They're BA-AACK!!

How lucky am I to have been at that game last night?!!

From beginning to end that game was non-stop action and it was one of the better games I've been to, so I was in seventh heaven (we even sat by another couple who were from Johnstown and it was her first game - she picked a good game for her first and let me tell you, she was every bit as excited as I was!)!!

Anyway, there weren't any posts yesterday because we went to the game and I didn't even get to read any news myself so it wasn't until right before the game that I heard Grover say that Goligoski and Letang were back in the lineup which I was excited about. Then I noticed that TK was dressed and warming up with the rest of the team, but it wasn't until they announced that Chris Bourque was scratched right before the game started that I realized that he was definitely going to be playing which made me even happier still!

After learning of the return of those three players, I looked over to John and said, "they're back!" [except for McKee].

WHAT A GAME!! I have pics, but I'll probably post them later because I want to write what I thought about the game while it's still fresh on my mind!

This game HAD IT ALL!! I mean, what more could I ask for (I think I say this for every game I write about that I attend, but they just keep getting better)?!! I mean

• promotion giveaway (hats, BTW - do you think there's a connection?!)
• the return of THREE key players (one of which got a goal and the other two recording two assists each!)
• Crosby HT (I honestly think when he found out that hats were the giveaway, he made it his goal to get a HT to see all of them fly onto the ice! What do you think?); not to mention a 5-point game for him which shot him straight to the 7th position in the league's point leaders
• Brashear "doing his job" and getting (2) 2-minute minors that the Pens cashed in with 2 goals!
• a half-decent fight between Ryan Callahan and Matt Cooke (I even got a pretty sweet pic of that!)


• being part of the "Happy Birthday" chants for MAF towards the end of the third (what a gift, eh?!)
• Avery being Avery and ending the game with a bang and a 7-minute PP for the Pens (that was even longer than the time left in regulation!)
• A HUGE PENS WIN (I was hoping for 10)!

PRETTY sweet!! What a way for the Pens to send a message to the rest of the league to let them know they're back, they're healthy and they're as dangerous as ever!! The Rangers aren't even a bad team and it wasn't like they were playing badly - just making a few errors in judgement and not helping their goalie out too much (who I thought played well even though he let 8 goals find their way to the net - it was his support that was lacking a little)!!

That was a great game and I'm so happy to have been there to see that one!!