from the "Kid" sums it up: "A lot of different things have happened, but that's why you don't go into a season with any expectations. There are things you can't always prepare for. That's hockey. That's life. If you think about what could happen or what may happen, your energy's not in the right place. The game hasn't changed on the ice, and I don't think it ever will. I came here to play hockey. That remains my job and my focus."

This young man has grown exponentially since he was drafted 2 summers ago, and now he is challenged to write an even more spectacular chapter in year two. A challenge he is more than capable of overcoming.

******
Mark Madden, in Pittsburgh, has reported that Evgeni Malkin participated in a full workout with his teammates today. However, word leaked out today that he will likely not play in a game until the team heads out west for a road trip the first week of November.

It is also believed that the team is likely going to send Jordan Staal and Kristopher LeTang back to their respective Junior teams. General manager Ray Shero has been pleased with both players, but the team may not want to lose a contract year on either, especially when they are averaging 10-12 minutes a game. Both would be stand out players back on their junior teams.

Shero once had to break this news to Marion Hossa, and feels that it did him a lot of good. He is hoping for the same result with his two young guns.

Isle of Capri Gets a Boost!

2006-10-10T23:54:00.000-04:00

According to a news report that circulated this afternoon on MSNBC, "experts" are now saying that the Isle of Capri gaming company is now in very good position to win the stand alone slots license in Pittsburgh.

The info comes from Equity Research Gaming published by the Susquehanna Financial Group. It states that there are new odds predicting who will win the stand alone slots license, and they are very favorible when it comes to IOC. The report shows that the odds for the IOC bid have increased, the odds for Station Square Gaming have decreased and the odds for PITG have stayed the same. These changes, according to the report, put IOC in the strongest position to win the license.

This news breaks just days after the Pittsburgh Penguins announced that Jim Balsillie, chairman and co-CEO of Research in Motion - a company that markets Blackberry wireless products and services, has signed a purchase agreement to purchase the team.

Many people feared that Mr. Balsillie's intention was to move the Penguins out of Pittsburgh and into Hamilton, Ontario, but those fears may have been premature. Mr. Balsillie stressed the fact that he wants to keep the Penguins in Pittsburgh if a new arena can be built.

Local government in Pittsburgh has attached themselves to Plan B, an alternative to the IOC partnership with the Penguins, and claims that a new arena will be built here regardless of who wins the Slots license. This is by no means a sure thing, but it is a ray of hope.

If the Isle of Capri wins the stand alone slots license, it guarantees that the Penguins stay in Pittsburgh. Lets hope that becomes a reality.

*****
Something else to keep an eye on is the fact that Harrah's Entertainment Inc. is being sued by a couple of it's shareholders. The shareholders are crying foul over the proposed Texas Pacific Group and Apollo Management stock buyout. If this grows into a bigger situation it could hurt Harrah's chances for winning the Pittsburgh slots license even more. This is part of the reason for their odds dropping in the first place.

Cross your fingers Pens fans.....

Penguins Impoved to Start Season

2006-10-08T13:25:00.000-04:00

The Pittsburgh Penguins look to be much improved in several facets of their game from last season.

They have gotten the goaltending that they were hoping for from Marc-Andre Fleury, even after a sub par camp. The young goaltender has been very solid against two tough opponents, shutting out the Philadelphia Flyers on opening night and allowing only 2 goals to the Detroit Redwings last night. Fleury has controlled his rebounds and made big saves when the team has needed them. Though the team scored 4 goals opening night, it was Fleury who deserved the most credit for the victory. He has allowed 2 goals in the first two games, and if the team could have gotten any sustained pressure against detroit they could feasibly be 2-0. Unfortunately, that did not happen.

Ray Shero made improving the penalty kill one of his priorities when he took over as GM of the Penguins and that has been very evident so far. He brought in defenseman Mark Eaton and forward Jarkko Ruutu. Both have already proven their worth in helping the team kill off 12 power plays in the two games. Eaton is not flashy, but he always seems to make the right play with the puck, especially short handed. He gets himself in great position to make the right plays. Body positioning seems to be a big part of his game, cutting opposing forwards off from the puck. Ruutu has sacrificed his body to block shots during each game. He is not afraid to drop in front opposing shooters and take one in the chest for the team. Both players have been and will be great assets throughout the season. Their tenacity has rubbed off on their teammates, and Therrien has used multiple combinations to kill penalties.

