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Thursday, May 15, 2008

This is a good one...

I'm usually not one to call out opposing teams players but Steve Downey deserves it for taking a run at Petr Sykora after he gave the Pens a goal with his stupid turnover. This was emailed to me today and I thought it very fitting. LOL!

Wednesday, May 14, 2008

What the competetion is reading

Philly.com:

For the Flyers, the heart's there but the legs aren't

Miscue by Downie a real downer

Flyers goal: Don't get swept by Penguins

Game 3 roundup - Pens 4, Flyers 1

The Flyers have to be bewildered after losing game 3 to the Pens 4-1. Pittsburgh is now one win away from playing for the Stanley Cup and is looking to sweep Philadelphia out of the playoffs tomorrow night. Pens goals were scored by Whitney - his first of the playoffs and first in three months, Malone and Hossa got the game winner and added an empty netter at the end.

Philadelphia is going to have problems scoring goals for the remainder of the series. They are shell-shocked at the high level of defense the Penguins have been playing and are being outplayed on the boards. The Penguins are more physical and faster to the puck than any of the Flyers. If this series isn't over on Thursday night then there is no way if will go past 5.

#1 star of the night was Marian Hossa.

Here's a few quick stats from the Pens in this playoff run:

Pittsburgh has scored the first goal in 9 of the 12 playoff games. There is no surprise in the fact that they have won all 9 of those games.

Pittsburgh is 6-0 when leading after the first period.

The Pens have won the first 3 games in each of the 3 series.

Pittsburgh is the first team since the 1983 Edmonton Oilers to win 11 of the first 12 playoff games and only the fifth team to do so in NHL history.

Sid Crosby holds the lead for most points in the playoffs with 19. Malkin is tied for second with 18.

Monday, May 12, 2008

Game 2 roundup - Pens 4, Flyers 2

The Penguins took a 2-0 series lead with another win over the Philadelphia Flyers, 4-2. Pens goals scored by Crosby, Hossa, Talbot and Staal chipped in an empty netter to seal the victory. Marc Andre Fleury saved 30 of 32 for his 10th playoff victory.

The big story of the game was the grit and determination of the fourth line. Max Talbot, in his first game back after missing the past 4 games with a broken foot, got the game winner at 8:51 of the third. Talbot even being in the game brought about much controversy before the play even started. Pens head coach, Michel Therrien made the decision to scratch forward Adam Hall so Max could start the game. There was much talk about this decision since it is generally accepted that a winning line-up should stay on the ice. Once again, Therriens decision was the right one when Talbot put the game away in the third.

Another big question is why was the fourth line on the ice in the third period of a tied hockey game? When asked about this in a post game interivew, Talbot responded, "Scoring goals...Coach Therrien really trusts us on the ice."

There have been several moves that Therrien has made in the playoff run that could have turned the course of the game for the worse, but have not. His moves have all worked out as he expected and, in lasts night's case, even produced a game winning goal. I, for one, am becoming much more of a Therrien fan than I was before these playoffs began. I felt that he was easily out coached in last season's short playoff run and really expected much of the same this time around, but his team has really bought into the system and they play it as designed.

Talbot was named the NHL # 1 Star of the Night while Marc Andre Fluery got #3.

Next up - Tuesday night at Philly, 7:30 pm on Versus, WXDX or listen here.

Saturday, May 10, 2008

Game 1 roundup - Pens 4, Flyers 2

The Penguins have now made it 9 wins in 10 playoff games, and 6 of 6 at the Igloo, with a 4-2 beating of the Philadelphia Flyers. Pens goals scored by Malkin (2)m Crosby and Sykora.

All in all a very nice effort by the Pens, with the exception of the first ten minutes of the game, and a completely lackluster effort by the Flyers, again with the exception of the first ten minutes of the game. I do realize that Philadelphia has lost the first game of each series so far , and has managed to still make it to the Conference Finals, but if last night was the most effort they could put forth then it will be a very short series for the former Broad Street Bullies.

Now, being a pretty realistic guy, I will make the assumption that they were just not ready for the type of physical game that they got from the Penguins. And if this is the case then it will be a very different type of game tomorrow night for game 2. But the question that must be asked is this: Is there anyone that has any hockey sense whatsoever that truly believes the Flyers can beat the Pens in a run-and-gun type of game? The type of game that they got suckered into playing last night?

#1 star of the night goes to Evgeni Malkin. He was a force to be reckoned with again last night. Keep up the solid work Geno!

Friday, May 9, 2008

Rocky needs to wear a Pens Jersey

Someone needs to step up and get this thing done. This statue needs to wear a Pens jersey. Can one of the loyal Pens fans on the eastern side of the state put a jersey on this thing??

Send pictures to penshome@gmail.com

Thursday, May 8, 2008

Eastern Conference Finals preview - Pens vs. Flyers

The Pittsburgh Penguins will begin their series tomorrow night against the Philadelphia Flyers at 7:30 pm at the Mellon Arena. The series should be a hard fought, physical battle between two teams that share a great deal of animosity.

