Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Pens
(16-8-2, 34 points)
 Pens - 3, Rangers - 1

New York Rangers webpage

The Blueshirt Blog
Slew of woes for Rangers in loss to Penguins (11/29/2010) 

Monday, November 29, 2010

[UPDATE] Pre-Game Notes (Pittsburgh VS NYR) - Asham / Comrie

[UPDATE] ASHAM
HC Bylsma gave udates on Asham and Comrie who is apprently suffering from a lower-body injury:

"(Asham) wasn't feeling well this morning so he stayed at the hotel. It's possible (he could play), but looks unlikely."

"(Comrie) is rehabbing right now. We don't have a definite on his situation on the trip. He's got a week or so of rehab to do."
the Penguins webpage is reporting that Arron Asham was not on the ice for this morning's skate ... nothing further has been reported yet, but I'll fill you in as soon as I know anything ... check back!!

LINE COMBINATIONS (projected from this morning's skate)
Kunitz-Crosby-Dupuis
Cooke-Malkin-Talbot
Conner-Letestu-Kennedy
Rupp-Adams-Godard


NY RANGERS INJURY / LINE INFO
Chris Drury (F), finger
Vinny Prospal (F), knee
Marian Gaborik (F), flu - missed the game in Nashville, but they're hoping he's fine for today's game

COVERING ENEMY TERRITORY: New York

UP NEXT: NEW YORK RANGERS
(14-10-1, 29 points)
In net tonight: Henrik Lundqvist (projected)


CHECK BACK FOR UPDATES THROUGHOUT THE DAY!!

The Buzz - 24/7 Penguins / Capitals: Road to the NHL Winter Classic

Did you miss the preview played on HBO this past weekend of the upcoming 4-part series 24/7 or maybe you just want to watch it over again??

CHECK IT OUT BELOW and visit the official webpage HERE!!!

Sunday, November 28, 2010

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


Today is Fleury's birthday ... he turns 26!!!
THANKS to Jessica for reminding me!!!

Thursday, November 25, 2010

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!!

Here's a little Thanksgiving Day cheer ... two previews of the upcoming HBO reality series "24/7 Penguins / Capitals Road to the NHL Winter Classic" -- one interviewing Sid and Max (Crosby & Talbot Interview) and the other one interviewing DJ King and Eric Godard (the enforcers of the teams) ... ENJOY!!!


Wednesday, November 24, 2010

[UPDATE] Pre-Game Notes (Pittsburgh VS Buffalo) - Fleury in Goal

[UPDATE]
Fleury will start in goal tonight for the Pens; Comrie will also be in the lineup tonight according to HC Bylsma

LINE COMBINATIONS (projected from this morning's skate)
Kunitz-Crosby-Dupuis
Cooke-Malkin-Talbot
Conner-Letestu-Kennedy
Rupp-Adams-Asham/Comrie (Godard)

BUFFALO INJURY / LINE INFO
Ryan Miller (G), groin injury (day-to-day)
Tim Connolly (F), groin injury (day-to-day)
Rob Niedermayer (F), knee (two weeks)
Drew Stafford (F), upper body (day-to-day)

Thursday, November 18, 2010

SHORT Hiatus ...

This post is probably a tad-bit late, but my motto for the blog it seems is (say it with me) ... "better late than never!"

I've had a few unexpected things come up that have taken me away from the blogs and having any time to work on them so I've just decided to take a short time "off" (probably just the rest of this week and maybe the weekend which I normally do anyway).

I wanted to post SOMETHING just because I feel like I'm obligated to with such loyal followers ...  THANKS for all your continued support of the blog and I hope to see you next week!!!

TRY to enjoy hockey without us! ; D

Wednesday, November 10, 2010

Pre-Game Notes (Pittsburgh VS Boston)

LOTS of things going on today!!

WBS RECALL
the Penguins announced they recalled Chris Conner for tonight's game; Mike Comrie may be out of tonight's lineup due to an illness although he was on the ice this morning for the team's skate ... per the Pens webpage, "if Comrie isn't able to play, Conner's presence gives the team some flexibility."

STARTING GOALIE
Bylsma confirmed that Brent Johnson will be in the net tonight for the Pens; here's what HC Bylsma had to say about the goaltending situation:

I think the belief that Marc is going to play great hockey again is 100 percent from our guys and coaches. You can pinpoint the situation where Tim Thomas didn’t have the results and numbers where he didn’t play as much (last year), and then coming back and doing what he’s doing now. Those are things that you draw upon. You also draw upon your previous experience. Marc has had some difficult times in his career. I remember not knowing Marc-Andre Fleury and watching him when he was 18 years old and hearing the media talk about how he’s had some difficult times and he’s had some question marks. So he’s been able to deal with that and work through it to end up playing good hockey. That’s the belief, and Tim Thomas is another example of that happening to another good goalie.
LINE COMBINATIONS (projected from this morning's skate)
Kunitz-Crosby-Dupuis
Rupp-Letestu-Kennedy
Cooke-Malkin-Asham
Talbot-Adams-Godard
Comrie-Conner-(Tom Fitzgerald - filling in)

defensemen were rotated
BOSTON INJURY / LINE INFO
Marc Savard (C), post-concussion syndrome  - out indefinitely
Johnny Boychuk (D), broken left forearm  - out 2 weeks
Marco Sturm (LW), knee - out until the end of Nov
David Krejci (C), head  - day-to-day

Monday, November 8, 2010

WBS Weekend Wrapup

by Maureen L.