Unfortunately, as well as the team has played short handed, they need to cut down on scoring chances and shots for the opposition. In the two games they have been outshot 66-34. This is not a formula for success, eventually the law of averages is going to catch up to you and more of those shots are going to find the back of the net. Fleury has been great, but he can't do it all. The team has got to play better in their own zone, getting the puck up the boards and out, while at the same time getting shots on net in the offensive zone. Too many times this year, they have past on open shots trying to set up the "perfect play." If you have an open shot, take it. You never know what is going to happen. Deflections and rebounds generate just as many, if not more points that tic tac toe passing. Part the solution to the problem will come when Evgeni Malkin rejoins the line-up in the next couple weeks.

What is going on with the lines?
Michel Therrien kept his core lines together throughout the preseason, but suddenly abandoned them last night. Sidney Crosby, Colby Armstrong and Nils Ekman are a strong unit and need to play together. They have really settled in together and have looked very good. Could it be that Therrien realized that the current number 2 line of Mark Recchi, John LeClair and Ryan Malone is just to slow? Maybe. That could be the reason that he switched Ekman and Recchi. It wasn't an effective switch. Recchi has seemed to turn the puck over more in the first two games than I ever remember and didn't seem to be a good fit with Armstrong and Crosby. Ekman had a couple chances with Malone and LeClair, but it also didn't seem to mesh. Hopefully this situation is straightened out before Thursday night. A scheduling quirk has given them 5 days to get work out the kinks.

When Will Malkin Return?
Early word had Malkin missing as little as two games, but the prognosis has changed a bit. He is still working out with the team and went through his first full practice since the injury yesterday. He was moving fine, showing some speed and taking some shots at full force. All signs pointed to the original time table, unfortunately, the team seems to be leaning towards holding him out a bit longer. It is not a guarantee, but he may not play for a few more weeks. They are being very cautious with the injury and do not want to risk further injury to the young star. The one positive is that the league has only scheduled the Penguins to play 9 games in October, a small price to pay for an extra month of recovery and if Malkin is capable of what we all think he is, it shouldn't hurt his quest for the Calder.

Line-Up for Opening Night.....

2006-10-05T16:38:00.000-04:00

Here is the Penguins line-up for tonight's game against the Philadelphia Flyers....

Sidney Crosby, Nils Ekman, Colby Armstrong
Ryan Malone, Mark Recchi, John LeClair
Dominic Moore, Jarkko Ruutu, Michel Ouellet
Jordan Staal, Chris Thorburn, Karl Stewart/Andre Roy

Sergei Gonchar, Mark Eaton
Ryan Whitney, Josef Melichar
Rob Scuderi, Kristopher LeTang

Marc-Andre Fleury, Jocelyn Thibault

Should be a nice indication of how far the Pens have come from last year. They always play tough against their cross-state rival, but have been dominated by Philadelphia over the years. Especially and most recently, by the Flyer's top line or Petr Forsberg, Simon Gagne and Mike Knuble.

My prediction: Pens with a 4-2 victory. Crosby, Armstrong(2) and Ouellet on the PP. Philly, Gagne (2).

From Blackberrys to Penguins....

2006-10-04T23:35:00.000-04:00

The Pittsburgh Penguins seem to have found their buyer, and it is Blackberry founder Jim Balsillie. Balsillie, who has not commented as of yet surfaced as the buyer earlier today. The sale is rumored to be in the area of $175 million and could be officially announced at a press conference tomorrow.

This is scary news for a lot of Penguins fans, and is playing into a lot of what I have mentioned in the past. Balsillie is on record as wanting to move the team to Hamilton, Ontario and if the stand alone slots license in Pittsburgh is not awarded to the Isle of Capri, there is no real reason for him to keep the team here.

Balsillie would be obligated to keep the Penguins in Pittsburgh if IOC gets the license, if they don't??? Well, he would have to consider plan B. Which is exactly the kind of deal that local government in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania said wasn't available in the past. They told the Penguins that public financing wasn't available and that they should find a private interest who would build the area. Well, they did that and while they were at it, they turned up the heat. They were also willing to redevelop a part of the city that is in great need, the lower Hill District.

