Friday, October 31, 2008

Chris Minard > Janne Pesonen (When It Comes to Shooting the Puck)

No - I didn't fall off the Pessi bandwagon - you all KNOW my feelings for the guy and how I've petitioned to no avail to have him kept on / brought back to the Penguins NHL roster. And Thursday, it was the first thing I mentioned after telling all of you that the Penguins called Chris Minard up!

Here's [WB] Penguins Insider Jonathan Bomboulie's take on why the Penguins chose Minard over Pesonen (which I'll buy into and allows me to live comfortably with a Pessi-free Pens team another day for now):
Pittsburgh had a grand total of 11 shots in a 2-1 loss to San Jose on Tuesday. Minard's greatest strength, by far, is shooting the puck. In the AHL, he's almost fanatical about it. So it's a good fit. Pesonen, to me, is more of a playmaker.

If Minard does get the spot on Crosby's line, people will scoff. They'll say Pittsburgh must be desperate if they're putting a career minor leaguer in that role. They'll note that Minard is 26 and was never drafted and played in places like Pensacola, San Angelo and Anchorage on his way to the AHL. That, to me, is snobbery at best and bigotry at worst. What difference does it make where he came from? If he can play, he can play.

People will say Minard is too slow to keep up with Crosby, but that's not true. When WBS did its skills competition last year, Minard was second in the fastest skater contest, by one-thousandth of a second, to Jonathan Filewich. He can skate.
I'm not saying Minard is going to become an NHL all-star. In fact, I wonder if he can get his shot off against stronger, quicker NHL defensemen. But he's done
everything he's been asked to do the last year-plus. At a time when the parent
club's offense is struggling, it's worth giving him a chance in a scoring role.

Who knows? He could become Crosby's Robbie Brown.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!

courtesy of Pensblog readers!

Staal Showing Frustrations Shared by All Players in Answers

The Pens aren't clicking right now - we can all see that; it's quite apparent with three consecutive losses. The players themselves can't seem to agree on what it is that troubles the team (and don't have any apparent solutions).

Jordan Staal made quite a bold statement last night when he said the players aren't buying into the system, but Sidney Crosby disagreed in his oh-so-diplomatic way we've come to know from him!

"We just didn't come out prepared for this game," he said. "It seems like the guys aren't buying into our system and working hard, basically. It's really frustrating."

As for why that's the case, Staal couldn't say.

"That's a question that's kind of left unanswered in this dressing room and it's really on each player and what they can do for this team," said Staal.

"It's little plays, just the little things," he said. "I'm definitely one of them. I'm not playing my best and neither are a lot of players on this team. It's a frustrating time right now."
Jay Caufield put his own spin on Staal's answers trying to defend him with his post-game analysis last night on FSN - Pittsburgh by saying that it's more in what Staal meant than by what he said. Caufield believes that (bear with me here, I'm paraphrasing and do not recall all the words he used) it's not about the players buying into the system, but rather a matter of buying in to how they're playing to make the system work.

But head coach Michel Therrien obviously buys into Staal's way of answering - boldly (however, we're all aware that this is usually typical of Therrien). When asked what he thought of Hal Gill's assessment that the team is still getting to know each other,

"That's an excuse," he said.
One key element missing - consistency and you can't have a good team (hell, a good game) without it!!!

And in my own humble opinion, I think the team is missing two top defensemen more than anyone is admitting. Sergei Gonchar and Ryan Whitney are amazing for the Penguins -- this may not be so noticeable (or translate well) when the two are on the ice, but take them out of the equation and their importance become very apparent!

Penguins List Crosby as Day-to-Day (Questionable for Saturday's Game)

HERE'S A HIGHLIGHT VIDEO THAT SHOWS WHAT MAY BE THE INCIDENT CAUSING SIDNEY'S INJURY AND HIS RETURNING TO THE BENCH WINCING.
[UPDATE] Rob Rossi is reporting the following: Fox Sports Arizona television broadcasters reported Crosby's ribs were injured after he was hit with a stick by a Phoenix player. He was set for X-ray examinations after the game, according to that report. A Penguins official denied the report.

Did anyone happen to notice Sidney Crosby leaving the game yesterday or that he only played one shift in the 3rd period (NHL writer reports it was 2, but the Steigerwald and Errey said it was only one last night - who are you going to believe?!)? This is what currently has the NHL world a buzz today!!

