Pens Mustache Boy: February 2011

The Penguins held their monthly shoot-out competition at practice today to crown the new "mustache boy" and this month's "winner / loser" is ZBYNEK MICHALEK!!!

FEBRUARY'S "LOSER" - Zbynek Michalek ("BEFOREstache" pictured left; pretty clean-shaven!)

from the Pens webpage:

MICHALEK'S THOUGHTS -

On the shootout at the end of practice, and getting a last chance on Fleury:
He made a pretty good save. Give him credit. It was my last chance, but it didn’t work.
On if he’s looking forward to the mustache:
No, not really. I never had one. This is going to be the first time, so we’ll see how it’s going to look.
On Mike Rupp’s mustache:
I don’t think the guys were too happy with Rupper. I think there was some shaving or something going on. So I have to make sure I follow the rules. I don’t exactly know how it works here, but I’ll have to ask the guys.
On what his wife will think:

My wife knows that it’s part of the deal. I told her that I will probably lose one of these one of the months on the season.
On if he feels even more a part of the team now:
I guess. Everyone has to go through it at least once, and it makes you part of the team. It’s fun to do, and it’s something that they’ve been doing for a while.

RUPP'S THOUGHTS -

On shaving his mustache:
I didn’t know we were doing it today. I had clippers I was going to bring to the bench. But we’ll get it off here as soon as I shower. The worst part, I think, is that I haven’t really shaved in a couple years. I usually just use the clippers and keep the stubble. That was the worst part, just shaving the rest.
On advice for Michalek:
I have a feeling it’s going to take him a while to see something. You just don’t want to lose the second time. I was down to the last five there so I got a little nervous.
On if he would ever keep it:

Absolutely not. If I would have gone on a run, then maybe. Last year, Billy (Guerin) went on a scoring tear when he had his. But that didn’t really happen for me. So we’re not too concerned about keeping it.

AND BE SURE TO JOIN THE"Pens 'Stache Tracker" FACEBOOK GROUP for the latest / greatest info & pics!!!

2011 All-Star Weekend Schedule

Both Marc-Andre Fleury and Kris Letang will represent the Penguins this weekend at the 2011 All-Star game in Raleigh, NC while Sidney Crosby (still recovering from a concussion) and Evgeni Malkin (recovering from a sinus infection / illness) will not participate in this weekend's festivities.  Interesting fact:  all four Penguins players voted into this year's All-Stars were in the TOP 6 (the other two were Chicago Blackhawks' Jonathan Toews and Duncan Keith)!!

HERE IS A SCHEDULE OF EVENTS SET FOR THIS WEEKEND:

FRIDAY, January 28th @ 8:00 PM (est) - NHL All-Star Fantasy Draft

SATURDAY, January 29th @ 7:00 PM (est) - NHL Superskills Competition
SUNDAY, January 30th @ 4:00 PM (est) - All-Star Game (CLICK HERE FOR ROSTERS)

For more information, including a list of ALL the events for those of you attending the All-Star weekend in Raleigh, visit the official 2011 NHL All-Star webpage.

AND DON'T FORGET ... check out The Guardian Project which will "come to life" at the 2011 All-Star game!!

A new franchise between iconic superhero comic creator, Stan Lee (SLG Entertainment company), and the NHL - Guardian Media Entertainment, LLC (GME) - have formed to create The Guardian Project.  PRESS RELEASE HERE.

[It] will feature 30 Guardians, representing all of the teams in the NHL. The Guardians are superheroes that incorporate numerous NHL elements not seen in the actual world of hockey.

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT ALL 30 GUARDIANS, CLICK HERE!  Pittsburgh's Guardian, "The Penguin," is pictured below!

On this Date in Pittsburgh Penguins History

1999
Peter Skudra earned his second career shutout against the Toronto Maple Leafs (stopping 21 shots)

1989
Rob Brown recorded his third hat trick scoring three goals against the Detroit Red Wings

facts obtained through PITTSBURGHHOCKEY.NET

What Are Some of the Penguins Players Doing Over "All-Star" Break???

COURTESY OF the Penguins webpage yesterday ...

MARK LETESTU
He and his wife are returning home (Fort Myers, FL):

“We’re going to Fort Myers, Florida,” Mark Letestu said. “(My wife) deserves a little vacation. She’s been hanging around Pittsburgh by herself for a while. It’s nice just to get away for a couple days and recharge for the remainder of the year.”

CRAIG ADAMS
He and his family are taking a trip to Disney World over the weekend:

“It kind of snuck up on us and we were trying to think of something to do,” Adams said. “It was actually my wife’s idea. I think it’s great, Rhys will really enjoy it. He’s really excited. We’ve got the propaganda going with the Disney stories just to get him excited.”

BEN LOVEJOY
He's taking a trip Palm Beach, FL

MAX TALBOT
He's also taking a trip:

“I’m going down south to get some sun,” Talbot said. “Hopefully it’s going to be nice out.”