Once local government saw that the Pens were serious about their plan and were willing to leave town without a new building, they acted swiftly on plan B. Knowing full well that the Penguins were in line to get a check for $290 million, they offered a deal that would cost the Penguins upward of $8.5 million up front and $2.5 million per season for 30 years. If I were the Penguins I might scoff at this, and of course they have been slow to commit.

Local government has sort of painted the Penguins as the bad guy in this situation, and have been doing so for almost a year. They have talked openly in the media about the Penguins forbidding possible buyers from negotiating a long term lease with the city for a new building, even though that could possibly cause a problem with a business partner. They have also stated that they are doing everything possible to keep the team here. That may be true today, but it wasn't so over the course of the past 7 years that Mario Lemieux has owned this team. Lemieux had a handshake agreement that stated if he bought the team out of bankruptcy, there would be a new publicly funded arena at some point, and it hasn't happened. There has been a lot of run around and false promises.

Mellon Arena is the oldest building in the league, and though it has its personality, it is time for a change. I agree that local government may be trying their best today, but my biggest fear is that the politicians have realized the importance of a new building a bit late. At this point, it looks as though Pittsburgh is going to get a new multipurpose arena, but will they have a team?

The only hope in Pittsburgh is that the league blocks any move, since Commissioner Gary Bettman believes in the market and plan B could be considered a viable option. There is also the whole Hamilton situation to consider. The fact that the team could possibly be moving into a situation where they may have a building issue could halt any move.

The building in Hamilton, at least from what I have heard, is in the same generation as Mellon Arena. It does not have enough luxury suites to meet the needs of an NHL team. Plus, is the fan support there? I know it was only a preseason game, but Hamilton's own media pointed out the lack of interest in the Penguins appearance there last week. There were not enough bodies in the seats, and it was a game featuring a "local" team (Buffalo), and Sidney Crosby. You would have thought that they would have come out in mass for a chance to see their future team, it didn't happen.

The optimist in me thinks that this will all be water under the bridge and the Penguins will continue in Pittsburgh. Balsillie has said he is willing to consider the options and keep the team here, but I am not feeling very comfortable. The Penguins have one of the brightest futures in the league....please let it be in Pittsburgh.

Link to story from Hamilton Spectator after Pens Preseason game with poor attendance: Hamilton Spectator

Penguins Lose Sabourin - Orpik Hurt

2006-10-04T14:57:00.000-04:00

The Vancouver Canucks have claimed goaltender Dany Sabourin. Sabourin was waived yesterday to clear space on the 23 man roster for Chris Thorborn. Sabourin was the AHL's goalie of the year last season and had a very impressive camp for the Penguins. He will be missed, especially in Wilkes Barre-Scranton. He will most likely be the primary back-up to Roberto Luongo.

Brooks Orpik sustained a hand injury during a training camp scrimmage and it has gotten progressively worse. He will be out of the line-up for tomorrow night's home opener against the Philadelphia Flyers. It hasn't been determined if he will require surgery or not.

Pens Acquire Thorburn

2006-10-03T14:54:00.000-04:00

The Pittsburgh Penguins have acquired rugged, 6'3" 210 lb forward, Chris Thorburn. Thorburn was waived by the Buffalo Sabres after having a very strong camp for the team. The Penguins had ample opportunity to watch him in action after meeting Buffalo several times during the preseason.

The Penguins will have to make a roster move to get back to the 23 man limit.

Staal, LeTang sign......Malkin Update..

2006-10-03T02:26:00.000-04:00

Jordan Staal and Kristropher LeTang each signed entry level deals Monday prior to the 5:00pm deadline. Staal's deal calls for a salary of $850,000 plus incentives. Letang's was in that same range, but believed to be less. Both players will be with the Penguins on opening night and are expected to spend at least 9 games with the team, at which point a decision will be made on both.

Evegni Malkin has been working out with the team, trying to get into playing shape. It is doubtful that he will be ready for the Thursday opener, but he is making progress. Malkin is slated to be re-evaluated on Friday, and could be ready by next week. No time table has been released for his return, but it sounds like it will be sooner rather than later. Malkin has not officially been ruled out of the first two games, but it is speculated that those are the only games he will miss. Stay tuned.....could be an interesting week as the countdown to face-off continues!