It is a mystery as to what happened to Crosby last night and even he addressed reporters with uncertainty (but we all know what team policy has been as of late about disclosing information about injuries!!). According to the article posted on the Pittsburgh Penguins webpage today, video replays of the "incident in question" show Crosby skate to the Penguins bench, sit down with a grimace trying to "collect himself."

"I don't even know what happened," he said after the game. "I had some discomfort. In the third period, I couldn't really do much."
Other Penguin players interviewed after last night's game all answered the same way what asked if they saw what happened to Sidney, "no."

Vote Iceburgh 2008 (This Burgh's Only Big Enough for One Bird)!!

Chris Benson is at it again!!

In a follow-up to his last video, "Pittsburgh Penguins Fan Training Camp" Benson parodies the McCain attack ads on Obama using Iceburgh, Pirate Parrot and Steely McBeam. Once again, he's outdone himself - FUNNY stuff!!!

Thanks to Ben for keeping TSCSF in the loop, so be sure to take a look!!

On this Date in Pittsburgh Penguins History


Mario Lemieux begins a 46-game scoring streak (39 goals, 64 assist; 103 points). This is the second longest in NHL history lasting until February 14, 1990.

Thursday, October 30, 2008

Third Straight Loss as Pens Fall Prey to Coyotes 4-1


Penguins - 1, Coyotes - 4

Shane Doan

Olli Jokinen

Steven Reinprecht



(Coyotes, 4-1)
SHOTS ON GOAL: Pittsburgh - 8, Phoenix - 10

  • 14:49- PHOENIX GOAL - Kevin Porter; assisted by Steven Reinprecht and Mikkel Boedker
  • 19:01 - PHOENIX GOAL (EN) - Shane Doan; assisted by Viktor Tikhonov and Zbynek Michalek

(Coyotes lead 2-1)
SHOTS ON GOAL: Pittsburgh - 18, Phoenix - 8


  • 7:53 - PHOENIX GOAL - Olli Jokinen; assisted by Shane Doan and Zbynek Michalek
  • 8:30 - PITTSBURGH(PP) - Miroslav Satan; unassisted
  • 17:59 - PHOENIX GOAL (PP) - Shane Doan; assisted by Steven Reinprecht and Peter Mueller

(no score)
SHOTS ON GOAL: Pittsburgh - 2, Phoenix - 12

  • no goals scored
Notes: Max Talbot will pay tonight and Tyler Kennedy will play on the 1st line with Sid.

Saturday, November 1st @ 8:30 PM (St. Louis Blues)

Penguins Recall Chris Minard

The Pittsburgh Penguins GM, Ray Shero, has announced that they have recalled forward Chris Minard from their AHL affiliate Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins.

[SIDENOTE] Still no nod for Pesonen!! Did you just KNOW I was going to bring that up?!!

Could this mean Dupuis is not in the lineup tonight? We know it's probably unlikely for Talbot to be playing tonight. Will the breakup of Malkin and Sid's line be postponed for another game due to the absence of so may players having injuries?
We shall see (and we're running out of alot of options)!! I'll keep you posted.

It's Official: Penguin Players to "Introduce" Third Jersey!!

The Penguins have announced that a few of the Pittsburgh Penguins players will be modeling this season's third jerseys on Wednesday, November 5th at Dick's Sporting Goods at the Mall in Robinson (Tyler Kennedy, Kris Letang, Alex Goligoski, Paul Bissonnette and Eric Godard).

The event will be held from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. and is open to the public free of charge.

These jerseys will be available to purchse beginning on the date of this event at all area Dick's Sporting Good stores and will be worn for select home games during the 2008-09 season starting with the November 15 contest against Buffalo.

FSN play-by-play broadcaster Paul Steigerwald will emcee the event. The current players will be on hand from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m. Penguins’ alumni and Stanley Cup Champions Bryan Trottier and Ken Wregget will sign autographs from 7:00 to 8:00 p.m. Iceburgh, the team’s mascot, and members of the Highmark Blue Cross Blue Shield Vision Plans Pens Patrol will also be in attendance.
Still no official photos (STAY TUNED)!!

Pre-Game News: Therrien Splits Up the Dynamic Duo

[UPDATE] Rob Rossi is also reporting that Dupuis did, in fact, leave halfway through yesterday's practice and did not return; the Penguins did not provide a status as to whether or not he will play in the lineup against Phoenix tonight.

