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Winter Classic 2008 Primer!

The NHL’s Winter Classic 2008 is finally upon us, and we have compiled the following information as a primer to get you Amped up for the event!

Background:

In the 90-year history of the NHL, only 1 regular season game has ever been played outdoors.   That game, dubbed the Heritage Classic, was played in Edmonton on November 23rd, 2003, and featured a north of the border matchup between the Montreal Canadiens and the Edmonton Oilers.  It commemorated the 25th anniversary of the Edmonton Oilers joining the NHL in 1979.  The Heritage Classic was inspired by a 2001 outdoor game between two college rivals, Michigan State and the University of Michigan, that became dubbed the “Cold War”.  The Cold War was such a success that 74,554 spectators crammed into Michigan State’s Spartan Stadium and smashed the world attendance record for hockey.  Just 2 years later, the Heritage Classic was played in Edmonton’s Commonwealth Stadium in a bitingly cold -18ºF with an attendance of 57,167, the largest number of people to ever watch a live NHL game.  The Canadiens ended up winning the game by a score of 4-3 .   While the Heritage Classic was the first NHL regular season game to be played outdoors, it wasn’t the first NHL game to be played outdoors.  That honor belongs to an exhibition game in 1991 between the Los Angeles Kings and the New York Rangers that was played outside of Caesars Palace in Las Vegas.

With the groundwork laid by the Cold War and the Heritage Classic, the NHL decided in the summer of 2007 to stage the 2nd outdoor regular season game on New Year’s Day, and dubbed it the Winter Classic 2008.  They selected two fast skating, talented young teams for the matchup, the Buffalo Sabres and the Pittsburgh Penguins.  Buffalo’s Ralph Wilson Stadium was selected as the Venue for the event, marking the NHL’s first outdoor regular season game to be played in the United States.  Buffalo’s proximity to the Canadian border only increased its appeal to the NHL.  With over 70,000 fans expected, it could come close to the world hockey attendance record set by the Cold War event.

The Weather:

The weather promises to cooperate and will make this event interesting.  Monday’s overnight forecast calls for a 90% chance of precipitation, starting out as light rain and changing over to all snow by late morning on New Year’s Day.  Temperatures overnight will fall to 31º, and will peak at 36º on New Year’s day.  Winds flowing ENE will eventually shift to NNW and increase to 20-30 mph with occassional gusts of 40 mph.  Snow accumulations of 2-4 inches are expected.  Dan Craig, the NHL’s Facility Operations Manager, indicates that the winds aren’t really going to affect the rink because they put cable up on the tall glass to hold everything in place securely.  As for the snow, the NHL will use Zambonis and shovels to keep the ice surface clean prior to the game, and will monitor conditions within the periods and act accordingly.   

Unique Rules:

Being a regular season NHL game, all of the normal NHL rules will apply.  However, to ensure that neither team is aided or adversely affected by the variabilities introduced by playing outdoors, some unique and noticeable changes will be incorporated.  First, to equalize number of minutes each team has attacking or defending each goal, the 3rd period will be broken into two 10-minute segments.  At the end of the first 10-minute segment, the teams will switch ends as if it were a period break.  The whistle will be blown and the play stopped at the 10-minute mark of the 3rd, regardless of any on-going play on the ice.  Second, and along the same lines, if a 5-minute overtime period is required, it will also be divided in half with the teams switching ends after 2:30 of play.  Lastly, should the game go all the way to a shootout, each goaltender will be given the option of determining which goal to defend, making it possible for both teams to shoot at the same goal.  Another potential change that would be decided in real time could be the length of intermissions between periods, or timeouts within periods.  This will be dictated by weather and ice conditions, as determined by the NHL. 

The Teams:

The Pittsburgh Penguins (20-16-2) come into the game playing very well, having gone 12-5-0 in their last 17-games after a slow season start.  Coming off a win against the Sabres in Pittsburgh on Saturday night, the Penguins currently hold 7th place in the Eastern Conference with 42-points.  The Penguins will be without the services of forward Gary Roberts (broken leg), forward Max Talbot (ankle), defenseman Marc Eaton (torn ACL), and starting goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury (ankle).  While the Penguins have been struggling with lineup injuries through much of December, this will be the first game they play without veteran leader Gary Roberts, who broke his leg in Saturday’s tilt against Buffalo.  Petr Sykora, who was out sick on Saturday, is expected to return, along with Ryan Malone who played his first game on Saturday after missing 5 with a leg infection.  Third string goaltender Ty Conklin is expected to get rewarded with the start in net for the Penguins after posting a shutout against the Sabres on Saturday night.  Conklin is 4-0 in his brief stint with the Penguins.     

The Buffalo Sabres (19-16-2) have gone 6-3-1 in their last 10-games, including Saturday night’s loss to the Penguins.  Currently in 8th place in the Eastern Conference standings with 40-points, the Sabres have a game in hand against the Penguins.  The Sabres will be without the services of forward Drew Stafford who is day-to-day with a concussion.  Other than that, the Sabres appear to be very healthy. 

Going head to head, these teams are pretty evenly matched.  They both favor a fast, open, offensive style of play as was witnessed on Saturday night.  The Sabres have the advantage in goals per game at 3.1 versus 2.7 for the Penguins.  The teams are nearly equivalent in goals given up per game, with 2.8 for the Sabres versus 2.9 for the Pens.  On the power play, the teams are in a statistical lock with the Penguins at 18.9 percent effectiveness versus 18.8 for the Sabres.  The Sabres have the advantage on the penalty kill with an 83.6 percent effectiveness versus the Penguins 80.0.