Fleury to Start Opener - Staal Makes Team

2006-10-02T13:38:00.000-04:00

Michel Therrien has announced that Marc-Andre Fleury has made the opening night roster and will start the Thursday night against Philadelphia. The team will go with 3 goaltenders for the short term, with Jocelyn Thibault and Danny Sabourin competing for playing time behind Fleury.

The team also announced that Jordan Staal and Kristopher LeTang have made the team. They will each have to work out contracts before 5:00pm today or be sent back to their respective junior teams. It is being speculated that Staal has already agreed to a contract that has not been announced yet.

The final players sent to Wilkes Barre Scranton are as follows: Dan Carcillo, Libor Pivko, Ryan Stone, Max Talbot, and Noah Welch. Stone and Carcillo were thought to have the best chance of making the team, but the acquisition of Karl Stewart made them expendable.

Pens Season Preview

2006-10-02T09:46:00.000-04:00

The Penguins brass met yesterday to determine who will begin the season in Pittsburgh. General manager Ray Shero has been quoted as saying that he would love to keep the 23 guys who had the best camp in Pittsburgh, but due to the contracts of some players, who has to clear waivers etc, he will have to consider all options. Shero has also gone on record as saying that he will most likely keep less than the maximum roster, because he would like to have some flexibility to claim a player or two from waivers. It seems as if he is expecting a decent player or two to be passed through as teams trim their own fat in preparation for the season. The final cuts will probably be announced at some point today.

Shero is also negotiating with the agents for Jordan Staal and Kristopher Letang. Both of these players, due to age, will have to return to their junior teams if a deal is not worked out by 5:00pm today. If deals are not negotiated for these two players it will make a couple of decisions easy for Shero. No deal, no 9 game look and they head back. Shero stated that he will continue to negotiate with these players, even if the deadline is missed.

On to the preview.....

Forwards:
The Penguins forwards should definitely be the strength of the team. What more can you say than Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin. These two will make up one of the most dangerous 1-2 punches in the league.

The top line looks like it will be fabulous with Colby Armstrong picking up where he left off last year, and the newly acquired Nils Ekman looking as if he has been playing with Crosby and Armstrong for years. Malkin will center Mark Recchi and Ryan Malone forming what could be a top line on many teams. Dominic Moore, Ryan Stone, Jarkko Ruutu and Max Talbot will bring high energy to the rink every night. John LeClair will find his niche and will contribute 20-25 goals. Michel Ouellet will most likely play a 3rd or 4th line role, but will spend time on the power play in sort of a specialist role. Andre Roy is still on board and will play a checking role and bring some toughness. Jordan Staal looks as if he will be in the mix, at least short term, after having a good camp.

Defense:
Sergei Gonchar has looked like the player the Penguins thought they were getting last season, when they signed him to a 5 year, $5 million deal. He has been solid defensively and getting his shot on net, which has translated into goals. He should have a nice year playing on a team that boasts such quality forwards. Mark Eaton was brought in to solidify the defense and he has looked solid throughout the preseason. Brooks Orpik has looked better than in past years and seems to be developing well. Ryan Whitney has struggled during the preseason, but has settled down a bit the past couple of games and will most likely make the roster. The team also has Josef Melichar and Eric Cairns who can fill in on any given night. Noah Welch looks like he will be the odd man out during the final cut. He hasn't been head and shoulders above his peers, plus he does not have to clear waivers to be sent down. The team is hoping to sign Kristopher Letang, who has impressed throughout camp and looks to be a future power play quarterback in the league.

Goaltending:
This is a major area of concern heading into the season. Marc-Andre Fleury was handed the keys to the proverbial car coming into camp, but he hasn't done too much to keep them. Fleury has been inconsistent at best, and just hasn't looked comfortable. He has been getting beaten over his glove hand, an area of weakness last season and has allowed some big rebounds. He did have a decent outing to end the preseason Saturday night, but will it be enough to keep him in Pittsburgh. I think that it was. He will get a chance to start the season. Jocelyn Thibault, coming off of season ending hip surgery last year, is the most likely back-up candidate. He has had a decent camp, but hasn't dazzled in games either. Thibault seems to get tired late in games, and that has resulted in allowing some questionable goals. That can't happen in the regular season. Danny Sabourin has probably been the best goaltender in camp, but will most likely be the go to guy in Wilkes Barre-Scranton.