And no status updates on Hal Gill or Max Talbot to confirm whether or not they will be in the lineup tonight. Gill is possible, but it appears Talbot is unlikely.

[Just an interesting "tid bit"] Rossi also reported that the Penguins were unable to depart for Phoenix after the game last Tuesday so they practiced in San Jose yesterday. San Jose has a city-wide curfew that prohibits flights after midnight which is not just unique to SJ; it is also customary in Anaheim, where a similar curfew exists. The Penguins arrived in Phoenix yesterday afternoon.

We knew it would eventually come to an end because all good things usually do, so Michael Therrien made the decision to split up Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin yesterday. Crosby will remain on the 1st line while Malkin will return to 2nd line center. It makes sense (the Crosby and Malkin line was the only one making any plays while the other ones were pretty quiet over these past few games). Neither Petr Sykora or Jordan Staal seem to be "complete" without Malkin. Let's hope the time apart brings back the "magic" for Malkin and Sykora -- however, Staal will be left to generate his own "magic" as center between Tyler Kennedy and Miroslav Satan! Here is what the lines have now been reported to be:

Dupuis - Crosby - Fedotenko
Sykora - Malkin - Cooke
Bissonnette-Zigomanis-Godard

In other news, Michael Therrien is madly in love with Pascal Dupuis and is expected to propose to him any day now - for now, he proposes he'll start on the top line with Sid! Why else would he continue to put him on that line?! I can't think of any other good reason since Dupuis is definitely not a top-line-calibur player! Anyone else have any thoughts? Actually, this isn't set in stone just yet because, according to Dan Potash last night on Sportsbeat, Dupuis left halfway through yesterday's practice.

MAX TALBOT
Talbot did not practice yesterday and will likely be out of tonight's lineup, but his status is still unknown.

HAL GILL
Gill has been participating in full practices the past couple of days and it looks like he may return to the lineup; still has yet to be confirmed.

Big Ben Knows Sid's the Man!

On Monday, Bob Pompeani's interview with Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger aired on KDKA-TV and TSCSF reader, Lauren, was nice enough to send the link along.

Here's a little of the interview transcript about Ben's thoughts on Sidney Crosby:

Next, Pompeani asked him about Sidney Crosby whom he watches and follows very closely.
Pompeani: "Who's the bigger star in town – you or Sidney Crosby? And your answer is?"
Roethlisberger: "Sidney."
Pompeani: "Totally?"
Roethlisberger: "That's what I think."
Pompeani: "Who's more important to his team do you think, you or Sid?"
Roethlisberger: "I don't know it's hard. We both play you know ultimate team sports. I mean I'm sure the team could go on without Sidney. I'm sure the team could go on without me. They have less players on the ice. I guess them."

"Score Against Hunger"


The Pittsburgh Penguins ask fans attenting the November 6th home game against the Edmonton Oilers to bring a non-perishable food item to the game for the Penguins' 16th Annual "Score Against Hunger" Food Drive to benefit the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank.

Food Bank collection barrels and volunteers will be at arena gates from 5:30 – 7:30 pm. Anyone who brings a bag of groceries or makes a cash donation will receive a raffle ticket for autographed Pens hockey items!


Mair Fined for Thinking Everything's a Joke!!!

UPDATE from yesterday's post of the video featuring Adam Mair mouthing off to whomever would listen (it was presumeably Jarkko Ruutu and Luke Richardson), calling everyone a "joke."

According to TSN.com, the NHL looked into the situation and fined Mair the maximum amount allowed under the Collective Bargaining Agreement - $2,500. That's a seriously expensive "joke!"

Supposedly, Mair headed toward the Senators dressing room, but was stopped by Senators Richardson and Ruutu and vice president of communications Phil Legault at which time he began his rant that was caught on tape (and it now posted to YouTube - I told you it wasn't too smart)!!

YAHOO!'s Puck Daddy also has parts of an interesting interview he gave the media after practice yesterday:
When asked what he was trying to communicate to the Senators, he said, "We don't play those guys until January, so I wanted to wish them a Happy Halloween."
What did they say back?
"I think they said Merry Christmas."
The Buffalo News' John Vogl asked if Mair was trying to talk to Chris Neil or Jaarko [Jarkko] Ruutu?
"It's Halloween for everybody, John."
Click HERE for a video of the entire media interview (it appears that Mair is still having the last laugh!)!