Cool NHL Videos: 

• VIDEO:  Building the Rink  
• VIDEO:  Winter Classic Preview Show
• VIDEO:  Today’s Press Conference - Practice Skate
• VIDEO:  NBC Promo Ad

Final Notes: 

Both teams practiced on the outdoor rink today, and from all accounts the rink got a big thumbs up.  The Penguins didn’t hit the ice until 3PM after traveling up from Pittsburgh this morning.  Coach Therrien gave the Penguins a day off on Sunday so that they could get some rest before the game. 

Both teams will be wearing retro-looking uniforms for the game.  The Sabres will sport uniforms similar to the ones they wore in the 1980s.  The Penguins will be wearing the original powder blue, navy blue and white color scheme the team first used when it entered the NHL 40-years ago in 1967. 

Coverage starts on NHL.com at 11AM with live coverage starting at 1PM on NBC and CBC on New Year’s Day.  Both the American and Canadian National Anthems will be sung prior to the start of the game.  Irish tenor Ronan Tynan will perform “God Bless America” and Sabres singer Doug Allen will sing the Canadian National Anthem.  Weather permitting, there will also be a flyover. 

Penguins January 08 Preview

I noted in my December Preview that if the Penguins could successfully build confidence off from the Thanksgiving Day win over the Ottawa Senators, that they could hit their stride and have the potential of picking up 18 of 28 possible points in December.  With their win over Buffalo on Saturday night, the Pittsburgh Penguins finished December with a 9-5-0 record, picking up….18 points.  This was a huge turnaround for a team that went 4-7-1 in November and picked up just 9 of 24 possible points. 

Of course, it wasn’t all roses for the Penguins as they lost several key players to extended injuries in December.  First, they lost starting goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury for 6-8 weeks to a high-ankle sprain on December 6th.  Then, a couple of days later, fiesty forward Maxime Talbot got put back on the injured list for a few weeks for the same high-ankle sprain and has not yet returned.  The Penguins then lost 1st line forward Ryan Malone for 5-games to a leg infection.  Malone returned to the lineup against Buffalo on Saturday night.  On December 23rd the Penguins lost one of their best defensemen for the remainder of the season when Marc Eaton left the game against Boston with a torn ACL.  Lastly, the team lost veteran leader Gary Roberts for a lengthy, yet undetermined period of time after breaking his fibula in the 2-0 win over the Buffalo Sabres on December 29th.  Yet, despite the adversity, the team came away with a 64% winning percentage in December.  Perhaps the biggest surprise boost has come from 3rd string goaltender Ty Conklin who has won 4-straight starts, including a shutout against the Sabres.  His ability to handle the puck has really helped the team defensively. 

So what lies ahead for the Penguins in January?  The Penguins will play 13-games for a possible 26-points.  A majority of the games (8) will be played on the road, with just 5 being played on home ice.  Of the 13-games, the Penguins play just 3-games against Division rivals in January when they face off against the Rangers at home, and then the Flyers and Devils on the road.  They will play the Florida Panthers, Tampa Bay Lightning and Atlanta Thrashers twice each, all teams that are currently below them in the standings.  In fact, of the 13-games in January, only 2 are against teams that are currently above them in the Eastern Conference standings (Canadiens and Devils), although it is a very tight race in  the East. 

As far as the road ahead in January, here is the layout for the Penguins (20-16-2), and my best case projections:

• 1 Jan:  @ Buffalo Sabres (19-16-2) – projected Win
• 3 Jan:  Toronto Maple Leafs (15-16-8) – projected Win
• 5 Jan:  Florida Panthers (18-17-3) – projected Win
• 8 Jan:  @ Florida Panthers  (18-17-3) – projected OTL
• 10 Jan:  @ Tampa Bay Lightning (15-21-3) – projected Win
• 12 Jan:  @ at Atlanta Thrashers (19-19-1) – projected Win
• 14 Jan:  New York Rangers (19-15-4) – projected Loss
• 18 Jan:  Tampa Bay Lightning (15-21-3) – projected Win
• 19 Jan:  @ Montreal Canadiens (19-13-6) – projected Loss
• 21 Jan:  Washington Capitals (15-19-5) – projected Win
• 24 Jan:  @ Philadelphia Flyers (18-4-4) – projected OTL
• 29 Jan:  @ New Jersey Devils (21-14-3) – projected Loss
• 30 Jan:  @ Atlanta Thrashers (19-19-1) – projected Win

January starts with 4 of the first 6 games on the road, including the momentous Winter Classic game in Buffalo on New Year’s Day.  Aside from the fact that the majority of the games come on the road, the schedule is more forgiving than it was in December with only 2-games falling back-to-back on subsequent nights (January 29-30 against the Devils and Thrashers, respectively).   

Last season, the Penguins came into their own in January going 8-2-2, and then kept rolling by going 9-3-1 in February, 12-3-2 in March, and 2-1-0 in April.  I think it is unlikely that the Penguins will be able to maintain the similar level of success in the latter half of this season, given more parity in the league and the increase that the Penguins have seen in injuries.  However, I hope to be proven wrong.  There is certainly an ample amount of talent on the team if they can play to their full potential. 

