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Malkin Returns Tomorrow,Letestu Out 4-6 Weeks

-Evgeni Malkin will be returning to the Penguins lineup tomorrow night for their game against the Buffalo Sabres at the Consol Energy Center. Malkin has missed the last five games because of a banged up knee as well as a sinus infection.  Malkin will be expected to give the offense a big lift with Sidney Crosby still sidelined.



-It seems that every time we hear good news, bad news comes with it. Mark Letestu, coming off a strong season so far, will have to undergo arthroscopic knee surgery for a meniscus injury that he suffered in practice on Tuesday. He is expected to miss four to six weeks. Tough injury to have, but it will give Dustin Jeffrey a nice opportunity to show what he's got.



-The Sidney Crosby mystery continues as he will now temporarily leave the team to visit his parents. There is still no timetable for Crosby to return. He is suffering from a concussion. Arron Asham is listed as day to day, according to Dan Bylsma.

Game 52 Recap (2/2/2011)

Game 52 of the season went out with a bang – literally – as Penguins goalie Brent Johnson met New York Islanders goalie Rick DiPietro in the Islanders zone and dropped the gloves in the dying minute of the game. The scrum would end with DiPietro on his back and Johnson earning his second shutout of the season. (The shutout is actually shared between the two goalies given that Fleury finished the game, but, let’s be honest, there were only sixteen seconds left when Fleury was sent in to guard the pipes. That was more than enough time for the Islanders to net at least one goal, but with the momentum the Pens had built up as a result of the scrum and Max Talbot’s empty-net-slump-breaking goal, it’s highly unlikely the Islanders would have capitalized on any chance they happened to get.) This is the second time in the last week and a half that the Penguins have shutout the Islanders.

The first goal of the evening came with 11:52 left on the clock in the first period as Tyler Kennedy, earning his ninth of the season, ripped a shot from the right of the face-off circle past DiPietro. (Apparently Kennedy and HCDB engaged in a heart-to-heart this morning during practice and it would appear that whatever was said in that conversation was just the fuel Kennedy needed to step up his game tonight. Here’s hoping it lasts. Oh, to have been a fly on the ice during that conversation…) A little over five minutes later, Chris Kunitz would slide a back hander past the Isles goaltender and the Penguins would end the first period up 2-0. The second period would remain goalless and the third and final goal of the game would come with 0:41 left on the clock. Max Talbot would score the 50^th goal of his career and earn his 100^th game point banking in on an empty net (and was there anyone on that ice who deserved it more? I think not – especially after the pinball action of an earlier shot whereby he was robbed by the goal posts!) Paul Martin would lead the team in assists, earning points on the first two Penguins goals.

It would not be the goal scoring that would be the highlight of the night, however, or even the eminent shutout. With 0:16 left on the clock, following some pushing and shoving around Penguins winger Matt Cooke, Penguins goaltender Brent Johnson left his crease, throwing down the gloves and tossing his helmet aside in an attempt to challenge Rick DiPietro. The Isles goaltender would go toe-to-toe with Johnson but would be knocked on his back with one impressive left hook. Both goalies would be ejected from the game. To quote Max Talbot, “If no one knew he [Johnson] was a lefty – in the league – they know now.” Johnson, according to the man himself, is in fact not a lefty but just pulled off “a lucky shot.” Whatever it was, there is almost a guarantee that the net-minder has earned himself a spot in Penguin folk-lore.

The victory tonight is the fourth in a row for the Pens who have won seven of their last eight. It was also home win number 18, which now gives the Pens the most home wins in the NHL. They were fortunate to learn that the NHL had rescinded the automatic one-game suspension of center Jordan Staal after he was ejected from Tuesday night’s game for delivering a gloved-punch to Rangers forward Brandon Prust. Had the league not rescinded the suspension, the Pens would have been without Staal, Crosby, Malkin, Letestu and Asham (and Comrie – he should get an honourable mention at the very least.) Asham is listed as day-to-day with an upper body injury while Lestestu is waiting on the results of an MRI. Malkin is progressing well and could return to the line up on Friday. Crosby is continuing with his light workouts.

In the past 21 meetings with the Islanders at home, the Penguins have gone 17-2-2 and have gone 13-1-2 in the last sixteen alone. The Penguins penalty kill remains number one in the league.

The Penguins gear up to meet the Sabres on Friday night.

Three Stars of the Game:

1. Brent Johnson

2. Chris Kunitz

3. Max Talbot

As a special feature for this recap – given the epic spectacle that was tonight’s game – we would like to present you with the PensNation three stars of the game.

 Andy's Three Stars of the Game:

1. Brent Johnson

2. Max Talbot

3. Paul Martin

 Meg’s Three Stars of the Game:

1. Brent Johnson and his left fist

2. Max Talbot

3. Whomever edited BeeJ and DiPietro’s Wikipedia Pages.

Dan’s Three Stars:

1. Brent Johnson

2. Max Talbot

3. Tyler Kennedy

Honourable mention: Johnson’s fist.

Nick’s Three Stars:

1. Brent Johnson

2. Johnson’s Fist

3. Rick DiPietro’s Nose

Ashley’s Three Stars:

1. Brent Johnson’s wicked left hook.

2. Max Talbot (50^th career goal, 100^th career point and whole heck of a lot of swagger.)

3. Rick DiPietro’s goal posts (because, face it, without those posts, the goal differential would have been MUCH greater)

At least around here we can all agree that Brent Johnson was the star of the night!

Here's Johnnnnnnny! Beej vs. DiPietro

It's almost a lock that DiPietro will be out for the remainder of the season after this fight... Seriously. Beej rocked his face and the dude is frag-eeel-eee.

After watching that fight, you have to wonder if he has ever taken a punch to the face... he looked waaaay too happy to throw down. 

Gameday With Dan - New York Islanders

When: 7:00pm
Where: Consol Energy Center
Watch it on: Versus, FSN
Listen on: 105.9 The X, pittsburghpenguins.com

News and Info: Eric Tangradi as been recalled from WB/S and will be in the lineup. The NHL reviewed Jordan Staals major penalty and he will not be suspended and will play tonight. Didn't we just play the Islanders?