Wednesday, October 29, 2008

Crosby is Hockey's New King

And he wears his crown lightly, according to an article in the MercuryNews.com which reiterates the fact that Sidney Crosby is the face of NHL.

At the ripe old age of 21, he also is the centerpiece of the NHL's efforts to promote the sport.
However, San Jose is one of the only few places that Sid can go to where he's less recognizeable although there were a few fans who recognized him.

"There were a few people who noticed me," Crosby said after the Pittsburgh Penguins' practice Monday at HP Pavilion. "But it's not like Canada. It's totally different up there."

This is a great article and is another illustration of the humble leader Crosby is and the fact that he understands the delicate balance between dealing with the spotlight without placing himself above the team.

"I was introduced to it early, so I just found my own way of dealing with it," Crosby said. "I learned to manage the responsibilities. I could never complain about the position I'm in. Sometimes there are a lot of demands. But I feel pretty fortunate."
This article is definitely worth a read!!

Don't Quit Your Day-Job, Malone!

As you may already know, the owner of the Tampa Bay Lightning, Oren Koules, is also the producer of the huge hit movie series (and a personal favorite) SAW.

Here's a little clip promoting the movie featuring 2 Lightning players (one being former Pittsburgh Penguin, Ryan Malone) prior to their game against the Sharks. Funny stuff - take a look.

Sabres' Adam Mair Thinks Senator's Jarkko Ruutu is a Joke

Here's an interesting piece of video featuring a "discussion" between Buffalo Sabres Adam Mair and -- well, I guess it's just Mair mouthing off to the Senators Jarkko Ruutu and anyone else that would listen (who, by the way, are all jokes) after Mair went after Ruutu in the hallway of the locker rooms!! But I still can't find Ruutu anywhere around until THN interviews him.

The cameras caught it all (not wise on Mair's part; the only one looking like a joke in this video is him)!! See if you agree.

Tuesday, October 28, 2008

Penguins Lose to Sharks in 2nd Road Game Loss


Penguins - 1, Sharks - 2


Joe Pavelski

Joe Thornton

Milan Michalek



(Sharks, 2-1)
SHOTS ON GOAL: Pittsburgh - 3, San Jose - 9
  • 12:52 - SAN JOSE GOAL - Mike Grier; assisted by Christian Ehrhoff and Dan Boyle
  • 14:27 - PITTSBURGH - Ruslan Fedotenko; assisted by Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin


(Sharks continue to lead 1-0)
SHOTS ON GOAL: Pittsburgh - 5, San Jose - 19

  • no goals scored

(Sharks lead 1-0)
SHOTS ON GOAL: Pittsburgh - 3, San Jose - 6

  • 10:12 - SAN JOSE GOAL (SH): Joe Pavelski; assisted by Milan Michalek
Notes: Dany Sabourin will be in goal for the Penguins tonight and Max Talbot is out of the lineup; Hal Gill remains out of the lineup


Thursday, October 30th @ 10:00 PM (Phoenix Coyotes)

Pre-Game Notes (Pittsburgh Penguins VS San Jose Sharks)




[UPDATE] the Penguins webpage have announced that Max Talbot will be out of the lineup tonight against the San Jose Sharks because of [what a shocker!] an "undisclosed injury." Matt Cooke will likely be moved to the Penguin's 3rd line and Paul Bissonnette will dress and play in Cooke's spot on the 4th line.

DANY SABOURIN
Sabourin will start in goal tonight for the Penguins.

"He deserves to play, so he's going to be the guy [tonight]," coach Michel Therrien said.

HAL GILL
[UPDATE] Gill is definitely out of the lineup for tonight's game and his status for Thursday is unknown as the Penguins are addressing it on a "day-to-day" basis. Today was the first practice that he has participated in since October 20th.
Gill is likely to miss his second consecutive game tonight since injuring his right hand by a shot during the game against Boston; however, he has been skating in full gear with a trainer after practices.

DARRYL SYDOR
Sydor will again play in tonight's game which is his third consecutive game. I believe he has played a pivotal role in the Penguins lineup and deserves to play as much as possible (even though we're all aware it's due to current circumstances).