I think that the Penguins will have a very strong January, with the potential to go 8-3-2 and pick up 18 of 26 available points on the month.  This will require continued offensive output outside of Gonchar, Sykora, Crosby and Malkin, and continued good play in net by Conklin and Sabourin.  A confident Penguins team will be a dangerous team, as was evidenced in the second half of last year.  Let’s hope that the Penguins can build on the confidence they have developed in December. 

Lets Go Pens!

Roberts Breaks Leg as Pens Shutout Sabres

The Pittsburgh Penguins played a very strong game and won the first leg of their indoor/outdoor back-to-back series against Buffalo Saturday night as they shut out the Sabres 2-0.  Despite the win, the Penguins suffered a loss in the 2nd period.  After being honored by Ray Shero at the beginning of the game for scoring 900-points in his NHL career, Gary Roberts left the ice midway through the 2nd period with a broken leg (fibula) after Buffalo’s Tim Connolly fell into him akwardly near the Penguins’ blueline.  Roberts, who left the ice with the aid of his teammates, avoided what appeared to be a likely serious ligament injury, but will still be out for an extended period of time, adding to the Pens’ injury woes.   

Ty Conklin got the nod in net and won his 4th straight game by grabbing his first shutout in nearly 2 years and advanced his record to 4-0.  His last shutout came on January 3rd, 2006, playing for the Edmonton Oilers.  Conklin stopped 26 Buffalo shots, including a few real nail biters, and was puck-handling all night like an accomplished 3rd defenseman. 

The 1st period was evenly matched with neither team scoring a goal.  The shots were even at 8, and the only power play opportunity went to the Buffalo Sabres when Ryan Malone sat for tripping.  It was Malone’s first game after missing 5 due to a leg infection.  He spent most of the night on the 2nd line, with Malkin, Crosby and Armstrong staying together on the top line. 

In the 2nd, the Penguins scored a quick goal just 12 seconds into the period.  Sidney Crosby set up the play perfectly by muscling his way past Jochen Hecht to get the puck at the blue line, and then faked a shot before dishing the puck to Colby Armstrong who was going hard to the net with his stick on the ice.  The puck was redirected into the net off from Armstrong’s stick to put the Penguins up 1-0.   Darryl Sydor picked up the other assist for his 3rd point in the last 2 games.  Midway through the period, the Penguins lost Gary Roberts to the broken leg.  Shots were again tied at 8 per side at the end of the 2nd, with both teams going 0 for 1 on the power play. 

In the 3rd, the score remained 1-0 until the last 22 seconds when Evgeni Malkin put the insurance goal into the open net.  Sidney Crosby unselfishly passed the puck to a wide-open Malkin who skated the puck most of the way to the net before tapping it in.  Colby Armstrong picked up the other assist, giving him 7-points (2G, 5A) in his last 5-games.  Sidney Crosby’s assist gave him 2-points on the night to increase his season total to 52-points.  Shots were 10-9 in favor of Buffalo in the third.  The Penguins were 0-for-3 on the powerplay in the 3rd and successfully killed off 2 penalties, albeit the 2nd one coming with less than 10-seconds to go in the game. 

• VIDEO:  Game Highlights 
• VIDEO:  Post-Game Press Conference w/Coach Therrien
• VIDEO:  Post-Game Locker Room Interviews
• PHOTOS:  In-Game Photos
• AUDIO:  Mike Lange Highlights
• AUDIO:  Post-Game Hotline
• NHL OFFICIAL:  Game Rosters
• NHL OFFICIAL:  Game Summary
• NHL OFFICIAL:  Boxscore
• NHL OFFICIAL:  Play-by-Play

The win extends Pittsburgh’s record to 12-5-0 in their last 17-games since beating Ottawa on Thanksgiving Day in the game that has turned their season around.  The Penguins travel to Buffalo for the much anticipated outdoor Winter Classic game to be played at 1PM on New Year’s Day.  The game will be carried live on NBC and CBC.  Current weather forecast is for snow showers with the day’s temperatures ranging from 24-32 degrees.   

Gonchar Redeems Himself as Pens Rally to Beat Caps in OT

The Pittsburgh Penguins managed to pick up a win in overtime at home on Thursday night against the Washington Capitals, after battling from behind and scoring a late 3rd period goal to tie the game and force the extra play.  Sergei Gonchar scored the game winner in overtime, after a unsavory performance in which two of his misplays resulted in goals for the Capitals.

The first period started with an early bout between Georges Laraque and Donald Brashear at 3:18.  Despite a lot of tussling and dancing, there were no real significant punches thrown and the fight ended in a non-decision and matching fighting majors.  At 12:01, the Penguins got on the board on an awesome play by newcomer Jeff Taffe to beat Brent Johnson.  From within the Penguins own defensive zone, Taffe chipped the puck past a defenseman at the point and took it from his own blueline all the way to the Capitals’ net where he slapped the puck past Johnson high on the stick side.  Assists went to Jarkko Ruutu and Darryl Sydor.  Then at 15:24, the Capitals tied it up when Sergei Gonchar tried to pass the puck behind the net, but mis-judged the angle and ended up putting the puck back out in front of the net.  Donald Brashear found the puck and buried it past Conklin.  At 17:53, the Penguins got a lucky bounce when Colby Armstrong threw the puck on the backhand from behind the goal line and caught Johnson’s feet which redirected the puck into net.  Ryan Whitney and Sidney Crosby were credited with the assists.  Johnson was injured on the play when he fell awkwardly back on his leg and sprained his knee.  He left the game and was replaced by Olie “the Goalie” Kolzig.  The Penguins outshot the Capitals 9-5 in the first. 

