Pittsburgh Post Gazette:
Ruutu is Penguins new cult hero
Hal Gil has been big pickup
Pittsburgh Tribune Review:
Holding pattern continues
ESPN.com
Caps force game 7
Anyone besides me hoping for a Pens/Caps series? We haven't had one of those since 2001 when the Pens beat the Caps in 6 games in the first round. In fact the Pens are 5-1 against Washington since 1991. I'll be rooting for the Caps tonight!
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Today's Penguins Links
Penguins Second Round Opponent Update
With Montreal's 5-0 trouncing of the Boston Bruins last night and Washington remaining alive in the playoffs with a win over the Flyers, we will have to wait until tonight to learn who the Pens second round opponent will be. We do know that it will be either the Capitals or the New York Rangers. If the Caps win game 7 against the Flyers tonight it will be the Caps, otherwise it will be the Rangers.
My thoughts...bring on the Caps!!!!
Monday, April 21, 2008
Today's Penguins Links
From the Pittsburgh Post Gazette:
Gonchar gets defensive with critics
From the Pittsburgh Tribune Review:
Gary Roberts will be available for game 1
From ESPN.com:
Crosby and Ovechkin plyaoff bound (video)
Penguins Second Round Opponent
It could be known tonight who the Pens will play in the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Here is what could possibly happen:
- If Boston wins then Pittsburgh will play Boston.
- If Montreal wins and Washington wins game 7 tomorrow night then Pittsburgh will play Washington.
- If Montreal wins and Washington does not win the series then Pittsburgh will play the New York Rangers.
- There is no possibility that Pittsburgh will play Philadelphia in this round.
Once the opponent is known check back for a series analysis.
Saturday, April 19, 2008
Why the Penguins beat the Senators
In case you've been wondering...
Goaltending - first and foremost, Marc Andre Fleury was outstanding in net. He gave up only 5 goals in the four games against the Sens to post a 1.26 GAA and a SV% of .955 and a shutout. He only have up more than one goal in game 2 where he gave up 3. Fleury is my pick for MVP of the series.
Special Teams - The Pens were 6 of 23(26.1%) on the power play and held Ottawa to 1 goal on 13(92.3%) penalty kills. Nuff said.
Defense - Pittsburgh defensemen allowed only 5 Ottawa goals in the series. Of those 5, four occurred in the second period and only one in the third. Ottawa did not score a goal in the first period of any game in the series. Pens defensemen were able to get to the puck before the Senators forwards could and were able to get the puck up the ice and out of the defensive zone without much problem.
The matchup of Brooks Orpick and Sergei Gonchar, who were primarily paired up against Ottawas first line, held that line to no even strength goals. This is the same line that accounted for nearly half of Ottawa's goals in the regular season.
Offense - The Pens scored goals when they needed to. And even when they didn't need to. In fact they pretty much scored whenever they wanted to.
Role Players - the third and fourth liners contributed to the overall success of the team by chipping in a bunch of goals and controlling the tempo of the game when they were on the ice.
Coaching - Bryan Murray did all he could to motivate his players. Too bad it wasn't enough. Not sure that this bunch of players could have been motivated at all. They looked like they knew they would be beaten from the opening face-off of game one.
Friday, April 18, 2008
A Pleasant Surprise - Versus HD
Let me start this out by saying the I am a High Definition freak. Hockey is sooooo much better to watch on TV when the broadcast is in HD. The problem is that FSN does not broadcast in HD for away games, which I cannot do anything about at this point in time, and also that my cable company did not offer Versus HD. Well imagine my surprise yesterday when I was looking for something to watch and while looking through the channel guide I noticed that Versus HD had been added to my channel lineup. Just in time for the Stanley Cup Playoffs!! (well, at least the next three rounds).
I also wanted to point out how great the Playoffs coverage has been on Versus. There has been two games broadcast every night since round 1 started and they have selected very interesting games to televise. The analysts have been dead on most of the time and the camera work spectacular. I do remember being disappointed at the first few games last season that Versus broadcast - but they have gotten much better at their coverage. So, if you have not checked it out lately, I implore you to do so. Quality hockey coverage at a great price!
Thursday, April 17, 2008
Today's Penguins Links
From puckthathit.com
Ottawa-outtathere
From The Ottawa Sun
We Got Outplayed
From NHL.com
Unhappy ending for the Sens
Pens Finish off Sens 3-1 Sweep Series
Pittsburgh completed a sweep of the Senators in their first round matchup last night, 3-1. Pens goals by Malkin, Ruutu and crosby chipped in an empty netter with 7 seconds left to put that final nail in the coffin. Jarkko Ruutu had the series winner at 15:28 of the second. Marc Andre Fleury was the number one star of the game though. He stopped 21 of 22 shots in the game and 107 of 112 in the series. He only allowed 5 total goals in four games.
More analysis to come later...
Next Up - Either the Capitals, Rangers, Bruins or Devils. The Pens will just have to wait a few more days to find out.