Special Teams:
The Penguins power play almost seems like a fantasy league team, and should produce at a great clip. The number one unit will probably look something like this: Crosby, Malkin, Recchi, Gonchar, Ekman. John LeClair, Colby Armstrong, Michel Ouellet, Ryan Whitney and Kristopher Letang could also see time. This group won't have too much trouble moving the puck and should be dominant. The one problem could be over passing looking for the pretty play.

The penalty killing unit has been dramatically upgraded from last season when the Penguins should have just conceded the power play goal to the opposition because they couldn't stop them from scoring. General manager Ray Shero focused on this area in free agency and brought in Jarkko Ruutu and Mark Eaton, both great penalty killers. Eaton was among the league leaders in blocked shots last season. He then made one of his shrewedest moves, trading for Dominic Moore. This kid has a ton of potential. Not only is he a great checker and full of energy, but he has some nice hands. My bet is that Moore is among the league leaders in short handed goals before the season ends. Crosby, Malkin, Recchi and Malone will also see time on the penalty kill. The unit should be a positive for the team.

****

Some personnel moves will be determined by the moves Ray Shero makes with his injured players. Ronald Petrovicky, signed via free agency, and Eric Cairns will begin the year on the injured reserve list. The team is also making a determination on Evgeni Malkin, who is still recovering from a dislocated shoulder. He could start the season on injured reserve as well, but it would be retroactive to the date of his injury and will be eligible to come off at any time. These will most likely be the flex roster spots that Shero wants to keep open for possible incoming waiver claims.

Friday News and Notes

2006-09-29T11:08:00.000-04:00

Is Marc-Andre Fleury losing a grip on the starting job in Pittsburgh?
It is starting to seem that way. Fleury, who has struggled throughout the preseason, is the only goalie on the roster that wouldn't have to clear waivers, though he is on a one-way contract. Coming into camp, it was all but decided that it would be his job to lose and Jocelyn Thibault would be the most likely back-up. That is being revisited as Fleury posted a 4.39 GAA during the preseason, and there are whispers that he could even start the season in Wilkes Barre-Scranton. Danny Sabourin has had a very strong camp and Thibault has been consistent, both efforts have management wondering if they should move in another direction. Thibault will start the game against Buffalo tonight, with no announcement having been made on tomorrow night's starter. If Fleury gets the opportunity, it could be make or break.

Dan Carcillo Making a Push
Carcillo, the former OHL villain, has been in complete control of his emotions this preseason. He has accumulated only 4 penalty minutes after racking up 311 minutes in 51 games with the Wilkes Barre-Scranton Penguins last season. Carcillo chalks his new found Lady Byng status up to get more focused before games and controlling his emotions. Something that he wasn't always able to do in the past. He has taken some pretty big steps over the past couple years, steps that might place him on the Penguins opening night roster. He seems to be a new man, instead of taking penalties, he is drawing them. He put on a fine display of that last week against Washington, when he was able to ruffle the feathers of none other than Donald Brashear. Carcillo seems to have matured much since he was suspended on two occasions for stick infractions during his final season in the OHL and he has impressed Penguins brass.

Ron MacLean to Officiate During the Second Period Tonight
MacLean, host of CBC's Hockey Night In Canada and certified referee in the Canadian Hockey Association, will officiate during the second period of the Penguins/Sabres game tonight at Mellon Arena. He will work alongside the NHL’s Senior Vice President and Director of Officiating Stephen Walkom. MacLean attended the officials training camp earlier this month in Erie, and the league wanted him to gain an on ice perspective during game conditions.

Malkin Update
Word is that Evgeni Malkin could begin skating as soon as this weekend. There is no indication of when he will be able to participate in full contact drills with teammates, but this is good news. The shoulder supposedly slid right back into place when they reset it. Complications tend to arise with getting the shoulder back into socket, something that doesn't seem to be a problem in Malkin's case. It is definitely looking more and more like he will be back sooner, rather than later. More as I have it!

Pens Claim Stewart - Edit

2006-09-27T15:43:00.000-04:00

The Penguins have claimed left wing Karl Stewart from the Anaheim Ducks. Stewart has spent the bulk of his career in the AHL and looks to continue that trend in Pittsburgh. He was originally signed as a free agent by the Atlanta Thrashers.