Heading into their triple header weekend, the Baby Pens were 8-0-0, the only undefeated team in the AHL. Facing two away games against the Rochester Americans and hosting the Syracuse Crunch, the Baby Pens were looking to defend their streak and go 11-0-0 on the weekend. They came very close, but fell to the Crunch at home on Saturday, ending the weekend 10-1-0.

Let’s break it down game by game:

Friday 11/5: @Rochester
The Amerks jumped out to a quick 3-0 lead, taking advantage of their first 2 power play opportunities. High powered scoring talent Michal Repik was instrumental on the Amerks power play, assisting on both goals. After the second powerplay goal, the Baby Pens were able to get things back on track and Thiessen didn’t allow the rocky start to shake his confidence. The Baby Pens stormed back with goals from Collins and Sterling and went to intermission with the score 3-2. Chris Connor scored the only goal of the second period, unassisted, to tie the game at 3-3. The Pens’ PK unit came alive in the third and Dustin Jeffrey scored a shorthanded goal to put them ahead for the first time in the game. With just over 3 minutes remaining in the final period, Tim Wallace scored to put the Pens up 5-3. Not deterred, the Amerks mounted a furious comeback effort and made it a 1 goal game with just over 2 minutes left. However, they couldn’t tie it and the Pens went on to win 5-4.

Saturday 11/6: Syracuse
Saturday’s game was a matchup between the top 2 penalty killing teams in the AHL and the score sheet reflects that. Despite a total of 11 power plays, each team only notched 1 power play goal. The Pens went 1 for 6 on their power play and Syracuse was 1 for 5. It’s a good litmus test because the special teams were a pretty even match in standings going into the game. A contrast to the high scoring first period the Pens played the night before in Rochester, the two teams went into the locker room scoreless. The second period had a very different look for both teams as the Pens jumped into the lead with 2 goals (1 even strength, 1 power play) in the first half of the second period. The Crunch answered with a power play goal of their own, but Brett Sterling found the back of the net to give the Pens another 2 goal lead. The second period ended with the score 3-1. Unfortunately for the Pens, they fell a short in the third period and were unable to score. They gave up 3 goals early in the first and spent the rest of the game trying to find the tying goal. That goal didn’t come and the streak ended on Saturday with a final score, Syracuse-4, Wilkes Barre-3.

Sunday 11/7: @Rochester
On Sunday, Pen’s goaltender Brad Thiessen’s play earned him first star honors. Facing 20 shots from the Amerks, Thiessen turned away 19. Both goaltenders were tested in the first (Thiessen faced 8 shots, Markstrom faced 6) but stopped everything that came their way. The teams were scoreless after 1. The Pens came out shooting in the second and launched 8 shots at Markstom. At 12:26 of the second period, Dustin Jeffrey’s shot found its way past the Rochester netminder to put the Pens up 1-0. Rochester didn’t stay down for long though and got the puck behind Thiessen just over a minute later to tie the game up. The game remained tied into the second intermission. In the third, the Pens seemed determined to absorb only one loss for the weekend, launching 10 shots at Markstrom. At 18:10 of the third, a shot from Ryan Craig found the net and the Pens went up 2-1. The Amerks tried to tie it up and pulled Markstrom in favor of the sixth skater, but time ran out. The Pens’ strong PK also contributed to the win as Rochester was unable to score on any of their 4 power play chances.

While the undefeated streak is over, the Pens have a pretty impressive record at 10-1-0. The only team with more points in the AHL right now is the Portland Pirates who have played 14 games, 3 more than the Baby Pens. The success they have enjoyed so far is truly a team effort with goals, assists, and other key plays coming from many different members of the roster. Not a single player on the Pens’ roster is in the top 20 in AHL scoring.

So while the Pens’ undefeated streak is over, their great start to the season is not. This weekend they’ll face Binghamton and Worcester so make sure you check back later in the week for your weekend game preview!

On this Date in Pittsburgh Penguins History

2000
Alex Kovalev recorded his first hat trick as a Pittsburgh Penguin against Philadelphia goalie Brian Boucher

1944
Pittsburgh was shut out by the Hershey Bears, 11-0, to set an AHL mark for the highest scoring shutout

1936
The Pittsburgh Hornets played their first game at the Duquesne Gardens, beating the Cleveland Falcons, 5-2.

information obtained from PITTSBURGHHOCKEY.NET

Friday, November 5, 2010

Hilary and Haylie to be at Tonight's Game

I just read that Hilary and Haylie Duff will be at tonight's game against the Anaheim Ducks to support her hubby, Mike Comrie.  From Haylie's twitter:
Early morning audition, then excited to head down to anaheim for the pens game and cheer on Mikey! #GoComrie!
I'm pretty sure we'll have a sighting (probably along with a few other celebrities!)!! ; )  There's NO WAY Steigy will miss that!!