In the 2nd period, Pittsburgh stopped skating and it was all Washington as they outshot the Penguins 12-6 and netted 2-goals for the 3-2 lead.  The first came at 5:23 as Brian Pothier was left uncovered in the high slot area by Petr Sykora.  Pothier buried the puck behind Ty Conklin with authority.  Nicklas Backstrom and Viktor Kozlov were credited with the assists.  Then at 18:26, Sergei Gonchar gave up the puck to Nicklas Backstrom on an easy play behind his own net who then skated from behind the net and put the puck on the stick of Alex Ovechkin who beat Ty Conklin with a quick wrist shot to give the Capitals a 3-2 lead.  There were no penalties called in the 2nd. 

In the 3rd period, the Capitals were unable to convert on their only power play chance at 4:23 as Colby Armstrong sat 2 for intereference.  The Penguins got a break late in the period as the Capitals were called for roughing at 15:48.  Trailing by a goal, the Penguins power play converted on a goal by Darryl Sydor with just 4 seconds left in the man-advantage to tie the game at 3.  The goal was Sydor’s first as a Penguin and his 2nd point of the night, doubling his season point total and earning him the game’s 3rd star.  “They were trying to shut things down, but we got a big goal there from Syd (Sydor) to keep us in it,” Crosby said. “Every game isn’t going to have three solid periods and a perfect ending. This is what you have to do sometimes, find ways to win when you’re not playing your best.”

The Penguins outshot the Capitals 11-8 in the 3rd and forced the overtime frame.  Alex Ovechkin only played about a minute of the 3rd period before leaving the game for stitches to repair a cut on his leg.

In overtime, Sergei Gonchar redeemed himself for giving up 2-goals by blasting a shot past Kolzig from the circle on a nice feed from in front of the net by Crosby.  “I had a couple of mistakes, and I didn’t feel great about this one, but I scored a goal and I feel a lot better now,” Gonchar said. “Sid made a great pass. When he started skating toward the net, both defensemen are paying attention to him and not even looking at me. I had a wide-open net.”  It was Crosby’s 2nd assist of the night and it earned him the game’s first star.  Colby Armstrong picked up the other assist, his second point of the night.  Ty Conklin captured his 3rd straight win with 22 saves.  He is now 3-0, despite a 0.892 save percentage and 3.5 GAA.

VIDEO HIGHLIGHTS

  

Additional Game Coverage: 

• VIDEO:  Post Game Press Conference
• VIDEO:  Post Game Locker Room Interviews
• PHOTOS:  In-Game Photos
• AUDIO:  Mike Lange Highlights
• AUDIO:  Rink Rat Report
• AUDIO:  Post-Game Hotline
• NHL OFFICIAL:  Game Rosters
• NHL OFFICIAL:  Game Summary
• NHL OFFICIAL:  Boxscore
• NHL OFFICIAL:  Play-by-Play

With the win, the Penguins advance to 19-6-2 and are 2nd in the Atlantic Division and 6th overall in the Eastern Conference.  Just 10-points separate 2nd and 15th place in the Eastern Conference.  The Penguins now head into a back-to-back series with Buffalo, with the Sabres coming to Pittsburgh on Saturday night before hosting the Penguins at Ralph Wilson Stadium on New Year’s Day for the Winter Classic. 

Winter Classic 2008

 

On New Year’s Day, the Buffalo Sabres will host the Pittsburgh Penguins in the much anticipated and widely publicized NHL Winter Classic 2008.   The Winter Classic, which will be played outdoors at Buffalo’s Ralph Wilson Stadium, is the NHL’s 2nd outdoor regular season game.  The first was the Heritage Classic which was played in November 2003 in Edmonton, Alberta.  The NHL is hoping to cash in by highlighting the league’s marketing centerpiece, Sidney Crosby, and broadcasting live on NBC and CBC on a holiday opposite bowl games.  Buffalo is uniquely positioned near the US/Canadian border and will add to the ”international” appeal.

NHL WINTER CLASSIC ADVERTISEMENT

Preparations are on-going around the clock to convert the Buffalo Bill’s football stadium into a 70,000-seat hockey rink.  To add to the challenge, the NHL couldn’t start the physical conversion until December 23rd based upon football schedules.  Needless to say, the planning has been in work for more than 6-months.  One of the challenges is compensating for a 9-inch crown that exists on the football field.  The NHL is having to use styrofoam and plywood to create a level foundation for the rink.  They also have to establish the infrastructure that you would normally find inside a hockey rink, including the cooling equipment for making ice, locker rooms, etc.  Add to that, the challenges of making it broadcast and fan friendly in terms of camera angles and sight lines, and it is no small feat.

NHL VIDEO OF RINK PREPARATIONS

 

• AUDIO:  Pittsburgh Penguins Winter Classic Preview (8:29).   

Probably the biggest variable in playing an outdoor game will be the weather.  The forecast over the next several days in Buffalo consists of mixed rain and snow with temperatures ranging from the low to mid-30’s.  This will undoubtedly be challenging for the preparations.  On New Year’s day, the forecast currently calls for snow showers with a low of 24 and a high of 32.  Depending on how much it snows, it could make for an even more interesting game.   

