Lazy Sunday's: Two-Heads, two goals...

Sunday recaps are just going to be short, that's how it is, even when we win. Take it for what you will.

Simply a great game. What started out as a bit of a defensive game with great goaltending (or sleeper, depending on your perspective) turned into a shootout battle won by the skill of the Two-Headed Monster and the composure of Fleury. A win like this can really light a fire under their &*&% for the rest of the season. Let's just hope it does.

There were a couple times during the game where I heard Doc Emery yell, "There's a DRIVE!" and my mind instantly transported back to June 12th. After teetering back and forth from reality to memory and vice versa, I finally came to after realizing if Chris Osgood was in net we'd of won the game 7-1. Jimmy Howard was solid in everything except the shootout. But again, when you're dealing with those-you-see-on-the-right, sometimes it doesn't matter which goalie's in net.

Evidently they play hockey well together too. Thanks Mrs. Eller.

Same thing tomorrow? 

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01/31/2010 - PREGAME - Detroit Red Wings

When you thought it was safe to sleep in on a Sunday Morning you have to get up and get ready for ANOTHER 12:30pm game.

12:30pm NBC

Being brought to you by
Doc the Pirate, Disgruntled Ex-Employee, ShoeBoy and Mrs. Leadership

Well, for some of us anyway...
For the rest of you, Pat Robertson has something to tell you..

"Suck it, Beyotch!!!"

The last time these two teams met at Mellon Arena,

I can proudly say I was there.
"Hello Ladies!"

But more importantly,
I remember clenching in fear when Cleary had a breakaway down the right hand side only to have Fleury shut the door in his face.

But most importantly,
The Piece became "The Piece"

But even morestmost, ah hell you get the idea, the win in game 6 allowed us to read about this ever so famous text message from the Right Hand Man of God himself.

"This is a chance of a lifetime to realize your childhood dream to win a Stanley Cup. Play without fear and you will be successful! See you at center ice." - Sir Mario Lemieux

All that is behind us. It's a whole new season. It's all nice and warm fuzzy feeling-ish to talk about the past but there is still a lot of work to be done THIS SEASON and most importantly, this game.

Mark "Maaaaaark" Letestu and Nick Johnson have been called up from Wilkes-Barre. Kunitz should be back very soon. Talbot did not practice yesterday and is questionable for today.

Will the Pens ever have some consistency? Doesnt' matter. A real team wins no matter what.

Lots of trades happening today. Giggy and Phaneuf to the Leafs.

In Shero we trust baby. In Shero we trust.

If NBC bores you, I present you, courtesy of PUCK DADDY,
the NHL on NBC drinking game.



THINGS YOU WANTED TO KNOW BUT WERE TOO LAZY TO LOOK UP:

The wings are 20-28-4 all-time at the Igloo (Including post-season)
So far, the Pens are 7-7 for the month of January
The longest win streak this is 2 games.
The longest losing streak this month is 2 games.
NICKLAS LIDSTROM still only has one testicle.


WHAT WHISTLER THINKS IS IMPORTANT TO THIS GAME:

Since the Eastern Conference is getting tighter than your date the night before prom.

See.... Tight

The Pens need to pull it together and reverse their ever so steady decline.

"There isn’t much room to slip up." - Mr. Sidney Crosby

Once again, the ever-almost-but-not-quite-knowing Whistler believes that puck control in the Defensive end is key. The Senators took the Pens to school the other night dominating the zone. If we are gonna pull out of this we need to work on that immediately.


LINE PROJECTIONS..
get it.. Projections.. I have no idea who's staring where. If I knew I'd be Working behind the bench. Maybe taking Mike Yeo's place. Heck.. maybe I'd do better on the Power Play than he's currently doing.


Dupuis-Crosby-Guerin
Letestu-Malkin-Fedotenko
Cooke-Staal-Kennedy
Johnson-Adams-Rupp

(If I'm wrong with these BITE ME!)

Gonchar-Orpik
Eaton-Letang
McKee-Goligoski

Fleury

You know the drill.....

LET'S GO PENS!!

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Marky Mark recalled...

