Penguins must find the fine line between physicality and stupidity

During the regular season, Penguins’ defenseman Brooks Orpik and forwards Matt Cooke and Chris Kunitz hovered near the top of the NHL’s hitting leader board.

Orpik was second in the league with 309, Cooke fifth with 262, and Kunitz sixteenth with 207 body checks. The numbers have been well-documented in Pittsburgh hockey circles.

For their upcoming series against the Washington Capitals, the Penguins will face a team loaded with offensive talent, and perhaps more importantly, tremendous potency on the power play.

In hockey, the most common way to put the opposition on the “manpower advantage,” as Washington play by play announcer, Joe Beninati would say, is to overstep the game’s rules while hitting.

This could pose a problem for the Penguins.

You see, the best way to shut down Alexander Ovechkin, Nicklas Backstrom, Mike Green, and Alexander Semin, is to put them on their backside and take away their speed and poise through hard hitting.

When the Caps are laid out on the ice, they’re not scoring goals.

However, in the cases of Orpik, Cooke, and Kunitz, their eagerness to play so physically has resulted in a substantial amount of penalties against all three of them.

Cooke is second on the team in penalty minutes behind only enforcer Eric Godard. Orpik and Kunitz aren’t far behind at sixth and seventh on the team.

Physicality is a double edged sword when facing a team like the Capitals. If the Penguins don’t play physically, the team in red will dance around them like pylons and torch Marc-Andre Fleury. If they do decide to muscle up, they run the risk of taking penalties if they aren’t careful while doing it. This means keep the arms down, stay away from the head, and don’t clutch and grub.

Taking penalties against the Capitals will also equate to goals against. Their power play ranked fifth in the NHL during the regular season, and it was fairly solid in the first round against the best penalty killing team in the league, the New York Rangers.

Kunitz and Cooke need to tenderize Green at every opportunity that arises, and Orpik best keep Ovechkin and Semin in the crosshairs at all times. Still, it is essential that they play clean in the process.

Penalties after the whistle aren’t going to cut it, either.

The Pens need to walk a fine line between playing physical and playing stupid, or the Caps will embarrass them.

Crosby's Penguins to meet Ovechkin's Capitals in second round

After the Washington Capitals beat the New York Rangers on a Sergei Fedorov goal with five minutes left in Game 7, the Caps and rival Pittsburgh Penguins settled on their respective couches to take in the final few minutes of the New Jersey Devils-Carolina Hurricanes seventh game.

The Devils led with only a minute and a half to go, and were looking as if they'd be the team to advance to the second round. However, the Canes had something to say about that, scoring two goals in fifty seconds to tie and win the game, 4-3. Eric Staal got the winner past a badly choking Martin Brodeur.

So the Penguins, who were likely to face the Boston Bruins in Round 2, will now draw the explosive Capitals, and with them, the game's most electrifying talent in Ovechkin.

Finally, Ovechkin has a supporting cast around him put together by general manger George McPhee that managed to win the franchise's first playoff series in Ovechkin's tenure with the team.

Alex Semin, Mike Green, Brooks Laich, and the great Sergei Fedorov accompany Ovechkin to provide a hefty surplus of offense.

The wild card in this series will be the rookie netminder for Washington, Simeon Varlamov. The Russian backstop was thrown into the fire after Jose Theodore was annihilated in Game 1 against the Rangers after a shaky regular season. The Pens will throw offense at him that is vastly superior to the Rangers', though, and "Varly" will have to be up to the task.

Crosby and Malkin vs. Ovechkin is enough to make the internet hockey community explode.

This will be fun.

Note to Helmut--

Don't troll the comments this series.

Bylsma no longer "interim"

Interim Head Coach Dan Bylsma is no longer interim.

Bylsma and the Penguins organization agreed on a multi-year contract Monday evening.

Bylsma is 22-5-4 since taking over for Michel Therrien on February 15.

Congrats, Dan. We're excited to have you!

Penguins' next opponent to be determined by two series deciding games

The Penguins clinched into the second round of the 2009 Stanley Cup Playoffs with a win in Philadelphia on Saturday, but with two other Eastern Conference series dragging to Game 7, the Pens will have to wait a few more days for the revelation of their second round foe.

Carolina beat New Jersey, 4-0, on Sunday to force the decisive final game in that series.

Earlier in the day, Washington beat New York, 5-3, sending that series to Game 7.

Both games will take place on Tuesday night, with the Caps-Rangers game on national television.

Here are the different scenarios, as they pertain to Pittsburgh:

• If Carolina and New York win, the Pens play Carolina in the second round.
• If Carolina and Washington win, the Penguins play Washington in the second round.
• If New Jersey and Washington win, the Penguins play Boston in the second round.
• If New Jersey and New York win, the Penguins play New Jersey in the second round.

Each of these teams has a 25 percent chance of facing off with the Penguins.

Personally, the preference would be for Carolina and New York to win, but how about you?

Crosby quiets Philadelphian crowd as Penguins advance with comeback win

Danny Briere broke through the Pittsburgh Penguins' back line on the powerplay and beat Marc-Andre Fleury inside the right post to give the Philadelphia Flyers a 3-0 lead. As fans, most Pittsburghers sat back in horror and braced themselves for what seemed like an inevitable seventh game at Mellon Arena on Monday night.

Daniel Carcillo then did the Penguins a big favor. He dropped the gloves with Maxime Talbot, giving the Penguins' bench just a flicker of life. What followed was a comeback of epic proportions.

Ruslan Fedotenko pickle-stabbed a puck through Martin Biron just seconds after the Carcillo-Talbot scrap, and the momentum was in a full state of shift.

Mark Eaton then batted a puck out of mid-air off a 3 on 1 break from the blue line on in, slicing the Flyers' 3-2 lead in half and further planting a seed of doubt.

