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Concussed

Chaiwoman — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 18:46:26 +0000

Tags: Arron Asham, Bryan Berard, Buffalo Sabres, Chris Kunitz, Columbus Blue Jackets, concussions, Craig Adams, Craig Custance, Derryk Engelland, Eric Goddard, Evgeni Malkin, fighting, J. P. Dumont, James Neal, Jason Pominville, Jay Beagle, Jordan Staal, Marc-Andre Fleury, Mark Madden, Peter Keating, Pittsburgh Penguins, Ross Bernstein, Sidney Crosby, Tyler Kennedy

The topic of concussions in the NHL seems no more prevalent and pervasive than it has this season, and for Penguins fans of recent memory, has had little impact (pardon the pun) until it happened to Sidney Crosby. Just in the past two seasons, more Penguins players than I remember before have either been diagnosed...

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Equilibrium

Chaiwoman — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 03:07:18 +0000

Categories: Analysis, Features, Opinion

Tags: Arron Asham, Chris Kunitz, Consol Energy Center, Dan Bylsma, Deryk Engelland, Eric Goddard, Evgeni Malkin, Habs, James Neal, Jordan Staal, Montreal Canadiens, New Jersey Devils, New York Islanders, New York Rangers, Ottawa Senators, Pascal Dupuis, Penalty Kill, Pittsburgh Penguins, Power Play, Sidney Crosby, St. Louis Blues, Steve Sullivan, Tyler Kennedy, Washington Capitals, Zbynek Michalek

Each of the first five games with the re-entry of Penguins captain Sidney Crosby has shown a very natural process when trying to fit a highly skilled anchor player back into a lineup that has had to maintain and sustain for nearly 10 months without him. The fact that it has only taken a handful...

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The First Baker’s Dozen

Chaiwoman — Wed, 02 Nov 2011 15:21:41 +0000

Categories: Analysis, Features, Opinion

Tags: AHL, Boston Bruins, Brent Johnson, Brooks Orpik, Deryk Engelland, Detroit Red Wings, Eastern Conference, Evgeni Malkin, James Neal, Joe Morrow, Joe Vitale, Jordan Staal, Kris Letang, Marc-Andre Fleury, Mario Lemieux, Mat Niskanen, Matt Cooke, Max Talbot, Montreal Canadiens, National Hockey League, New York Islanders, Phil Kessel, Philadelphia Flyers, Pittsburgh Penguins, Richard Park, Sergei Gonchar, Sidney Crosby, Steve Sullivan, Toronto Maple Leafs, Washington Capitals, Wilkes-Barre

The first thirteen games reveal the Pittsburgh Penguins sitting on top of the Eastern Conference and the League (8-3-2, 18 points) after a grueling opening schedule without Sidney Crosby and a still somewhat fragile Evgeni Malkin, but there is no panic in this team. They’ve been down this road many times before, and if anything can...

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What We Have Here…

Chaiwoman — Wed, 27 Apr 2011 03:08:25 +0000

Categories: Analysis, Features, Opinion, Previews

Tags: Alex Kovalev, Ben Lovejoy, Brooks Orpik, Chris Conner, Chris Kunitz, Dan Bylsma, Deryk Engelland, Dwayne Roloson, Eastern Conference Quarterfinals, Eric Tangradi, Game 6, Game 7, James Neal, Jay Caulfield, Jordan Staal, Kris Letang, Marc-Andre Fleury, Mark Letestu, Mark Madden, Matt Niskanen, Paul Martin, Pittsburgh Penguins, Root Sports, Ryan Malone, Tampa Bay Lightning, Vincent Lecavalier, Zbynek Michalek

In the wake of a stunning Game 6 and on the brink of a decisive Game 7, this is familiar territory. The Penguins have never done anything the easy way. They impress with brilliance and solid focused play on one night and fall apart the next, and just when you think they are sunk, they...

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A Tale of Two Teams

Chaiwoman — Wed, 20 Apr 2011 11:12:00 +0000

Categories: Analysis, Features, Highlights, Opinion, Previews

Tags: Alex Kovalev, Arron Asham, Ben Lovejoy, Bolts, Brooks Orpik, Chris Conner, Chris Kunitz, Consol Energy Center, Craig Adams, Dan Bylsma, Dustin Jeffrey, Dwayne Roloson, Eastern Conference Quarterfinals, Eric Brewer, Eric Tangradi, Guy Boucher, James Neal, Jordan Staal, Kris Letang, Marc-Andre Fleury, Mark Madden, Matt Niskanen, Max Talbot, Mike Rupp, Pascal Dupuis, Paul Martin, Pavel Kubina, Pittsburgh Penguins, Power Play, Ryan Malone, Simon Gagne, Stan Savran, Stanley Cup Playoffs, Steve Downie, Steven Stamkos, Tampa Bay Lightning, Tyler Kennedy, Victor Hedman, Vincent Lecavalier, Zbynek Michalek

It was the best of teams…It was the worst of teams. Both were the Pittsburgh Penguins in Game 1 and then Game 2 of the first round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs against the Tampa Bay Lightning. The Best of Teams On April 13, a play-off seasoned Pittsburgh team skated with authority and precision, an unrelenting...