"Back when Mark Wahlberg was Marky Mark, this is how we used to get the party start, we used to, mix in with Bacardi dark...."

Don't tell me this is too ol' school for you young bucks...?

Anyway, Mark Letestu has been recalled from Wilkes-Barre Scranton. Conner got the snub this time but its necessary to give each of the NHL-worthy guys a their chance to show their stuff.

I haven't thought of a nickname for Nick Johnson yet, but he was recalled as well. A bit of a regular in Pittsburgh these days. If he's got one or you have any ideas just toss them my way. Photoshop to follow.

With these guys getting a chance to show their stuff it makes you wonder what Shero might have under his sleeve before the deadline.


Yes, we have our own underwear line now...

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WBS Penguins Gameday: Penguins vs. Moose

Last Game Recap:
Not even six WBS Penguins goals, including Mark Letestu’s first professional hat trick, were enough for the Penguins to defeat the Hershey Bears. WBS came within one goal in the third period but with 1:06 to go, Boyd Kane scored a shorthanded goal as Brad Thiessen was being pulled for an extra attacker to claim an 8-6 victory for Hershey.

Tim Wallace scored the opening goal 45 seconds into the game, but the lead did not last for long as Alex Giroux answered back just 19 seconds later. Letestu scored his first of the night to put the Penguins in front 2-1, but by the end of the period; Oskar Osala, Boyd Kane, and Alex Giroux had answered back to give the visitors a 4-2 lead after the first. Wallace got his second of the night and Luca Caputi chipped in to make the score 7-6 but the Bears weren’t going to let up.

In his first start since coming back from Pittsburgh, John Curry was pulled in the second period after allowing seven goals on 20 shots. Thiessen came in and allowed only one goal the rest of the way, and that was Kane’s shorthanded tally at the end of the game.

With the loss, WBS falls to 21-22-1-1. They are in fifth place in the East Division and dangerously close to being in last place.

Three Stars:
3. Mark Letestu (WBS): hat trick, one assist, +1
2. Keith Aucoin (Hershey): four assists, +2
1. Alexandre Giroux (Hershey): two goals, one assist, +2

WBS Scratches:
Lane Caffaro
Jon D’Aversa
Konstantin Pushkarev
Joe Vitale
Aaron Boogaard
Keven Veilleux

Notables:
Joe Vitale took a puck to the foot in the morning skate and did not play last night.

Adam Berkhoel was sent to Wheeling earlier in the day.

Letestu was credited with the hat trick on a scoring change announced in the beginning of the third period. The start of the third was briefly delayed as a few fans threw their hats on to the ice.

Hershey captain Bryan Helmer now has 500 AHL points for his career after tallying two assists last night.

Next Matchups:
Who: Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins and Manitoba Moose
When: Saturday, 1/30/2010 (7:05 p.m.) and Sunday, 1/31/2010 (3:05 p.m.)
Where: Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza

Author’s Note:
Due to Manitoba being in town for back to back games this weekend, only one pregame will be written for the matchups.

Last Meeting Recap:
The Penguins traveled to Manitoba back in October for a two game set on October 29th and 30th. The teams split the set with WBS earning a 1-0 overtime win on the 29th with Ryan Bayda scoring the game’s only goal. The next night, the Moose answered back with a 2-1 win in a shootout. The 1-0 win marked Curry’s first shutout of the season and in spite of the loss the next night, Dustin Jeffrey was a bright spot for the Penguins when he scored the second penalty shot goal in team history (the great Rico Fata was the first. You loved him. Admit it.).

About the Moose:

Oh wait, not this Moose....




Yeah this one. Apologies to all Johan Hedberg fans who were hoping I'd take you down memory lane.

Anyway...

The Moose, who are the defending Western Conference champions, are currently on a six game losing streak; with their latest loss coming last night in Worcester by a score of 5-3. Their record is currently 23-21-4-1 for third place in the North Division. One of their biggest weaknesses is their power play, which is ranked 28th in the AHL at a 12.7% success rate.

The Moose currently have two players down from the Vancouver Canucks for injury rehabilitation. Michael Grabner played two full seasons with the Moose in 2007-2008 and 2008-2009 with two 40+ point seasons. This season he has five points in nine games with the Canucks and 13 points in 19 games with Manitoba. He has only played 28 games this season due to a foot injury sustained in a pre-game soccer match.

Jannik Hansen has played 24 games with Vancouver this season and has nine points. He has spent his whole career up and down between Vancouver and Manitoba. He joins Manitoba while recovering from a hand injury.

Thanks to Pens/Canucks/Moose super fan @kimberlyann32 for the information on Grabner and Hansen.

Moose to Watch:
First year pro Sergei Shirokov is fifth in the AHL in rookie scoring with 14 goals and 17 assists. In the Pens’ loss to Manitoba back in October, he scored a power play goal during regulation and then scored the winning shootout goal.

Goaltender Cory Schneider is fourth in the AHL with 19 wins this season. He has a 2.60 GAA and a .913 save percentage.

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WBS Penguins Gameday: Penguins vs. Bears

WBS Penguins Gameday: Penguins vs. Bears

By: Ali Myers

Penguins Last Game Recap:
Joe Vitale got the Penguins on the board first, but former Penguin Jeff Taffe gave his former team some problems as he scored two goals and assisted on a Jamie Johnson goal to lead Rochester to a 5-3 victory. Luca Caputi and Chris Conner also scored in the losing effort. The Pens went 0/4 on the power play while giving up a power play goal to Rochester.

Three Stars of the Game:
3. Eric Tangradi (WBS): one assist
2. Jeff Taffe (Rochestser): two goals, one assist; +1
1. Jamie Johnson (Rochester): one goal, one assist; +1

WBS Latest News:
Chris Conner and Nick Johnson have had an up and down week within the organization. Conner went up for Monday's game against Pittsburgh and scored two goals in the Penguins' victory over the Rangers. He was sent back and along with Johnson, was brought up for last night's game against Ottawa. Johnson assisted on Evgeni Malkin's goal in the loss to the Senators. Both have once again been sent back to WBS.

John Curry returned to Wilkes-Barre last Saturday, but did not arrive in time for the matchup with Rochester. He is expected to start this weekend against Hershey. The Penguins continue to carry three goalies; mainly to get Brad Thiessen some practice time before sending him back to Wheeling at a time to be determined.

Joe Vitale signed a two-year contract extension on Tuesday.

Although not strictly Penguins related, the Penguins home is now known as the Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza. It is the fourth name for the arena in its 10-year existence.

Injury Update:
Wade Brookbank is dealing with an elbow injury. His status is unknown for tonight.

Robert Bortuzzo did not practice on Monday due to some swelling in his foot, but no further updates have been provided on his status.

Next Matchup:
Who: Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins vs. Hershey Bears
When: Friday, January 29, 2010 at 7:05 p.m.
Where: Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza

Last Meeting Recap:
Hershey came off a 10-4 victory over Albany on January 15 by making the Penguins their next victim on the 16th. Four different Bears players scored in the first period to take a commanding 4-1 lead over the Penguins at the end of the period. Mark Letestu chipped in during the opening frame, but the damage had been done. In the second period, Alexandre Giroux added his second goal of the game to take a 5-1 lead and the Bears padded the score in the third with tallies by Steve Pinizotto and Kyle Wilson to win 7-2. Chris Lee had the other Penguins goal, and Letestu finished with a two point night.

About the Bears:

Abandon all hope, ye who enter here…

The Bears just keep rolling through the rest of the AHL. Their last two games were the 22nd and 23rd against Manitoba and they put up a total of 16 goals in both games; winning 8-3 and 8-2. The Bears swept their season series with the Moose; who they defeated to win the 2009 Calder Cup. Currently they are 34-9-0-2 with 70 points and lead the East Division by a mile. The Albany River Rats remain 15 points back. Hershey has leaders in nearly every statistical category of the AHL. They also have the top ranked penalty killing unit; which has a 91% success rate.

The Pens have only won once against the Bears this season. They have lost all other matchups; including two prior blowouts. The Pens will have to bring out all the stops tonight. The Bears have traumatized a lot of teams this season, but can the Pens stop the bleeding?

