Penguins beat themselves in Game 2 defeat

Yup, that was terrible. Marc-Andre Fleury was his normal choking dog self, the Penguins didn't finish their best scoring opportunities, and Chris Osgood stoned them time and time again. The series is now 2-0 in favor of the Detroit Red Wings. It's hard for even the most optimistic among us to see the Penguins getting out of this one. They'll probably win Game 3, but even then I can't see them winning the series. Unlike the Washington Capitals, the Red Wings know how to finish teams and actually play sound defensive hockey.

The referees directly assisted on the game winning goal, but it hardly matters when you play a listless brand of hockey for 40 of 60 minutes.

Notes-
-Fleury is an absolute joke of a playoff performer.
-Crosby was again a non-factor.
-Malkin, Cooke, and Fedotenko are the only Penguins who have come to play.
-F*ck our lives.
-The series will be over if the Pens falter on Tuesday.
-Flashbacks.
-Glad to see the Penguins learned nothing last year and continue to not care.
-They've even played okay, but it doesn't matter when your world class players don't finish.

Stanley Cup Finals, Game 2- Penguins @ Detroit Red Wings

The Penguins showed some signs of life in Game 1 of the Stanley Cup Finals, but they fell victim to a few bad breaks and bounces as the Detroit Red Wings took Game 1 in a rematch of last year's final series. The series is not quite over if the Penguins lose tonight, but it's extremely unlikely that the Red Wings would lose four out of five games. That means there has to be a sense of urgency.

The Pens need to be crisper on their passes and avoid making stupid decisions with the puck. Marc-Andre Fleury has to stay closer to the net to avoid again being tortured by the active boards at Joe Louis Arena.

Pavel Datsyuk is out again. Kris Draper will also be in the press box .

In the playoffs, every road team's goal is to earn a split in the other team's building. That can still happen.



Penguins-

Kunitz-Crosby-Guerin
Fedotenko-Malkin-Talbot
Cooke-Staal-Kennedy
Adams-Satan

Orpik-Gonchar
Eaton-Letang
Gill-Scuderi
Boucher

Fleury

Red Wings-

Franzen-Zetterberg-Cleary
Holmstrom-Filppula-Hossa
Hudler-Helm-Samuelsson
Leino-Abdelkader-Maltby

Lidstrom-Rafalski
Kronwall-Stuart
Ericsson-Lebda

Osgood

GO PENS!

Penguins blasted in Game 1

The Detroit Red Wings showed on Saturday night why they are the best hockey team in the world. They buckled down defensively and absolutely took it to an overmatched Pittsburgh Penguins team in Game 1 of the 2009 Stanley Cup Finals. This is not to say that the Pens can't find a way to beat the Wings, but the series will be all but over if Pittsburgh doesn't earn the split on Sunday night in Game 2. Marc-Andre Fleury, as is customary for him in big games, looked terrible. He was outplayed by the worst goalie in the league this year, Chris Osgood.

The game winning goal went to Johan Franzen, who took advantage of a rather fluky bounce off the lively Joe Louis Arena boards. Franzen took the bounce and through it in front, where Marc-Andre Fleury scored his second own-goal of the game by kicking the puck into his own cage.

Fleury's other marker came on an equally bad bounce off the boards on a shot by Brad Stuart. The puck bounced directly off the end boards and went in off of Fleury's behind.

Ruslan Fedotenko scored the only Penguins goal to make it 1-1 before the Wings took over.

Justin Abdelkader scored his first NHL goal for insurance just after the puck dropped on the third period.

Notes-
-Fleury was awful.
-Osgood robbed Evgeni Malkin on a breakaway.
-Sidney Crosby was completely shut down by Henrik Zetterberg
-Win on Sunday, or the series is over.

Go Penguins.

Stanley Cup Finals, Game 1- Penguins @ Detroit Red Wings

The Pittsburgh Penguins know what it's like to lose to the Detroit Red Wings. They did it just last year, remember, in this same Stanley Cup Final series. The teams have changed a lot since then, however, and there's no reason to believe that series will have any bearing on this one.

Marian Hossa has jumped ship from the Penguins' top line where he has since been replaced by Bill Guerin. Chris Kunitz joins Sidney Crosby and Guerin on the line that has terrorized the Eastern Conference during these playoffs.

Hossa plays for the enemy now and will no doubt have extra motivation going up against his former teammates. He left a long-term, lucrative offer from the Penguins on the table to get the best shot he could at the Stanley Cup. Needless to say, the irony would be tremendous if the Penguins can manage a way to beat him in the 2009 rendition of this rivalry.

Norris Trophy winner Nicklas Lidstrom and his partner Johnny Ericsson will be in uniform for Game 1 after missing time in the Western Conference Finals with injuries. Selke Trophy winner Pavel Datsyuk is unlikely to play, as is Kris Draper. If Datsyuk is out, the Penguins have an instant advantage, particularly Crosby and Evgeni Malkin.