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“March” of the Penguins

Chaiwoman — Sat, 16 Apr 2011 21:50:59 +0000

Categories: Analysis, Features, Opinion, Previews

Tags: AHL, Ben Lovejoy, Chris Conner, Coach of the Year, Dan Bylsma, Detroit Red Wings, Evgeni Malkin, Jordan Staal, Kris Letang, Marc-Andre Fleury, Max Talbot, Montreal Canadiens, NHL, Pascal Dupuis, Pittsburgh Penguins, Sergei Gonchar, Sidney Crosby, Stanley Cup Playoffs, Tampa Bay Lightning, Tyler Kennedy, Wheeling Nailers, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins

Diligent, focused, tenacious, unrelenting, undaunted, inexplicable…such are the words among many more that describe this season’s Pittsburgh Penguins. If anyone had told anyone at the beginning of this season that Jordan Staal would miss nearly all the first half of it, that Sidney Crosby would be out of it after Christmas and that Evgeni Malkin...

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True Grit

Chaiwoman — Mon, 07 Feb 2011 03:34:22 +0000

Categories: Analysis, Features, Highlights, Opinion

Tags: Alex Goligoski, Arron Asham, Brandon Prust, Brent Johnson, Bridgestone Winter Classic, Brooks Orpik, Buffalo Sabres, Cam Ward, Carolina Hurricanes, Chris Conner, Chris Kunitz, Craig Adams, Deryk Engelland, Dustin Jeffrey, Evgeni Malkin, Henrik Lundqvist, Jordan Staal, Mark Letestu, Martin Brodeur, Matt Cooke, Max Talbot, Mike Rupp, New Jersey Devils, New York Islanders, New York Rangers, NHL All-Star break, Pascal Dupuis, Paul Martin, Philadelphia Flyers, Pittsburgh Penguins, Rick DiPietro, Sidney Crosby, Tyler Kennedy, Tyler Myers, Washington Capitals, Zbynek Michalek, Zenon Konopka

This has been uncharted territory in the story of the Pittsburgh Penguins – a team without both its superstars, Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin. Worse still, it couldn’t have come at a more critical part of the hockey season when teams are battling for the top eight spots in conference play, jockeying for positions almost...

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How Do You Solve a Problem Like Evgeni?

Chaiwoman — Tue, 25 Jan 2011 03:56:34 +0000

Categories: Analysis, Features, Opinion

Tags: Alex Goligoski, Alex Ovechkin, Atlanta Thrashers, Boston Bruins, Bridgestone Winter Classic, Bruce Boudreau, Buffalo Sabres, Carolina Hurricanes, Chris Kunitz, Columbus Blue Jackets, Dan Bylsma, Eric Staal, Evgeni Malkin, HBO's Penguins - Capitals: 24/7, Jordan Staal, Mark Letestu, Mark Madden, Matt Cooke, Michel Therrien, Montreal Canadiens, New Jersey Devils, P.K. Subban, Pascal Dupuis, Paul Martin, Pittsburgh Penguins, Ray Shero, Sidney Crosby, Tampa Bay Lightning, Tony Granato, Toronto Maple Leafs, Tyler Kennedy, Washington Capitals, Zdeno Chara

When the Penguins are winning and dominating, the focus is on the prowess of Sidney Crosby. When the Penguins struggle, one of the biggest and most pervasive topics of focus is Evgeni Malkin. Such was the case the morning after the Penguins let a 2-0 lead against Boston implode, ending in a 4-2 loss. The...

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Winter Classic a Classic with the Return of 11 on 1-1-11

Chaiwoman — Thu, 06 Jan 2011 01:13:04 +0000

Categories: Analysis, Features, Highlights, Opinion

Tags: Alexander Ovechkin, Arturs Erbe, Craig Adams, Darren Pang, David Steckel, Evgeni Malkin, HBO, Heinz Field, John Erskine, Jordan Staal, Marc-Andre Fleury, Mike Milberry, Mike Rupp, NBC, Pierre Maguire, Pittsburgh Penguins, Semyon Varlamov, Sidney Crosby, Versus, Washington Capitals, Winter Classic

Numerologists could probably have a field day with the many ways the numeral 1 was present on the day of the Bridgestone Winter Classic at Pittsburgh’s Heinz Field. It was the first day of the first month of the 11th year in the 21st century; the game time was moved from 1PM to “prime” time,...

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Really?…Really.

Chaiwoman — Fri, 12 Nov 2010 23:46:32 +0000

Categories: Analysis, Features, Opinion

Tags: Alex Ovechkin, Boston Bruins, Brent Johnson, Brooks Orpik, Dall Stars, Dan Bylsma, Dan Cleary, Detroit Red Wings, Eastern Conference Finals, Gilles Miloche, Joe Starkey, Los Angeles Kings, Marc-Andre Fleury, New Jersey Devils, Nicklas Lidstrom, Phoenix Coyotes, Pittsburgh Penguins, Pittsburgh Tribune Review, Sidney Crosby, Stanley Cup, Tom Barrasso

A funny thing happened to Brent Johnson Wednesday night on the way out to the ice for the 3rd period against the Boston Bruins. When he wasn’t looking, someone completely snatched up his teammates and replaced them with hockey zombies…Really? OK, maybe not, but boy, it sure seemed like a terrifying ending to a horrifying...

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