The Steel City Sports Fan (Penguins Edition)

Friday, April 10, 2009

thePORTAL at NHL.com

thePORTAL is a new feature on NHL.com being launched on Monday, April 13th to give the hockey fan a new experience during the Stanley Cup Playoffs. There's not much information about it and they're keeping everything "top secret" to create a buzz, so stay tuned to NHL.com on April 13th for thePORTAL!!

Behind these doors is everything you ever wanted and everything you would want if you knew such things could exist.

NHL Draft Drawing - April 14th

The drawing for the 2009 NHL Entry Draft will be televised LIVE a day before the start of the Stanley Cup Playoffs on Tuesday, April 14th at 8 PM. The drawing will determine the first 14 picks involving teams that did not qualify for the playoffs and will take place at NHL's New York City office.

The 30-minute program will be simulcast on Versus in the US while the results will be streamed LIVE on NHL.com and TSN.ca.

The 2009 NHL Entry Draft will be held at the Bell Centre in Montreal, Quebec with the first round taking place on Friday, June 26th at 7 PM and subsequent rounds (2 - 7) will begin at 10 AM on Saturday, June 27th.

Thursday, April 9, 2009

Pre-Game News (UPDATE)

MAXIME TALBOT
The Penguins webpage reports that Talbot will be given the night off to rest.

PHILIPPE BOUCHER [UPDATE]
The Penguins webpage also reports that Boucher will take Hal Gill's place in the lineup tonight.
“It’s been a while,” Boucher said. “You can prepare in practice or whatever but nothing compares to playing in a game so it will be good for me to get in and see where I am at and see where the injury is. I’ve been skating great in practice and hopefully I can feel pretty good in the game.”

“(We wanted) to give him a chance to get in there and get his feet wet, get back to his timing and game shape and get used to our system,” Bylsma said. “This is a better situation for him to get back to our team and our system and to get game acclimated.”
Boucher will return to the lineup tonight for the first time since January 30th, but it's unknown as to which D-man will sit out.

“Philippe Boucher will get in definitely,” Bylsma said. “He’ll be in (Thursday).”

STARTING GOALIE [UPDATE]
The Penguins webpage has confirmed that Garon will be the starting goaltender for the Penguins tonight against the NY Islanders.

Whether it's tonight or Saturday, Garon will start in net for the Pens one of the last two games but it has yet to be confirmed which.

UP NEXT: NEW YORK ISLANDERS

(26-44-9, 61 points)
In net tonight: Yann Danis (projected)

New York Islanders webpage
PREVIEW: Isles Face Pens Tomorrow (04/08/2009)
NYI Injury Report (last updated 04/07/2009)

On the Islanders Beat blog
Gordon named Team USA assistant (04/08/2009)

Islesblogger

Doug Weight Signed to One Year Extension (04/07/2009)

Penguins Fan Appreciation Night Tonight!!

The above picture is of one of my favorite "Fan Appreciation Night" moments -- this little boy, Antonio I think his name was, was just SO EXCITED to get a jersey from THE Sidney Crosby that he just kept rambling on and on about how great it was and that he was going to hang it up in his room, etc. All Crosby was trying to do was get him to spell his name so he could sign his jersey -- it was just the cutest thing (this pic really captures the moment well)!!

Does anyone else feel like the season flew by way too fast??!! I can honestly remember when I was anxiously waiting for the first regular season game to start (well, the first regular game AFTER they returned from Sweden!)!! Can you believe that the Penguins last regular season home game is tomorrow with only one game remaining in the regular season after that (Saturday against Montreal)??!!! AMAZING - it goes faster and faster every season and I think it's because I enjoy it more and more (and I become bigger fan every year if that's even possible!)!!! How can you not? Hockey is such an awesome sport / game!

Here's some things those of us who will be there have to look forward too (YES -- I'll be there!):

Prior to the game's start, the team's annual awards ceremony will take place and fans are asked to be in their seats by 7:25 PM. After the game, twenty three "randomly chosen*" fans will be the lucky recipients of a game-worn jersey(literally worn during the game that very night) from one of the 23 players (including scratched and injured players).

Other prizes will be awarded to fans all throughout the night as well.