With 70,000 fans in attendance and millions more watching on TV, this will be a banner event for the NHL and a great game between the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Buffalo Sabres.  The fun begins at 1PM on New Year’s Day on NBC and CBC.

Penguins Mid-Season Report Card

With the NHL 2007-08 regular season nearing the midpoint, I thought it might be a good time to assess how the team has played so far.  I have rated the current team roster in a number of areas and then given each individual player a score along with a short assessment. 

Overall Team:  C-.  Were it not for the fact that the Penguins have managed to stay right in the mix of the Atlantic Division points logjam, I would have likely rated them a bit lower.  The team, as a whole, has lacked consistency so far this year and played below their potential and pre-season expectations (which were set too high in my opinion).  Offensively, while the Penguins have out-produced 18 of 30 teams in the NHL with 103 “Goals For”, the scoring has has arguably been concentrated amongst too few players.  Within the Eastern Conference, the Penguins have the fewest number of players to have scored a goal;  15 Penguins have found the net versus an Eastern Conference team average of 17.8 players.  Defensively, only 7 of 30 NHL teams have let in more goals than the Penguins (108 Goals Against).  The team’s inconsistency is underscored by the fact that it has only put together 3 “winning streaks” in 36 games.  In one streak they put together 4 consecutive wins, and twice they have put together 3-consecutive wins.  Perhaps the most troubling is their record within the division at 4-10-1.  If the Penguins have any hope of making it into the playoffs, they will need to vastly improve their record against Atlantic Division rivals.  The good news is that the team has been improving and is 10-5-0 since its win against the Ottawa Senators on Thanksgiving Day, including 4 shootout wins.  Unfortunately, key injuries to Marc-Andre Fleury, Max Talbot, Ryan Malone and now Marc Eaton will likely take their toll on the team’s play and force Ray Shero to look at trade options a little more closely, and perhaps a little more quickly.

Forwards:  Overall, the forwards get a C.  Individual scores follow:

• Sidney Crosby:  A.  Sidney Crosby has continued to play very well and is in 4th place in the NHL scoring race, 5 points behind the leader Vinny Lecavalier.  While it is unclear how effective of an off-ice leader the young Captain is, it is clear he is the on-ice leader.  Crosby leads the team in Goals, Assists and Points (16G, 32A, 48 Points) through 36 games.  He is on a pace for 109 points this season, which is slightly off last year’s production.  He has drawn more penalties from the opposition (and media attention) than any other player in the league.  Crosby has been shouldering the burden of being the team Captain, the youngest in NHL history…or any professional sport for that matter.  It is unclear if his inexperience in that role has had any affect on the team’s inconsistency in the early going. 
• Evgeni Malkin:  A-.  Evgeni Malkin has matured tremendously over the last year, showing an immense level of confidence and skill on the ice.  His slapshot is phenomenal.  Malkin is second to Crosby on the team in Goals, Assists and Points (14G, 26A, 40 Points) in 36 games.  He is on a pace for 91 points which would beat his 85 points of last year, but is off that pace given that he only played 78 games last season due to injury.  His defensive game needs improvement.
• Ryan Malone:  B+.  Ryan Malone has had a good season on Sid’s wing.  His aggressive style of play and improved conditioning in the off-season are paying dividends.  Hopefully the leg infection won’t set him back.
• Petr Sykora:  B.  Petr Sykora has been slipping of late.  He had a pretty good start to the season, but has lapsed a bit offensively and defensively over the last several games.  He needs to bump it up a notch. 
• Tyler Kenney:  B-.  Tyler Kennedy has been effective at bringing energy to the team, and has contributed 10-points in 23 games as a rookie.  He has been a good call-up for the team.
• Georges Laraque:  B-.  Georges Laraque has been playing much better than expected this season.  Given that his value is as an enforcer, he has shown that he can cycle the puck well and contribute on the scoresheet.  He is certainly not a top line player, but he has played effectively so far. 
• Colby Armstrong:  C-.  Colby Armstrong has been inconsistent.  He has had a few really good games separated by a lot of mediocre ones.  His chemistry with Crosby is notable, but he lacks the skill to be a long-term Crosby linemate.  The coach sat him undeservedly for too long in my opinion before dumping Rex. 
• Erik Christensen: C-.  Erik has had a rough season, being moved around a lot.  He did not make a successful transition to the Wing.  In the last few games he has been playing 3rd line center and flourishing.  If he can stay there, he will improve. 
• Gary Roberts:  D+.  Scary Gary fought an extended illness earlier in the season and has not yet returned to form.  It is questionable at his age if he can return to his prior form.  Hopefully he will be able springboard off from his recent 3-point game and show improvement down the stretch. 
• Jarkko Ruutu:  D.  Jarkko Ruutu has been missing in action on the scoresheet, but you always know when he is playing.  As the resident team agitator, he has done a good job of playing that role.  Nonetheless, he needs to be able to contribute the occassional goal and he has not done so. 
•  Jordan Staal:  D.  Jordan Staal has been in the midst of a tremendous sophomore slump all season.  He has had flashes of brilliance at times, but remains snake-bitten.  If he can get out of the slump, he could be the most important piece of the puzzle down the stretch. 
• Adam Hall:  D-.  Adam Hall has been missing in action.  He hasn’t scored a point in 20 games.  He needs to contribute more. 
• Maxime Talbot:  Incomplete.  Maxime Talbot was having a good season, but hasn’t played a game since December 8th due to a high ankle sprain injury.  Prior to that, he was a solid B+ playing with determination and contributing on the scorecard. 
• Jeff Taffe:  Incomplete.  Too early to tell.  Unfortunately, in 3 games he has been largely unremarkable. 