With the Wings likely to focus mainly on Crosby's line, Malkin and Jordan Staal must step up and take advantage of the lower pairings for Detroit. If Malkin disappears like he did last year around this time, the Penguins are out of luck.

Marc-Andre Fleury will duel with Chris Osgood in net. Neither team has a distinct edge here.

Penguins-

Kunitz-Crosby-Guerin
Fedotenko-Malkin-Talbot
Cooke-Staal-Kennedy
Adams-Satan

Orpik-Gonchar
Eaton-Letang
Gill-Scuderi
Boucher

Fleury

Red Wings-

Franzen-Zetterberg-Cleary
Holmstrom-Filppula-Hossa
Hudler-Helm-Samuelsson
Leino-Abdelkader-Maltby

Lidstrom-Rafalski
Kronwall-Stuart
Ericsson-Lebda

Osgood

GO PENS!

Rematch! Pens face Wings in Stanley Cup Finals

With Darren Helm's overtime winner in Game 5 of the Western Conference Finals, the Detroit Red Wings have advanced to the Stanley Cup Finals where they'll meet the team they beat in that round last year, the Pittsburgh Penguins.

The Wings have a balanced attack, and there's no need to get into immense detail about their stars. However, the Penguins could have a huge advantage after some interesting developments in the nation's former automotive capital.

Nicklas Lidstrom and Pavel Datsyuk are both hurt and have missed the last two games with with lower body injuries. Those are the best two players on the team, and if they either cannot play or will play at less than 100 percent, the Pens will need to take advantage.

Datsyuk's injury could be a broken foot. At the very least, it is badly bruised. That means that if he gets the chance, Sergei Gonchar should blast a slap shot right at him...hard, low, and at the injured foot. It's not nice or classy, but the Penguins need to inflict as much physical adversity as they can on the Wings.

Saturday, May 30		at Detroit, 8:00 pm	NBC, CBC, RDS
Sunday, May 31		at Detroit, TBD-Night	NBC, CBC, RDS
Tuesday, June 2		at Pittsburgh, 8:00 pm	VERSUS, CBC, RDS
Thursday, June 4		at Pittsburgh, 8:00 pm	VERSUS, CBC, RDS
* Saturday, June 6		at Detroit, 8:00 pm	NBC, CBC, RDS
* Tuesday, June 9		at Pittsburgh, 8:00 pm	NBC, CBC, RDS
* Friday, June 12		at Detroit, 8:00 pm	NBC, CBC, RDS

*if necessary

Oh yeah...



"I've had enough of this. I'm playing for the other guys next year."

Okay, Benedict. The Pens better make him squeal.

Pens spit shine their shoes following sweep of Hurricanes

The Penguins had it taken to them by the Carolina Hurricanes in Game 4, but Marc-Andre Fleury repeatedly saved their bacon in a 4-1 victory that concluded a straight sweep of the Eastern Conference Finals. The now two-time defending conference champion Penguins will likely draw the Detroit Red Wings in a rematch of last year's final.

Eric Staal staked Carolina to a lead at 1:36 of the first period, but it was all Penguins from that point on.

Ruslan Fedotenko made a nifty deflection on a Phillipe Boucher slapper from along the goal line that tied the game at 1-1. Max Talbot then scored a rather fluky goal that beat Cam Ward on a high bounce, giving the Pens a lead going to the second period.

In the middle frame, Sidney Crosby fed Bill Guerin cross-crease for an insurance marker before the scoring was finally closed out by Craig Adams, who recieved a pass from Crosby prior to hitting an empty net in the final seconds.

The superstitious Crosby not only touched the Prince of Wales Trophy, but picked it up, grabbed it, and had his entire team touch it. A far cry from last year's thorough rejection of the trophy.

The Pens are going back to the Stanley Cup.

Round 3, Game 4- Penguins @ Carolina Hurricanes

The Pittsburgh Penguins can clinch their second consecutive berth in the Stanley Cup Finals on Tuesday night when they visit the RBC Center for Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals. The Penguins grabbed a 3-0 lead in the best-of-seven series with a 6-2 hammering of the Carolina Hurricanes. Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin stole the show with five points between them.

Bill Cowher is sounding the Canes' customary warning siren for their home conference championship game. As Pittsburghers can attest to, Cowher is atrocious in home conference championship games. So the Pens have that much on their side.

There is some speculation that prospect Drayson Bowman will dress and replace Erik Cole, but again, that is purely speculation. The Canes have nothing to lose and their lineup hasn't worked so far, so it shouldn't be ruled out.

Penguins-

Kunitz-Crosby-Guerin
Fedotenko-Malkin-Talbot
Cooke-Staal-Kennedy
Adams-Satan

Orpik-Gonchar
Eaton-Letang
Gill-Scuderi
Boucher

Fleury

Hurricanes-

Whitney-Staal-LaRose
Bowman-Cullen-Eaves
Samsonov-Jokinen-Walker
Bayda-Brind'Amour-Ruutu

Seidenberg-Pitkanen
Gleason-Corvo
Wallin-Kaberle

Ward

GO PENS!