Player to Watch: New York Islanders
PA Parenteau: On the season PA has 13 goals, 19 assists and 32 points. He played alongside Marc-Andre Fleury at the 2003 World Junior Championships. What the hell kind of name is PA anyway?

Player to Watch: Pittsburgh Penguins
Eric Tangradi: In his first game back in Pittsburgh this season, Big Dog will eat tonight against the Islanders. He has been on fire in the American League, representing the East and the WB/S Penguins at the All-Star Game. Rumor has it his wanted to be recalled because of the Steelers logo at center ice.

Islanders Lines: (Per Empty Netters)
Matt Moulson - John Tavares - PA Parenteau
Michael Grabner - Frans Nielsen - Kyle Okposo
Blake Comeau - Josh Bailey - Jeremy Colliton
Matt Martin - Zenon Konopka - Rob Schremp

Andrew MacDonald - Travis Hamonic
Radek Martinek - Jack Hillen
Bruno Gervais - Dylan Reese
Rick DiPietro

Pens Lines: (Per. Empty Netters)
Chris Kunitz - Dustin Jeffrey - Pascal Dupuis
Matt Cooke - Jordan Staal - Tyler Kennedy
Mike Rupp - Maxime Talbot - Chris Conner
Eric Godard - Craig Adams - Arron Asham

Brooks Orpik - Kris Letang
Paul Martin - Zbynek Michalek
Alex Goligoski - Deryk Engelland
Marc-Andre Fleury
Brent Johnson

This is the last Gameday post on Blogspot! It's been a short, but great ride! Danny Boy, out!

Go Pens!

Game 51 Recap (2/1/2011)

For just the second time this season Penguins fans found themselves wondering just how many times the commentators on Versus were going to remind them that Pittsburgh Penguins center Jordan Staal and New York Rangers defenceman Marc Staal were brothers. (Admit it – it was a nice change in pace from being constantly reminded that the team remains without its captain.) In the end, it is very likely that fans on both sides lost count but after the final buzzer AND five minutes of sudden death overtime AND seven shootout attempts, Jordan would, once again, have yet another victory to bring to the family dinner table. (We won’t get into the fact that Jordan’s role in the victory was drastically reduced following a match penalty and subsequent game misconduct following a “scrap” with Rangers winger Brandon Prust – that is an entirely different subject on which opinions may vary.)

The Rangers were the first to get on the board, opening the scoring with 16:08 remaining in the first period as Brandon Prust banked in on a rebound. The Rangers would go on to score the second goal of the evening less than two minutes into the second period when Artem Anisimov picked up a mid-air pass from Brandon Dubinsky. The Pens would retaliate with three unanswered goals courtesy of Dustin Jeffrey (14:30), Mike Rupp (9:24) and Chris Kunitz (5:48) before Ryan Callahan (in his first game back after having missed 19) tied it up with twelve seconds remaining in the second. The third would see a lot of back and forth action, but both teams would be held scoreless. Following five minutes of sudden death over time, the game ended in a shootout with Dustin Jeffrey finally beating Rangers goalie Henrik Lundqvist in the seventh round as Marion Gaborik proved to be no match for Marc-Andre Fleury.

The Penguins were without center Mark Letestu who had moved up to replace Sidney Crosby on the top line, centering Chris Kunitz and Pascal Dupuis. Letestu left practice early this morning with a lower body injury and returned to Pittsburgh for further evaluation. Crosby remains sidelined with a “mild” concussion (although he has been cleared for light workouts) while center Evgeni Malkin continues to recover from a knee injury and a sinus infection. Winger Arron Asham left the game during the second period and is reported to have suffered from an upper body injury while center Jordan Staal was, as mentioned, given a game misconduct after coming to blows with Prust late in the second period. Staal may face a suspension (decision pending) but Malkin may return Wednesday night when the Penguins face the New York Islanders.

Prior to tonight’s game, Pittsburgh had owned the league’s top penalty-killing unit, having gone six consecutive games and ten out of the last eleven without allowing a power-play goal. They had been successful on 21 straight short-handed situations, 19 of which were faced on the road. (One has to wonder if the success of the penalty kill is directly related to the amount of time the team spends in the penalty box – then again this could very well be pointing out the obvious considering the increasing familiarity the team seems to be having with it *hint: that was a joke*.)

The Penguins return to Pittsburgh where they will face the New York Islanders for the second time in a week and a bit. Their last meeting occurred on January 25 and resulted in a 1-0 victory for the boys in black and Vegas gold.

Three Stars:

1. Dustin Jeffrey

2. Ryan Callahan

3. Chris Kunitz

For some, the jury is still out. I have my own opinions but for the sake of avoiding an uprising, I'll keep them to myself.

Gameday With Dan - New York Rangers

When: 7:30pm
Where: Madison Square Garden (aka. The Dungeon)
Watch it on: FSN
Listen on: 105.9 The X, PittsburghPenguins.com

News and Information: Evgeni Malkin made the trip but will not play tonight, Mark Letestu suffered a lower body injury in the morning skate when his foot got stuck in a rut on the ice. He has been flown back to Pittsburgh. Eric Godard will dress tonight, as will Dustin Jeffery

Player to Watch: New York Rangers
Mats Zuccarello-Asen: After playing for Norway in this past Olympics, he is now piling up the points for the Blueshi(r)ts. On the season he has 3 goals along with 8 assists for 11 points. Look for him to possibly make an impact in a mostly AHL game tonight.

Player to Watch: Pittsburgh Penguins
They're all on the F***ing IR!