Sidney Crosby, who heard "Crosby Sucks" chants all series long, delivered the tying goal on another bat out of the air. Biron badly misplayed the puck, setting up the opportunity.

Sergei Gonchar delivered the dagger just minutes after the start of the final frame, drilling a slapshot that beat Biron cleanly. The play was set up by Evgeni Malkin, whose performance today ranks among the best of his career.

After a crossbar was hit by Darrol Powe, Fleury robbed Joffrey Lupul coming down the right wing with a beautfiul push across his crease.

The Flyers, with Biron pulled, lost the puck to Crosby in the neutral zone. 87 then circled the empty Philadelphia net and backhanded the puck in. It was the final nail in the coffin.

Notes-
-Philadelphia, Crosby just wanted to give you all a big fat "[eff] you".
-Claude Giroux was Philly's best player all series.
-The Flyers played a good series. They have little to be ashamed of.
-WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO.

Round 1, Game 6- Penguins @ Philadelphia Flyers

After a disheartening effort on home ice in Game 5 that saw the Penguins squander an opportunity to advance to the second round without much trouble at all, there is work left to do for Pittsburgh. Though they would still have another crack it snagging the elusive series clinching win if they can't get it tomorrow, Sidney Crosby and his team would certainly want no part of that seventh game.

If Friday's practice line combinations are any indication, Eric Godard looks to be in line for his first action of the posteason. Petr Sykora and Miro Satan, two wingers that combined for over 40 goals this season, will be in the press box. Kris Letang will return for the game after missing Game 5 with an undisclose injury, thankfully forcing Phillipe Boucher out of the lineup.

So far in the series, the two netminders, Marc-Andre Fleury and Martin Biron, have both been outstanding for the most part. That said, each has been prone to the occasional mistake that has badly hurt his team--Biron in Game 1 and Fleury in Games 3 and 5.

The games only get bigger from here on in.

Penguins-

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

Orpik-Gonchar
Eaton-Letang
Gill-Scuderi

Fleury

Flyers-

Gagne-Richards-Knuble
Hartnell-Carter-Lupul
Briere-Giroux-Powe
Carcillo-Ross-Asham

Timonen-Parent
Coburn-Carle
Alberts-Jones

Biron

GO PENS!

END THIS!

Penguins shutout at home, Flyers force Game 6

Round 1, Game 5

The third line comes out big, both Tyler Kennedy and Jordan Staal take multiple shots at Biron. Unfortunately Biron comes out big too and makes some good saves.

Richards and Powe sandwich Crosby in the corner…Powe comes out bleeding. Malkin is knocked down behind the Flyers zone but there is no call.

Sidney Crosby carries the puck into the zone and passes to Dupuis. Great shot,

Crosby shovels the rebound, but Biron makes the save.

Tyler Kennedy with the best chance of the game so far. Biron is sharp early, though. Tyler Kennedy chips it into the outside of the goalpost.

Staal is called for roughing. Though the Flyers sustain pressure, the Penguins kill the penalty.

Matt Cooke goes in with a backhander. “Satan rips one well wide…Malkin to Satan: oooooh, wide”-CSN Philadelphia commentators. Even they know how disappointed we are in him.

Crosby sets up Guerin, but it somehow doesn’t go in. So Crosby picks of a pass and gets it back in. He is everywhere, and finally draws an interference call on Ryan Parent. Incredible play from the captain.

Malkin drills one at Biron and gets another shot off the rebound. Biron shows up.

Malkin gets another chance and Biron makes another save. Penguins can’t capitalize.

Brooks Orpik hits Danny Briere hard in the corner of the Penguins’ zone. Orpik has 10 more hits in this series than the player with the second most. Wow.


Jeff Carter throws one at the net. It goes wide off of Scott Hartnell. The CSN announcers are sure that Malkin just tripped a Flyer.

Flyers put a flurry of shots at Fleury, but nothing comes of it. The Penguins apply pressure on the Flyers, but apparently the inside of the blueline is offsides now.

Orpik fires one that knocks the stick right out of Biron’s hand.

Arron Asham hammers one over Fleury’s shoulder.

Geno deflects in a Gonchar shot. War room says no.

Daniel Briere is called for roughing. The power play is subpar.

Sid and Kunitz get beautiful chances.

The rest of the period is tense but nothing happens.


Rob Scuderi is called for hooking. Bad call.

Carter passes to Hartnell but Fleury makes an incredible right pad save. Penalty killed.

Giroux scores.

Gonchar slaps one on goal, Biron with the save but nearly lets in the rebound.

Knuble misses his check on Malkin and after the whistle, they exchange blows.

Briere is called for highsticking.

Satan smacks the puck in and it takes a weird hop off the board and is about half an inch from going in. Biron realizes it just in time.

Knuble scores.

Eaton is called for interference. With 30 seconds left on the penalty, Crosby goes off for slashing.

Jordan Staal went in shorthanded and nearly cut the deficit to 2. Then Kimo Timmonen is called for hooking. Malkin goes in looking defeated, passes to Kennedy, who shoots a muffin.

Fleury is pulled so it’s 6-on-4. When the power play is over, Crosby takes a cross-checking penalty.

Ew. Game 6, 3:00 pm Saturday in Philadelphia on NBC.

Round 1, Game 5- Philadelphia Flyers @ Penguins

The Penguins have a golden opportunity to shut the door on any window of opportunity the Philadelphia Flyers might have to get back into the series with a win on Thursday night. Of course, a Penguins' win would clinch the series for Pittsburgh and eliminate the Flyers, whilst a victory by the Flyers would force a sixth game in Philadelphia, something the Pens surely don't want.