Defensemen:  Overall, the defensemen get a C.  Individual scores follow:

• Sergei Gonchar:  A-.  Sergei Gonchar is on a pace for a career season, and is currently 3rd in team scoring with 29 points (6G, 23A).  The biggest concern is the groin injury that he suffered at the end of November.  He only missed a few games, but one wonders if the injury will reappear as the season moves on.  He has been the go to guy on the powerplay for putting the puck in on net.  He will need to remain healthy for the Penguins to flourish in the second half. 
• Mark Eaton:  A-.  Mark Eaton won’t show up as a huge contributor on the scoresheet, but he is the defensive backbone of the team with a team leading +6 rating.  His ability to block shots and take players off the puck is unmatched on the team.  Unfortunately, he will likely miss the remainder of the season with a torn ACL after being subjected to a slew foot in a 4-2 win over Boston on December 23rd.
• Ryan Whitney:  B.  Ryan Whitney is 5th on the team in scoring with 16-points (7G, 9A) in 32 games, but has been challenged defensively with a -5 rating.  He needs to tighten up his defensive game, but has been contributing well as an offensive defenseman. 
• Kris Letang:  B.  After losing a chance to make the team out of camp, Kris Letang has made the most of his mid-November callup.  Playing with a lot of confidence and showing good skating and puck handling skills, Letang has picked up 4 points (2G, 2A) and has a -3 rating in 18 games.  Perhaps the biggest surprise is his 3-for-3 perfect record in the shootout.  Kris Letang is a skilled rookie that will only get better with time.
• Brooks Orpik:  C.  Brooks Orpik is having a good year and has shown good improvement in his game.  He has cleaned up his defensive play and is on pace to double his point total from last season.  He is one of the team’s best checking defensemen, and will need to play his best with Eaton out of the lineup.
• Rob Scuderi:  D+.  Rob Scuderi had a pretty good start of the season, but has had a largely forgettable December, especially in games against the Flyers and Islanders. 
• Darryl Sydor:  D.  Darryl Sydor has been the biggest disappointment thus far, aside from poor Jordan Staal.  At least Jordan can blame the sophomore slump.  Darryl Sydor has struggled to find an offensive or defensive game this year, and has been an occassional bench warmer as a result.  He needs to pick it up and contribute, especially with Eaton out of the lineup.  His -7 rating is second only to Jordan Staal on the team, and his 2-points (2A) in 30-games is not even worth mention. 

Goaltenders:  Overall, the goaltenders get a D+.  Individual scores follow:

• Dany Sabourin:  C-.  Dany Sabourin has had some pretty good games as a backup tender, particularly in shootouts.  Unfortunately, he has also had some stinkers and has given up too many goals.  Somehow his 2.69 GAA and 0.904 save percentage don’t seem too bad for a backup tender, but it is not good enough as he stands in for Fleury for an extended period.  Unfortunately, he is a 3.6 GAA and 0.863 save percentage in his last 5 games.
• Ty Conklin:  C-.  Ty Conklin is getting the chance of a lifetime with Fleury out of the lineup, and has played okay in the few games he has seen, netting 2 wins in 2 starts including soe key saves at important moments.  However, his 3.72 GAA and 0.895 save percentage is not good enough to yield a preponderance of wins in the NHL.
• Marc-Andre Fleury:  D.  Marc-Andre Fleury could get an incomplete due to his injury status, but having played more games than either of the other tenders, I felt compelled to rate him.  Unfortunately, at the time of his injury, he was just starting to play his best hockey of the season.  He gave up 40 goals in his first 13 games, and only gave up 8 goals in his last 7 games.  I have graded him based upon his early inconsistency and struggles that left him with a 3.76 GAA and 0.880 save percentage at the time of his injury.  Hopefully the layoff won’t sink his confidence. 

‘Twas the Night Before Christmas, Penguins Style

The following is an NHLPens.com twist on ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas: 

‘Twas the night before Christmas, the whole scene was set,
Not a player would be shooting, a puck at the net;
The sticks were all stacked by the locker room with care,
All prepped for the Caps who soon would be there;

Pens’ fans were nestled all snug in their beds,
While visions of Lord Stanley danced in their heads;
And Shero still shopping, and worried about cap,
Laid the Wingers list down for a brief Christmas nap,

When down at the rink there arose such a clatter,
Coach Therrien rose to see what was the matter.
Down to the Arena he drove like a flash,
Ran past the Zamboni, nearly fell on his ass.

The lights shining bright on the fresh sheet of ice,
Gave way to a scene that was really quite nice,
When, what to his sleep-blurried eyes should appear,
All the Pens’ players playing, dressed up in their gear,

With a speedy young center, so lively and quick,
Determined to score, and to get the hat trick.
More rapid than eagles the Pens’ players came,
Coach Therrien shouted, and called them by name;

“Now, Crosby! now, Malkin! now, Staal all go home!
Now Sykora! Ruutu, Roberts, Malone!
Get off of the rink!  Get out of your gear!
Go get some rest because Christmas is here!”

As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,
When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky,
All ’round the rink every last player flew,
Determined to skate ’til their practice was through.