Penguins bury Hurricanes in Game 3 rout

Evgeni Malkin and Sidney Crosby played like the best two players in the world on Saturday night as the Penguins ousted the Carolina Hurricanes, 6-2, in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Finals at the RBC Center in Raleigh. The Pens now hold a nearly insurmountable three games to none lead in the best-of-seven series.

Matt Cullen opened the scoring 246 seconds after the opening faceoff thanks to some shoddy defensive coverage by Matt Cooke. Cullen roofed it on Marc-Andre Fleury. Carolina looked to have all the momentum. That would soon change when Crosby and Malkin took over the rest of the period.

On a powerplay, Malkin gathered in a bouncing puck off of Tim Gleason and beat Ward effortlessly on a mini-breakaway.

Things quieted down until Crosby converted a Bill Guerin feed at the top of the crease with 42 seconds left in the first period, a great passing play by Chris Kunitz, Crosby, and Guerin. Malkin then beat Cam Ward out of the corner with a wrister that went in through the five-hole.

Sergei Samsonov got Carolina back into it with a rebound marker at 1:58 of the final frame before the Penguins overwhelmed Ward. Ruslan Fedotenko and Guerin's goals sandwiched a long-range empty netter off a faceoff by Mario Lemieux Craig Adams.

Notes-
-The Penguins are going to the Stanley Cup Finals, regardless of Game 4's outcome.
-They have outclassed Carolina in every way during this series.
-Fleury was good when he had to be.
-Kunitz was very effective.
-How awesome does it seem now that the Penguins got Adams off waivers at the trade deadline?
-Crosby and Malkin are the best two players remaining in the playoffs, no question about it.
-Eric Staal was kept invisible again.
-It's going to be a long couple of days until Game 4.

What the hell is with the lack of comments these days? It makes the blog seem too unimportant. Get to it, folks!

Go Penguins.

Round 3, Game 3- Penguins @ Carolina Hurricanes

If the Pittsburgh Penguins can weather the storm (no pun intended) and beat the Carolina Hurricanes at the RBC Center on Saturday night, this series is all but over, and the Penguins are bound for the Stanley Cup Finals for the second year in a row. It won't be an easy task, though, as the Canes have lost three games at home in the last three months. In reality, the Penguins can nearly assure themselves of a series win by getting just one win in the Carolinian swing of the series.

Evgeni Malkin and Sidney Crosby have to continue their domination, and Marc-Andre Fleury has to be stout between the pipes. The Pens need to pepper Cam Ward with shots at every opportunity. Jordan Staal has to keep on shutting down his brother, Eric.

Carolina forward Patrick Dwyer was fined, not suspended, for his match penalty from Game 2 drawn when he high-sticked Kris Letang in the face, sparking a line brawl at the end of the game.

Penguins-

Kunitz-Crosby-Guerin
Fedotenko-Malkin-Talbot
Cooke-Staal-Kennedy
Boucher-Adams-Satan

Orpik-Gonchar
Eaton-Letang
Gill-Scuderi

Fleury

Hurricanes-

Whitney-Staal-LaRose
Cole-Cullen-Eaves
Samsonov-Jokinen-Walker
Bayda-Brind'Amour-Dwyer

Seidenberg-Pitkanen
Gleason-Corvo
Kaberle-Wallin

Ward

GO PENS!

Malkin's hat trick spurs Pens to 2-0 series lead

The Pittsburgh Penguins survived a wild first period to defeat the Carolina Hurricanes, 7-4, on Thursday night to take a 2-0 lead in their best-of-seven series. Evgeni Malkin knotched his first career postseason hat trick, capped off with a wicked turning backhander that snuck between Cam Ward's head and the crossbar to provide the Penguins with an insurance marker at 6-4.

The game ended with a lengthy series of skurmishes that amounted to a staggering 44 penalty minutes. Kris Letang and Tim Gleason dropped the gloves, as did Bob ProbertMiroslav Satan and Patrick Eaves. Carolina forward Ryan Bayda was assessed a match penalty for high sticking Letang. Both Bayda and Letang were pegged with 10 minute misconducts.

Sidney Crosby opened up an offensively loaded first period at 1:51 when Chris Kunitz found him cross-crease for a layup. After Chad LaRose tied it for Carolina, Malkin's first goal of the night restored the Penguins' lead. Jussi Jokinen and Dennis Seidenberg each scored softies on Marc-Andre Fleury to flip the lead to the Carolinian side.

Max Talbot beat Ward with a slapper three minutes into the second period, and Kunitz followed on with a fine individual effort for his first goal of the playoffs with seven ticks on the clock, giving the Pens the lead again.

After Patrick Eaves tied it once more thanks to some shoddy work by Phillipe Boucher and Sergei Gonchar, Malkin took over. He banged home the game winner on the right post prior to his filthy backhander.