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
What the opposition is reading
Ottawa Sun Front Page:
Sens won't quit
These Penguins believe in magic
Fans feel Sens desperation
Seriously? Resorting to "burning twigs" for good luck. Maybe if they did some voo-doo dolls in the likeness of a referee some of the calls would go their way too!
And there's some speculation that the Pens are going to "throw" this game just like "they tanked on the last regular season game against the Flyers" just so the series can come back to the 'Burgh for a game 5 ensuring the team an extra home game and the revenue that goes with that. Poppycock! Obviously there are going to be home playoff games when the Pens advance to the Conference Semi Finals after they beat the Senators. There could be as many as 4 home games in the next round if the series were to go to 7. Why would they want to blow a first round game against a team that has all but conceded defeat and sacrifice several of the extra days off that they will earn when they win tonight? That's just asinine!
Today's Penguins Links
TSN:
Senators on brink of elimination
Pittsburgh Post Gazette:
Penguins have sweep dreams
Crosby and Malkin are encouraging king-of-the-hill rivalry
Pittsburgh Tribune Review:
Pens third line shows Shero's influence
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
Today's Pens Links
NHL.com
Pens Put Sens on the Ropes
Pittsburgh Tribune Review
Crosby ruins Senator's hopes
ESPN.com
Pens Malkin lurks in the shadows
Game 3 Roundup: Pens 4, Sens 1
The Senators scored 1:11 into the second period to claim their first lead of the series. It lasted for the next 4:30 until the Pens Talbot scored his first NHL Playoff goal to tie the game. The Pens never looked back.
Senators captian, Daniel Alfredsson, made a surprise start that had his team fired up coming out of the gate. They did everything they could in the opening period to get a puck past Marc Andre Fleury but were unable to notch a goal. Once Talbot scored, there was a plapable sense in the arena that the Senators time was coming to an end. Everyone knew it.
The Pens took over in the third period. Ottawa's gas had run out and it was Penguin time! Crosby scored his first goal of this playoff season twelve seconds into the period. Staal got his first just 1:18 later. Marian Hossa got his first playoff goal as a Penguin nearly midway through the period. The Sens looked like a tired bunch the rest of the way. They know that they are beaten.
Hossa was awarded the NHL's #1 Star of the Night for his effort.
My #1 star goes to Hossa as well. He played a great game, as he has this entire series, and earned an assist on top of the point for the goal.
Maybe Ottawa Senators management is pondering the message that the mural they posted yesterday is sending to the Pens? There is still time to take it down before the series is over.
Tomorrow night at 7pm at Scotiabank Place is where the Pens will close out the series. Watch the action on FSN, listen at WXDX or here
Monday, April 14, 2008
Ottawa Mural
Ottowa Senators to the Penguins: We think you need a little more motivation so what were going to do is post a mural of our own Senators receiving the congratulatory handshake from you Penguins after we eliminated you in 5 games last season...
Story here
Think it'll work out for the Sens??
Sunday, April 13, 2008
What the Opposition is Reading
From the Ottawa Sun:
Front Page
Pens best besting Sens
Sens do not have a clean slate
And on a lighter note
Game 2 Roundup: Pens 5, Sens 3
Recap - The Pittsburgh Penguins managed to take game two of their first round series against the Ottawa Senators 5-2. And it was actually much closer than the final score indicates. The Pens jumped out to a 3-0 lead by outshooting the Senators 31-13 at the midway point of the game. But by the end of the second period Ottawa had been able to put two garbage goals past March Andre Fleury to bring the score to 3-2. Ottawa tied up the game at 8:51 of the third but home town hero, Ryan Malone, put the game out of reach for Ottawa at 18:58 and added an empty netter with 7 seconds remaining.
Pens goals by Sykora(2), Gonchar and Malone(2).
Ottawa goalie, Martin Gerber, was outstanding in goal for the Sens. He stopped 49 of 54 shots that the Pens threw at him, including 40 in the first 40 minutes. His stellar play was the only reason it wasn't 8 or 9 to 2 after the first two. The 54 shots the Pens posted was a playoff record high for the franchise.
Analysis - Pittsburgh has the momentum and the confidence to win this series in the next couple of games. They became a little lackadaisical during the second half of Friday night's game but were able to pull together and take back a game that they nearly gave away.
What remains to be seen is whether they will retain the confidence and momentum with a two day break and traveling to Ottawa.
The Pens have been very strong on special teams. They've only given up one power play goal to the Sens in the first two games and have scored on 4 of the 11 odd man advantages they have had.
Marc Andre Fluery has been very strong, posting a 1.50 GAA and a .946 SV% along with his first career playoff shutout in game 1.
Evgeni Malkin's 6 points leads all NHL shooters in the playoffs. He has one goal in 5 assists.
Next Game - Monday 4/14 in Ottawa. 7pm FSN, WXDX or listen here.
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