[UPDATE] Pre-Game Notes (Pittsburgh VS Anaheim) - Fleury in Net

[UPDATE]
Fleury will start in goal tonight for the Penguins

LATE START
don't forget that tonight's game starts at 10:00 PM

RETURN OF DADDY DUPUIS
despite the recent birth of his daughter, Lola, last Wednesday, Dupuis will return to tonight's lineup as will Sidney Crosby (who did not participate in yesterday's practice - he had bruised knuckles - no, I'm not kidding)

LINE COMBINATIONS (projected from this morning's skate)
Kunitz-Crosby-Dupuis
Cooke-Malkin-Comrie
Talbot-Letestu-Asham
Rupp-Adams-Godard/Kennedy

ANAHEIM INJURY / LINE INFO
Kyle Chipchura (C), concussion - day-to-day
Matt Beleskey (LW), concussion - out indefinitely
Dan Sexton (RW), broken nose - out until mid-November
Joffrey Lupul (F), blood infection - out until mid-November
Andy Sutton (D), broken right thumb - out until late November

WBS Weekend Games Preview

by Maureen L.

This weekend, the Baby Pens will play 3 consecutive games. They’ll start the weekend in Rochester against the Rochester Americans tonight (Friday, 11/5), return home tomorrow to host the Syracuse Crunch, and then head back to Rochester on Sunday for another matchup with the Americans. Let’s take a look at what’s on ice for the Baby Pens this weekend.

The Rochester Americans:
The Americans (Amerks) currently sit in fifth in the Western Conference. With 11 games played, they hold a record of 6-4-1. Some big contributors to their success:
  • RW Michal Repik is currently the 8th leading scorer in the AHL and leads his teammates with 13 points in 11 games (3G/10). His great start isn’t a huge surprise for Amerks fans, Repik was recalled a total of 8 times last year by the Florida Panthers for a total of 19 games in which he had 5 points. 
  • Powerplay - The Amerk’s power play has been gaining steam and is 9th in the league 
  • Veteran Christ Taylor returned to the lineup during their recent road trip bringing with him a scoring touch (2 goals in 3 games).
What the Baby Pens need to do:
  • Shut down Repik and Co.: Similar to the Pens, the Amerks rely on scoring from numerous team members. Shutting down Repik is a good place to start, but a strong backcheck will be important to help minimize scoring opportunities for other guys like Clay Wilson (D) and Chris Taylor (C)
  • Strong PK: The Baby Pens have been on a great streak with their penalty kill and they will need it against the Amerks. Avoiding bad penalties and a strong penalty kill will be important since the Amerks do a good job of cashing in on their power play chances.
  • Take the shots: Goaltender Jacob Markstrom has started 9 of the Amerks 11 games and is 4-5. He isn’t off to the best start with a 3.34 GAA and a save percentage of .89. The fact that the Penguins goals are coming from so many different players could prove to be a challenge for Markstrom.
The Syracuse Crunch:
The Crunch currently sit at 8th in the conference with a record of 4-3-1-1 but have been getting some big contributions from a few players that could move them up in the standings. With already suffering a shoot out loss and an OT loss they could easily be 6-3 and in a different spot in the conference.

Key Factors:
  • New Faces and Fresh skates: Rookies Nick Bonino (2G/7A) and Nicolas Deschamps (4G/3A) are both on six game scoring streaks. Luca Sbisa made his debut with the Crunch on October 22 and quickly jumped into the scoring race with 4 points in his first 2 games. He has a point in all 5 games he has played with the Crunch.
  • Powerful Kill: The Crunch has a stellar penalty kill, ranked second in the AHL. The only team with a better PK, the WBS Pens.

What the Baby Pens need to do:
  • Stay Strong and Even: With the top two PK units going up against each other, it will be a challenge for both power plays. Taking advantage of even strength scoring chances and rebounds will be key for the Pens to get the goals they need.
  • Back and Forecheck: With the hot streaks some of the Crunch players are on, the backcheck will be critical to prevent the Crunch from getting too many chances. If the Baby Pens can get the forecheck going, they can create and possibly cash in on some scoring opportunities.
  • With some offensively hot players in the Crunch lineup, goaltending will be extra important. Defensive positioning will be key in this game.
The Baby Pens are 8-0 right now. Here’s hoping that on Monday morning they are 11-0. Good Luck guys!

As always, you can listen to the radio broadcast of the game at: http://player.streamtheworld.com/_players/entercom/player/?id=WDMT

You can watch a webcast of the games at: http://www.ahllive.com/

The games in Rochester on Friday and Sunday will be broadcast on TWC 26/98 (Rochester). Saturday’s game at home will be shown on WQMY-TV (W-B/Scranton).