I assume this is a move to add some depth in Wilkes-Barre Scranton. He projects as no better than a 4th line energy guy in the NHL.

****

As I look and read a bit more about Stewart, he will probably be used in a 4th line role in the NHL to start the season. At least throughout the rest of training camp. He would have to clear waivers to report to WBS and I doubt the Penguins would have wasted the claim just to have him re-claimed by Anaheim.

The probably hurts the chances of Ryan Stone or Dan Carcillo making the team, but we will see!

"BAAAArmy Training Sir!.........."

2006-09-27T12:58:00.000-04:00

Just like Bill Murrary's character John Winger said in Stripes. The Penguins are currently going through some army training and team building at West Point. Instead of Sgt. Hulka barking orders at them, they have 1st Sgt. J.B. Spisso, a Pennsylvania native and general manager of the US Military Academy's sports facility, taking them through their maneuvers and putting them through drills they probably haven't seen the likes of before.

Their day started early yesterday morning as they took to the field at Michie Stadium, located at the Military Academy. They were put through some standard calisthenics such as push ups, squats and running the stadium steps, but were soon participating in activities involving their assault rifles. The rifles were not real of course, they were rubber replicas of the same weight and dimensions of the real thing.

The players then moved on to some team based activities. One required each player to run the length of the field while "fireman" carrying a teammate. Then they broke into groups of three for a drill in which two guys had to stay low "dodging enemy fire" while dragging a "wounded" teammate to safety. Sidney Crosby joked that he was lucky to be paired with Mark Recchi and Dan Carcillo, because they aren't that big. He even offered pity for whoever was stuck dragging the 222lb Josef Melichar.

The players received compliments from Sgt. Spisso in the Pittsburgh Post Gazette: "They're conditioned extremely well for what they do," Spisso said. "I was expecting them to give their best, and they did."

This could be a very good thing or the Penguins. The New York Rangers participated in these team building activities last season. A season where they were picked to be one of the worst teams in the East by many experts. That Ranger team ended up being one of the best in the league throughout the season and made the playoffs.

It is worth noting that throughout camp, this team has seemed closer and hasn't had any notable personality conflicts. Each member of the team has been wearing a "Take the Next Step" t-shirt to events such as the activities at West Point, and showing great solidarity with teammates.

Let's hope that this activity is a home run for GM Ray Shero and head coach Michel Therrien and spurs the Penguins back to respectability.

The Therrien Rant Revisited.....

2006-09-26T20:46:00.000-04:00

I have been waiting for this and finally found it on youtube. I present the Therrien Rant!!! Coach Michel Therrien melted down after a particularly bad loss by the Penguins last year against the Edmonton Oilers....here it is for your enjoyment.....here is my original blog on the melt down.
http://pittsburghpenguinsreport.blogspot.com/2006/01/therrien-melts-down-musical-goalies.html

Malkin, Roster Moves and Some Notes

2006-09-26T12:41:00.000-04:00

As is being reported just about everywhere hockey news is read, Evgeni Malkin will not require surgery. It is being speculated that he will need roughly 4-6 weeks to recover from the injury. This is great news for Malkin and the Penguins. I just hope that they do not rush the kid back. I am sure that Ray Shero is smarter than that, but your never know. The allure of having Evgeni Malkin and Sidney Crosby on the ice at the same time may be too much to handle. It would be a shame to see this kid pass on surgery now, only to have to go under the knife in a couple years.

The most interesting thing that I have heard regarding this situation are the comments being made by Malkin's mother. She is quoted in Sport-Express in Russia as saying: "Zhenia had his X-ray exam done yesterday [Monday]. The shoulder was not dislocated. Simply a bad bruise. Doctors said: in two-three weeks he will be ready to come back on ice. Recently we have received an invitation from Pittsburgh. Now we are waiting for the visa to come from Moscow. We would very much like to go to support our son." Sounds like the most optimistic report we have gotten. If this is accurate, it could mean that Malkin will be in the line-up come October 5th against the Flyers.

The Penguins made another round of cuts Sunday night, before shipping off to West Point for their scheduled team building activities. Forwards Tyler Kennedy, Erik Christensen, Jonathan Filewich, Conner James and Stephen Dixon along with defensemen Micki Dupont, Matt Carkner and Alain Nasreddine were assigned to the AHL affiliate in Wilkes Barre-Scranton.