And then, getting louder, and louder still yet,
He heard sounds of pucks hitting backs of the net.
He thought for a moment, fore turning around,
This team filled with talent could soon be Cup bound.

He looked at the ground and his countenance dropped,
And just for a moment I think his heart stopped;
For at that very moment one thing became clear,
It wasn’t the coach that brought the team here.

Despite all his tinkering, the line changes many,
And sitting the veterans and youngsters a-plenty;
It wasn’t the system he pushed from the start,
‘Twas the will of the players and size of their heart;

Crosby is focused, and driven, and strong,
And Malkin can light up the lamp all night long;
And Staal, though a slumping young sophomore may be,
Can still skate in circles around you and me.

Malone found a home beside Army on wing,
Playing with Crosby’s a beautiful thing;
Gonch keeps on putting up points every night,
And Georges, the protector, throws in with a fight!

Tyler K. and Letang with smiles on their face,
These rookies are flying all over the place;
If Christensen, Roberts, Sykora and Eaton,
Keep playing like that, many teams will be beaten;

With Fleury, Sabourin or Conklin in net,
The defense finally clicking, the better they’ll get;
On defense, Whitney, Orpik, Scuds and Sydor,
Have all shown they’re able to slam shut the door; 

So Therrien shrugged as he left in dismay,
As he realized a coach can just coach, and can’t play;

And I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight,

“Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good-night.”

Scary Gary Puts Up 3-Points, Pens Beat Bruins 4-2

The Pittsburgh Penguins beat the Boston Bruins for the 2nd time in 4-days on Sunday by a score of 4-2.  Unlike Thursday’s game in Boston, the Penguins held onto the lead in the 3rd period and managed to score an empty net insurance goal to seal the win.  Pittsburgh’s reserve netminder Ty Conklin was once again in net and had a fine performance turning away 28 of 30 Boston shots on goal.  The win gave the Penguins 38 points (18-16-2), and launched them from last place to 2nd place in the log-jammed Atlantic Division, ahead of the Rangers who also have 38-points, but less wins (17-15-4).  The Rangers lost to the Senators on Sunday. 

For the Penguins, it wasn’t just a win……there were other items to take note of.  First, the Penguins found offense outside of their 1st line with 3 of the 4 Pittsburgh goals coming from the 3rd line of Erik Christensen, Gary Roberts and Georges Laraque.  Second, Gary Roberts picked up 3-points (2G, 1A, including the empty net insurance tally) and was awarded the game’s 1st star for his performance.  The goals were Roberts’ 2nd and 3rd of the season and first since October 17th.  Third, Erik Christensen turned in a good performance in his natural position at center, picking up 2 assists on Sunday and scoring 4-points (2G, 2A) in his last 3 games.  Fourth, Ty Conklin had a confidence-building 0.934 save percentage win, giving up 2-goals and keeping the Penguins on top in the 3rd period, despite being outshot 11-8.  Lastly, any time that “big Georges Laraque” picks up 2-points (1G, 1A), you just have to feel that things are going well.  Noting their supporting role performances, Gary Roberts said, “We’ve all got to chip in and we’re going to need that for the remainder of the season to win hockey games.”   On the down side, Defenseman Mark Eaton sustained a knee injury in the second period as a Boston player threw a slew foot behind the net that was missed by the refs, but obvious on the video replay.  Eaton left the game and didn’t return.    

In the first period, Boston got on the board first with an early goal from P.J. Axelsson at 3:48 from Zdeno Chara and Marc Savard.  The Boston goal held up as the only tally in the first, with the Bruins outshooting the Penguins 12-10.  The Penguins were 0-for-2 on the power play in the period, including 1:36 of 5-on-3 time.  They killed off the only short-handed situation as Crosby sat for 2-minutes for slashing. 

In the second, the Penguins came to life and scored 3-goals to put them up 3-1.  The 1st came off the stick of Gary Roberts at 2:16.  Working the cycle along the boards, Erik Christensen backhanded the puck to Georges Laraque who was behind the net.  Laraque quickly threw the the puck to the front of the net onto the stick of Gary Roberts who shot the puck past Alexander Auld to tie the game at 1.  Then at 13:04 while on the powerplay, Evgeni Malkin put a blazing shot past Auld from the sideboards after taking a beautiful pass from the center of the ice from Jordan Staal.  Sergei Gonchar picked up the other assist, the 400th of his career.  Then, just 30 seconds later, it was Laraque who capitalized on the third line rampage tapping in a Gary Roberts pass as he drove the net on a 2-on-2 play to make it 3-1.  The goal was Laraque’s 2nd of the season and 50th of his 9-year career.  Erik Christensen picked up the other assist, his 2nd of the night.  Georges Laraque noted that “I like playing with those two guys and hopefully it will keep going.”  The way they have played of late, he may just get his wish.   ”Gary, Christensen and Laraque really set the tone for this game,” coach Michel Therrien said. “They played well.”  Shots were even at 7 in the 2nd, with the Penguins going 1-for-2 on the powerplay and 1-for-1 on the penalty kill. 

Boston pressed the Penguins late in the 3rd when Petteri Nokelainen scored a goal with just 54 seconds to go in the game, while the Bruins’ netminder Auld was pulled from the net.  The Penguins held on, however, and picked up the empty net insurance goal from Gary Roberts, his second tally of the night, with just 10 seconds left in the game.  Sidney Crosby and Colby Armstrong were credited with the assist.  The Penguins were 0-for-1 on the man advantage in the third and killed off their only shorthanded situation.  The Penguins were outshot 11-8 in the final frame.  For Penguins’ netminder Ty Conklin, it was his 2nd start and 2nd win, both coming against the Bruins. 