OTHER NOTES:
The PPG is reporting that Max Talbot and Evgeni Malkin left yesterday's practice early, but Therrien said they are not injured and will play against the Sharks tonight. This has since been updated and Talbot will be out of tonight's game due to an "undisclosed injury." Nothing further mentioned on Malkin.

Pittsburgh Signs Defensement to 3-Year Deal

Yesterday, the Pittsburgh Penguins announced that they signed defenseman Alex Grant to a three year entry-level contract.

Grant was the Penguins 4th round pick in the 2007 NHL Draft. He attended this year's prospect camp and earned an invitation to the Penguins main training camp.

He currently plays for the the Saint John Sea Dogs of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) where he will remain for now.

Penguins Rumors: Pesonen

I haven't posted any news / information / speculation from TIOPS since the site went "commercial," but they recently reported an interesting rumor that 2 teams have been scouting Janne Pesonen ("the latest speculation coming out of GM meetings").

Interesting. I really wouldn't be surprised at all if teams are scouting Pesonen - he's talented and is quickly becoming an NHL-caliber player; however, I'm not sure if the Penguins will be acting on any offers right now. I honestly believe they have a plan for Pesonen which could currently be in the works.

That's just my personal opinion though!

AWESOME Stats for Our Top Line!

According to Rob Rossi, the reconfigured top line of Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin have combined for 16 points over the past four games. Crosby and Malkin have played a part in eight of the Penguins' past 12 goals!!

Let's hope they continue to play well together (and that the rest of the team realizes that there's actually 3 periods of play for a total of 60 minutes in hockey)!!

On this Date in Pittsburgh Penguins History



Ron Francis records his 1,000th career NHL point vs. Quebec.

Monday, October 27, 2008

One More Look at Sweden (SO Worth It!)!!

I have been very fortunate to have been able to provide my readers with some interesting stories and pictures from the Penguins trip to Sweden that I have received from a few generous readers who are willing to share.

Just recently, I acquired more photos of Sweden from another person who was lucky enough to experience it first hand.

One of John's buddies from work made the trip and caught one of the games. I believe (and I'm hoping he'll correct me if I'm wrong) it was a honeymoon trip to Ireland that he and his wife postponed until a few months after the wedding so they could make the trip to Sweden to catch the game.

Knowing this and having heard a few of the stories of them meeting the players in the hotel lobby through John, I had John ask him if he would be so kind as to provide a few pictures so that I may post them here. He was gracious enough to provide them (more than I had hoped) and they are just so beautiful and alot of them scenes which we aren't familiar with like those we've seen before. Here are just a few of what he gave us; take a look for yourself and enjoy!

















I want to make sure a HUGE THANK YOU goes out to Steven and his wife for sharing these photos with John and I and being kind enough to allow me to post them here!! I truly appreciate it (as I'm sure all of you do as well)!!!

Two MORE FSN Pittsburgh Penguins Commercials

Two additional FSN Pittsburgh commercials have popped up on YouTube featuring Marc-Andre Fleury and Ryan Whitney (THANKS to Kena from "Girls ARE Real Sports Fans Too" blog for spotting them and letting me know!).

Marc-Andre Fleury
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uC9jdfSxnE0

Ryan Whitney
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d08l5IPDVKE

Kena also pointed out the number of views for each of the commercials indicating popularity (at 7:55 AM yesterday morning). The numbers are actually surprising.

Malkin - 2,715
Fleury - 1,091
Crosby - 698
Talbot - 656
Staal - 316
Whitney - 62

That's So MAF (the musings of a Penguins goalie)!

Fleury has been saying some pretty entertaining things lately which is why there've been so many TSCSF "MAF Musings" these days.

The most recent comes in light of the news from Dave Molinari that former Penguins prospect Noah Welch has agreed to donate his brain to the Sports Legacy Institute which is devoted to the study of the effects that concussions and other brain-related injuries have on the brain. Some of the Penguin players were asked if they would ever consider doing this and here's what Fleury had to say:

Marc-Andre Fleury offered a novel rationale for declining. "I would be scared that they'd unplug me right away [and] take my brain out [before I actually died]," he said.
And here's the answer he gave when asked which teammates body part he would donate for scientific study:
"Maybe Ryan Whitney's calves. I have small calves, but he's 6 foot 4 and has smaller calves. Toothpick calves."

Which Teammate's Body Part(s) Would Penguin Players Donate to Science?