Tyler Kennedy tacked on an empty netter before the line brawl occured.

Notes-
-Colin Campbell will be a busy man tomorrow.
-Malkin had four points.
-Matt Cooke had three assists.
-Again, Chad LaRose was impressive for the Hurricanes.
-Malkin's parents are quietly becoming celebrities in Pittsburgh.

Go Penguins

Round 3, Game 2- Carolina Hurricanes @ Penguins

The Penguins narrowly squeaked by the Carolina Hurricanes in Game 1 by a 3-2 score. The Canes have now lost Game 1 in each of their three playoff series, so they obviously aren't about to panic. Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin need to be the best players on the ice and get to Cam Ward, who is in goal against Marc-Andre Fleury. Jordan Staal has to continue to keep his brother quiet.

Tuomo Ruutu is out. Erik Cole is in.

Penguins-

Kunitz-Crosby-Guerin
Fedotenko-Malkin-Talbot
Cooke-Staal-Kennedy
Boucher-Adams-Satan

Orpik-Gonchar
Eaton-Letang
Gill-Scuderi

Fleury

Hurricanes-

Whitney-Staal-LaRose
Cole-Cullen-Walker
Samsonov-Jokinen-Eaves
Bayda-Brind'Amour-Dwyer

Seidenberg-Pitkanen
Gleason-Corvo
Kaberle-Wallin

Ward

GO PENS!

Pens hold off 'Canes for Game 1 victory

Marc-Andre Fleury made 23 saves on 25 shots in a 3-2 win in Game 1 over the Carolina Hurricanes. The Penguins held off a late charge in the final seconds, as Eric Staal let the potential game tying goal bounce off his blade and into the body of Fleury.

After Phillipe Boucher scored to give the Pens a 3-1 lead eight and a half minutes into the third period, the Hurricanes found themselves on a powerplay when Brooks Orpik went off for elbowing.

Joe Corvo's slapper found its way through a crowd and beat Marc-Andre Fleury to make it 3-2. The goal really shouldn't have counted, though, as Staal had knocked Fleury's stick away from him seconds before the puck went in.

So much for that conspiracy.

Miroslav Satan scored the game's first goal coming out of the penalty box in the first period. Matt Cooke hit him in stride, and Satan beat Cam Ward on his backhand with a beauty.

Evgeni Malkin flustered Ward with a backhander a minute and a half later that made it 2-0.

Chad LaRose restored Carolina's equilibrium with a weak backhander that got through Fleury, the only goal in the middle frame.

Notes-
-Sidney Crosby and his line were not themselves, but the Pens still pulled out a win.
-Fleury made some big saves.
-LaRose is a very, very good role player.
-Ward is tough to beat.
-Carolina has been down 1-0 in each of their previous series. This isn't over by a longshot.

Go Penguins.

Round 3, Game 1- Carolina Hurricanes @ Penguins

The Hurricanes might not be able to boast the same offensive firepower that teams like the Washington Capitals or Philadelphia Flyers can, but they do offer a balanced attack in all three zones that has carried them to the Eastern Conference Finals.

Eric Staal is their biggets offensive gun. Ray Whitney had a fine season, and there's more talent like Erik Cole, Sergei Samsonov, Jussi Jokinen, Tuomo Ruutu, and Matt Cullen. The defense lacks a bonafide number one, but it's six men strong with no major weaknesses to speak of.

Cam Ward will be in goal against Marc-Andre Fleury. Ward is a great goalie all year, but he kicks it up a notch in the playoffs. Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin will need to be on their game if they want to beat Ward. Bill Guerin, Ruslan Fedotenko, Chris Kunitz, and Jordan Staal have to join in the scoring.

Sergei Gonchar practiced on Sunday and is expected to be in for Game 1.

Penguins-

Kunitz-Crosby-Guerin
Fedotenko-Malkin-Talbot
Cooke-J. Staal-Kennedy
Boucher-Adams-Satan

Orpik-Gonchar
Eaton-Letang
Gill-Scuderi

Fleury

Hurricanes-

Whitney-E. Staal-LaRose
Cole-Cullen-Ruutu
Samsonov-Jokinen-Eaves
Bayda-Brind'Amour-Walker

Pitkanen-Babchuk
Gleason-Corvo
Wallin-Seidenberg

Ward

GO PENS!

Staal brothers to face off in Eastern Conference Finals

Scott Walker scored with 84 seconds left in the first overtime period on Thursday night to lift the Carolina Hurricanes over the top seeded Boston Bruins in the deciding Game 7 of their Eastern Conference Semifinal series. This means that the Canes will now face the Pittsburgh Penguins in the conference finals, a series in which home ice advantage will be held by the Penguins.

Eric Staal has had a nice playoff for Carolina, notching 13 points in 14 games to this point. Jussi Jokinen, Ray Whitney, and Chad LaRose have molded the primary supporting cast around the franchise player Staal.