NYR's Lines (Per. Empty Netters)
Sean Avery - Artem Anisimov - Marian Gaborik
Wojtek Wolski - Derek Stepan - Ryan Callahan
Mats Zuccarello - Brian Boyle - Brandon Prust
Evgeny Grachev - Kris Newbury - Chris Drury

Marc Staal - Michael Sauer
Ryan McDonagh - Matt Gilroy
Michael Del Zotto - Steve Eminger
Henrik Lundquist

Pens' Lines (Per. Empty Netters)
Chris Kunitz - (no idea) - Pascal Dupuis
Tyler Kennedy - Jordan Staal - Eric Godard
Mike Rupp - Maxime Talbot - Chris Conner
Craig Adams - Dustin Jeffrey - Arron Asham

Brooks Orpik - Kris Letang
Paul Martin - Zbynek Michalek
Alex Goligoski - Ben Lovejoy/Derek Engelland
Marc-Andre Fleury


Go Pens!

Around the NHL- Week 18

Who Stole the Cookies From the Cookie Jar?

Last season the Chicago Blackhawks came away as the Stanley Cup champions after defeating the Philadelphia Flyers in six games, to the relief of many Penguins fans. Buffalo native (yeah!) Patrick Kane scored the (rather odd) game-winning goal in overtime for the Hawks. The puck that Kane scored the goal with has been missing ever since.

A Chicago businessman, Grant DePorter, CEO of Harry Caray's, has offered a $50,000 reward for finding the puck that gave Chicago its first Stanley Cup win since 1961. The FBI is also involved in the search.

From what I've been able to gather, the only "person of interest" in the investigation is Chris Pronger.

Versus Viewership (ASG)

Versus set a new viewership record for the 2011 All-Star Game. It was the most watched ASG in Versus history, averaging 1.5 million viewers, earning as many as 2 million viewers around 7:00 pm. Overall viewership was up 36%. Whether you loved or hated the new format, it accomplished what it was supposed to.

Malkin Practices

Evgeni Malkin took part in practice with the Penguins yesterday. While he will not play tonight against the Rangers, Geno will make the trip to New York with his teammates said that his knee is feeling much better. There is still no timetable for his return but he remains listed as day to day.

Meanwhile, Dustin Jeffrey has been recalled from the Baby Pens for tonight's game.

Speaking of the Rangers...

Malkin was not the only one who benefitted from the extra rest the All-Star Game offered. The Rangers are set to see a slew of injured players return to the lineup this week.

Alternate captain Ryan Callahan is set to return against the Penguins tonight. There is a chance that Brandon Dubinsky may be back for the Blueshirts as well; his status right now is "possible". He was one of 13 Rangers who took part in this morning's optional skate and his x-rays looked good.

Vinny Prospal and Erik Christensen will miss Tuesday's game, but they will be back this week. Prospal could return as early as Thursday and Christensen by Saturday. Ruslan Fedotenko, on the other hand, will miss roughly 10 more days before he can play again.

TooToo is Clean and Clear

Predators forward Jordin Tootoo has not taken part in a game or practice in December 27th. That was the day that Tootoo voluntarily entered both substance abuse and behavioral health programs.

After missing more than a month of action, Tootoo has been cleared by the NHL and the NHLPA to begin practicing again. He will continue to undergo outpatient care while practicing, but has not been cleared to play in games or travel with his teammates on road trips.

Tootoo, who is not allowed to state why he sought help, is grateful for all the support he's received throughout treatment:

"With the support I've gotten from my teammates, my family, the fans of Nashville, it has been unbelievable. Without their support, I probably couldn't have done it. I think the bottom line is it's something I needed to do and at the same time, I'm just happy to be back and thankful."

Future Shot-Blockers?

Congratulations to Devils' defenseman Anton Volchenkov, who's wife is due to give birth to twins in a little less than a month's time!

Volchenkov and his wife already have a son, but apparently he wants a large family so the twins could only be the beginning...

Tampa Bay's New Unis

The Lightning released their new uniforms and logo yesterday afternoon. Thoughts?

CBC Poll Results

Hockey Night in Canada and the NHLPA polled over 300 NHL players about a variety of topics, ranging from which rink had the best ice to whether fighting should be banned in the NHL. The poll yielded some interesting results and the Penguins as a whole did very well.

There were five categories: Arenas/Teams, Coaches, On-Ice Topics, Player Opinions and Skills. The full results can be found here, on CBC's website, but I wanted to take some time for a little more in-depth look at some of the results in all five categories.

Arenas/Teams- No Real Surprises Here

Canadian teams' rinks have the best ice. Southern teams have the worst. Everyone wants to play for Detroit. No one wants to play for the Islanders. Nothing out of the ordinary here. The only thing that some found to be remotely surprising is that the Sabres made the list in teams that players would least like to play for. After all, they were a playoff team last year and are still in the postseason hunt for the second half of this season.

However, as someone who grew up only an hour away from Buffalo, I can tell you that this result isn't surprising. It's not about the caliber of the team. It's about the city itself. Buffalo is a generally depressing city, the weather would make even Gary Roberts cry, and nothing happens there. Brooks Orpik and Patrick Kane would tell you the same. No one wants to live in Buffalo.

One of my professors even said last week that there's nothing to do in Buffalo except cry, drink, and beat up Canadians. Not necessarily in that order. (Her words, not mine. I love her classes though.)

Coaches- Blame HBO

This category, on the other hand, had lots of good stuff. I was pleasantly surprised to find our own Disco Dan voted as the coach that players would most like to play for. Given how well Bylsma came across on "24/7", maybe I shouldn't be surprised. I discussed this briefly with my editor at Chicks Who Give A Puck and she said that she personally thought Bylsma was the star of the show and that everyone she talked to agreed. She also pointed out to me that for West Coast fans like herself, it was really the first up-close look at Bylsma that they'd ever gotten because the Penguins don't play West Coast teams very frequently. It's not unrealistic to think that many NHL players tuned into "24/7" and that West Coast players who did so thought the same.

It was also interesting to note that Bruce Boudreau was voted the coach that players thought was easiest to play for (f-bombs notwithstanding). Bylsma and Dave Tippett also made this list, yet they both were on the list of coaches that players would most like to play for. Boudreau was not. Bylsma and Mike Babcock were also on the list of coaches that demand most from their players, but Babcock joined Bylsma on the list of coaches players would most like to play for. John Tortorella, to no one's surprise, was voted the most demanding coach and was also one of the coaches players would least like to play for.