“We receive incredible support from our fans, as evidenced by our 106-game sellout streak, and this gives us one more chance to say ‘thank you,’ to the people who make it all possible,” said team president David Morehouse.

*I use the term "randomly chosen" very lightly because I believe they choose these fans from a pool of STH and they are all well aware who they are before they even show up at the game that evening. Not that I'm saying there's anything wrong with honoring the STH because Lord knows they fork over a buttload of cash during the season (and I aspire to be one in the near future - ; ) ), but let's just call it what it is instead of sugar-coating it with "randomly chosen" since it's not very random as far as which fans they choose from. And I'll get off my soap box for now!

On this Date in Pittsburgh Penguins History

April 9, 1993

Penguins set a league record for the longest winning streak in NHL history with their 16th consecutive win, a 10-4 victory over the New York Rangers; the Pens extend the record to 17 games with a 4-2 win versus the Rangers on Apri. 10th.

Wednesday, April 8, 2009

Pens - 6, Bolts - 4

Tampa Bay Lightning webpage
RECAP: Penguins 6, Lightning 4 (04/07/2009)

Tampa Tribune
Another tough night for Lightning (04/07/2009)

St. Petersburg Times
Tampa Bay Lightning's skid continues against Pittsburgh Penguins 6-4 (04/08/2009)
Coach Rick Tocchet on Tampa Bay Lightning: 'I think we're close' to turnaround (04/08/2009)
Lightning Strikes blog
Malone breaks hand (04/07/2009)
Tocchet: "It can turn around pretty quick" (04/07/2009)

CBS 47 Jacksonville
Penguins hold off Lightning to clinch playoff spot (04/07/2009)

WTSP-TV Tampa
Crosby scores twice on Lightning, Penguins head to playoffs (04/07/2009)

Raw CHARGE blog
Game 80: Pittsburgh at Tampa Bay (04/07/2009)

Penguins Benchmarks

**Penguins clinch a playoff spot with win**

PASCAL DUPUIS -- 200 NHL career point (last Sunday, 04/05/09)

SIDNEY CROSBY -- 100th point this season (04/07/09)

PETR SYKORA -- 300th NHL career goals (finally!! - 04/07/09)

EVGENI MALKIN -- 301 points in 240 career games* (04/07/09)

Penguins Players to reach 300 points Fastest (Top 5)

#1 - Mario Lemieux (186 games)

#2 - Paul Coffey (214 games)

#3 - Sidney Crosby (219 games)

#4 - Evgeni Malkin (240 games)*

#5 - Kevin Stevens

On this Date in Pittsburgh Penguins History

April 8, 1970

Penguins beat Oakland, 2-1, in their first ever playoff game.

Tuesday, April 7, 2009

Pre-Game News

MINOR LINEUP CHANGES (according to this morning's skate)
Kunitz-Crosby-Guerin
Fedotenko-Malkin-Sykora
Cooke-Staal-Kennedy
Dupuis-Talbot-Godard

Orpik-Gonchar
Eaton-Letang
Gill-Scuderi

ERIC GODARD / CRAIG ADAMS
Godard will replace Adams in the lineup tonight making Adams a healthy scratch (which makes all of us Godard fans happy!).

STARTING GOALTENDER
Fleury will again start in goal tonight for the Penguins against the Bolts.

It's Now 10:10 AM - NO DICE!!!

[UPDATE]

In case any of you care to read about the tickets selling out this morning, you can visit the Penguins webpage where they have a little write-up.

But that doesn't matter anyway because I couldn't get tickets at 10:01 AM!!!!! I am SO PISSED right now!!! I have no idea why they were even allowing people to buy 5 tickets at a clip anyway -- how retarded is that?!!!!! Like stingy people aren't going to buy all 5 tickets and sell the rest for tons more money (YOU KNOW who you are!!!!) -- how fair is that to someone like me who was only asking for 2 measley tickets and still couldn't get any?!!!!! I'm hoping they change it next time around!!!!

All I know is that they better make the second round because I AM going to a game in that round, bitches!!

BASTARDS!!!!!