Regular Season - The Penguins took all 8 games from the Flyers in 2006 - 2007 season leaving the Flyers a bit sore about it. The series proved to be a close on for 2007 - 2008 with the Flyers winning 5 games to 3 with the last game being a loss in the last game of the season when the Penguins sat some of their players for a rest and to keep them safe from injury. While the Pens did give 100% in that game it was in their best interest to not get injured. Many looked on this as the Penguins throwing the game, but it was actually more self preservation. And the loss did lead to a first round series against the weakest Eastern Conference team in the playoffs instead of a match up against these same Flyers.

Playoff History - The Pens and Flyers have met 3 times in their histories in the playoffs with Philadelphia winning all three series'.

2000 Semifinals Flyers 4-2
1997 Quarterfinals Flyers 4-1
1989 Semifinals Flyers 4-3

This will be the first time these teams have met in the Conference Finals.

Keys to the series - The Flyers have a hot goaltender and a stonger offense than they have faced yet in this years playoff run. Of course, the same can be said for the Penguins. Marc Andre Fleury has been best in the East so far in the playoffs and the Penguins offense volatile with the exception of game 4 vs. the Rangers. Philadelphia has not had to shut down two high scoring lines and with the news that Flyers D Kimmo Timonen being out indefinately with a blood clot in his foot. The Pens offense, and how the Flyers are able to control Pittsburghs top tow lines, will be the largest determinate of which team will win this series.

Philly's forward, and Pittsburgh native, R J Umberger was tremendous against Montreal, scoring 8 goals in the series and being an offensive force. Look for the Pens to match up their top defense pair of Gill and Scuderi against Umberger's line. This pair has been able to shut down the top scoring line against the Rangers and Gill was paired with Orpik against the top line of the Senators.

Pens goalie Fleury and Flyers goalie Biron are both hot and at the top of the post-season statistics. Whichever goalie withstands the barrage of shots that will come his way best, will emerge the victor and move on the the Cup Finals.

Head coaches Stevens and Therrien have a good, healthy dislike for each other. They have met twice before in the playoffs, both times with the minor league team of their current organizations. They have both gone out of their way to call each other out on various occasions to send a message to their team as well as the other. That will not be any different for this series.

This should be very entertaining. Pens in 6.

Wednesday, May 7, 2008

What the opposition is reading

Philly.com

Expect physical series from Pens/Flyers

Flyers prepare for more mature Crosby

White Out on Friday

Penguins players are asking fans to wear white while attending the opening game of the Eastern Conference Finals on Friday night in Pittsburgh.

See story here.

All fans attending the game will be given a white T-shirt courtesy of Trib Total Media.

Tuesday, May 6, 2008

What the competition is reading

Philadelphia Examiner

Flyers vs. Penguins: diving, dumping, dislike

Umberger wants unhappy homecoming in Pittsburgh

Monday, May 5, 2008

Game 5 Roundup - Pens 3, Rangers 2 (OT)

The Penguins are advancing to the Eastern Conference Finals after taking the Rangers down in overtime yesterday afternoon, 3-2. Marian Hossa scored the series winner at 7:10 of the first overtime period. Hossa also had the Pens first goal of the game at 8:45 of the second period. Malkin knocked in the Pens second goal at 12:40 of the second period.

The Rangers were able to even it up in the third with two early goals. Both teams looked a bit skittish througout the rest of the game but the Pens got it together in the overtime period and were able to put the Rangers away once and for all.

Third liners Staal, Kennedy and Hall and the defense pairing of Gill and Scuderi were matched up against the Rangers first line most of the game. They were able to hold Jaromir Jagr to zero shots for the game, and the rest of the line to three shots, to effectively shut down the New York offense.

Hossa was named the NHL #2 star of the night.

Conference Finals Schedules Released

#1 Flyers at Penguins Fri 5/9
#2 Flyers at Penguins Sun 5/11
#3 Penguins at Flyers Tue 5/13
#4 Penguins at Flyers Thu 5/15
#5 Flyers at Penguins Sun 5/18*
#6 Penguins at Flyers Tue 5/20*
#7 Flyers at Penguins Thu 5/22*

* if necessary

Friday, May 2, 2008

Game 4 roundup - Pens 0, Rangers 3

The Penguins will have to wait until Sunday to wrap up their round 2 series against the Rangers. The Rangers won game 4, last night, 3-0.

It didn't seem as if the Penguins were ready to exert the effort that they needed to do to be competetive in the game. New York controlled the tempo and tone of the game from the first face off to the end. Lundqvist was spectacular in goal, but the Penguins missed at least 3 open net shots as well as Evgeni Malkin's pee wee league attempt at a penalty shot in the second.

Game 5 is Sunday 5/4 at 2pm. See it on NBC, listen at WXDX or here.

Ticket for game 5 will go on sale at 2pm Friday afternoon. There will be around 2,000 seats made available for the game. Tickets can be obtained by calling Ticketmaster at (412)333-1919, at the Mellon Arena Box Office or here.