Jordan Staal looked like he was making a strong case to stay in the NHL during the early parts of camp, unfortunately, his play has continued to slip during the exhibition games. He started strong against Ottawa last week, but has since looked a little over matched. He is a big strong kid who protects the puck well, but would probably benefit from another year in the OHL. He would probably be the best player on his team and would be given a chance to dominate while centering the top line for Peterborough. The fact that he is still in training camp leads me to believe that the Penguins are going to keep him around for his 9 game cup of coffee before sending him back. Some have speculated that this is going to happen due to the Malkin injury, I personally feel it is just to get a better look at Staal in game situations, since he hasn't really set the world on fire when given a chance on the top 2 lines during exhibition games. He is not Malkin's replacement. The most likely move would see Ryan Malone shift to center on the second line, with John LeClair moving up to play along side he and Mark Recchi.

Is Marc Andre Fleury ready to dominate this season? I don't think so. MA, who is a great athlete, still has a penchant for getting beat high over his glove hand. He also hasn't mastered the art of controlling his rebounds. He will be given every chance to establish himself this season, coming into camp as the undisputed go to guy between the pipes, but he has got to get better. Fleury has always flashed glimmers of what's to come, but he needs more consistency. Seems like he can be counted on to make the huge save, only to allow the "soft goal." Jocelyn Thibault is also back in camp this year, and up until Sunday night didn't seem to be pushing Fleury much. Thibault was impressive in stopping 21 of 22 shots and earning the win in London, Ontario against the Flyers. These two goalies may platoon a bit during the beginning of the season, with Michel Therrien going with the "hot hand."

Penguins Assign 5 to WBS Camp

2006-09-22T08:57:00.000-04:00

The Penguins trimmed 5 more names off of their training camp roster. They sent Forwards Joe Jensen, and Dennis Bonvie, Defenseman Michael Sersen and Ryan Lannon, and Goaltender Andrew Penner to the Wilkes Barre- Scranton Penguins. That leaves 38 players in Penguins camp, including 18 year old Jordan Staal.

Malkin's Shoulder Dislocated

2006-09-22T08:52:00.000-04:00

The Penguins finally announced what most have been speculating, Evgeni Malkin does have a dislocated shoulder. He will be re-evaluated next week. No other info was available...

Recchi Update - No Real Malkin News

2006-09-21T17:18:00.000-04:00

It was announced today that Mark Recchi has suffered a fracture in his cheek. The injury is not expected to cause any missed time. Recchi will probably be held out of the next couple preseason games, but should be fine for opening night.

Some sources are saying that Evgeni Malkin did dislocate his shoulder, but the Penguins training staff was able to pop it back in. This has not been confirmed, but seems logical. He was taken to the hospital for observation, and will be further evaluated today. He was given a sling last night, but chose not to wear it. He was at Penguins practice today, but did not participate. It sounds like he will not miss a significant amount of time, which would be great for the Penguins. Malkin has really looked to be one of the best forwards on the team during camp thus far.

Separated Shoulder??

2006-09-21T00:27:00.000-04:00

The Pittsburgh Post Gazette is speculating that the shoulder of Evgeni Malkin may have been separated in his collision with John LeClair. Dave Molinari, PG hockey writer, says that he has heard this speculation from "team officials." I guess we will find out. For what it is worth, Malkin was seen leaving the arena in Moncton after the game, he was smiling and did not have a sling on the arm.

Mark Recchi was also injured in the game tonight. He took a stick to the face early in the 1st period. He went to the locker room for a bit and then returned to action for a short time. He ended up going to the hospital when the team sent Malkin and it is being speculated that he may have a broken cheek bone. He was suffering from swelling and blurred vision.

More on these injuries in the morning....

Malkin Injured

2006-09-20T22:38:00.000-04:00

Evgeni Malkin made his Penguins debut tonight against the Philadelphia Flyers. He was off to a great start, picking up an assist on his first shift of the game. He took a loose puck from behind the net, sent a nice pass out to the right point, where Micki Dupont took the puck and sent it to Sergei Gonchar at the left point, who buried a laser to open the scoring.