Joni Pitkanen and Joe Corvo lead an underrated defensive core that has done a nice job against stars like Zach Parise and Phil Kessel in the first two rounds of the postseason. Dennis Seidenberg and Tim Gleason are also pure quality on the blue line for the Canes. Niclas Wallin and Anton Babchuk get the job done, while Tim Conboy is generally scratched.

Cam Ward is a truly outstanding goalie. His performance three years ago that saw him win the Stanley Cup and Conn Smythe as MVP of the playoffs planted a seed, and he's built on it. Ward is regarded by some as the frontrunner to start in the nets for Team Canada in Vancouver next winter during the Olympics.

The Penguins have their own Staal brother, though theirs isn't quite as dominant as Eric. Jordan Staal has turned it on of late with two goals in the last three games of the Washington series.

Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin will have to play like superstars. Marc-Andre Fleury will have to be more than just adequate in goal. Sergei Gonchar, Rob Scuderi, Brooks Orpik, Kris Letang, Hal Gill, and Mark Eaton must play sound two way hockey on defense.

Carolina captain Rod Brind'Amour was injured when a puck struck his face while he was seated on the bench during the overtime in Game 7 against Boston. He did not return, but there is nothing to indicate he'll miss any time against Pittsburgh.

Penguins route Capitals, advance to Eastern Conference Finals

How gratifying was that? After hotly contested, strenuous series, the Pittsburgh Penguins blew the Washington Capitals out of the water in this one by a 6-2 margin.

Bill Guerin scored what would go down as the winning goal just after puck drop in the second period. Also scoring for the Penguins were Sidney Crosby twice, Craig Adams, Kris Letang, and Jordan Staal.

Crosby capped off what was a fantastic individual series by stealing the puck from his adversary Alex Ovechkin and beating Jose Theodore cleanly after a long breakaway for his second goal of the game.

Sergei Gonchar returned from a knee injury and assisted on Crosby's game opening goal.

While the league may have been dismayed to see such a great series end with such an anti-climactic contest, it will remain irrelevant in the grand scheme of things.

The Pens put on a great team effort when they needed it most.

Round 2, Game 7- Penguins @ Washington Capitals

Well folks, it's all down to this. Game 7 in the Stanley Cup Playoffs is the greatest spectacle in North American sports, save maybe the Super Bowl. The Penguins and Capitals both would have preferred to have won this thing by now, but they haven't, so on they will play on Wednesday night at a very red Verizon Center. Home ice hasn't been a huge deal so far, so don't expect it to be in this game. Momentum? Nope. Shots on goal? Laughable.

Marc-Andre Fleury has to be better. He's facing 11 less shots per game than Simeon Varlamov in this series, but giving up just just about the same amount of goals. Some of those have been soft.

Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin need to outduel Alex Ovechkin and Nicklas Backstrom. The powerplay needs to click. The penalty kill must be stout.

Sergei Gonchar, out since Game 4 with a knee injury caused by a knee on knee hit by Ovechkin, may or may not return for the game. He practiced on Tuesday, but he is a game-time decision. It wouldn't be a shock if he pulled a Willis Reed and came back to help his team to victory. After all, he did it just last year in Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Finals when he came back from a rib injury during the third overtime to help Petr Sykora net a game winning powerplay goal.

This is the biggest game of the season, and it doesn't get any bigger from here on out.

Penguins-

Kunitz-Crosby-Guerin
Fedotenko-Malkin-Talbot
Cooke-Staal-Kennedy
Goligoski-Adams-Satan

Orpik-Gonchar
Eaton-Letang
Gill-Scuderi

Fleury

Capitals-

Ovechkin-Backstrom-Kozlov
Fleischmann-Fedorov-Semin
Laich-Steckel-Bradley
Clark-Gordon-Beagle

Morrissonn-Green
Poti-Jurcina
Erskine-Pothier

Varlamov

LET'S GO PENS!

Capitals force seventh game on Steckel's overtime tip

David Steckel tipped in a slapshot in overtime. At least it wasn't Ovechkin.

The Penguins have work to do.

Fleury better get his shit in order.

Go Pens.

Game 7 is on Wednesday at the Verizon Center.

Round 2, Game 6- Washington Capitals @ Penguins

The Penguins have stormed all the way back from a 2-0 deficit to take a 3-2 lead in their Eastern Conference Semifinal series with the Washington Capitals. At this point, they are the favorites to win the series, but that all changes if they don't take care of business at home on Monday night. They have all the momentum, and Sergei Gonchar is questionable to return from injury. There cannot be a letdown. Let's clinch this thing right now and send Ovie and his friends back to DC as the Pens wait to find out who their conference final opponent will be. The Caps will get Donald Brashear back from a six game suspension.

Penguins-

Kunitz-Crosby-Guerin
Fedotenko-Malkin-Talbot
Cooke-Staal-Kennedy
Adams-Satan

Goligoski

Orpik-Scuderi
Eaton-Boucher
Letang-Gill

Fleury

Capitals-

Ovechkin-Backstrom-Kozlov
Laich-Fedorov-Semin
Steckel-Gordon-Bradley
Fleischmann-Beagle-Clark

Morrissonn-Green
Poti-Jurcina
Erskine-Pothier

Varlamov

END THIS.