COVERING ENEMY TERRITORY - Anaheim

UP NEXT: ANAHEIM DUCKS
(5-7-1, 11 points)

In net tonight: Jonas Hiller (projected)


CHECK BACK FOR UPDATES THROUGHOUT THE DAY!!

On this Date in Pittsburgh Penguins History

2007
Penguins back-up goalie, Dany Sabourin, earned his first NHL shutout after stopping 20 of New Jersey's shots

1974
Pittsburgh played their first game in the Kemper Sports Arena in Kansas City; they were winless in seven games (0-5-2) heading into this game which was their first ever against the Scouts

information obtained from PITTSBURGHHOCKEY.NET

Wednesday, November 3, 2010

Pre-Game Notes (Pittsburgh VS Dallas)

MALKIN, LETANG, GOLIGOSKI, MICHALEK
all the above players were present and participating at practice today; it's been all, but confirmed by HC Bylsma that they'll be in tonight's lineup against the Stars (check back)

INTERESTING NOTE:  Malkin CENTERED the 2nd line alongside Cooke and Kennedy - see below

LINE COMBINATIONS (projected from this morning's skate)
Kunitz-Crosby-Comrie
Cooke-Malkin-Kennedy
Talbot-Letestu-Asham
Rupp-Adams-Godard

seven defensemen were rotated

DALLAS INJURY / LINE INFO
NO INJURIES for the Dallas Stars

Curry, Thiessen Honored for Role in 8-0 Record

by Maureen L.

The AHL announced Monday that Baby Pens netminders John Curry and Brad Thiessen are co-winners of the Reebok/AHL Goaltender of the Month away for October.

Curry and Thiessen split goaltending duties evenly at 4 starts each and their combined efforts helped the Pens to perfect record in October of 8-0.

To honor their achievement, Curry and Thiessen will be presented with etched crystal awards prior to an upcoming Penguins home game.

Congrats to both John Curry and Brad Thiessen. Keep up the great work guys!

Tuesday, November 2, 2010

Pens Injury Update - Malkin, Letang, Goligoski, and Michalek Likely to Return for Dallas

According to the Penguins webpage,

HC Bylsma says he's "optimistic" that Malkin, Letang, and Goligoski will all return to the lineup for the game against Dallas tomorrow night, but there's a chance that they'll call up a player from WBS just in case.
"(Goligoski) feels like he's better (Tuesday) and will be able to go tomorrow," Bylsma said. "Same thing with Kris and Geno. They finished the skate and did the whole practice. We'll wait to see in the morning."
Malkin told reporters,
"I skated before practice to see how my knee feels," Malkin said. "It's not sore. It feels pretty strong. It's alright.

"I'm ready now for the next game."
Letang said the following about his injury:
"It's progress, I feel better," Letang said. "We didn't make a decision yet. We'll see tomorrow morning."

"It's not that I can't hold my stick or anything like that," Letang said. "I can shoot. It's not the hardest shot I can take. ... It needs to heal. There is a pain when I get a pass, it vibrates in my fingers and my hands.

"It won't get worse. It's just a question of time to feel comfortable."
The site is also reporting that Zbynek Michalek will also return against the Dallas Stars in tomorrow night's game.
"I feel good and I’m ready to go. My skating has been good. I’m really excited for tomorrow. I still feel it a little bit, and I’m going to feel it for a few weeks here, but I feel confident. It’s strong enough now and I’ve been practicing for a week and I didn’t have any problems. So I’m really confident."

Staal Breaks Hand

by Maureen L.

Yesterday the Penguins reported that Jordan Staal left practice early with an upper body injury. The Penguins reported later yesterday afternoon that Staal is having surgery this morning to repair a fracture in his right hand and will be out for as long as 6 weeks.

While this is an obvious set back for the Penguins, GM Ray Shero was able to find a silver lining of sorts. While Shero didn’t speak with Staal after the injury occurred yesterday, he did text briefly with the 22 year old center.
“He had worked really hard to get to this point, which isn’t surprising because that is the way that he is, he will do the same thing with this injury. There has to be a silver lining with everything. For me, it’s that he will get a chance to get a significant portion of our season in. That is the good news.”  – Penguins GM Ray Shero
Remember, NHL season is 82 games long, and the Penguins have only played 12 of those games. While it’s frustrating to lose a key player for an extended length of time, the loss is usually easier to absorb in the earlier part of a season. With 85% of the Penguins season still left to play, it’s a bit too early to hit the panic button. Ray Shero touched on this when he spoke to Jason Seidling this afternoon.
“I keep saying this, but if he is going to miss the first 12 games, 30 games or whatever it is, it’s much tougher to hear that a guy is going to miss the remainder of the season when he gets hurt in February. We’ll move on and give some other guys more opportunities and kind of go from there.”
Taking conservative estimates on Staal’s return, I did a few calculations. Let’s assume for argument’s sake that Staal returns to the ice for the December 20th matchup with Phoenix and plays all the remaining games. That would put him in the lineup for 49 games, almost 60% of the Penguins regular season.