The moral of the story here? The most popular coaches can be demanding and/or easy to play for, as long as they aren't too extreme in either direction. Balance is key. As is not wanting Häagen-Dazs at ten in the morning.

On-Ice Topics- Say What?

As CBC noted, this category had the question with probably the most surprising result. It's been thought that players want to do their own "policing". We all assumed that the current instigator rule, which was established in 1992, was unpopular. That cheap shots are becoming more common because cheap shot artists don't have to worry so much about answering to enforcers. Even my dad, who is not a frequent hockey viewer, said he remembered back in the day when no one would dare take a run at a team's superstars because of guys like Bob Probart and Dave Brown. We all thought that, when asked, players would want to get rid of the instigator rule.

We thought wrong.

The players were asked if they thought the instigator rule should be abolished. A large majority (66%) said no. I'd like to see CBC go further with this question and ask players not just if they think the rule should be kept or abolished, but why they think so. It would be very interesting to find out exactly why so many players answered the way they did. Also, Sean Avery needs to be forced to answer this question. I would pay money to read his response.

Player Opinions- Everybody Loves Sidney

It's no surprise, considering how dominant a season he was having before his concussion, that Sidney Crosby faired well in these categories. Crosby was voted the toughest forward to play against, the best active player to start a franchise around, and the best role model. He won the player to start a franchise around question by capturing an overwhelming margin, capturing 69% of the votes. In second place? Nik Lidstrom...at 6%. I normally don't put too much faith in statistics but that one doesn't lie.

I also found it hilarious that 15% of players voted no one as the best NHL referee, which ended up in the top spot. I guess players like the refs as much as fans do. Yet another reason why I would never want to be a referee in any sport. It seems like a very thankless job.

Skills- More Dominance From Sid

Once again, Crosby did very well in these categories. He was voted toughest player to play against and the smartest player, and second best skater, most difficult player to stop, and most difficult player to take the puck off of.

I thought CBC made a good point about the toughest player to play against question. Crosby, Pavel Datsyuk and Zdeno Chara were the top three in this category (Datsyuk and Chara tied for second) but they're all tough to play against for different reasons. They're all highly skilled players and are among, if not the, best at their respective positions, but they all excel at different aspects of the game. CBC speculates that players may have varied definitions of "toughness", which is a distinct possibility. It can't be denied that Pavel Datsyuk and Zdeno Chara have very different kinds of toughness. For example, it is almost impossible to knock Datsyuk off a puck. Chara, on the other hand, is almost impossible to knock over.

As CBC also pointed out, Ovechkin was top five in four categories, but first in only one of them (which player is most difficult to stop, for goalies only). Crosby, on the other hand, is top five in ten categories and only in one of those categories is he not in the top two. Hmmm.

Gameday With Dan - NHL All-Star Game

When: 4:00pm
Where: RBC Center
Watch it on: Versus
Listen on: pittsburghpenguins.com

News and Information: Tonight will be the first All-Star game not using the East/West or North America/World format. People in North Carolina only care because NASCAR is in the off-season.

Player to Watch: Team Lidstrom
Marc-Andre Fleury: While he'll only play one period, he will make an impact as he will try to tame the firepower that is the ASG. That's really all I can say about a goalie in an offensive game.

Player to Watch: Team Staal
Jeff Skinner: He is in his first season, and first ASG (only because Sid and Geno are out), he will be good in this game. This game means nothing after all.

No idea on the lines, its a flipping ASG!

Go Fleury! Go Letang!

Gameday With Dan - NHL SuperSkills Competition

When: 7:00pm
Where: RBC Center
Watch it on: Versus

News and Information: Marc-Andre Fleury and Kris Letang will be on opposite teams for tonights competition and tomorrow game. Each team's rookie group will also take part.

Player to Watch: Team Staal
Alex Ovechkin: As much as it hurts me to say, keep a watchful eye on Ovie tonight. He is the defending Breakaway Challenge winner (with help from Malkin). Look for more from the man in the spotlight in NASCAR country tonight.

Player to Watch: Team Lidstrom
Marc-Andre Fleury: In his first All-Star game, look for Flower to come up big in the goalie challenges as well as in tomorrow nights game. He is the one of the two best goalies in Carolina this weekend.

SuperSkills Events: (From NHL.com)
Bridgestone NHL Fastest Skater
BlackBerry NHL Breakaway Challenge
McDonald's NHL Accuracy Shooting
G Series NHL Skills Challenge Relay
XM NHL Hardest Shot
Discover NHL Elimination Shootout

Event Participants: (From NHL.com
Bridgestone NHL Fastest Skater - Order determined on the ice

Team Staal
Michael Grabner – New York Islanders
Mike Green – Washington Capitals
Patrick Sharp – Chicago Blackhawks
Ryan Kesler – Vancouver Canucks
Marc Staal – New York Rangers
Kris Letang – Pittsburgh Penguins

Team Lidstrom
Duncan Keith – Chicago Blackhawks
Taylor Hall – Edmonton Oilers
Matt Duchene – Colorado Avalanche
Martin St. Louis – Tampa Bay Lightning
Steven Stamkos – Tampa Bay Lightning
Keith Yandle – Phoenix Coyotes

BlackBerry NHL Breakaway Challenge

Team Staal
P.K. Subban – Montreal Canadiens
Corey Perry – Anaheim Ducks
Alex Ovechkin – Washington Capitals

Team Lidstrom
Evgeny Dadonov – Florida Panthers
Anze Kopitar – Los Angeles Kings
Henrik Sedin – Vancouver Canucks

McDonald's NHL Accuracy Shooting - Order determined on the ice

Team Staal
Rick Nash – Columbus Blue Jackets
Daniel Sedin – Vancouver Canucks
Eric Staal – Carolina Hurricanes
Logan Couture – San Jose Sharks
Patrik Elias – New Jersey Devils
Ryan Kesler – Vancouver Canucks
Passer: Dan Boyle – San Jose Sharks
Passer: Paul Stastny – Colorado Avalanche