Malkin made several slick plays throughout the period, and didn't look out of place at all. Unfortunately, his night came to an early end. He and John LeClair had a scoring opportunity early in the second period. Malkin slid a beautiful pass over to LeClair who was streaking down the left wing, LeClair seemed to lose his footing, and went crashing into the boards, at the same time Malkin had circled the net and collided with LeClair. Malkin went head over feet and came crashing down on his face, neck and upper body. He was down for quite some time, but was able to get to his skates and leave the ice. He was clutching his left arm and bent over the entire way off the ice.

General Manager Ray Shero addressed the media after the game. He said Malkin is suffering from an upper body injury and that he was cleared to fly home with the team tonight. There will be an update tomorrow after Malkin is evaluated by the medical staff in Pittsburgh. Shero did not elaborate beyond that. He did say that he was just glad to see the kid get up after such a horrific fall. He also said that he is not preparing for life without Malkin when asked. Saying that he didn't want to get into speculation, but he knows that they will have him back at some point. Shero also mentioned being very impressed with his play prior to the injury.

Malkin did look great early in the game. He does not look out of place and was one of the fastest players on the ice. He gets to every loose puck and always seems to make the smart play.

More tomorrow as it comes out.....

Tonight's Line-up

2006-09-20T09:28:00.000-04:00

Here is the Pittsburgh line-up for the preseason game tonight between the Penguins and Flyers.

Forwards:
Evgeni Malkin
Ryan Malone
Mark Recchi
Sidney Crosby
Jordan Staal
Dominic Moore
Max Talbot
Colby Armstrong
Jarkko Ruutu
Conner James
John LeClair
Andre Roy

Defense:
Sergei Gonchar
Michael Sersen
Ryan Lannon
Josef Melichar
Micki Dupont
Mark Eaton

Goal:
Jocelyn Thibault
Dan Sabourin

Jordan Staal is expected to play the left wing on a line with Sidney Crosby and Colby Armstrong. He spend some time there in the third period last night.

Penguins Captain Controversy

2006-09-19T15:38:00.000-04:00

Michel Therrien's announcement that the Penguins would not name a captain this season seems to have hit a nerve around the hockey world. Everyone seems to think that this is the worst thing that the team could have done and that it means certain doom! I for one do not see the big deal. Though it is unconventional and has been done with mixed results in the past, it could work. The team didn't have a captain for a big chunk of last season and actually had their most successful portion of the year. Everyone knows that this is Sidney Crosby's team and it will be for the foreseeable future. He will be one of the players wearing an "A" and will serve as a leader for this team. Sidney, who was accused of yapping at the refs a bit too often, really got himself in check after he was given his "A" last season and it is very evident that he has matured well beyond his years. Sidney will be very vocal in the locker room and on the ice.

The team also has several other worthy candidates to sport the "A" this season: John LeClair, Mark Recchi and Sergei Gonchar just to name a few. The most likely scenario will probably see Recchi and LeClair each getting an "A" stiched to their jerseys. This could be very positive, in that it would bring Crosby and Recchi together and would dispel any doubts about their relationship. Both say that the problems from a year ago are water under the bridge, and watching the two interact during training camp, I believe it.

These players are all class acts and will work together to see that the team is on track and clearly understands the goals outlined by the coaching staff.

I have heard several examples of this scenario failing in the past, but there is one big positive. Though they didn't go with all alternates, last year's Buffalo Sabres had a shared captaincy, which isn't radically different and look at the success that they had.

I am not sure that it is necessary to do this as a nod to Mario Lemieux, but it could work out just fine for the Penguins. General Manager, Ray Shero, left the door open for possibly naming a Captain down the line and will do so if this doesn't work out. So, let's give it a chance.

Tonight's Roster

2006-09-19T09:25:00.000-04:00

Here is the roster for tonight's preseason game against the Ottawa Senators. Evgeni Malkin will make his preseason debut tomorrow night against the Philadelphia Flyers.

Forwards:
Sidney Crosby
Dan Carcillo
Jonathan Filewich
Jordan Staal
Ryan Stone
Dennis Bonvie
Stephan Dixon
Nils Ekman
Libor Pivko
Colby Armstrong
Eric Christensen
Michel Ouellet

Defense:
Noah Welch
Rob Scuderi
Ryan Whitney
Alain Nasreddine
Matt Carkner
Kristopher Letang

Goaltenders:
Marc-Andre Fleury
Andrew Penner