UP NEXT: TAMPA BAY LIGHTNING

(24-37-18, 66 points)
In net tonight: Mike McKenna (projected)

Tampa Bay Lightning webpage
Preview: Lightning Hope to Ice Penguins (04/06/2009)

St. Petersburg Times

Tonight: Tampa Bay Lightning vs. Pittsburgh Penguins (04/07/2009)

Agitator Zenon Konopka wants to impress Tampa Bay Lightning (04/07/2009)
Lightning Strikes blog
Another warning for the would-be slackers (04/06/2009)

Tampa Bay Online

Tonight's Lightning Game (04/07/2009)

Slide was a 'humbling experience' for St. Louis (04/06/2009)
Barrie Talks Frankly About Bolts (04/06/2009)
Offensive Struggles On Island Continue (04/05/2009)

Bolts Report blog

BoltsMag blog

Barrie'd (04/06/2009)

Penguins to Collect for "Fallen Heroes Fund"

This Thursday, the Penguins will be collecting donations for the "Fallen Heroes Fund" before the NY Islanders game at the Mellon Arena at 7:30 PM.

“The Pittsburgh Penguins organization joins the community in extending deepest sympathy to the families and friends of these three brave officers,” said team president David Morehouse. “By holding a collection at Thursday’s game we will enable our fans to contribute to the Fallen Heroes Fund, which will assist the officers’ families.”

This fund is to support the families of the three Pittsburgh police officers who were killed in the line of duty last Saturday.

For more information (and more on how / where to donate), visit the Penguins webpage.

On this Date in Pittsburgh Penguins History

April 7, 1985

Mario Lemieux scored his 100th point to become only the third rookie in NHL history to accomplish this feat (at that time).

Monday, April 6, 2009

Sid Sends a Message to Ballard

After the questionable hip-check on Malkin during yesterday's game against the Florida Panthers, Sid decided he was going to teach Ballard a few manners when it comes to the top players on his team and it ended with Crosby throwing him down on the ice. Seriously, that check looked a little low to me and Malkin was lucky he wasn't injured (he could've definitely landed wrong on his neck - you can see it in the video - just barely landed ok). He got an extra two minutes for "unsportsmanlike conduct," but I say, "YOU GO SID!"

I think the extra two minutes was crap only because Ballard was the one who threw his gloves off first (they could've at least given two minutes to both of them) - WHATEVER!! I don't like talking about the officiating, but it did seem a little one-sided yesterday and I think there was a little "homerism" going on there!!

Pens - 2, Canes - 4

Florida Panthers webpage
RECAP: Cats Dump Pens To Gain Ground (04/05/2009)

By The Numbers: Panthers 4, Penguins 2 (04/05/2009)

The Sun Sentinel

Panthers beat Penguins 4-2 (04/05/2009)

The Miami Herald
Recap: Florida vs. Pittsburgh (04/05/2009)

On Frozen Pond
Pittsburgh Postscripts (04/05/2009)

WPLG Local 10 Miami

Panthers Beat Penguins To Stay In Playoff Hunt (04/05/2009)

CBS 47 Jacksonville
Panthers double up Pens, move into tie for eighth in East (04/05/2009)

Sunday, April 5, 2009

On this Date in Pittsburgh Penguins History

April 5, 1978

Edward J. DeBartolo takes control of the club, having purchased one-third of the franchise the year before.

Penguins to Honor Fallen Officers

The Penguins webpage created a post honoring the fallen Pittsburgh Police officers and will be honoring them at the next home game on Thursday, April 9th with a moment of silence. "Other plans to honor them are being developed."

Pittsburgh [all of PA] in Mourning

I want to take the time to briefly mention yesterday's tragedy in Pittsburgh with the death of three Pittsburgh police officers and two others being injured in the line of duty.

My thoughts and prayers are with the family and friends of all five of these police officers as well as the Pittsburgh police and the entire community.

If you have the time, it's worth visiting the Pittsburgh Bureau of Police webpage to learn more about these fallen / injured officers: Officer Eric Kelly (deceased), Officer Stephen Mayhle (deceased), Officer Paul Sciullo, III (deceased); Officer Timothy McManaway (injured), and Officer Brian Jones (injured).

May the entire Pittsburgh community especially the police department, family, and friends of these brave officers find peace and comfort during this difficult time!