While the injuries sustained in rather freakish accidents have delayed some of the Penguins plans and proved to be a bit of a challenge for Staal and his teammates, all is not lost. The important things right now are for Staal to heal and for the Penguins to continue to work on the areas where they are weak or inconsistent.

Bottom Line: Setback? Yes. Is the season over? Not even close. While we may be a few weeks from this bingo game being ready to roll, we don’t have to cry or wind our watches yet.

Staal to Have Hand Surgery Today for Broken Bone

Ray Shero announced yesterday that Jordan Staal will undergo surgery today to repair a fractured right hand and could miss up to six additional weeks.

Staal suffered this new injury during practice yesterday after being hit with a puck (he left about 45 minutes early).  Dr. Glenn Buterbaugh will perform the surgery.

CHECK BACK FOR UPDATES ...

WBS: Perfect Pens Go 8-0-0 in October

by Maureen L.

On a hockey loaded weekend filled with both tricks and treats, the Baby Pens came through with a big treat for their fans. Heading into the weekend 6-0 at the top of the Eastern Conference standings, they terrorized the Adirondack Phantoms on Friday night with a final score of 4-1. Saturday night, they faced the Hershey Bears for the third time this season, and Chris Connor’s 3 point night helped lift the Baby Pens to 8-0-0 and a 3 point lead over the rest of the AHL.

Let’s take a look at some of the key factors in the Baby Pens hot streak.
  • Good Goaltending: With Curry and Thessien both holding records of 4-0 and solid save percentages, the Pens can rely on the performance of the guys between the pipes. Curry’s save percentage is 94% and Theissen’s is 93%. Both goaltenders are off to good starts for the season and have looked comfortable and sharp in games.
     
  • Everyone Chips In: The Baby Pens have been able to rely on contributions from many members of the team, not just a select few. On Saturday against Hershey, Chris Connor scored his first 2 goals of the season, but he wasn’t the only contributor. The Baby Pens also had goals from Vitale, Tangradi, Hutchinson, and Sill settling the final score at 6-2. The night before, against the Phantoms, the Baby Pens 4 goals came from Craig, Johnson, Sneep, and Boulerice. This kind of team effort in putting points on the board is another key weapon. When a team is getting goals from everyone on the ice, it strains opponents in how they play, strategize and counterattack. The more weapons in the arsenal, the harder it is to defend against the attack.
     
  • Powerful Penalty Kill: The Baby Pens have killed 31 consecutive penalties dating back to October 15th in Charlotte, NC. That may not seem like a big deal at first but when you consider that the Hershey Bears had 7 power play opportunities in Saturday night’s game, it gives an idea of just how hard their PK units are working during games. Having a strong penalty kill is key against some of the high powered offensive teams that the Penguins have faced (like the Hershey Bears) and will face (Worcester Sharks) in upcoming games.
So congrats to the Baby Pens for such a great start to the season! Keep up the great work guys.

The Baby Pens next game is against the Rochester Americans, this Friday 11/5. The puck drops at 7:35 pm. Let’s see if the Baby Pens can make it 9-0. Look for updates on their weekend matchups through the week.

Monday, November 1, 2010

Pens Injury Update - Staal, Malkin, Letang, and Goligoski

According to HC Dan Bylsma, Staal left practice about 45 minutes early today due to an upper-body injury and is curretnly getting evaluated.  When asked about how discouraging he thought it was for Staal, he said, "I can tell you my own feelings. And it’s disappointing on a couple levels. But mostly it's personal for Jordan, because he’s had a difficult offseason and training camp. And then to get to the point where you’re looking to coming back to play and possibly having to deal with another injury is disappointing."

PLAYERS WHO ARE CURRENTLY "DAY-TO-DAY"
  • Malkin
  • Letang
  • Goligoski (left practice after 15 minutes on the ice)

This Month's Mustache Boy

[UPDATE]
they did not have a shootout competition at yesterday's practice, so it looks like a day or so before we have a new "mustache boy" crowned!!

STAY TUNED for the announcement later today!!

[UPDATE #2] Off-Day Notes - Staal Left Practice with Upper-Body Injury

[UPDATE #2]
the Pens just reported via Twitter that Staal suffered an upper-body injury during practice ... let's hope this doesn't push back his recovery time!!

it's been reported that Staal left practice early today even after speculation is that he'll return to the ice on Wednesday (I'll keep you updated!)

PRACTICE
the team practice today at the Iceoplex at

PLAYERS ABSENT FROM PRACTICEMalkin and Letang did not participate in today's practice; Malkin left the game against the Flyers early on Friday and was not in the lineup on Saturday against Carolina; the Penguins webpage is reporting that Letang is out with an upper-body injury (and that HC Bylsma will update them later on both players' status

LINE COMBINATIONS
Dupuis-Crosby-Kunitz
Comrie-Staal-Kennedy
Cooke-Letestu-Asham
Talbot/Rupp-Adams-Godard

six defenseman rotated

On this Date in Pittsburgh Penguins History

2003
Ryan Malone's overtime goal beat the Boston Bruins, 3-2

2000
Martin Straka was stopped on a penalty shot against San Jose's Nabokov

1995
Mario Lemieux tied a team record with six assists in one game - in a 10-0 win vs. Tampa Bay.

Penguins' back-up goalie Ken Wregget recorded his second shutout with them by stopping 38 shots from Tampa Bay


1992
Lemieux scored a goal against the Tampa Bay Lightning, the last of a 12-consecutive game scoring streak to set a team record

information obtained from PITTSBURGHHOCKEY.NET

Duff Decked Out in Penguins Gear!

