Weekend Pens Links

You can tell this guy is Canadian...

The Pens finally realized that if they just let their bigger guys (Malone, Roberts, Orpik, Gill) kick the crap out of the smaller Red Wing players, it would help give us some momentum.

Wings beat the Pistons in ratings; I guess everybody in Detroit is as fed up as I am with Rasheed Wallace being a whiny little girl (not to mention Rip’s creepy face mask).

One shift could turn around the entire Stanley Cup Final. Therrien deserves some credit here, but it shouldn’t take a genius to figure out Malkin, Crosby, and Hossa can provide some serious speed and firepower.

The Red Wings' Thomas Holmstrom is a significant part of their first power play unit. Too bad for the Wings Holmstrom is hurting right now with a possible sports hernia, that’s what happens when you decide to mix it up with the USS Gill.

Brooks Orpik may resemble a serial killer, but he’s still one hell of a hockey player. Also, he had a great quote about the Wings saying, “They do have a lot of older guys on their team… So I think the more you can pound on them, it definitely takes its toll during the end of the series.”

Orpik put this theory on display on Wednesday night when he had perhaps one of the greatest shifts in Penguins defenseman history. This guy sure isn’t afraid to throw his body around.

Right in front of the Wings' fans too - awesome.

The Trib’s Joe Starkey hit’s the nail on the head when describing Gary Roberts effort in his latest article he says, “The "A" on that guy's jersey stands for "angry."” Does Roberts have any children? If so PNA thinks the Pens should sign them up now.

I think I have a man crush on Gary Roberts...

ESPN’s Scott Burnside takes a look at which stars have been MIA on both sides of the ice in the Stanley Cup Final.

Until lata...

One Hall of a Night

With an uneasy feeling in my stomach I watched the 1st period of game 3 last night. The way things began; it looked as if the Penguins were in trouble yet again. The Wings started things off similarly to game’s 1 and 2, badly out shooting the Pens and suffocating them with defense.

Half way through the 1st period momentum started to change. It all started with coach Therrien putting out Hossa, Malkin, and Crosby all on the same line. The Pens finally were able to generate some much-needed offense.

Not long after, the Wings finally made a mistake, misplaying the puck in their own zone, which led to what all Pens fans had been waiting so patiently to happen, a goal. Sid Crosby cashed in giving the Penguins that HUGE first goal (of the Cup and the game) and the arena went ape shit.

Speaking of the arena are there any better fans in hockey? I think not. That place was jumping and I heard many people say it was the loudest they’ve ever heard the Mellon Arena. I thank not only our fans for this, but also the person in charge of the music. I heard a couple songs from Rage Against the Machine and also some Foo Fighters. (def music to get you pumped up)

The power of the white out

The best part about this win is that the Wings looked just as sharp as they had in the previous two games, but the Penguins still found a way to get the job done and get a W.

Sid added another goal in the second period on the power play, and things were finally starting to look up for our boys.

Heeeeeeeee shoots and scores!

The Wings managed to finally score as Frazen put one past a much improved Fleury in the 2nd period making the score 2-1. The Pens were 20 minutes away from their first win in the Stanley Cup Final.

In the third, our role players came up big as the Pens managed to hold off the high powered Red Wings. Gary Roberts illustrated why he earned the nickname Scary, as he was all over the ice hitting people and making his presence known. How a 42-year-old man can have the stamina to play the game the way he does is amazing. How could you not like this guy? It was partially thanks to his play that Adam Hall had the chance to bury the game winner banking it off Osgood’s big ole’ butt into the net.

Guns don't kill people, Gary Roberts kills people...

Brooks Orpik also had a great game, especially in the 3rd period when he was hitting anything in red that moved. On one shift he managed to park 3 guys on their asses in one sequence of plays. Nicely done Brooks!

For the Pens this is only step one, but seeing guys like Hall, Fleury, Roberts, Orpik, Crosby, Malkin, and Hossa step up is definitely a good sign of things to come. Also, players like Sykora, Malone, Staal and Dupuis have been playing their asses off and it should pay off for them soon, in the form of some more goals.

With that being said there is no way that the Red Wings are going to lay down, and it will take an even better effort to win again on Saturday. The Penguins will need to take less penalties and keep making adjustments if they wanna even up the series before going back to Detroit next week.

Until lata...

Down but not out...

DOH!

Well the big Memorial Day weekend is behind us, and our Penguins come home down 2 games to none against the Red Wings. Pens were dominated in game 1 losing 4-0, and last night's game wasn’t much different as Chris Osgood and company blanked the Pens 3-0.

It is easy to say that the Penguins were jittery on Friday seeing as how it was the first Stanley Cup Final for the majority of our players. Fleury made same good saves, but he also let in a wrap around score for the first goal of the series. (a save Fleurys been making in the past series)

In both games the Wings have managed to control the puck, moving it efficiently from end to end, with little problem. Detroit has also managed to keep the Penguins offense in check limiting them to only 18 and 22 shots.

Worst of all the Penguins have yet to even register one goal in the first 120 minutes of these Finals.

Crosby has been giving it his best effort, but the Wings have players draped all around him in the neutral zone, limiting his mobility. Malkin has been nonexistent in the series thus far and may have burned out once again this season as he complained of being tired after the loss.

Help Wanted

One thing is for sure, with our top 2 players not contributing someone needs to really step up and make a plan for this Penguins team. A lot of players have looked sharp in the series (Staal, Malone, and Hossa) but still we don’t seem to be in the right place at the right time to score.

You may see Therrien once again shake up the lines on Wednesday night for game 3, not that it worked out too well in game 2.

The way things shaped up in Detroit reminded me a lot of the Penguins playoff series against the Ottawa Senators last year. The Penguins looked like they were watching as the other team played their game, instead of stepping up and making things happen. They just simply aren’t being as aggressive as they were in the past, granted the Red Wings do make a lot less mistakes then other teams the Pens have played.

Another similarity from that series last year is that it seems like there are way more Detroit players out there then Penguins. They always seem to have 2 or even 3 guys around the puck, and not just in the defensive zone, but also in the neutral zone and offensive end.

The Pens aren’t scoring first (they’re not even scoring at all). Hell we even struggled to get shots, or even the pick in their zone, early on in the game.

Lastly Geno Malkin has once again disappeared. I know he doesn’t deserve all the blame for the loses, but after playing the way he did in January through April its tough to watch him go out there and be a non-factor. Maybe that punishment Philly put on him is taking its toll.

Back to the Burgh for Game 3 Wednesday night, here’s hoping 18,000 friendly faces can help the young Pens turn this series around (or at least score one goal).

Some links to try to take your mind off the Pens

Troy Polamalu is working out with his old trainers in California so he can be more explosive and try to avoid injuries, that’s what I’m talking about!

Joey Porter is one man who has never been afraid to speak his mind when he has a mic in his face, that’s why they love to give him one. In his latest rant he goes off on those cheatin’ New England Patriots.

Did you ever wonder what happened to Chris Fuamatu-ma’afala? No he’s not selling insurance Tommy Maddox style, and no he’s not an American Gladiator.

File this under the first national sports article in a long ass time about the Bucco’s, that isn’t based on their losing streak. Thank you Nate McLouth!

Until lata...