Continuing with the theme above in "MAF Musings," here are some of the other players responses to which teammates body part they would offer up to science (this is GOOD STUFF)!!

  • Mark Eaton: "It would be a toss-up between [Tyler Kennedy's] brain or -- you don't even wait until he's dead -- donate (Kris) Letang's tongue now so he can quit asking so many questions."
  • Max Talbot: "Pascal Dupuis' eyebrows, maybe."
  • Rob Scuderi: "I would probably give Sidney Crosby's rear end, because I'd like to see how in God's name it got that big."
  • Sidney Crosby: "I would like to see Dupuis' calves, because there aren't too many athletes who have calves that small and who are that quick. It doesn't make sense to me."
  • Dupuis: "[Letang] is pretty young. I can give him my brain. It wouldn't hurt him."
  • Jordan Staal: "I think I'd donate [Talbot's] moustache, probably."
  • Whitney: "I would definitely give Letang's brain. I would love to know what goes on in his head to make him say the things he does and ask the questions he does."
It's obvious that alot of them like to pick on Kris Letang!!

Sunday, October 26, 2008

Last Year's Stats May Not be True Indication of this Season's Issues

I came across a very interesting post on the THN.com blog that covers what I was discussing a few posts ago regarding the fact that Ovechkin seems to be playing a more physical game and headhunting elite Russian players on the ice. It starts out by saying that Ovechkin isn't playing his caliber of hockey thus far this season (he's not the best player in the league or even on his team). And although it doesn't specificially point out the Malkin incidents when they lost to the Capitals on October 16th, it does point out the fact that Ovechkin is more concerned with making a big hit now more so than in previous years. THN's Ken Campbell makes the following observation:

Here’s a thought. Ovechkin is undoubtedly the most physical elite player in the NHL. Perhaps he is too focused on playing a rugged game and is looking for the big hit too much. With 22 hits in seven games thus far, Ovechkin is on pace for 258, which would be the fourth-highest total among forwards since the NHL began
tracking hit totals.
This may explain why my results turned out the way they did (totally opposite than what we all were expecting). Last year's stats aren't going to consider the fact that Ovechkin may be playing a totally different game this season. So Rage from NC may not be far off on his assessment of Ovechkin looking to make a run at elite Russian players in the NHL.

The bad part is that it's to early in the season to work with the stats; we need a few more months to really come up with a clear picture of whether or not the assessment is correct, but it should be interesting -- stay tuned!!

Pesonen Supporters (4 out of 5 People Think He Will be on NHL Roster Soon)

The title of my post is just a play on all those poll-type commercials and such, but seriously, my husband has to be that 5th person (and I can actually name 4+ people who support Janne Pesonen being on the Penguins NHL roster)!!

I've recently come across several articles / posts of those who believe that Janne Pesonen will be called up to the NHL very soon.

Brian Metzer from HockeyBuzz.com is predicting that it will be "before the end of the year" citing the fact that Pesonen has 8 points (6 goals; 2 assists) in 5 games. Not to mention the fact that he is playing on a line with Jeff Taffe and Chris Minard -- 2 players who have NHL experience under their belts.

And Dave Molinari continues to choose to answer questions pertaining to Pesonen and this time-table. The most recent question / answer was posted this past Friday when a reader asked for his opinion as to when we can expect Pesonen to "get a chance to play with Sid."

Molinari begins his answer with a similar tone stating that Pesonen is on the top line with Taffe and Minard and that his stay with the Baby Pens will not be long.

The Penguins have tried a variety of configurations for their top two lines so far this season, and unless coach Michel Therrien hits upon combinations that are consistently effective, it's hard to believe that general manager Ray Shero and his staff won't give serious consideration to recalling Pesonen and giving him a serious look as a top-six forward.
Unless the quality of his play drops precipitously and the Penguins' current crop of forwards meshes superbly, he probably deserves to get an opportunity to prove it in the near future.
Does the Penguins organization already have a plan in motion with the recent assignment of Bill Thomas to the WB/S Baby Pens or are we just all wrong once again like when we originally thought there was a slim chance that Pesonen would be cut from the team? I'm hoping this time we all have better foresight into our prediction!

On this Date in Pittsburgh Penguins History



Mario Lemieux scores his 500th career goal in a 7-5 win at the New York Islanders at 17:12 of the third period against Tommy Soderstrom.