Last Friday, the Penguins played the Philadelphia Flyers.  And the following day, a 'celebrity gossip' blog posted the following:


which starts out saying, "It’s a hockey night in Pittsburgh! (Whatever that means.)"  REALLY?  I guess!!! 

ANYWAY ... it reported that Hilary tweeted “Got my hat on representing and ready for a win tonight!!! Let’s go pens!!” complete with a picture (BELOW)!!


I don't have much of a clue when it comes to fashion, but "ugly?" Really?  Its corduroy with a Pens logo ... WTF is so "ugly" about that????  WTG, Hilary ... keep supporting your hubby AND THE PENS!!!! ; )

Saturday, October 30, 2010

Happy Halloween from the NHL (featuring Malkin Goal)

Perhaps a day early, but I figured you may as well have some time to enjoy it!!

The Penguins posted the latest NHL commercial (for Halloween) that features, among a few others, Malkin's "flying through the air" goal on Ottawa's Brian Elliott (during the Pens' 5-2 win over the Senators on October 18th).

"These guys are good - scary good!"
HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!


More WBS Player Appearances (November)

Tuesday, November 9
Carl Sneep
Weis Markets in Clarks Summit - 6:00-7:00pm Tuesday, November 9

Geoff Walker
Georgetown Deli and Beer in Wilkes-Barre 7:00-8:30pm (Coors Light Star Bar)

Wednesday, November 10
Brett Sterling
Grotto Pizza in Wilkes-Barre 7:00-8:30pm (Coors Light Star Bar)

On this Date in Pittsburgh Penguins History

1988
Pittsburgh set a team record for most penalties in a game against the New York Rangers (32 for 158 minutes).

information obtained from PITTSBURGHHOCKEY.NET

Friday, October 29, 2010

Pre-Game Notes (Pittsburgh VS Philadelphia)

IN NET
speculation has been that Fleury will start in goal tonight for the Pens; it's been all, but confirmed by HC Bylsma

LINE COMBINATIONS (projected from this morning's skate)
Kunitz-Crosby-Dupuis
Asham-Letestu-Malkin
Cooke-Talbot-Kennedy
Rupp-Adams-Comrie

PHILADELPHIA INJURY / LINE INFO
Ian Laperriere (F), post-concussion syndrome - out indefinitely
Michael Leighton (G), back surgery - out until late November
Matt Walker (D), right hip surgery - out indefinitely

A Little Penguins History To Go With the Unveling of Pittsburgh's 2011 Winter Classic Uniforms


jtyerse / Flickr

COVERING ENEMY TERRITORY - Philadelphia

UP NEXT: PHILADELPHIA FLYERS
(4-4-1, 9 points)

In net tonight: Sergei Bobrovsky (projected)

Philadelphia Flyers webpage
Familiar rivals meet as Penguins host Flyers (10/28/2010)
Steady as he goes (10/27/2010)

The Mercury

Flyers get another shot at Penguins (10/29/2010)

Philadelphia Daily News
Road trips strengthen Flyers' family ties (10/29/2010)

The Philadelphia Inquirer
Flyers demote winger Zherdev to fourth line (10/29/2010)



CHECK BACK FOR UPDATES THROUGHOUT THE DAY!!

On this Date in Pittsburgh Penguins History

2003
Mario Lemieux records his 1,700th career point - in ONLY 887 GAMES - on an assist of Dick Tarnstrom’s goal vs. the NY Islanders (making him the sixth player in NHL history to reach the mark)

1989
Pittsburgh and New Jersey each scored five power-play goals to set a team record for most power-play goals for both teams in one game

1986
Kevin LaVallee scored his first hat trick with Pittsburgh on NJ Devils goaltender Alain Chevrier

information obtained from PITTSBURGHHOCKEY.NET

Thursday, October 28, 2010

A Little Penguins History To Go with the Unveiling of Pittsburgh’s 2011 Winter Classic Uniforms


jtyerse / Flickr


MORE 2011 Winter Classic Uniform Pics

Here are a few more pictures from earlier today when Jordan Staal and Evgeni Malkin modeling the new 2011 Winter Classic jersey / uniforms.

PHOTO: 2011 Winter Classic Jersey

Geno and Staalsy modeling the new uniforms
(check out the striped socks!)
Penguins Winter Classic jerseys will be available for sale to the public the week of Nov. 15. They will be available at numerous retail outlets, including Dick’s Sporting Goods and the PensGear stores at CONSOL Energy Center.

The Penguins just unveiled their jersey for this season's Winter Classic!!  MORE PICS TO FOLLOW!!!