GAME HIGHLIGHTS VIDEO

• VIDEO:  Post-Game Press Conference
• VIDEO:  Post-Game Locker Room Interviews
• PHOTOS:  In-Game Photos
• AUDIO:  Mike Lange Highlights
• AUDIO:  Post-Game Rink Rat Report
• AUDIO:  Crash the Net
• NHL DOCS:  Game Rosters
• NHL DOCS:  Game Summary
• NHL DOCS:  Box Score
• NHL DOCS:  Play-by-Play

The Penguins take a few days rest at home before playing host to the Washington Capitals on Thursday, December 27th, at Mellon Arena.

Inside Penguins Hockey – Petr Sykora & Erik Christensen

Each week, Comcast presents a 30-minute show entitled “Inside Penguins Hockey” that airs on FSN Pittsburgh.  The show provides an exclusive inside look at the Pittsburgh Penguins from game strategies to behind the scenes action.  One of the best elements of the show is the Q&A with various players.  Episode 4 of Inside Penguins Hockey originally aired on December 15th and featured Petr Sykora and Erik Christensen.  The video is being streamed over at Pittsburgh Penguins.com and is provided below for your viewing pleasure. 

EPISODE 4:

Prior Episodes can be viewed below:

• Episode 3:  Aired Dec 8th, 2007 – Ryan Whitney and Brooks Orpik

• Episode 2:  Aired Dec 1st, 2007 – Georges Laraque and Ryan Malone

• Episode 1:  Aired Nov 24th, 2007 – Mark Eaton and Jarrko Ruutu

 

Penguins Fall 4-2 in Weak Outing

The Pittsburgh Penguins lost to the New York Islanders on Saturday night at Mellon Arena by a score of 4-2 after giving up 2-goals midway through the 3rd period in a sloppy game.  In a bit of irony, the tie-breaking goal was scored by rookie Blake Comeau who was called up when Islanders’ forward Chris Simon was suspended 30-games for stomping on the leg of Penguins’ forward Jarrko Ruutu with his skate blade last Saturday.  Comeau, playing in just his 2nd game this season and the 5th of his career, beat Dany Sabourin inside the far post to give the Islanders the lead at 3-2.

For the Penguins, the schedule may have played a factor with the game coming on the heels of Thursday night’s win in Boston.  The team traveled back to Pittsburgh overnight and played their second game in as many nights, and 3rd game in just 4-nights.  When the Islanders scored the tie-breaking goal midway through the 3rd, the Penguins just didn’t have enough gas left in the tank to mount a viable comeback.  The Penguins were sloppy in their own end, had difficulty dealing with the bad ice surface and didn’t capitalize on their chances. 

In the 1st period, the Islanders scored quickly off from a goal by Miroslav Satan at 0:44, with assists by Josef Vasicek and Brendan Witt.  The Penguins bounced back late in the first when Erik Christensen found the back of the net at 18:50 to tie it 1-1.  Working the boards behind the Islanders’ net, Georges Laraque backhanded the puck along the boards to Gary Roberts who attempted a quick wraparound on goaltender Rick DiPietro.  Roberts’ attempt was stopped, but the rebound popped out to Christensen who drove it into the empty side of the net to beat DiPietro.  With the assist, Gary Roberts was credited with his 900th career point. 

In the 2nd period, the Penguins scored first at 4:20 on the power play as the Islanders netminder mishandled the play, leaving the net wide open for Jordan Staal who scored just his 3rd goal of the season.  Sidney Crosby and Sergei Gonchar were credited with the assists.  It was Pittsburgh’s only goal in 6-power play chances, including a four-minute power play in the second.  They are just 2-for-25 with the man advantage in the last 5-games.  The Islanders managed to tie the game at 8:42 from Andy Hilbert.  Tim Jackman and rookie Blake Comeau were credited with the assists.

In the 3rd, the Islanders scored twice to beat the Penguins 4-2.  The tie-breaker came from the stick of Blake Comeau at 10:28 with an assist by Andy Hilbert.  The insurance goal came less than a minute later at 11:05 from Trent Hunter with assists by Mike Sillinger and Ruslan Fedetenko. 

Dany Sabourin stopped 20 of 24 shots and lost his 4th game in 5-starts.  “We expect him to be better,” said coach Michel Therrien, who may opt to use Ty Conklin against Boston again on Sunday.  

• PHOTOS:  In Game Photos 
• VIDEO:  Game Highlights
• VIDEO:  Post Game Press Conference
• VIDEO:  Post Game Locker Room Report
• AUDIO:  Mike Lange Highlights
• AUDIO:  Post Game Rink Rat Report
• AUDIO:  Post Game Hotline
• Official Game Rosters
• Official Game Summary
• Official Game Boxscore
• Official Game Play-by-Play

Around the Atlantic, the Flyers and Rangers both lost on Friday night, enabling the Penguins to maintain 3rd place.  The Devils won to add another 2-points of separation from the rest of the tightly packed Atlantic Division, with just 4-points separating the 2nd and 5th place teams. 

The Penguins The Penguins play again on Sunday afternoon when they host the Boston Bruins at 3PM. 

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