Team Lidstrom
Brad Richards – Dallas Stars
Phil Kessel – Toronto Maple Leafs
Patrick Kane – Chicago Blackhawks
Jonathan Toews – Chicago Blackhawks
Martin Havlat – Minnesota Wild
Derek Stepan – New York Rangers
Passer: Nicklas Lidstrom – Red Wings
Passer: Danny Briere – Philadelphia Flyers

G Series NHL Skills Challenge Relay

Team Staal
Group 1
Zdeno Chara – Boston Bruins
Eric Staal – Carolina Hurricanes
Daniel Sedin – Vancouver Canucks
Erik Karlsson – Ottawa Senators
Dan Boyle – San Jose Sharks
Tyler Ennis – Buffalo Sabres
Paul Stastny – Colorado Avalanche
Corey Perry – Anaheim Ducks

Group 2
Kris Letang – Pittsburgh Penguins
Mike Green – Washington Capitals
Claude Giroux – Philadelphia Flyers
Patrik Elias – New Jersey Devils
Jamie McBain – Carolina Hurricanes
David Backes – St. Louis Blues
Marc Staal – New York Rangers
Jeff Skinner – Carolina Hurricanes

Team Lidstrom
Group 1
Nicklas Lidstrom – Detroit Red Wings
Brad Richards – Dallas Stars
Loui Eriksson – Dallas Stars
Oliver Ekman-Larsson – Phoenix Coyotes
Henrik Sedin – Vancouver Canucks
Martin St. Louis – Tampa Bay Lightning
Matt Duchene – Colorado Avalanche
Jonathan Toews – Chicago Blackhawks

Group 2
Shea Weber – Nashville Predators
Dustin Byfuglien – Atlanta Thrashers
Phil Kessel – Toronto Maple Leafs
Keith Yandle – Phoenix Coyotes
Patrick Kane – Chicago Blackhawks
Martin Havlat – Minnesota Wild
Kevin Shattenkirk – Colorado Avalanche
Danny Briere – Philadelphia Flyers

XM NHL Hardest Shot - Order determined on the ice

Team Staal
Zdeno Chara – Boston Bruins
Alex Ovechkin – Washington Capitals
David Backes – St. Louis Blues
Tyler Seguin – Boston Bruins
Rick Nash – Columbus Blue Jackets
Patrick Sharp – Chicago Blackhawks

Team Lidstrom
Anze Kopitar – Los Angeles Kings
Steven Stamkos – Tampa Bay Lightning
Dustin Byfuglien – Atlanta Thrashers
Brent Burns - Minnesota Wild
Shea Weber – Nashville Predators
Cam Fowler – Anaheim Ducks

Discover NHL Elimination Shootout
Team Staal vs. Team Lindstrom




Go Letang! Go Fleury! Subban Sucks.

NHL All-Star Draft Results

Capt.	F. Eric Staal	D Nicklas Lidstrom
Alt.	D Mike Green	F Martin St. Louis
Alt.	F Ryan Kesler	F Patrick Kane
1	G Cam Ward	F Steven Stamkos
2	F Alex Ovechkin	D Duncan Keith
3	F Daniel Sedin	F Henrik Sedin
4	D Zdeno Chara	D Shea Weber
5	F Rick Nash	G Tim Thomas
6	G Henrik Lundqvist	F Danny Briere
7	D Marc Staal	D Dustin Byfuglien
8	F Patrick Sharp	F Jonathan Toews
9	D Dan Boyle	G Marc-Andre Fleury
10	G Carey Price	G Jonas Hiller
11	F Jeff Skinner	F Brad Richards
12	D Kris Letang	D Keith Yandle
13	F Claude Giroux	D Brett Burns
14	D Erik Karlsson	F Martin Havlat
15	F Corey Perry	F Anze Kopitar
16	F Patrik Elias	F Matt Duchene
17	F David Backes	F Loui Eriksson
18	F Paul Stastny	F Phil Kessel

(More after the jump...)

Crosby Progresses; Resumes Workouts.

Penguins' fans get some long awaited good news regarding Captain, Sidney Crosby this afternoon. Crosby has begun to work out and do rehab for the first time since being sidelined on January 5th with concussion symptoms.

Until now Crosby has not been permitted to take part in any physical activity since the being diagnosed. However, he will need to remain symptom-free in order to rejoin his teammates at practice after the All Star Break.

A healthy Crosby is definitely one of the Penguins highest priorities.  Don't expect Crosby to resume practice with his teammates until he has been reevaluated and is symptom free.

Crosby has been sidelined for nine games and his NHL goal scoring lead and points lead has been overtaken by Tampa Bay's Steven Stamkos. Don't get too comfortable, Steve.

Gameday With Dan - NHL All-Star Draft

When: 8:00pm
Where: RBC Center
Watch it on: Versus

News: Tonight is the first ever fantasy draft to determine the teams for Sunday's NHL All-Star Game and Saturday's NHL SuperSkills. Both Team Staal and Team Lidstrom will have 15 rounds to select they're players. This means, of course, that Kris Letang and Marc-Andre Fleury could end up on opposing teams. Team Staal will wear home Red jerseys while Team Lidstrom will wear Away Blue.

I'm opening a twitter contest out to our readers on this draft:

1. Get a twitter account if you don't have one
2. Send your prediction on the FIRST PICK of the draft to @PGHPensNation as follows...

The winner will recieve a iPod Touch Pittsburgh Penguins theme (pictured below)





Go Staal!