Bear Hunting:

Andrew Gordon is only in his third professional season, but has put up huge numbers each year. He currently has 21 goals and 23 assists and is a +15. Eleven of his 21 goals are on the power play; good enough for second in the AHL in power play goals scored.

Keith Aucoin/Alexandre Giroux: Yes, these two pesky players again. Aucoin leads the AHL with 61 points this season. His 25 goals lead the league in goals scored and he boasts a +21 rating. Giroux has 55 points (20+35) and is the second top scorer in the AHL; only behind his teammate.

WBS Projected Line Combinations:


Bayda-Smith-Caputi
Jeffrey-Letestu-Wallace
Tangradi-Vitale-Pushkarev
Brookbank-Zabotel-Boulerice


Lovejoy-Guenin
Lee-Engelland
Strait-Bortuzzo
Caffaro-D’Aversa


Curry-Berkhoel-Thiessen

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Pens Lose: Sens Win

Looks painful, I hope...

I don't have to tell you how the game went, more than likely you saw it. And if you didn't see it you're not coming here to see what the score is. If you are, well, I'm perplexed given the advent of technology and you're ability to access the game from every single type of digital media source known to man.

In any event, yeah, we lost. Tough game? Eh. Well, the Pens didn't play all that well, that's for sure. A lot of excitement for us all the moment when Geno scored and made it 1-0. We all thought, here we go again, game time baby. Last time we met the Senators we had 8 goals and Geno had his hat trick. But that wasn't the case. And the odd thing is that we've teetered back and forth with this team all year. One minute we win big, the next they do. Kind of an odd animal. Toward the end of the game Errey was likening the Senators to a team that "had the Penguins number," but ultimately that doesn't make sense. Have a look, it's actually dead even.

OCT 12, 2009 - PIT 4 - OTT 1

NOV 19, 2009 - PIT 2 - OTT 6

DEC 23, 2009 - OTT 2 - PIT 8

JAN 28, 2010 - OTT 4 - PIT 1

And that's it for the season, we split all the way around. We beat them at home and away, they did the same. Whatever Errey, I still love ya. No need to try to make excuses up, we know how our team played. 

And how did they play? Sub par. But really Ottawa simply out played the Pens. And that's the odd thing about stats, they don't show the whole game like, say, football. Have a look. 

 Courtesy of ESPN.com

The Penguins topped nearly every major statistical category yet legitimately lost 4-1. A stat I don't believe is easily accessible is TOP (time of possession). Maybe it is and I'm just too lazy to find it. Otherwise it seemed to me the Pens just lost that battle. They were in their own zone far too much and they didn't seem to create that many scoring attempts legitimate enough to warrant rebounds and whatnot. Don't get me wrong, the Sens did their thing. They had some great speed, forechecked like animals, and defended well. But mainly they kept the puck away from the Penguins and that right there will help you beat the Penguins, or any team for that matter. 

It's not like the next few games get any easier. We play Detroit on Sunday who, though slumping, are still a force and will no doubt have eyes full of vengeance for obvious reasons. Likewise Monday we play Buffalo who, also slumping, has played real well this year and in the last game came back from a 3-0 Penguin lead to win 4-3. Can't let that happen again.

Well, enough rambling. Good night, and good luck. Look for my interview with EJ Hradek to be posted on  Tuesday.

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Penguins Gameday 1/28/2010 - End the Run

Tonight your Pittsburgh Penguins host the Ottawa Senators at the Mellon Arena and the Pens have made some roster changes for tonight's game. Eric Godard will be sidelined with a groin injury (sorry ladies) for 4-6 weeks. The Pens signed forward Joe Vitale who has played in Wilkes-Barre so far this season. The Pens also recalled Nick Johnson, who was just send down to WBS on Tuesday, hopefully Nick is on the frequent flier program. I thought Nick played well with Feds and Geno in the three games before he was send down.

Here are the starting lines for tonight's game from the Pens website, check out their new designed game day page here.

Dupuis-Crosby-Guerin
Johnson-Malkin-Fedotenko
Cooke-Staal-Adams
Rupp-Talbot-Conner

Orpik-Gonchar
McKee-Skoula
Eaton-Letang

Fleury

Here are the highlights from the last meeting.

My thoughts for tonight's game:

1.) Strike early and often.
2.) Stay focused defensively
3.) Heavy forecheck.



“It was so exciting because I always wanted to skate with him,” Michael said after. “He is really good and still has a good shot.” Make a Wish patient Michael Saikali, 11.

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Allow Me to Introduce Myself...

I am very flattered and honored to be invited to join Pens Universe, one of the finest Pittsburgh Penguins site the internet has to offer.

My name is Joe Depto and I was born and raised in Pittsburgh in 1985. Like all young people raised in Western Pennsylvania, I introduced to the Black and Gold doctrine of sports immediately. I took it all in stride, and it became my hobby, my education, and my passion. instantly.

I grew up immersing myself in all of the local sports fodder I could, making it not only my most relevant time-spender, but also my most urgent one.

Football, Basketball, and Baseball were all sports that had a fond place in my head (and still do), but as I got older I realized they were just affairs.

When I met Penguins hockey, it was true love.

If you're reading this site, or are a part of it, I don't need to tell you how special being a Penguins fan is.

We've seen the dark depths of Kansas City arenas being built to house our demise, Rico Fata-esque letdowns, and a myriad of coaching changes.

We've seen the shining glare of the Stanley Cup, the warmth of a passionate and intelligent fan base, and one of the most talented and most like-able young core of players any professional sports franchise has had the pleasure of having in recent memory.

To my fellow staff members, thank you for giving me the opportunity to be a part of Pens Universe. Your e-mails, Facebook requests, and Twitter follows have been appreciated and flattering.

To the readers, thank you for making Pens Universe part of your day. I hope to add something to your daily Penguins reading to continue to help a great site foster an environment that we all feel is special.

I can't wait to get started and be a small part in helping our beloved Pens defend our coveted Stanley Cup in 2010.

And, of course...

Let's Go Pens!

- Joe Depto

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Penguins Snapshots: 1/27/10 (Part 2)

As promised, here are more photos from my hockey travel weekend.

These are some shots from the Pittsburgh Penguins and Philadelphia Flyers game on Sunday. This game marked my first trip down to the Wachovia Center for hockey.

I am happy to report that my jersey was not covered in beer, I had no one spit at me, and only one person told me that the Penguins sucked.

And oh, enjoy the photos.

Discuss: What is Jordan Staal praying for?

Mike Rupp and a cropped Eric Godard


Brooks Orpik stretches out during warmups

Alex Goligoski, Ruslan Fedotenko, and Mike Rupp...and Nick Johnson's arm has mutated on to Fedotenko's body. Freaky.

Pascal Dupuis skates by as Marc-Andre Fleury warms up

Kris Letang

Tyler Kennedy

Bill Guerin (special appearance by dad-stache)

Brent Johnson is getting ready for MLB spring training...I think.

Our captain....

As a Penguins fan, what's even better than surviving your first trip to Flyers country? Coming out of it with a win. Thanks, Flyers!

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Penguins Snapshots: 1/27/10 (Part 1)

This week, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins hit the road so I went with them.

Sort of.

In this post, you will see photos of the WBS/Syracuse game from Friday, 1/22/10.

There will be more pictures to come though. I also attended the Pittsburgh Penguins and Philadelphia Flyers game this past Sunday and was able to get some great photos there as well.

All pictures are my property and not to be downloaded or used without prior permission.

Enjoy!

Tim Wallace moves the puck along the boards.

Joe Vitale during a break in the action.

Zach Sill and Eric Tangradi share a laugh during warmups.


Dustin Jeffrey

Penguins players celebrate a second period goal.



Deryk Engelland follows the play.




Left to right: Tim Wallace, Chris Conner, Zach Sill, Brian Strait, Ben Lovejoy, and Chris Lee wait to take practice shots during warmups.

Chris Conner in action.

Luca Caputi looks to make his next move.

WBS coaches John Hynes (front left) and Todd Reirden go back to the locker room at the end of the first period.

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Minor League Fan, Big League Rollercoaster

Minor League Fan, Big League Rollercoaster
By: Ali Myers

When I first got into hockey in 2001, it wasn’t by watching an NHL game on TV. It was by attending a minor league game in my hometown. After two games, I couldn’t get enough of it. Several years later, I have a hockey jersey collection, season tickets, and have traveled near and far to support my team on the road.

My team, in case you are just joining me here on Pens Universe, is the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. I am an American Hockey League fan. Yes I love Pittsburgh, but the “Baby Penguins” are my number one team. I am proud of them and will stand behind them no matter what happens; even as I criticize them after a loss. A lot of my energy is devoted to going to their games, monitoring box scores and supporting the revolving door of players.

Considering that many AHL teams get healthy attendance and have several loyal fans, I am not pretending I am anything special. However, I do believe that being an AHL fan is more of a rollercoaster ride than supporting an NHL team.

Being an AHL fan definitely has a positive aspect. The 29 teams are mostly located in small to medium sized cities such as Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, Hershey, Pennsylvania; and Portland, Maine. Because the teams are in smaller markets, there is a sense of community among the fanbase. When you go to games regularly, you get to know many people who are at just as many games as you are. Thanks to hockey, I have met a lot of great people; some of whom I have close friendships with. I would not have these relationships if not for the Baby Penguins.

Another benefit is the interaction you get with the players. AHL teams usually don’t have a Sidney Crosby or Alex Ovechkin who you cannot get an autograph from unless you have big bucks or are willing to fight throngs of fans and media outside arenas. Many teams have season ticket holder meet and greets, holiday parties, and end of season banquets where fans can get up close and personal with the players. I am not saying NHL teams do not do these things. However, there is usually not as much hype surrounding an AHL team, and thus, the players are more accessible to fans. It is great to get a player’s autograph or a photo with them so if they make it to the NHL, you can say “I knew him when…”

The biggest downside of rooting for an AHL team is the NHL affiliation. It’s not that the NHL affiliations do a poor job, but sometimes, it is hard to remember that the AHL exists to develop players for the NHL and to call them up as needed due to injury to the NHL players. Here in Wilkes-Barre for instance, nine different players have seen time with Pittsburgh this season. The call ups have partially caused the team to go into losing skids and have a hard time developing chemistry.

Whenever I see that a WBS player has gone to Pittsburgh, I feel torn. I am very happy the player is fulfilling his dream; but at the same time, I think of how much we need him back here and hope he can come back soon. Luckily, none of the Pittsburgh callups this season have been permanent.

Aside from the callups, it can be difficult to be a fan of a developmental team if you are more interested in having a winning team than watching prospects develop. Both types of groups exist among WBS fans. This season we have a lot of rookies and there are several fans that do not care about the team’s record; only how the prospects look over the course of the season. However, I and several others see winning as more important. We want the most talented players possible and don’t want to watch games with low offensive output, mediocre defense, and sit through a season where the team has to play catch up to earn a playoff spot.

That’s not to say I don’t want prospects to better themselves and make the NHL. My opinion is that when I am paying good money for tickets (WBS does not have cheap tickets and increases prices every year, but that’s another rant), I do not want to see a team spend almost a whole season “learning”. I prefer to have an excellent record, see players earn individual honors, and stand a good chance at winning a championship. However, some AHL teams such as Hershey, Manitoba, and Chicago do value winning and sign the players that give them the best chance of winning the Calder Cup; not necessarily the prospects that will become future NHL stars.

I will always love my team, regardless of what direction they take. However, I still want them to be the best they can be; and if that means I talk more about wins and losses rather than how a prospect looks from one night to the next, then so be it. The developmental system may help NHL clubs, but without hundreds of thousands of fans in 29 different cities, this system would not exist.

So if you’re an AHL fan who is reading this, it is OK to dream of the day your team lifts the Calder Cup. It’s OK to want your players back from the NHL as soon as possible. Just realize the ride to great things will be unpredictable and not always smooth.

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