Saturday, October 25, 2008

Pens Fall to NYR in Shootout

Penguins - 2, Rangers - 3

3 STAR selections:
(1) Henrik Lundqvist
(2) Fredrik Sjostrom
(3) Marc-Andre Fleury

Shootout

  1. New York, Nikolai Zherdev - no goal
  2. Pittsburgh, Kris Letang - no goal
  3. New York, Nigel Dawes - no goal
  4. Pittsburgh, Petr Sykora - no goal
  5. New York, Fredrik Sjostrom - GAME WINNING GOAL
  6. Pittsburgh, Sidney Crosby - no goal

Overtime Period (game still remains tied 2-2)
SHOTS ON GOAL: Pittsburgh - 4, New York - 2

  • No goals scored

3rd Period (game tied at 2)
SHOTS ON GOAL: Pittsburgh - 2, New York - 18

  • 5:09 - NEW YORK GOAL (PP) - Markus Naslund; assisted by Scott Gomez and Chris Drury
  • 19:51 - NEW YORK GOAL - Nikolai Zherdev; assisted by Markus Naslund and Brandon Dubinsky

2nd Period ( Pens continue to lead 2-0)
SHOTS ON GOAL: Pittsburgh - 13, New York - 16

  • 15:59 - PITTSBURGH GOAL - Sidney Crosby; assisted by Evgeni Malkin and Alex Goligoski

1st Period (Pens lead 1-0)
SHOTS ON GOAL: Pittsburgh - 10, New York - 8

  • 9:04 - PITTSBURGH GOAL: Darryl Sydor; assisted by Tyler Kennedy and Kris Letang
RE-GAME Notes: Matt Cooke will be in tonight's lineup against the Rangers; Hal Gill is still out

Next Game: Tuesday, October 28th @ 10:30 PM (San Jose Sharks)

Pre-Game Notes (Pittsburgh Penguins vs. New York Rangers)

Another day, another Staal brother (Marc) to defeat!

MATT COOKE
[UPDATE] It's confirmed that Cooke will play in tonight's game and the fourth line will most likely be switched around for him to play alongside Mike Zigomanis and Eric Godard.

We now know that Cooke's mysterious injury was bruised ribs and it looks likely that he'll be in tonight's lineup against the Rangers.
"It's a management thing, basically. They usually take a long time. But I've allowed them to heal naturally. I'm rid of the sharp pains."
HAL GILL
Gill's injury has yet to be disclosed, but Rob Rossi reports it's believed that Gill injured his right hand on a blocked shot during last Monday's game against the Bruins. He did not practice yesterday and it looks like he will not play in tonight's game, but head coach Michel Therrien reported that Gill may return to the lineup sometime during the Penguins four-game road trip

Penguins Night at Tom Clark Chevrolet

Get a chance to meet current Pittsburgh Penguins Eric Godard, Brooks Orpik along with Penguins alumni Phil Bourque and Brian Trottier at Tom Clark Chevrolet on Monday, November 3rd from 6 PM - 8 PM for "Penguins Night."

Some Game Notes from Thursday's Win Against the Canes

Here are a few interesting highlights from last Thursday's game against the Carolina Hurricanes:
  • the crowd total was once again 17,132; the Mellon Arena's 72nd consecutive sell-out!
  • it was Marc-Andre Fleury's 80th win
  • overshadowed by Crosby and Malkin's benchmarks last week, Miroslav Satan reached a benchmark as well last week with 350 career assists
  • According to KuklasKorner, everytime the Staal brothers face-off against each other, a Gatorade is up for grabs; and from Thursday's stats, it appears Eric owes Jordan 2 Gatorades (Jordan was 4 / 6)
  • the Penguins (Max Talbot, Pacal Dupuis, Tyler Kennedy, Eric Godard, and Paul Bissonnette) were out delivering Pizza Hut pizzas once again this year for those waiting in line to purchase Student Rush tickets
  • the three stars of the game were (1) Sidney Crosby, (2) Evgeni Malkin, and (3) Max Talbot
  • and, of course, BizNasty's fight against LaCouture!!

That's So MAF (the musings of a Penguins goalie)!

His long-range shot drifted wide left, leaving Fleury exasperated - and two goals behind captain Sidney Crosby on the season.
"I was going to try to chase him down," Fleury joked. "Another game, I guess."