NHL Trade Deadline Nearly A Month Away

UPDATE: Islanders RW Matt Moulson has signed a three year extension worth $3.1 million per season with the Islanders. He was apparently a player that the Penguins may have targeted at the trade deadline. Also, Alex Semin signed a one year deal with the Capitals worth $6.7 million
-The NHL trade deadline will be officially a month away tomorrow at 3 PM. The deadline is set for 3 PM on February 28, 2011. For some teams, it is like Christmas, but for others, it's a fire sale. The Penguins obviously will not be having a fire sale after recording 66 points in the first fifty games of the season. That puts them in second place in the Atlantic division, five points behind Philadelphia. The Penguins are expected to be in trade talks for a scoring winger once again this year. The Fourth Period listed the Penguins being interested in the following players:

LW Alex Tanguay, Flames
Tanguay has already passed his goal total from last season when he was with the Tampa Bay Lightning. His best season came in 2006-07 when he scored 22 goals and recorded 81 points. With a relatively low contract, Tanguay can't be ruled out. Stats in 2010-11: 12 Goals, 25 Assists, 37 Pts, -4. Cap Hit: $1.7 million
LW Jarkko Ruutu, Senators
Ruutu spent 2006-07 and 2007-08 with the Penguins and was a fan favorite because of his ability to enforce. He has had over 100 penalty minutes the last six seasons.
Stats in 2010-11: 2 Goals, 7 Assists, 9 Pts, -1, 55 PIM. Cap Hit: $1.3 million

Of the Penguin players that have been linked to trade talk, Alex Goligoski is one name that has been speculated as a player being on the move. However, TIOPS reported yesterday that he is an untouchable and will not be traded this season. That really does not mean anything, since it is not the best source to say the least. The 25 year old defenseman is enjoying his best season in the NHL so far scoring nine goals and recording 26 points in 50 games played. His 21 plus-minus rating is ranked seventh in the NHL. Although his value is high, he has a low cap hit of $1.5 million this season. Stay tuned for the latest trade rumors here on Pens Nation!

Game 50 Recap (1/25/2011)

A 1-0 victory over the New York Islanders gave Penguins goalie Marc-Andre Fleury his 18^th career shutout, bringing his numbers to 22-5-2 in his last 29. Those are impressive stats if one considers the rocky start to the season for the Penguins number one net-minder. However, watching his performance tonight there is absolutely no doubt surrounding his selection to the All-Star festivities taking place in Raleigh, North Carolina this weekend. Flower, it would appear, will always come up roses. (Yes, it is another terrible pun!)

After a scoreless first period and an equally goalless second period, Craig Adams would get the first of the night with 11:24 remaining in regulation. It would be the only goal of the evening with assists going to both Dustin Jeffrey and Arron Asham. It was Adams third of the season. The Penguins outshot the Islanders 31 to 29, registering 14 shots on goal in the second period. Maxime Talbot and Kris Letang led the team with shots on goal, registering five a piece.

For only the third time since the 2006-07 season, the Penguins were without both Crosby and Malkin (hey – if every other media source can remind you of this, why should we be any different?) and are now 5-3-1 without Sid and 2-1 without he and Geno. The Penguins penalty kill remains number one in the league having successfully killed off 37 of the last 39, including three tonight. Tonight’s victory marks the Pens tenth consecutive win against the Islanders at home since December 21, 2007. (Pittsburgh is now 25-8-6 against the Islanders since the 2004-05 lockout.)

After a week off, the Penguins will return to regular-scheduled play when they face the New York Rangers next Tuesday in New York before returning home to meet the Islanders once again. We wish Marc-Andre Fleury and Kris Letang all the best this weekend in Raleigh where they will represent the team at the All-Star Game. As for the rest of the guys, they are headed for a much deserved week of rest and relaxation.

Three Stars:

1. Marc-Andre Fleury
2. Kevin Poulin
3. Craig Adams

(I know - a less than thrilling recap - next one will be better.)

Gameday with Dan - New York Islanders

When: 7:00pm
Where: Consol Energy Center (I'll be there)

News and Information: Both Evgeni Malkin and Sidney Crosby will miss the "All-Star" game. Cooke, Kunitz, Letang will all play tonight.

Player to Watch: NY Islanders
Matt Moulson: He has been the Penguins killer as of late against Pittsburgh, he has also been carrying the Isles offense the last three games. He has 17 goals and 29 points, which is second on the team. His last name is also a beer in Canada..wooo!

Player to Watch: Pittsburgh Penguins
Pascal Dupuis: He scored the game winner against Carolina on Saturday. He is picking up the slack for Sidney Crosby in the last two games with 2 goals and 1 assist. His speed will also play a part in tonight's game.

Islanders' Lines
Matt Moulson - John Tavares - PA Parenteau
Michael Grabner - Frans Nielsen - Kyle Okposo
Blake Comeau - Rob Schremp - Josh Bailey
Matt Martin - Zenon Konopka - Jeremy Colliton

Andrew MacDonald - Travis Hamonic
Radek Martinek - Jack Hillen
Dylan Reese - Bruno Gervais
Rick DiPietro

Pens' Lines
Matt Cooke - Jordan Staal - Tyler Kennedy
Chris Kunitz - Mark Letestu - Pascal Dupuis
Mike Rupp - Maxime Talbot - Chris Conner
Craig Adams - Dustin Jeffrey - Arron Asham

Brooks Orpik - Kris Letang
Paul Martin - Zbynek Michalek
Alex Goligoski - Ben Lovejoy/Derek Engelland
Marc-Andre Fleury



Go Pens!

Game 49 Recap (1/22/2011)

The first relevant battle of the Staal brothers this season for Pens fans resulted in yet another victory for Jordan to bring to the dinner table next week when the family re-unites in North Carolina for the All-Star Game. (Come on, did you seriously think I’d dodge the “Staals are Brothers” reference following tonight’s game? And yes, while Jordan will not be participating you can bet he'll in Raleigh cheering on - and possibly antagonizing - his older brothers.) The Penguins held on to a one goal lead late in the third period and emerged victorious as they rallied over Carolina 3-2.

After a scoreless first period, it appeared that the Hurricanes would be the first to go on the board when right-winger Erik Cole blasted a shot past Marc-Andre Fleury. However, the shot was deflected by the crossbar, prompting Flower to pat the bar down in appreciation. Less than a minute later, Dustin Jefferey opened the scoring with a rocket of a shot, banking his second of the season with 2:58 remaining in the period. The goal came as the result of a four-on-four situation; the result of an interference call on the Canes Jamie McBain and a goaltender-interference call on Chris Conner.

The third period would see an increase in scoring action from both teams. The second goal of the night came from Mark Lestestu who picked up a pass from Chris Kunitz and banked it over a diving Cam Ward. (17:38) (It was a nice change of pace to see the boys make something of the power play – that is, to see it used as something more than passing practice.) Five minutes later (12:32), Pascal Dupuis would score a short-handed goal, bringing the game to 3-0 in favour of the Penguins.

The Hurricanes, however, were not quite done. With 4:25 remaining in regulation, Carolina’s Sergei Samsanov put the Canes on the board ending yet another shutout bid for Fleury. (Don’t worry Marc, you’re bound to get another one sooner or later.) Eric Staal would score the second goal for Carolina with 0:57 left on the clock as the Canes held a six-on-five advantage having pulled Ward in favour of the extra-attacker. Despite some intense seconds as the clock wound down and a lot of traffic in front of Fleury, the Pens managed to hold on to the lead.

For only the second time since 2006-07, the Pens were without superstars Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin and while they are no doubt missed by fans and teammates alike, their absence has provided a wonderful opportunity for Jordan Staal to show his quality as a leader and an asset to the team. As some of my fellow PensNation writers and I have discussed (I’m looking at you, Meg) you’d never know Staal’s return was but three short weeks ago. It would appear as though we can expect nothing but good things from Jordan during the second half of the season.

The Penguins outshot the Hurricanes 31 to 26 with five of the Canes shots registered in the last five minutes of the game (which undoubtedly resulted in some anxiety given the previous two occasions whereby they’ve given up two-goal leads late in the period resulting in last-minute losses.) The victory brings Marc-Andre Fleury to 21-5-2 in his last 28 and denied the Hurricanes of their 1000th franchise victory. (Sorry Eric but we were rooting for Jordan.) In addition, tonight’s win was number 95 for our very own HCDB. The win ties Bylsma with Scotty Bowman for third in all-time wins for Penguins coaches. Congrats Disco!

The Penguins have improved to 11-2 against teams from the South East Division.

The Penguins will face the New York Islanders Tuesday night in Pittsburgh before breaking for next weekend’s All-Star Game.

Three Stars:
1. Marc-Andre Fleury
2. Jordan Staal
3. Eric Staal

Gameday With Dan - Carolina Hurricanes

When: 7:00pm
Where: Consol Energy Center

News and Information: Pittsburgh will be without Crosby and Malkin for the second straight game. Pittsburgh will be wearing the blue thirds tonight. Malkin also has a sinus infection. The Staals are brothers.

Player to Watch: Carolina Hurricanes
Eric Staal: He currently has 22 goals and 25 assists for 47 points on the season. His style of play will be handy against a Pens team hurt by injuries. He has also been named a captain of his all-star team along with Nick Lidstrom on Jan 30th at RBC Center.

Player to Watch: Pittsburgh Penguins
Chris Kunitz: Without Crosby, Kunitz has been one of the Pens better players recently. He was riding a three-game goal streak before the Pens loss to New Jersey. Pittsburgh is 10-2-1 when Kunitz puts the biscuit in the basket.


Hurricanes' Lines
Sergei Samsonov - Eric Staal - Erik Cole
Jeff Skinner - Tuomo Ruutu - Chad LaRose
Jussi Jokinen - Brent Sutter - Patrick Dwyer
Jiri Tlusty - Ryan Carter - Troy Bodie

Tim Gleason - Joe Corvo
Joni Pitkanen - Andrew McBain
Jay Harrison - Ian White
Cam Ward

Pens' Lines
Matt Cooke - Jordan Staal - Tyler Kennedy
Chris Kunitz - Mark Letestu - Pascal Dupuis
Mike Rupp - Maxime Talbot - Chris Conner
Craig Adams - Dustin Jeffrey - Arron Asham

Brooks Orpik - Kris Letang
Paul Martin - Zbynek Michalek
Alex Goligoski - Ben Lovejoy
Marc-Andre Fleury


"Whoops"

The Islanders Finally Beat the Red Wings at Something

Nabby Claimed Off of Waivers

Nabokov left the KHL about a month ago, wanting to play again in the NHL. Instead, as things stand right now, he'll be playing for the Islanders. Nabby had signed a one-year, $570,000 contract with the banged-up Red Wings. It was a win-win situation: the Red Wings will be without goalie Chris Osgood for another six weeks or so and at age 35, Nabby is a spring chicken by Detroit standards. Nabokov would once again get to play in the NHL and for a contending team. Everyone's happy and all the hockey fans got to point out the irony of Nabokov being claimed by the Red Wings, who he helped beat in the playoffs as a member of the Sharks last year, while the Sharks, who were beaten in the playoffs by the eventual Stanley Cup champion Blackhawks, signed Antti Niemi, who helped Chicago beat San Jose.

There was only one little snag- Nabby had to clear waivers before he could play for Detroit, which meant that another team had a chance to claim him. That team ended up being the Islanders, so no playoffs for Nabokov this year. But look on the bright side Nabby- you said you wanted to play for a team where you had a chance to contend for the starting job, and since Rick DiPietro will soon be our for the season when he inevitably tears his groin by stepping onto the ice for practice, your wish will come true.

Reminder- Nabokov cannot be assigned to the AHL because he was signed after December 15. Also, if the Isles want to trade him (as there has ALREADY been talk of), he would have to clear waivers again, which would just give another team a chance to snatch him up without giving up anything, so I think it's highly unlikely. But we'll see.

As If the Avs Weren't Banged Up Enough Already...

Forward Tomas Fleischmann's first season in Colorado has come to an abrupt and unfortunate end. Flash will miss the rest of the 2010-11 season with a pulmonary emboli. He will have to be on blood thinners for several months.