Malkin's overtime tally stakes Penguins to 3-2 series lead

The Penguins had more than a few chances to put this game away long before they actually did. But you know what? It doesn't matter, and the Pens are going home for Game 6 with a chance to end the series at Mellon Arena and send Alex Ovechkin and company home packing.

Evgeni Malkin's pass, intended for Sidney Crosby at the left post, was deflected in by a diving Tom Poti past Simeon Varlamov at 3:28 of overtime. Malkin celebrated with his teammates as the classy folk in China Town D.C sent garbage soaring into the mob.

Prior to the goal, a Capital forward ran into the stationary stick of Phillipe Boucher and took an epic flop that was properly left uncalled by referee Bill McCreary. The entire sequence took place after Malkin drew a penalty on a semi-break away but was tripped twice by Milan Jurcina and John Erskine, leading to the powerplay.

Ovechkin had two goals, one of which tied the game with a little over four minutes left in the third period. While none of us particularly like him, he's a supreme sniper to any player the league has seen since Maurice Richard.

His goal in the second period was the best shot I've ever seen.

Jordan Staal, Ruslan Fedotenko, and Matt Cooke also scored for the Penguins.

Nicklas Backstrom had the non-Ovechkianic marker for the Caps.

Notes-
-This was a very well officiated playoff game. Way to let the teams play.
-Malkin was an animal.
-Marc-Andre Fleury was adequate.
-Varlamov was a rebound machine.
-Fedotenko is on fire.
-The third line was back in old form.
-The Penguins absolutely must close things out at home on Monday night.

Go Penguins.

Round 2, Game 5- Penguins @ Washington Capitals

The Penguins will be without Sergei Gonchar as they head into Game 5 of their Eastern Conference Semifinal with the Capitals tonight at the Verizon Center. Gonchar's right knee was injured during a brutal knee on knee blow delivered by Alex Ovechkin in Game 4.

Alex Goligoski has been recalled from Wilkes Barre/Scranton and will take Gonchar's place in the lineup and presumably on the first powerplay unit alongside Kris Letang, Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, and Bill Guerin.

Gonchar's absence aside, the Penguins have all the momentum at this point and will win the game if they just keep their foot on the gas pedal and continue to pressure Simeon Varlamov. The Caps' goalie gave up several weak markers in the fourth game.

The powerplay is going to have to avoid feeling sorry for itself and managed at least a goal or two if the Penguins want to make things a lot easier for themselves. Another "0fer" will not suffice.

Marc-Andre Fleury needs to be on his toes. He can't let Ovechkin torch him.

Penguins-

Kunitz-Crosby-Guerin
Talbot-Malkin-Fedotenko
Cooke-Staal-Kennedy
Dupuis-Adams-Satan

Orpik-Letang
Scuderi-Gill
Letang-Goligoski

Fleury

Capitals-

Ovechkin-Fedorov-Kozlov
Laich-Backstrom-Semin
Clark-Steckel-Bradley
Fleischmann-Gordon-Beagle

Morrisonn-Green
Poti-Jurcina
Erskine-Pothier

Varlamov

GO PENS!

According to Darren Dreger, Gonchar is out for this game and perhaps the rest of the season.

Penguins hold serve at home, even series at two games apiece

It wasn't as easy as the Penguins would have liked, but they held off the Capitals in the third period and got a well-deserved win. In this game, it wasn't the big guns who found the scoresheet most often, but rather the secondary scorers and role players.

After Nicklas Backstrom put the Capitals up 1-0 on a slapshot just seconds after the opening faceoff, the Penguins went to work on rookie goaltender Simeon Varlamov.

Sergei Gonchar, who was later injured on a brutal knee to knee hit by Alex Ovechkin, broke through Washington's lackluster defensive line and ripped a slapper past Varlamov.

Billy Guerin and Ruslan Fedotenko followed with goals in the first period, putting the Penguins ahead 3-1 heading into intermission. Fedotenko's goal was particularly soft...not a commonality this series against Varlamov.

After Mike Green made a beautiful play to set up a Chris Clark tap in, the Pens finished it off.

Miroslav Satan made a nifty pass through John Erskine's legs that found Sidney Crosby on the tape. 87 proceeded to redirect it into the cage.

Milan Jurcina cut his team's 4-2 deficit in half with a slapper of his own while shorthanded. The goal should have never happened, but it was allowed by a missed interference call on Matt Bradley, who should have been whistled for powdering Kris Letang way after the puck was gone.

Not deterred by their stroke of bad luck, the Penguins once again gained insurance when Max Talbot beat Varlamov short side with a wrist shot as time winded down.

The Pens locked it down from there on in.