Penguins Unveil Winter Classic Jersey TODAY!!

Today after the Penguins workout / practice, the team will be unveiling their special, third 2011 Winter Classic jersey ...

It will be during a "jersey ceremony" at which the players will be wearing the jersey ... Penguins LIVE will be covering it and detailing it over the radio (around 1-1:15 PM).

CHECK BACK for details!!

Monday, October 25, 2010

Two Players Re-Assigned to WBS

The Penguins just announced that they've sent forward Eric Tangradi and defenseman Andrew Hutchinson back to their AHL affiliate in WBS.

With both Jordan Staal and Arron Asham on IR, this leaves the Penguins with 23 active players on the roster.  It's believed that Asham will return to the lineup on Wednesday against Tampa Bay and it would appear that Brooks Orpik may also make a return with Hutcinson's demotion.

We will see on Wednesday.

Saturday, October 23, 2010

Upcoming WBS Penguin Promo Appearances

Tuesday, October 26
Nick Johnson
Comcast Store at the Mall at Steamtown - 5:30-7:00pm

Tuesday, October 26
Joe Vitale
Maxie's (Plymouth) 7:00-8:30pm

Wednesday, October 27
John Curry
Major League Sports Bar (Sugar Notch) 7:00-8:30pm

WBS Pens Preview

by Maureen L.

The Baby Pens have a doubleheader at home this weekend, hosting the Hershey Bears and the Binghamton Senators. Let’s take a look at what the Baby Pens are facing this weekend.

The Hershey Bears:
The Bears come into this game as the reigning, back to back, Calder Cup champions. As the AHL affiliate of the Washington Capitals, they bring with them a pretty solid roster including former WBS goaltender Dany Sabourin. The Bears are 2-1-1 coming into the game with the Baby Pens who are undefeated coming off a huge weekend with Charlotte Checkers.

The Binghamton Senators:
The Senators stand with a 2-3 record on the season so far and seem to be struggling to find their groove. They will be looking for strong goaltending from either Mike Brodeur or Barry Brust. The Senators will also need the offensive production of goal scorers Butler and O’Brien.

Key items for both the Bears and Senators:
  • Defense needs to focus on preventing the Penguins offense from getting their game going. Top point producers for the Baby Pens are Dustin Jeffrey, Tim Wallace, and Nick Johnson.
  • Score early and often. The Penguins can be stingy with scoring chances as the game goes on and have shown they are capable of capitalizing on mistakes and opportunities late in the game.
Keys for the Pens:
  • Goaltending. Both Thessian and Curry have looked good in net but will need to be on top of their games this weekend.
  • Preventing their opponents from getting points on the board is a big thing, especially against Hershey. The Bears and Pens already met once this season already and the game ended in a shootout victory for the Pens.
Listen LIVE to the WBS Penguins this weekend at:

Thursday, October 21, 2010

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

Despite Bylsma's decision to keep Fleury out of the net for the past few games, Fleury has continued to maintain his bubbly personality while adding a serious "back-to-business" type of mentality to it.  I think the time probably did him some good and I'll be anxious to see how it translates when he's back in the net.
 
Here's what he had to say today when asked about the issue (CLICK HERE to listen to the podcase from the Penguins webpage!):

On if he’s mentally fragile:
I’m just looking forward to getting back in the net. I’m not thinking about being fragile. I want to get back in there, play a game, stop the puck. That’s where my focus is and that’s what I want to do. I’m excited to get back in there. It’s been a while.

On being tired of addressing the issue:
I want to do well. The team is winning. It’s tough. I just have to forget about it and do my best next time.

Pre-Game Notes (Pittsburgh VS Nashville)

IN NET
nothing has been confirmed yet, but it's expected that HC Bylsma will give Fleury the go-ahead in goal tonight although it's being reported how well Johnson does against the Preds, so we'll probably be in suspense until gametime

LINE COMBINATIONS (projected from this morning's skate)
Kunitz-Crosby-Dupuis
Comrie-Letestu-Malkin
Cooke-Talbot-Kennedy
Tangradi-Adams-Rupp/Godard

Martin-Letang
Goligoski-Lovejoy
Hutchinson-Engelland

NASHVILLE INJURY / LINE INFO
Ryan Suter (D), lower body - day-to-day
Marcel Goc (F), separated shoulder - out 2 to 4 weeks
Matthew Lombardi (F), concussion - out indefinitely
Jamie Lundmark (F), groin - day-to-day

Thursday, October 14, 2010

The First Win at the CONSOL Continues to Elude the Penguins

Penguins Release Schedule for Third and Winter Classic Jerseys

Kris Letang and HC Bylsma
(Sam Kasan / Penguins.com)
The team had practice at the Iceoplex today wearing their alternate blue [practice] uniforms.  They will also be unveiling the special jersey for the Winter Classic later this month.