PASCAL DUPUIS
He and his family are staying in Pittsburgh since he wasn’t able to get a passport for his daughter in enough time:

“We couldn’t really plan anything, so we’re just going to stay around here,” Dupuis said.

BRENT JOHNSON
He and his wife are headed back home to Michigan:

“She’s got a baby shower back home, so we’re using the opportunity to get that in for her family,” Johnson said. “It’s going to be a lot of relaxation with my family.”

ALEX GOLIGOSKI
He's headed home:

“I will be going back to beautiful, sunny Minnesota,” Goligoski joked. “I’m just going back to relax. Break’s going to be good, especially this time of year.”

“Things kind of can be a little mentally grinding,” Goligoski said. “I’m going to rest up for that and get ready for the home stretch.”

On this Date in Pittsburgh Penguins History

2004

Pittsburgh's Brian Holzinger is stopped on a penalty shot by Tampa Bay's John Grahame and Marc-Andre Fleury stopped Tampa Bay's Dan Boyle on a penalty shot (it was the second time in team history that each team had a penalty shot in the same game)

2002

• Johan Hedberg stopped 39 shots from the New Jersey Devils for his third shutout with the Pens

1999

• the Penguins played their first game against the expansion Atlanta Thrashers and skated to a 4-1 win at the Mellon Arena

1996

• Penguins introduced an alternate (third) jersey
• Mario Lemieux scored his 36th hat trick (against Philadelphia)

1994

• Ken Wregget stopped 38 shots from the Quebec Nordiques to earn his first shutout with Pittsburgh

facts obtained from PittsburghHockey.net

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

BETTER LATE THAN NEVER (this post was written the day after the game, but I never got around to actually posting it; it was the talk of the internet the day after this game - January 12th)

If any of you were / are wondering what Fleury was doing crossing his arms in a brief pose at the sound of the buzzer marking the end of the game a few weeks ago on January 12th (pictured left), the answer lies in what occurred at the end of the last game the Pens played against the Habs.  It was pretty much Fleury taking a jab at Canadiens goalie Carey Price who, in their previous meeting after stopping all 5 of the Pens shootout attempts to win the game over them 2-1, he stood up and struck a similar pose (pictured below).

When asked about it, Fleury had this to say, "I just thought that's how we celebrate in Montreal," Fleury said, when asked why he did it. "I don't know. For a laugh."

WATCH VIDEO of this interview (and of the pose) below - courtesy of The Score!!!

And to all of those Habs fans who are in an uproar about Fleury's actions, I only have ONE THING to say, "ole, ole, ole, ole, O-LE, O-LE!" [and maybe your goalie should concern himself more with his consistency (LACK thereof) instead of taunting the opposing team when he simply does his job as a goalie!!]

On this Date in Pittsburgh Penguins History

2006
Pittsburgh acquired defenseman Cory Cross and forward Jani Rita from the Edmonton Oilers in exchange for defenseman Dick Tarnstrom

Mark Recchi became the 38th player in NHL history to score 500 goals

1997

• Mario Lemieux scored four goals in one period against the Montreal Canadiens (tying the NHL record for most goals in a period and making him the 11th player to do so)

1993

• Larry Murphy became the ninth defensemen in NHL history to record 800 points (recording his 800th point against the Washington Capitals); Kevin Stevens scored his ninth hat trick with the Penguins and Jaromir Jagr was stopped by Don Beaupre on a penalty shot

1991

• Mario Lemieux returned to the Penguins lineup at Quebec after missing 50 games with a back injury

facts obtained from PittsburghHockey.net

Pens Mustache Boy: January 2011

The Penguins held their monthly shoot-out competition at practice today to crown the new "mustache boy" and this month's "winner / loser" is MIKE RUPP!!!

According to the Penguins webpage, it came down to Engelland, Goligoski, and Rupp (it would've been a shame had it been Engelland after his good fortune of signing an extension today!)!!

Engelland beats Brent Johnson stick side. Goligoski scores five-hole. Down to Rupp. A score and the three players have to keep going, or else Rupp will have some extra lip fur for a month.

JANUARY'S "LOSER" - Mike Rupp ("BEFOREstache" pictured left; not a real stretch)

AND BE SURE TO JOIN THE"Pens 'Stache Tracker" FACEBOOK GROUP for the latest / greatest info & pics!!!

Engelland's Contract Extended

Engelland (Pens webpage)

The Penguins announced earlier today that they have extended defenseman Deryk Engelland's contract to three years.

The new contract goes into effect at the start of the 2011-12 season and will run through 2013-14. The average annual value of the deal is $566,700 over the term of the contract.

Even though Engelland is a defenseman and Eric Godard is a forward, I would think this extension may affect Godard getting re-signed with the Pens ... there's only so much room for enforcers and right now the team has more than their share (Engelland, Godard, Asham, etc.).  And Engelland has not only done a good job enforcing, he's produced for the team as well.