It's Marc-Andre Fleury against Marty Biron in goal. Hopefully, the Pens won't need Fleury to deliver the same heroic effort he did on Tuesday, but it's nice to know he has it in him if the black and gold needs it again.

Penguins-

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

Orpik-Gonchar
Eaton-Letang
Gill-Scuderi

Fleury

Flyers-

Briere-Giroux-Powe

Gagne-Richards-Knuble
Hartnell-Carter-Lupul
Carcillo-Ross-Asham

Timonen-Parent
Coburn-Carle
Jones-Alberts

Biron

GO PENS!

FINISH THEM OFF.

Fleury hot as Pens win

Flyer in the box for tripping Tyler Kennedy.

Fleury makes a save on Carter.

Kris Letang is called for tripping Jeff Carter…what a soft call.


Malkin is in the box for hooking. Penguins are amazing on the penalty kill.

Guerin is denied by Biron. Sykora drops it back for Fedotenko who blasts the puck at the net. The rebound hits Biron in the head and nearly goes in.

Ryan Parent gets called for holding. Missed opportunity. Jordan Staal misses a wide open net.

Jordan Staal makes a great backhand play to keep the puck in the zone but Matt Cooke is called for hooking.

Fleury is really on tonight. He is blocking shot after shot from Flyers.


Malkin misses a great chance from the top of the circle.

Matt Cooke is in the box again for something or other.

Kunitz passes to Crosby who gets it in the goal.

Malkin in front of the goal…no dice.

Fleury makes a save on Carter’s backhand. Fleury made a huge glove save on Giroux.

Tyler Kennedy with backhand: SCORE!

Fleury makes great save after great save.

Hal Gill is in the box for interference. Penalty killed.

Fleury denies Hartnell. But then Sergei Gonchar is called for tripping…Hartnell
totally dove on that one.

Mike Richards is called for tripping Fleury.

Fleury makes an epic glove save.

Hartnell is in the box for interference.


Penguins start the third on the power play.

Sid rings one off the post.

Richards picks off a pass between the defense but Fleury makes a great save.

Mark Eaton goes to the box for tripping. The Penguins kill most of the penalty and then there was a post-shot from Carle. Close, but Fleury makes the save.

Mark Eaton blocks a shot and then there is a lot of commotion around the net and Fleury loses his mask.

Tyler Kennedy is called for holding. Another bad call. Briere tries to slam a rebound in the side of the net but Fleury is there.

2-on-1 for the Penguins. Staal with the shot, Biron with the save.

Carcillo with the goal.

Malkin goes in the zone with Ruslan Fedotenko but Biron makes the save.

Chris Kunitz gets a breakaway. He takes a great shot but Biron makes a save.

Malkin tries to smack in the rebound but Biron gloves it.

With a minute left, the Flyers pull Biron. Max Talbot with the empty netter.

Tonight, Fleury definitely made up for his performance on Sunday. Penguins lead the series 3-1.

LET'S GO PENS!

DO IT!

Round 1, Game 4- Penguins @ Philadelphia Flyers

The Philadelphia Flyers may have given themselves some new life with a home win in Game 3 to avoid falling an insurmountable three games back in the series, but the Penguins will have another shot to essentially wrap this thing up. A Penguins win would send the series back to Pittsburgh where they could officially end it in Game 5.

Petr Sykora needs to stop playing like garbage. If he doesn't, he'll be out of the lineup and replaced by Miroslav Satan very soon. In fact, he may already have been.

Once again, it will be Marc-Andre Fleury and Marty Biron in goal. This is the biggest game of the season to date, and it's do or die time for the Flyers. If Philadelphia pulls it out, this series has seven games written all over it. If the Penguins win, as was said, this series is all but over.

Penguins-

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

Orpik-Gonchar
Eaton-Letang
Gill-Scuderi

Fleury

Flyers-

Gagne-Richards-Knuble

Hartnell-Carter-Lupul
Briere-Giroux-Powe
Carcillo-Ross-Asham

Timonen-Parent
Coburn-Carle
Alberts-Jones

Biron

GO PENS!

Flyers make it a new series

The Penguins will have a tough road ahead of them if they want to advance to the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Despite a fairly solid all-around effort, a few defensive lapses and stupid penalties allowed a desperate Flyers team to light up the scoreboard and cut the 2-0 series lead in half.

The Flyers got an early lead on two first period goals, but Evgeni Malkin got the Pens back into it with seconds left in the opening frame. After Rob Scuderi tied the game from the point seconds into the second period, the Penguins fell apart and were beaten fairly soundly.

Chris Kunitz had a monsterous hit on Kimmo Timonen.



This series is far from over, but remember, the Penguins still hold a 2-1 advantage.

Round 1, Game 3- Penguins @ Philadelphia Flyers

The Penguins will look to put a stranglehold on their Eastern Conference opening round series with the Philadelphia Flyers on Sunday afternoon when they visit the Wachovia Center for a matinee tilt. The Penguins lead the series 2-0, and a win would make it nearly impossible for the Flyers to come back. PTF has already covered everything there is to know about this series in other previews and recaps, so we'll just leave you with the lines.

Penguins-

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

Orpik-Gonchar
Eaton-Letang
Gill-Scuderi

Fleury

Flyers-

Hartnell-Carter-Lupul
Gagne-Richards-Knuble
Briere-Giroux-Powe
Carcillo-Ross-Asham

Timonen-Parent
Carle-Coburn
Alberts-Jones

Biron

GO PENS!

Back and forth battle ends with Guerin's OT marker

Evgeni Malkin took a Ruslan Fedotenko feed and wiggled past the Flyers' defense, but he snapped a shot that hit the crossbar dead on and bounced away.

A wide open pace would follow for the next five minutes, as the game's first whistle did not come until almost a full seven minutes in. Brooks Orpik laid a big check on Joffrey Lupul, and Scott Hartnell, in true form, made his second knee on knee hit of the series, this time on Orpik.

Luca Sbisa nipped Kris Letang with his stick to put the Penguins on the powerplay with 9:21 on the clock. Sidney Crosby hit the post, and the particularly worthless Petr Sykora blew a wide open net.

After Mark Eaton took a holding minor, Hartnell tipped in a Matt Carle shot to put Philly up 1-0.

All in all, it was a fun first period of hockey, but the ice titled in the Flyers' favor at the end of it.

At the start of the second, the Pens came back onto the ice a changed team. Malkin's line with Sykora and Ruslan Fedotenko got some quality shots on Marty Biron, as did the Crosby unit with Bill Guerin and Chris Kunitz. Biron was not to be beaten at that point in time.

That was until Crosby, Malkin, and Guerin came up the ice on a three on two. Malkin found Guerin above the left circle, and the crafty veteran ripped one that beat Biron short side. It was an absolute snipe of a snapper by Billy G.

Less than three minutes into the third, things went terribly wrong for the Penguins. Marc-Andre Fleury let up a soft goal on a wrister by Darryl Powe coming down the right wing. That restored the Flyers advantage and put the Pens in a tough position.

Fleury made a ridiculous save on Jeff Carter from the left post that saved any hope the Penguins had left of tying the game.

What ensued was pure mayhem.

Carter went to the box for a very borderline hooking call on Jordan Staal with four minutes left. Carter got his stick up on Staal, but Staal definitely sold it by trapping Carter's stick in an unflattering spot.

Anyway, a Kris Letang blast bounced off Braydon Coburn, then off Malkin, caroming into the net and giving the Penguins their equillibrium back once again.

The overtime was somewhat dull until Hal Gill was pegged with a cross-checking minor for nailing Daniel Briere from behind while he was on the ice. It was a good call.

The Penguins had most of the penalty killed, and Mike Knuble was kind enough to do THE EXACT SAME THING Gill had done moments earlier as he stood in front of the net. Knuble was called for the cross-check.

While the Pens were about to go on their portion of the powerplay, rookie Claude Giroux slashed down on Chris Kunitz's stick. The stick split in half, making for a default slashing call on Giroux and giving the Penguins a five on three advantage.

Guerin scored his second goal of the game from in tight on a wrister that beat Biron cleanly.

Notes-
-Guerin looks pretty good in black and gold for that third round pick.
-Fleury's amazing save kept the game alive.

-Wow.

Go Pens.

Round 1, Game 2- Philadelphia Flyers @ Penguins

The Philadelphia Flyers face a must-win situation Friday night when they return to the Mellon Arena for Game 2 of the Eastern Conference quarterfinals. Late in Game 1 against the Pittsburgh Penguins, the Flyers gooned up a game they had already lost, and relatively useless winger Danny Carcillo managed to get himself suspended for butt-ending Max Talbot in the face.

The Flyers' explosive offense was badly outshined by the Penguins' in the inagural game. Undoubtedly, they'll be taking at least some sort of a new approach for Game 2.

Philly blueliner Kimmo Timonen did not practice Thursday after apparently injuring his knee on a hit by Chris Kunitz just seconds after the opening puck-drop in Game 1.

Marc-Andre Fleury will need to be good again for the Pens, and it would be nice if Marty Biron could continue to be his usual lousy self on the Philadelphia side of the coin.

Penguins-

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

Orpik-Gonchar
Eaton-Letang
Gill-Scuderi

Fleury

Flyers-

Gagne-Richards-Knuble
Hartnell-Carter-Lupul
Briere-Giroux-Asham
Nodl-Powe-Ross

Timonen-Parent
Coburn-Carle
Alberts-Jones

Biron

GO PENS!

Pens topple Flyers to open playoffs

That was about as dominating a performance as we could have hoped for.

I was at the game, so the recap isn't going to be very playoff-esque. I'll just offer a few observations.

-Kennedy has developed into the kind of player every team would love to have.
-Staal and his line were significantly better than Philly's Briere-Giroux-Asham line.
-Crosby and Malkin were their usual selves.
-It's hard not to be excited at the prospect of playing Martin Biron for the rest of the series.
-Not shockingly, the Flyers gooned it up at the end; the Pens didn't back down.

Better recap coming Friday.

Let's Go Pens.

Round 1, Game 1- Philadelphia Flyers @ Penguins

It's playoff time in Pittsburgh again, as the Pittsburgh Penguins will look to avenge last year's Stanley Cup Finals loss to the Detroit Red Wings and give Pittsburgh its second major sports title in four months.

Standing in their way, at least for the first round, will be the cross-state rival Flyers. The Flyers are lead by outstanding young center and captain Mike Richards. While Richards is the catalyst for this squad, Jeff Carter, Simon Gagne, Daniel Briere, Scott Hartnell, and Claude Giroux provide scary measures of offensive fireopower that may only be rivaled by their opponents in this series, as well as a select few other teams.

On the back end, Kimmo Timonen and Braydon Coburn run the show in both the offensive and defensive zones. Last year, these two players were unhealthy for the Penguins-Flyers series, so the Pens will have a bit more to handle on that front. Matt Carle and Ryan Parent are distinctly average, while Andrew Alberts and Randy Jones are wild cards who can perform well or poorly on any given night.

In goal, Martin Biron figures to be the Flyers' most likely Kryptonite. He has a propensity toward giving up soft goals, and he'll need to be on top of his game. If he's not, this will be a short series.

The entire Penguins team has a good amount of playoff experience, and they'll need to utilize any advantages that may come about as a result of that.

Penguins-

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

Orpik-Gonchar
Eaton-Letang
Gill-Scuderi

Fleury

Flyers-

Gagne-Richards-Knuble
Hartnell-Carter-Lupul
Briere-Giroux-Asham
Carcillo-Powe-Ross

Timonen-Jones
Coburn-Carle
Alberts-Parent

Biron

GO PENS!

Penguins and Devils from up close and personal

Pens That Fly reader Molly was kind enough to take these pictures for us at the Devils @ Pens game two weeks ago. Since I'm an idiot, I didn't check the blog's email and missed them entirely.

So, here they are.

Thanks, Molly!

Times set for first round of playoffs, Pens-Flyers series

Link.

The Pens and Flyers will open up on Wednesday night, and play every other day for the duration of the series. Versus, NBC, CBC, and RDS will divide the broadcasting rights amongst themselves.

Pens and Flyers set to renew hostilties in Eastern quarterfinals

It’s all set but the home-ice advantage, and the Pittsburgh Penguins will face the Philadelphia Flyers in the Eastern Conference’s four seed/five seed quarterfinal playoff round.

It’s no secret that there’s bad blood between the two squads, with each exchanging blows (literally and figuratively) since they entered the league in 1967 as parts of the NHL’s six team expansion.

First, it was Jean Pronovost against Bobby Clarke, as the Flyers dominated the Penguins for their first few decades of their existence.

Next, it was Mario Lemieux against Ron Hextall, with the Penguins turning things around in the 1990’s and becoming a true powerhouse.

Now, it’s Sidney Crosby against Mike Richards in what figures to be an epic rematch of last year’s Eastern Conference Finals that saw Crosby’s Penguins dispatch Richards’ Flyers in a painless five games.

Don’t be fooled, though. This series reaches far behind the two young captains, Crosby and Richards.

Evgeni Malkin, this year’s Art Ross Trophy winner, teams with Billy Guerin, Chris Kunitz, Petr Sykora, Jordan Staal, Tyler Kennedy, Sergei Gonchar, and Kris Letang to provide the Penguins with a solid measure of scoring depth.

On the other side, emerging center Claude Giroux, Scott Hartnell, Simon Gagne, Joffrey Lupul, Mike Knuble, Jeff Carter, Danny Briere, Kimmo Timonen, and Braydon Coburn provide similar luxuries to the Flyers.

Then, there’s the inevitable aroma of hate and disgust between the two interstate rivals that has consumed much of the rivalry since its inception many years ago.

Clarke, Hartnell, and current GM Paul Holmgren are just a few names of Flyers past and present who have never been afraid to take liberties with the other team and stir up scrums and scuffles.

Max Talbot, Ulf Samuelsson, and Marty McSorley are some players who have never backed down from answering the bell for Philadelphia’s Western Pennsylvanian counterpart.

Rick Tocchet is the common denominator in this matter, having been a tough guy who played for both the Penguins and Flyers over the course of his career.

This series boasts two teams that, while mutual respect is shared, loathe the very core of each other. It has been that way for as long as the Penguins and Flyers have battled in the Patrick Divison, and now in the Atlantic—-in the Prince of Wales Conference, and now in the Eastern.

Buckle up, Pennsylvania.

This should be a rough ride in more ways than one.

*Disclaimer: If you see this written on Faceoff-Factor, it's because the same author wrote it, and PTF has permission to use the article.

Pens close out regular season with convincing win over Habs

Evgeni Malkin essentially wrapped up the Art Ross Trophy just over a minute into the first period. Carey Price coughed up a juicy rebound resulting from a weak wrister by Sergei Gonchar. Malkin slid the puck five-hole on his backhand to stake the Penguins to a 1-0 advantage.

On a penalty kill, Pascal Dupuis jetted past Matheiu Schneider at top speed for a breakaway, and made a brilliant move that handcuffed Carey Price. His shot, however, hit the crossbar, and was batted in with a high stick by Max Talbot. The goal was rightly washed out.

Roman Hamrlik floated a wrister on net that bounced off Hal Gill's shoulder and into the net. It was a tough break and a bad bounce...nothing could have been done to avoid it once the shot was taken.

In the second, each team had prime scoring opportunities. Matt Cooke and Billy Guerin were robbed on nearly identical stops by Price where the Montreal tender slid cross-crease to snare the puck with his glove, and Alex Kovalev and Georges Laraque were denied in close by Marc-Andre Fleury.

Nobody scored, though, and the game went to the third period even at 1-1.

Brooks Orpik went to the penalty box for cross-checking Laraque with a shade over 12 minutes to go in the final frame on a questionable call, and the ensuing turn of events would turn out to drastically favor the penalized Pittsburgh squad.

Dupuis and Talbot got another shorthanded two on one break, and Dupuis made a beautiful pass that found its way to Talbot's stick and into the net, giving the Pens the edge once again.

Later on the same Habs powerplay, Kris Letang walked down the left boards and ripped a slapshot that left Price looking silly, beating him to the left corner and providing the Pens with an important insurance marker.

After that, the Habs and Pens traded jabs both literally and figuratively, but Montreal could not muster up any kind of a comeback.

Notes-
-The Penguins and Philadelphia Flyers will meet in Round One of the playoffs.
-Home-ice advantage for that series hinges on Philly's game tomorrow against the Rangers.
-If the Flyers lose in regulation, the Penguins have the home-ice to start the series.
-That was a great way to close out the regular season for Dan Bylsma and the Pens.

It's playoff time, baby.

Game 82- Penguins @ Montreal Canadiens

With a playoff spot already in tow, the Pittsburgh Penguins will look to rise from the Eastern Conference's sixth seed to perhaps as high as fourth with a win against the Montreal Canadiens and losses by Philadelphia and Carolina to the New York Islanders and New Jersey, respectively.

Winger Miro Satan, sent to the AHL at the trade deadline upon the arrivals of Chris Kunitz and Bill Guerin to clear salary cap space, cleared re-entry waivers after his promotion back to the big leagues and is expected to be in the lineup for this Hockey Night In Canada tilt.

Evgeni Malkin is four points up on Alex Ovechkin of Washington for the Art Ross Trophy, and barring a truly catastrophic turn of events, Geno will be the victor of that trophy for the first time.

Montreal enforcer and former Penguin Georges Laraque was a healthy scratch for Thursday's game against the Boston Bruins, which turned out to be a bloodbath. Odds are that he'll be back in the lineup for this one.

Montreal will be without defensemen Andrei Markov and Francis Boullion and forwards Robert Lang and Sergei Kostitsyn. The Pens will be missing only center Mike Zigomanis.

Marc-Andre Fleury will be in goal for the Penguins against, most likely, Carey Price for the Habs. Montreal plans on giving three regulars, Alex Tanguay, Patrice Brisebois, and Ryan O'Byrne, the night off.

Penguins-

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

Orpik-Gonchar
Eaton-Letang
Scuderi-Gill

Fleury

Canadiens-

Higgins-Metropolit-Kovalev
Stewart-Koivu-A. Kostitsyn
Latendresse-Plekanec-Kostopolous
Dandenault-Lapierre-D'Agostini

Gorges-Komisarek
Hamrlik-O'Byrne
Weber-Schneider

Price

GO PENS!

Pens down Islanders, tie Flyers, Hurricanes

The Penguins honored the three police officers gunned down in Staton Heights on Saturday with a moment of silence before the game.

Frans Nielson gets a power play goal.

Philippe Boucher gets his third of the year on his first night back from foot surgery from Ruslan Fedotenko and Evgeni Malkin. Brooks Orpik trips Bergenheim into Mathieu Garon and gets the penalty. Penguins kill the penalty.


Kris Letang slaps one nice and low at the net but Joey MacDonald just barely gets his right pad out in time to stop it. Tyler Kennedy passes nicely to Jordan Staal who leaves it for Matt Cooke. His wrister goes just wide, but it was a great play.

Craig Adams wins the battle for the puck along the boards in the Penguins zone and passes it through an Islander’s leg to Pascal Dupuis. Kris Letang comes in to help Dupuis, nearly bowling him over. Dupuis takes a slapper and Kris Letang deflects it in off the shaft of his stick over MacDonald’s shoulder. From the replay, it looks like it’s Letang’s goal but officially it goes to Dupuis.

Crosby and Guerin make a play but Joey MacDonald just gets a pad on it. Billy Guerin nearly scores on his former team, but MacDonald is there to stop it.

Tyler Kennedy passes through two Islanders to Jordan Staal. Then Staal backhand passes to Matt Cooke who blasts one into the net from the top right of the zone.
Billy Guerin nearly scores again.

And then Evgeni Malkin gets the puck and goes in around one defenseman, around another but then the puck just floats off his stick before he can wrap it around MacDonald’s leg and into the net.

Mark Eaton is called for cross-checking and four seconds later Philippe Boucher is
called for holding. Jordan Staal goes in shorthanded, and passes to Craig Adams who can’t grab it. Penguins kill the 5-on-3. Mathieu Garon was fantastic during this penalty kill.


Solid skating until Bergenheim gets a lead pass and Scuderi trips him up. Penguins on the penalty kill again. Boucher is in the box again for playing a broken stick on the ice. Another 5-on-3 for the Islanders. Jordan Staal and Matt Cooke go in shorthanded but Staal can’t get the pass off. Penalties killed.

Sidney Crosby picks off a pass and goes in 2-on-1 with Guerin and slaps it at the net. MacDonald with the save.

The Penguins control the puck in the Islanders zone for almost a minute. After the Isles get it out, Crosby comes in with Billy Guerin who gets his first goal against his former team since coming to Pittsburgh at the trade deadline.

Nate Thompson is in the box for holding. Sergei Gonchar slaps it in and Crosby and Malkin both up another assist.

Islanders are shorthanded again a short time later as Mike Iggulden is called for holding. This power play looks more like a penalty kill, the puck spends so much time in the Penguins zone.

Tyler Kennedy picks off a pass again. He fakes it past Pock, and wrists it beautifully into the net.

Penguins WIN!

Game 81-New York Islanders @ Penguins

It's fan appreciation night at the home closer tonight as the Penguins take on the NYI at Mellon Arena at 7:30 on FSN.

The New York Islanders are the worst team in the league. They are coming off the worst loss in franchise history (0-9) to the Carolina Hurricanes and they are not about to let that happen again.

The team the Penguins have to thank for the scoring and grit of their captain as he came over at the trade deadline. Lucky for them they now get at least a 4th round draft pick from the Penguins. They’re going to need it.

The only real offensive threats they have are defenseman Mark Streit, and center Doug Weight. Richard Park can be dangerous when he decides to show up. Kyle Okposo (team best 18 goals) and Frans Nielson could surprise the Penguins with their speed and good hands. Rookie Josh Bailey is also a bright spot for the Islanders, bringing his 24 points (7G-17A) in 64 games to the team.

Losing Rick DiPietro to injury has really hurt the Islanders. But youngsters Joey MacDonald and Yann Danis have shared the duties. MacDonald’s career save % vs Pittsburgh is .890 while Danis’s is .872. What a great night for Evgeni Malkin and Sidney Crosby to pad their scoring numbers!

The Islanders have had a rash of injuries. They are playing without DiPietro, Freddy Meyer, Mike Sillinger, Andy Sutton, Trent Hunter, Andy Hilbert, Dean McAmmond, Kurtis McLean, and Blake Comeau, who fractured his wrist early in the Carolina game. Kyle Okposo is questionable with a strained groin.

The Penguins are still without Mike Zigomanis and Philippe Boucher, but both may be available in the post season.

UPDATE, per the Pens website: Max Talbot will be given the game off to rest and Philippe Boucher will be in in place of Hal Gill. Mathieu Garon will be between the pipes.

Islanders-

Park-Weight-Okposo
Tambellini-Bailey-Joensuu
Bergenheim-Nielsen-Jackman
Fritz-Thompson-Rechlicz

Streit-Witt
Martinek-Gervais
Hillen-Pock

MacDonald

Penguins-

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

Orpik-Gonchar
Letang-Eaton
Scuderi-Boucher

Garon

LET'S GO PENS!

Penguins clinch playoff spot in Tampa Bay

Nothing happens for awhile, then Tyler Kennedy breaks out down the right side boards but can’t get a shot off.

The Pens go down a man, and then down by two men. Pens kill the penalties…Mark Eaton was on top of his game.

Sid with the quick release just misses the net.

First period was boring.


Geno is working hard in this game, forcing turnover. Pens get a 5-on-3 but they can’t score.

There was some intense Penguins cycling going on. Then Tyler Kennedy gets the puck behind the net, and passes to Jordan Staal. Staal with the one-touch pass to Ruslan Fedotenko who outs it home.

Matt Cooke, Jordan Staal and Mark Eaton go in shorthanded but Karri Ramo makes the stop.

Holding is called on Tampa Bay. Then Kris Letang draws a hooking penalty.

Sidney Crosby is denied on the doorstep…and then he scores. Evgeni Malkin picks up an assist. Then Crosby scores another. Malkin picks up another point.

Eaton slams a huge hit on a Bolt along the boards. Malkin blocks a shot. Scrummage ensues. Gonchar goes to the box for roughing.

Matt Cooke scored a goal and is high sticked hard in the nose.

Halpern goes in on Marc-Andre Fleury but Fleury makes a huge save.

David Koci cross-checked Max Talbot and so Eric Godard steps in and drops the gloves with Koci. Koci gets the game misconduct. Halpern scores a shorthanded goal soon after.


Stamkos to St. Louis, Stamkos to St. Louis, past Fleury to cut the lead to two. Then Paul Szczechura scores. 3-4 Penguins. Zenon Konopka and Matt Cooke both rough it up, neither gets a penalty.

Ruslan Fedotenko goes in on Ramo, but lets a big rebound. Petr Sykora wrists it in…and then takes a high stick to the face. 300th career goal.

Max Talbot is called for hooking but Jordan Staal steals the puck in the neutral zone and nearly nets a shorthanded goal. Penalty killed.

Fleury makes some key saves.

Billy Guerin drops the gloves with Evgeny Artyukhin after Artyukhin dealt a blow to the back of Gonchar’s head.

Zenon Konopka tries to elbow Malkin. Malkin’s stick goes flying and he goes down. Matt Cooke has words with Konopka and then Malkin gets in his face.

Cooke goes off for interference and Ramo goes off in favor of the extra attacker. Fleury makes some great saves. Halpern with another goal.

Empty net again for the Lightning. Jordan Staal gets the empty netter.

PENS WIN!

Here we go!


Islanders (who were blown out 0-9 by the Canes tonight) Thursday.

Do it.

Game 80- Penguins @ Tampa Bay Lightning

The Penguins will take their second crack at clinching a playoff spot on Tuesday night when they visit the bottom feeding Tampa Bay Lightning in the third to last game of the regular season. Either a Penguins win or a Florida regulation loss to Philadelphia will clinch the elusive playoff berth for Pittsburgh.

With Montreal's loss to Ottawa on Monday, the Penguins retained the inside track on the conference's sixth playoff seed. They are still in the hunt to move as high as the fourth seed, though that goal seems fairly lofty at this point.

Lately, the long eliminated Tampa has been getting its biggest offensive contributions from rookie standout and former first overall draft pick Steven Stamkos, as well as the consistently productive Marty St. Louis, who leads the squad in points.

Superstar centerman Vincent Lecavalier headlines a group of injured players for Tampa Bay that also includes goalie Mike Smith, forward Ryan Craig, and defensemen Andrej Meszaros, Paul Ranger, Marek Malik, and Cory Murphy, Josef Melichar and Richard Petiot.

Marc-Andre Fleury is expected to start in goal for the Pens against Karri Ramo for the Bolts.

Penguins centers Evgeni Malkin and Sidney Crosby have each gone pointless in their last two games. Malkin's slump could not have come at a worse time, as Washington winger Alexander Ovechkin has closed to within a whisker thin two point margin of tying him for the league scoring lead. Malkin has looked particularly comatose of late, and he needs to snap out of it soon if the Pens are to be successful.

Penguins-

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

Orpik-Gonchar
Eaton-Letang
Scuderi-Gill

Fleury

Lightning-

Malone-Stamkos-St. Louis
Prospal-Halpern-Artyukhin
Karsums-Szczechura-Pettinger
Bochenski-Konopka-Hall

Lashoff-Welch
Krajicek-Smaby
Mihalik-Koci

Ramo

GO PENS!

Panthers stay in hunt with victory over Pens

It was a relatively fail-tastic beginning for the Penguins, as Hal Gill misplayed a bouncing puck that found its way to the tape of Rosty Olesz for a short break on Marc-Andre Fleury. Olesz went to his backhand and put the puck top shelf to give Florida a 1-0 lead.

The Pens restored their equillibrium not long after, though, when Pascal Dupuis chopped the puck off a defenseman's stick in front of the net and past Thomas Vokoun to tie things up.

With 111 seconds to play in the period, Evgeni Malkin was flipped on a beautifully executed hip check by Keith Ballard. Sidney Crosby, in a good captain move, challenged Ballard to a decent fight.

On the four on four that ensued, Brian McCabe scored with 19 seconds left in the period to give Florida the advantage once again, despite being badly outshot.

At the end of the second, despite the Pens gaining posession of the puck, David Booth chipped a powerplay goal past Fleury. Jay Bouwmeester through it down low, and Booth had a chip shot.

Just past the midway mark of the final frame, Radek Dvorak gave the Pens a gift by high sticking Kris Letang in the chops and drawing blood, netting a four minute powerplay.

On the second minor, Mark Eaton blasted a slapshot from the point that hit something on the way in and snuck under the arm of Thomas Vokoun.

Fleury then gave up a garbage long wraparound goal to Ville Peltonen that gave the Panthers their insurance again.

Pens have still not clinched a playoff spot, and they are playing like garbage again.

Pens ousted by Canes in OT

End to end hockey epitomized the first period of the game, but the two goals scored by either team in the period were hardly a result of it.

Tyler Kennedy outworked Rod Brind'Amour in the right corner, drove to the net, and flipped a backhander after patiently out-waiting Cam Ward, who couldn't push all the way across his crease to deny Kennedy's shot.

In a four on four, Sidney Crosby took a chip pass from Chris Kunitz that sprung him on a long breakaway that spanned over 2/3 of the ice. Ward was up to the task, stopping Crosby cold and swinging the momentum badly in Carolina's favor.

Not long after, Tuomo Ruutu and Erik Cole worked the puck behind the Penguins' net, and Eric Staal managed to bump a Cole pass past Fleury to even the score at one apiece.

Chad Larose one-timed a pass from Ray Whitney into the net after a bad turnover by Matt Cooke.

Bill Guerin appeared to tie the game up a bit shy of midway through the second, but it was waved off, and Kunitz went to the box for tripping.

Five minutes into the final frame, the Pens did tie it up.

Kennedy broke down the left wing and sent the biscuit to Jordan Staal, who was ready to smack it past Ward, which he did.

After Crosby blocked a shot, he slid the puck ahead to Evgeni Malkin for another breakaway. Malkin was tripped up on the play, and a penalty shot was awarded.

On the shot, Ward was up to the task yet again, keeping the puck out.

Guerin took a tripping minor with two minutes left, but that penalty was killed.

Sadly, Anton Babchuk blasted it past Fleury from the right point in the overtime.

Tough loss, being as Carolina now has the inside track for home ice in the playoffs.

Pens can clinch a spot tomorrow in Florida.

Three Pittsburgh officers killed, two wounded in response to domestic dispute

Today in Stanton Heights, just outside of Pittsburgh, five City of Pittsburgh police officers were gunned down on a doorstep as they responded to a domestic dispute. Three of the officers were killed, and two were seriously wounded. The gunman is also wounded, but not dead.

For more on the story, visit here.

On days like this, hockey and entertainment become insignificant.

Condolences go out to the families of the victims and the entire Pittsburgh police force.

Game 78- Penguins @ Carolina Hurricanes

The Carolina Hurricanes will play host to the Penguins on Saturday night for the Pens' first road game since wrapping up a 6-1-1 homestand on Wednesday with a win over the New Jersey Devils. The Canes and Penguins are not only the two hottest teams in the league right now, but they are also separated in the standings by just one point, so the winner of this game has the inside track for the fifth seed in the Eastern Conference for the playoffs.

Eric Staal, Ray Whitney, and Erik Cole are the big guns offensively for Carolina, while players like Chad Larose, Tuomo Ruutu, and Rod Brind'Amour bring heart and grit to the lineup. Blueliners Joe Corvo, Joni Pitkanen, and Anton Babchuk are all capable of contributing offense to the team's cause as well.

Washington's Alex Ovechkin had three points on Friday, so Evgeni Malkin needs a point or two if he wants to get comfortable at the top of the league scoring leaderboard. Ovechkin is within 4.

Marc-Andre Fleury will start for the Pens against the white hot Cam Ward for the Canes.



Penguins-

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

Orpik-Gonchar
Eaton-Letang
Scuderi-Gill

Garon

Hurricanes-

Cole-Staal-Ruutu
Whitney-Jokinen-Larose
Samsonov-Brind'Amour-Eaves
Bayda-Helminen-Walker

Gleason-Corvo
Pitkanen-Babchuk
Wallin-Seidenberg

Ward

GO PENS!

Pens chase Brodeur in romp over Devils

Maybe we'll do this again, or maybe not, but instead of a redundant recap of the game, here are some observations on tonight's showdown between the Penguins and New Jersey Devils.

• Malkin's powerplay marker in the first period was a thing of beauty, not only because it put the Pens up 3-1 and was a real snipe, but in that he beat the best goalie in the world head to head without exerting much effort at all.
  
• Matt Cooke now has 11 goals on the season. On top of that, he's been better for the Penguins not only statistically, but also in every aspect of the game...than Jarkko Ruutu was for them.
• Crosby gets his fourth powerplay goal of the year. If he just goes to the dense scoring areas, he'll get more. It's nice to see him finally off the half boards where he is only effective as a playmaker, not a shooter.
• A rough night for NHL officials, to say the least. The missed high-stick by Eaton on Parise, as well as the missed interference for Martin firing the broken stick on Malkin were inexcusable.
• Fedotenko fits so well with Staal and Kennedy on the third line.
• Kunitz has an awesome nose for the puck, especially when he's around the net.
• Hilarious outburst on the part of Sutter.
• Penguins move into 5th in the Eastern Conference with the win, tie with Philly for 4th
• Three wins in the last month against the "best" three teams in the conference
• Great team win to close out a 13/16 point homestand.