The schedule for the third jersey and Winter Classic jersey:

Oct. 15 - NY ISLANDERS (Third)
Oct. 30 at Carolina (Third)
Nov. 17 - VANCOUVER (Third)
Nov. 27 - CALGARY (Third)
Dec. 6 - NEW JERSEY (Third)
Dec. 26 at Ottawa (Third)
Jan. 1 - WASHINGTON (Winter Classic)
Jan. 8 - MINNESOTA (Third)
Jan. 22 - CAROLINA (Third)
Feb. 10 - LOS ANGELES (Winter Classic)
Feb. 23 - SAN JOSE (Third)
March 12 - MONTREAL (Winter Classic)
March 27 - FLORIDA (Third)

Fleury with new "alternate" pads
(Sam Kasan / Penguins.com)

In Memory: Taylor Vit (1987 - 2010)

by Maureen L.

CoolCatsHockey.com
It has already been reported that on Monday, October 11, University of Kentucky senior Taylor Vit passed away from injuries sustained in a car accident on Sunday October 10. Police report that Vit was not wearing his seat belt and was traveling alone. Many thoughts and prayers go out to Taylor’s family and friends, his teammates, and the entire UK community for this tragic loss.

Taylor Vit was a senior at UK, one of the team’s assistant captains, and a dynamic hockey player. A native of Villanova, PA (near Philadelphia), Taylor transferred to UK in his sophomore year. He was absolutely dynamic and a huge part of the UK team, leading the team in scoring. In his first year with the Wild Cats, he put up 51 points in 32 games (24G, 27A). He exploded last season, logging, 89 points in 33 games (39G, 50A). This season, he was off to a fantastic start with 18 points in the first 5 games (9G, 9A). The Wildcats are currently 7-0 on the season, a record they’ll hope to improve on this weekend when they play in the ACHA D2 Showcase in Youngstown, OH. They’ll be playing the tournament in memory of Taylor. The Wildcat’s general manager, Ian Ward described Vit as “an extremely good hockey player” as well as a bright student with a good sense of humor.
"He was the epitome of success in a young man. It's tragic, and the loss to the team is going to be as big as you can ever imagine."
Brian Shlonsky / Kentucky Kernel
On Thursday, October 7, Vit’s 7 goals helped lead the Wildcats to 17-2 victory over the Louisville Cardinals. On Saturday, October 9, the Wildcats hosted the Cincinnati Bearcats. In what would turn out to be Taylor’s final game, they beat the Bearcats, 12-8. Interviewed after the game, Vit spoke with pride about what he and his teammates had accomplished to start the season but was also focused forward on the upcoming tournament.
“You couldn’t ask for anything more than to be undefeated. Teams will try to play their best now knowing that we haven’t lost yet and the games will just get harder and harder. It will give us a chance to get better.
Asked about the upcoming tournament: “We get to play good teams that we don’t usually play. It’s a great opportunity to show we can play and to impress the rankings committee. We just have to be prepared to play on the road. We have to be ready to play just like we do back home. If we can play like we’re home, we can find ourselves with some quality road wins.”

As his teammates replaced their Facebook images with his jersey number (14) and resumed practice on Tuesday, they were joined with the UK hockey community in mourning the loss of one of their own. Teammate Danny Graham expressed just how tough it will be without him. He described Vit as the backbone of the team and leaving shoes that are impossible to fill. Vit wasn’t just a team favorite but a crowd favorite as well. Chris Martin owns the pro shop that overlooks the rink where the Wildcats practice and compete and spoke highly of the talented young athlete, remembering the last time Vit had come in to have his skates sharpened.
"Sitting on that couch right there, just sitting waiting on his skates. He was really quiet. He was a quiet guy, and he was kind of a gentle type of a person. Everybody here is going to miss him, even down to the parents and the guys at the concession stand will miss him," Martin said, "It's just going to take some time."
While working on this piece, I had the opportunity to speak with Char, a UK student and hockey fan who knew Taylor personally. She told me about meeting him at a party her freshman year and how he made her feel instantly welcome. She also told me a little about watching Taylor play:
“I loved to watch him play. The first thing I noticed about him was his fluidity. It sounds crazy, but he was so smooth on the ice. He had a quiet way about him, but once he was on that ice, he made you look. It wasn't hard to see that he was the heart of that team. Taylor was an amazing person. He was classy on and off the ice. And that’s a special kind of hockey player.”
Charles Bertram/KentuckySports.com
Obviously Taylor Vit’s importance as a friend, teammate, classmate, player, role model, and member of the UK Community cannot be diminished. He will be with his teammates through every game this season, win or lose. The Kentucky Kernel featured a piece by one of Taylor’s teammates, Patrick Sullivan, in which he wrote:
“Club hockey players only get five years of eligibility, but Taylor will be an active member of the team forever and I don’t think a single fan, player or official, will mind.”
No, we won’t mind. Taylor Vit will always be a part of University of Kentucky hockey. Number 14 will forever hold very special spot on the Wildcats roster.

You can read Patrick Sulivan’s entire column here: http://kykernel.com/2010/10/12/hockey-team-becomes-hockey-family/

I also want to extend special thanks to Char G. for sharing her personal experiences.

Sources: