CONFIRMED: Kovy (Alexi Kovalev) a Penguin Again!!

CONFIRMED!!  The Penguins just announed that they've acquired Alexei Kovalev for a "conditional" 7th-round draf pick!!

Early reports have been that Alexei Kovalev is once again a Pittsburgh Penguin!!!

Both TSN and ESPN are reporting that Pittsburgh has acquired Kovalev for a 7th-round draft pick.  I will keep you updated as this is confirmed ...

CHECK BACK!!

On this Date in Pittsburgh Penguins History

2001
Alex Kovalev scored his fourth hat trick with Pittsburgh against the NY Rangers

1996
Mario Lemieux and Jaromir Jagr both score their 50th goals of the season in a 5-4 win over Hartford

Information obtained from PittsburghHockey.net

BACK-CHECKING THE ENEMY (Pens-0, Caps-1)

Pens
(36-20-5, 77 points)

 Pens - 0, Caps - 1

Washington Capitals webpage

RECAP (02/21/2011)

Washington Post
Capitals vs. Penguins: Neuvirth's 39 saves, Ovechkin's goal lift Washington to 1-0 win over Pittsburgh (02/21/2011)
Capitals Insider blog
Caps, Penguins put an emphasis on defense (02/21/2011)
Ovechkin, Neuvirth lead Capitals to beat Penguins (02/21/2011)

Washington Examiner

Ovechkin, Neuvirth lead Capitals to beat Penguins (02/21/2011)

On this Date in Pittsburgh Penguins History

1997
Mario Lemieux moved into sixth place on the NHL scoring list (ahead of Stan Mikita) against the Edmonton Oilers

1990
Paul Coffey and Troy Loney tied a team record for the fastest two goals in a game by scoring six seconds apart against the New York Islanders in a 4-3 win (they tied with teammates Mark Recchi and John Cullen who set the record six days earlier!)

Information obtained from PittsburghHockey.net

QUICK Pre-Game Notes (Pittsburgh VS Washington)

AHL CALL-UP
the Pens called up defenseman Brian Strait

IN / OUT
defenseman Paul Martin is out while Jordan Staal (playing with a protective shield) is in for tonight's game; the two new players aren't playing in tonight's game; I've also heard that Nisky has been on IR, but haven't been able to confirm that

IN NET
Fleury

SIDNEY CROSBY
the "talk" among hockey analysts is that the trade made today is Shero's way of letting the team / NHL know that Crosby will return sometime this season ... I'm not sure I have an opinion on it either way (honestly, I would rather not see Crosby return and hold off to get back into it next season - the concussion worries me; so I guess I DO have an opinion!)

WASHINGTON INJURY / LINE INFO
Mike Green (D), inner-ear trauma - day-to-day
Tom Poti (D), lower body injury - day-to-day
Eric Fehr (F), shoulder - out 2-3 weeks

The Trade - Pens Make Out (Again)

TRANSCRIPT OF SHERO'S CONFERENCE CALL

As all of you have probably already heard, Penguins GM Ray Shero made a trade earlier this afternoon.

Defenseman Alex Goligoski was traded to the Dallas Stars in return for forward James Neal and defenseman Matt Niskanen (yes, one of the most recent players in the elite group who have scrapped with Sid).

Shero continues to amaze me with these deals.  I believe the Pens made out again here.   These two players are young and talented especially Neal (and they're coming from a Stars team that is doing pretty well this season compared to the last few seasons).

Shero on Neal:

“There aren’t many of these young, power guys in the game,” he said. “Neal on our list is one of the better ones in the game. He’s got some room to grow.

“This is really the first young winger that we’ve gone out and gotten. Chris Kunitz was 27 or 28 when we got him. Neal, being just 23, this is the hockey trade that we’ve been looking for. I think this will be a good fit for him in the long run. … We have a pretty good forward group now.”

I welcome this trade mostly because I wasn't too attached to Gogo and I always look forward to how the new players fit in with the Pens.  According to a few of my Stars fan friends, they believe Neal will be incredible paired up with Sid and / or Geno which is always something to look forward to!

THANKS for the memories Gogo ... and WELCOME Neal and Nisky!!  And just in case any of you need a little reminder about the Crosby-Niskanen fight ... check it out below!!

Injury Updates - Add Nick Johnson to the List

According to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette today, Nick Johnson left the ice during practice at Southpointe yesterday. 

Coach Dan Bylsma declined to give specifics but said Johnson is doubtful for the game Sunday at Chicago, and, with no other injured players due back imminently and six games in eight days starting Sunday, the Penguins likely will promote another player from the American Hockey League.

Today, the Penguins webpage reports that he (N. Johnson) did not participate in practice at all today and that he suffered an "upper body injury" at practice yesterday.

ASHAM
Bylsma revealed to the PPG that Arron Asham "has concussion-like symptoms."

"He has been progressing -- he has gone to exercise," Bylsma said. Still, Asham has been downgraded from day to day to being out indefinitely.

KUNITZ (undisclosed injury) and LETESTU (arthroscopic knee surgery)
both players skated at the end of practice with conditioning coach Mike Kadar

"It's good to see progression and just to see the reaction from the guys, get them on the ice, have a little cheer, even though they're out there in their track pants," Bylsma said.