Notes-
-The Pens will need Gonchar back at some point. No Gonchar = No Stanley Cup.
-Hopefully, he'll be back for Game 5 on Saturday, but the Pens proved they can win without him.
-That was very dirty play by Ovechkin. At least he's remorseful, but that was a no class move.
-Varlamov finally looked human.
-The Pens have all the momentum now, and are playing with confidence.

Go Penguins.

Round 2, Game 4- Washington Capitals @ Penguins

With Kris Letang's overtime goal in Game 3, the Penguins received a tremendous injection of life in this series. However, that will all be for naught if they can't beat the Capitals at home in Game 4. This is another must win. Going to Washington for Game 5 facing elimination would be big-time trouble. The Penguins have seen this fish before, having lost Game 4 at home after winning Game 3 in last year's Stanley Cup Finals against Detroit.

The Pens need to find a way to finish plays and beat Caps' netminder Simeon Varlamov, who has been unconscious since he took over for Jose Theodore for Game 2 of the Caps' first round series with the New York Rangers.

This is a must-win situation.

Penguins-

Kunitz-Crosby-Guerin
Fedotenko-Malkin-Talbot
Cooke-Staal-Kennedy
Dupuis-Adams-Satan

Orpik-Gonchar
Eaton-Letang
Gill-Scuderi

Fleury

Capitals-

Ovechkin-Fedorov-Kozlov
Fleischmann-Backstrom-Semin
Laich-Steckel-Bradley
Clark-Gordon-Nylander

Morrissonn-Green
Poti-Jurcina
Sloan-Pothier

Varlamov

GO PENS!

Letang's overtime blast nets Game 3 victory for Penguins

What a freakin' series, eh? Games 1 and 2 were the Sidney Crosby/Alex Ovechkin Show, and Evgeni Malkin was nearly invisible. In this game, Malkin stepped it up, and Kris Letang scored on a long slapshot in overtime to send the Penguins to a victory that keeps them alive in this series.

After a Crosby faceoff win, Mark Eaton slid the puck over to Letang at center point. Letang wound up a slap shot that caromed off Caps' defenseman Shaone Morrissonn. After hitting Morrisonn, the biscuit took a nice course that saw it slip just under the cross bar and past Simeon Varlamov, who robbed the Penguins time and time again throughout the contest.

Overtime nearly wasn't necessary, but Nicklas Backstrom tied the game on the powerplay late in the third period. Backstrom tried to find Ovechkin at the back door, and his shot richocheted off Marc-Andre Fleury and into the net.

The Capitals did take an early lead in this game when the puck took a bad bounce off the end boards behind Fleury, who had lost his stick. It bounced out to Ovechkin who fired into an empty net.

The Penguins could have folded, but Ruslan Fedotenko and Malkin scored goals that set up Backstrom and Letang's late game heroics.

Notes-
-The Penguins dominated the game tonight, and deserved to win.
-Varlamov is absolutely outstanding.
-Letang was bad tonight, but made up for it in the end.
-Series would have been over. Whew.
-Wooooooooooooooooooooooo!

Go Penguins.

Round 2, Game 3- Washington Capitals @ Penguins

With a win at home in Game 2, the Capitals held serve for the Washingtonian portion of the series' first four games, forcing the Pittsburgh Penguins into a must-win situation at home in Game 3.

If the Penguins falter again, they are done like dinner. If they rebound and win, this becomes an entirely new series that could be bound for seven games. That's what's at stake.

Penguins' winger Chris Kunitz was fined, not suspended on Tuesday for a cross-check he leveled to the mask of Capitals' netminder Simeon Varlamov during a net mouth scramble at the end of Game 2. The Caps were fuming over the NHL's decision not to suspend Kunitz, and you can bet Alexander Ovechkin will be out to put Kunitz's head through the plexiglass during this game.

Evgeni Malkin needs to stop his Mr. Invisible act and play like the Hart Trophy candidate he was during the regular season. Hopefully, a change of scenery will cause that delightful turn in Malkin's game.

Varlamov has played very well in net, and Marc-Andre Fleury has been average. The Penguins' powerplay has been atrocious. Fleury and the powerplay have to be better.

Penguins-

Kunitz-Crosby-Guerin
Fedotenko-Malkin-Sykora
Cooke-Staal-Kennedy
Dupuis-Talbot-Adams

Orpik-Gonchar
Eaton-Letang
Gill-Scuderi

Fleury

Capitals-

Ovechkin-Fedorov-Kozlov
Fleischmann-Backstrom-Semin
Laich-Steckel-Bradley
Fehr-Gordon-Clark

Morrisson-Green
Poti-Jurcina
Pothier-Sloan

Varlamov

GO PENS!

Pens in a hole after Game 2 loss in D.C.

It was a beautiful hockey game. The game's two best players each had hat tricks, and the action was exciting on both ends of the ice. Unfortunately, the Penguins' supposed trump card had another horrible game, and the Capitals got one more goal than the boys in white.

Alexander Ovechkin had a hat trick, including the game winning goal. Sidney Crosby also got his hat trick, but the difference was once again that the Capitals made one more play than the Penguins did.

The Pens had their chances throughout the game, but time and time again were robbed by Simeon Varlamov. On the other end of the ice, Marc-Andre Fleury was less than stellar again.

The Pens are coming home now. If they lose Game 3, it's season over.

Help us all.

Fleury, Kunitz, Guerin, and Gonchar better get their acts together, and fast.

Round 2, Game 2- Penguins @ Washington Capitals

The Penguins will look to take away the Capitals' home ice advantage with a rebound win after a close loss in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals. In that first game, the Pittsburgh powerplay was an abysmal 0 for 5, while the Caps scored a goal on a two man advantage. As it turned out, special teams and Caps' netminder Simeon Varlamov's stick save on Sidney Crosby were the difference in the game. The Pens are still confident, and they still have a golden opportunity to earn a road split to open up this series.

Penguins-

Kunitz-Crosby-Guerin
Fedotenko-Malkin-Sykora
Cooke-Staal-Kennedy
Dupuis-Talbot-Adams

Orpik-Gonchar
Eaton-Letang
Gill-Scuderi

Fleury

Capitals-

Ovechkin-Fedorov-Kozlov
Fleischmann-Backstrom-Semin
Laich-Steckel-Bradley
Clark-Gordon-Fehr

Morrisson-Green
Poti-Jurcina
Pothier-Sloan

Varlamov

GO PENS!

Capitals sneak by Penguins in Game 1

Tomas Fleischmann scored the game winning goal at 1:46 of the third period to give the Capitals a 1-0 lead in their Eastern Conference Semi-Final series with the Penguins. The goal game on a bad defensive breakdown by the Penguins, as Sergei Gonchar and Brooks Orpik were beat badly on a passing play by Alex Semin and Nicklas Backstrom. Evgeni Malkin's backcheck on the play also left a lot to be desired.

That goal came after Sidney Crosby was robbed by Simeon Varlamov from in tight after a beautiful drop and go with Chris Kunitz. If Crosby had scored, the Penguins would have staked themselves to a 3-2 lead, but it was not to be.

Crosby did score minutes into the first period to give the Pens an early lead, but that was nullified not long after when Dave Steckel put in a bad rebound by Marc-Andre Fleury. Alex Ovechkin followed up on Steckel's tally to give the Capitals a 2-1 lead on a 5 on 3 powerplay later in the period.

Mark Eaton also scored for the Penguins, tying the game at two apeice before Varlamov's theatrics led to the game winner by Fleischmann.

Notes-
-The Penguins played horribly in this game, but still had a chance to win at the end.
-The powerplay was unsurprisingly atrocious, going 0 for 5.
-Petr Sykora was back in the lineup. He played very poorly.
-Kunitz had maybe his worst game as a Penguin.
-One interesting fact: The Caps are 7-1 against the Pens in Game 1, but 1-6 in those series.

-The Penguins came to D.C. needing to earn a split of the first two games. That can still happen.

Round 2, Game 1- Penguins @ Washington Capitals

The series everyone has been waiting for is finally here. The Pittsburgh Penguins and Washington Capitals will face off at 1:00 on Saturday afternoon to open up the best of seven set.

While Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin have dominated most of the media spotlight as the hockey world readies for the series' beginning, both the Pens and Caps have a slew of other young stars that will prove very important down the stretch. Evgeni Malkin, Alex Semin, Nicklas Backstrom, Jordan Staal, Marc-Andre Fleury, and Simeon Varlamov are a few examples.

Varlamov, who was the Capitals' backup for most of the season, took over for an incompetent Jose Theodore after the former Montreal Canadien gave up four soft goals in Game 1 against the New York Rangers.

Pittsburgh has to stay out of the penalty box. Washington has arguably the best powerplay in the game. Ovechkin, Sergei Fedorov, Semin, Green, and Backstrom offer many scoring options.

Though Varlamov played fantastically in the first round, his performance came against the offensively challenged New York Rangers. Varlamov has never faced the kind of firepower before that the Penguins are about to expose him to. In the first round, he took shots from Scott Gomez and Markus Naslund; now, he'll have to stand up to Crosby and Malkin.

Speculation is that Petr Sykora will return to the lineup for this game after being scratched for the final two games of the series against Philadelphia, but nothing is certain.

The Pens need to win one of the first two games in Washington if they're to win the series.

Penguins-

Kunitz-Crosby-Guerin
Fedotenko-Malkin-Satan
Cooke-Staal-Kennedy
Dupuis-Talbot-Adams

Orpik-Gonchar
Eaton-Letang
Gill-Scuderi

Fleury

Capitals-

Ovechkin-Fedorov-Kozlov
Fleischmann-Backstrom-Semin
Laich-Steckel-Bradley
Clark-Gordon-Fehr

Morrisson-Green
Poti-Jurcina
Erskine-Pothier

Varlamov

GO PENS!