Losing Flash is a big blow to the Avs and not just because they're rivaling Detroit for most injured team in the NHL. Fleischmann, who was traded to Colorado from Washington earlier this season, had tallied 21 points in 22 games with the Avalanche. Any team in the NHL would miss that kind of production from their lineup.

Best of luck to Flash on his recovery.

Speaking of the Avs

Peter Forsberg has apparently decided he wants to take Chris Chelios' title as "Brett Favre of the NHL" (minus the dong pictures, of course) and is going to practice with the Avalanche starting today. He says that he wants to see what kind of physical shape he is in and what better way to do so than by practicing with actual NHL players?

At least he's practicing with his old team so his comeback isn't going to be with a division rival like the Canucks or the Wild or the Vikings or anything. (See what I did there?)

All-Star Alternate Captains Named

Patrick Kane, Martin St. Louis, Ryan Kesler, and Mike Green were named alternate captains for the All-Star game. Kesler and Green will the alternates if Eric Staal is unable to play, and Kane and St. Louis will be the alternates for Nicklas Lidstrom.

I know a lot of Penguins fans are either confused or laughing until they cry over Mike Green being named an All-Star, much less an alternate captain. Don't worry, fellow Pens fans- the All-Star game means about as much as the Presidents' Trophy. And we all saw how well that worked out for the Caps last year.

Game 48 Recap (1/20/2011)

Bear with me everyone - this is the first one of these I have done in a long time. I have a tendency to be rational and sarcastic when it comes to hockey and what better way to begin one's affiliation with PensNation than with a game like tonight's!

Veteran goalie Martin Brodeur continued to add to his impressive resume of career shut-outs, capturing number 114 as the Devils downed the Penguins 2-0 in New Jersey.

The Devils first goal came less than two minutes into the first period (1:22) when Brian Rolston ripped a slap shot past goalie Brent Johnson. The only other goal of the game came less than eight minutes later (9:51) after former-Devil-turned-Penguin defenseman Paul Martin banked a shot off the boards which was intercepted by Nick Palmieri . The rookie had no problem beating Johnson with a backhander, bringing the score to 2-0 where it would remain for the rest of the game. (If we must find a sliver lining, at least the goal disparity didn’t get any greater. I’m trying to be optimistic here!)

The loss snapped a three game winning streak for the Penguins who were without both Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin for the first time since the 2006-2007 season (because, hey, hearing it one hundred times today just wasn’t enough.) It also ended a three-game scoring streak for the recently-returned Jordan Staal.

The Penguins seemed to come alive as the game wound down, outshooting the Devils 10 to 3 in the third period and overall 23 to 20, but the last minute push just wasn’t enough.

Perhaps one of the biggest stars of the game (all personal biases aside of course) came in the form of fan favourite Maxime Talbot. Talbot, who played with his hockey-heart on his jersey sleeve (excuse the bad pun) won 90% of his face-offs and led the team in penalty minutes on some questionable goalie-interference calls and one fighting major. (Someone once told me officiating was all about perspective but sometimes you really do have to wonder exactly where that perspective is coming from.) Interestingly enough, Matt Cooke was given a free pass after engaging in a shoving match with Brodeur late in the second period. I’m sure I wasn’t the only fan in PensNation who found this slightly amusing. Face it – in any other game he’d have been called simply for being Matt Cooke.

The Penguins penalty kill still remains ranked as one of the highest in the league with the team having successfully killed off 21 straight road-game penalties including the four faced tonight.

You can bet the boys will be looking to rebound on Saturday when they meet the Hurricanes on home ice at the Consol Energy Center. This game will mark the first time this season that brothers Eric Staal and Jordan Staal meet on the ice. *Cue Staals are Brothers!*

Three Stars of the Game:

1. Martin Brodeur
2. Brian Rolston
3. Nick Palmieri

Gameday- New Jersey Devils

When: 7:00 pm

Where: Prudential Center

Storyline:

Despite the Devils residing in the NHL's basement, they have been playing much better of late and have won three of their four last games, earning points in all of them. (Their only loss was in OT to Florida.) They have also scored 18 goals in those four games, with 11 different players chipping in offensively. Goalie Martin Brodeur has benefitted from a higher level of play and is 3-0-1 in his last four starts. He will get the start in net tonight for the Devils.

The Penguins, of course, will be missing both Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin due to injury; the first game in 437 games where they have not had one or the other in the lineup (counting the playoffs). The last time both were missing in action was February 2nd, 2006, with Crosby hurt and Malkin not yet a member of the team. The Penguins lost that game to the Senators, 7-2. Let's hope history does not repeat itself.

A win for the Penguins tonight would see Dan Bylsma tie Scotty Bowman for third all-time in coaching wins with 95. Eddie Johnston (232) and Michel Therrien (135) are the only coaches in Penguins history who have more wins than Bowman.

Player to Watch: New Jersey Devils

Patrick Elias. The lone All-Star for the Devils is on a bit of hot streak, with eight points in his last eight games (3G, 5A). Elias has 57 points (22G, 35A) in 66 games against the Penguins, making him the franchise's all-time leading scorer against Pittsburgh. That's as good a reason as any to keep an eye on him.

Player to Watch: Pittsburgh Penguins

Dustin Jeffrey. The call-up from WBS with Crosby and Malkin hurt, this is his big chance to prove once and for all that he is a top-6 caliber NHL player. Jeffrey will get time on the top line as well as on the second PP unit. This could very well be a defining game for him.

Devils Lines:

Kovalchuk-Zajac-Palmieri

Rolston-Elias-Zubrus

Zharkov-Arnott-Tedenby

Pelley-Sestito-Clarkson

White-Greene

Volchenkov-Fraser

Tallinder-Fayne

Brodeur

Penguins Lines:

Kunitz-Jeffrey-Dupuis

Cooke-Staal-Kennedy

Rupp-Talbot-Conner

Adams-Letestu-Asham

Letang-Orpik

Martin-Michalek

Goligoski-Engelland/Lovejoy

Johnson

Chris Kunitz has scored more goals than Ilya Kovalchuk at about 1/1000th of his cost. Go Pens.