JEFFREY
he's being fitted for a brace (leg problem) but is probably the closest of he, Kunitz, and Lestestu to returning

CROSBY and MALKIN
Nothing new to note on Crosby; Malkin had surgery on his right knee a few weeks ago (torn ligaments) but made an appearance in the locker room to see the guys ... "He's one week into a six-month rehab," Bylsma noted.

On this Date in Pittsburgh Penguins History

2007
In a game against the New York Islanders, Ryan Malone became the first player in NHL history to record a hat trick and score all three of his goals in the first minute of each period – No. 1, :45 seconds into the first period; No. 2, :49 seconds into second period and No. 3, :48 seconds into third period.

1992
The Penguins obtained Jeff Chychrun, Brian Benning and first round choice in 1992 Entry Draft from Los Angeles for Paul Coffey and also acquired Rick Tocchet, Kjell Samuelsson, Ken Wregget and a conditional draft pick from Philadelphia for Mark Recchi, Brian Benning and Los Angeles' first round choice in 1992 Entry Draft.

Information obtained from PittsburghHockey.net

Pre-Game Notes (Pittsburgh VS Colorado)

DON'T FORGET ... TONIGHT'S GAME STARTS AT 9:00 PM (est)

IN NET
Fleury (projected)

LINE COMBINATIONS (projected from today's skate)
Sterling-Staal-N.Johnson
Dupuis-Adams-Kennedy
Rupp-Talbot-Conner
Craig-Vitale-Wallace

SIDNEY CROSBY
Sid has been "upgraded" to the light workout phase; the progress may be slow, but its still progress which is good news!!  HC Bylsma reminds everyone that he needs to be symptom-free

COLORADO INJURY / LINE INFO (it would appear that tonight's teams are pretty evenly matched as far as injured players are concerned)
Matt Duchene (F), hand injury - out indefinitely (IR)
Kyle Cuminsky (D), whiplash - out indefinitely (IR)
Tomas Fleischmann (F), pulmonary emboli - out for the remainder of the season (IR)
Adam Foote (D), leg - out at least one week (IR)
T.J. Galiardi (F), forearm - out 6-8 weeks (IR)
Jonas Holos (D), head - out indefinitely
Peter Mueller (F), head - out indefinitely (IR)
Kyle Quincey (D), shoulder - out for the remainder of the season (IR)
(IR) = injured reserve

COVERING ENEMY TERRITORY - Colorado

UP NEXT: COLORADO AVALANCHE
(25-26-6, 56 points)
In net tonight: Peter Budaj (projected)
TONIGHT'S START TIME: 9:00 PM (est)

Colorado Avalanche webpage
PREVIEW: Reeling Avs Set To Host Pens (02/16/2011)
Avalanche Farm Report: Feb. 15 (02/15/2011)
Duchene Listed As Day-To-Day (02/15/2011)

The Denver Post
Avalanche's Matt Duchene listed day-to-day with hand injury (02/15/2011)
Avs' Peter Forsberg retires from hockey (02/15/2011)
ALL THINGS AVS blog
Avs recall Olver from Lake Erie (02/15/2011)
Sacco: “The responsibility is on my shoulders” (02/15/2011)
Avs might not have Duchene for Penguins (02/15/2011)
Focal Dystonia: Is this the condition Forsberg had? (02/15/2011)
Flames torch Avs, Penguins up next (02/14/2011)

On this Date in Pittsburgh Penguins History

2010
Former Penguins forward Ryan Malone became the first Pittsburgh native to score a goal in Olympic hockey competition when the US defeated Switzerland, 3-1

2007

• The Penguins extended their road unbeaten streak to eight games (6-0-2) and matched the franchise record for the longest streak of points in consecutive road games, which the Penguins first established from March 14-April 14, 1993

2005

• The NHL cancelled the remainder of the 2004-05 season, becoming the first professional sport in history to lose an entire season to a labor dispute

1996

• Tom Barrasso earned his tenth shutout with Pittsburgh after he stopped 32 shots from the Winnipeg Jets

1995

• The Penguins beat the Hartford Whalers, 5-2, and extended the team’s unbeaten streak to 13 games -the franchise’s longest win streak at the beginning of a season (1995 was strike-shortened)
• Luc Robitaille scored four goals against Hartford's Pokey Reese - his first hat trick with the Pens
• Pittsburgh obtained Wendell Young from the Tampa Bay Lightning for future considerations

1990

• Mark Recchi and John Cullen scored 0:06 apart at Winnipeg in a 3-3 tie. It is the fastest two goals in team history. The feat was matched just six days later by Paul Coffey & Troy Loney who scored 0:06 seconds apart vs. NY Islanders

Information obtained from PittsburghHockey.net

GO, JOHNNY, GO, GO ... JOHNNY BE GOOD!!

I LOVE this team ... the fact that BJ came out to defend Cookey after DiPietro made a punk move to come out of his crease and trip Cookey ... seeing all the smiles on Pittsburgh's bench (EVEN ORPIK!)!!  That's just classic and its (one of the MANY REASONS) why I LOVE HOCKEY ... it's a physical chess match on ice!