Welcome to the Black and Gold Society. This is your place for a fresh take on the Pittsburgh sporting world. Including extensive coverage of the Penguins, Pirates and Steelers.
So apparently the past 2 weeks Brent Johnson has made a trend of Goalies not taking anything from anybody. Khabibulin and Neil get into a little bit of a spat today during the Sens vs Oilers game. Apparently Neil kept his cool and I haven't seen any footage yet but this is the fourth altercation involving a goalie in 2 weeks. Brent Johnson vs DiPietro, Tim Thomas vs Carey Price, Brent Johnson vs Haley, and now Khabibulin and Neil.
***Update*** So still no footage but heres some photos of them jawing. In so far as I know, there were no fighting majors listed, so I suppose you can't really call this one a goalie fight, but it definitely still stands, that goalies are not taking any crap from skaters lately.
Good trend I guess for the excitement of it all, but really Johnson is the only one actually hitting people and taking hits.
346 Penalty minutes, from 14 fighting majors, and 21 game misconducts. What the hell...? I said the Isles were expecting to get physical, but this was an all out brawl Royal Rumble style.
"The first half of the game, was a hockey game." said Dan Bylsma during the post game press conference, "The second half of the game, was not. I certainly did not anticipate the third period looking like that." When Bylsma was asked if he expected the game in April to be similar, "It's tough to forget a game like that." Hopefully, we don't get another fiasco like the show in Long Island last night when the Penguins go back April 8th, it was a disgrace.
Between Gilles at the end of the game taunting an injured and concussed Tangradi, Martin making a run at Talbot near center ice trying to sucker punch him, the slash on Letangs right knee before the end of the first period, the fact that the Islanders kept taunting Fleury in the 2nd period and coming down and giving him crap, OR the fact that they did run Johnson into the net twice, one time taking out both him and Letang, but this game pissed me off to new heights.
Gilles taunting Tangradi, fan filmed:
Right out the gate in the first period, it looked like we were going to be treated to a long, cold night on Long Island, and that could not have been more true. Speaking of gates, by the end of the game, an iron gate was put up in the runway between locker rooms. The Isles came out tough, as was expected, there was good hitting in the first, but unfortunately for the Penguins, there was a lot of offense... 4 goals by the Isles they slipped passed Johnson in the first. Talk about getting revenge for a fight. Johnson did stop a penalty shot but that's basically about the extent of Johnson's saves.
Sadly that wasn't it. When the second period begins, we're barely three minutes into it before 2 more goals are scored. After an all line scrum, Bylsma decides to put Fleury in, and honestly, I have absolutely no idea why he even bothered to shake Fleury's confidence. As expected, the Isles were not going to let up in this game and they end up dumping 2 more past Fleury himself. The Penguins did get 2 goals off of a 5 minute Power Play after the first all team scrum. Letang and Staal tallied the power play goals.
In the video above you basically get the run down of all the fights, penalties, the cheap run, everything. You also get the Tangradi hit that leads to his concussion symptoms, and the fact that Gilles is a complete and utter asshole. You also see Haley and Johnson fight, as Big Brent Johnson will fight you if you come at him, I can only presume that was the other reason why Disco Dan put BBJ back in the net, the first being to save Fleury from these animals.
After the second all line scrum and another 5 minute power play situation for the Penguins. Tyler Kennedy scores another goal, whoopdedoo it's 8-3. The fighting didn't end after the second all team scrum. Vitale got into it at the end, in what was literally the longest Pens game of the regular season so far, that didn't go into overtime. I blame the ref's and coaches not knowing what to do with who was left.
By the end of this game I think the Penguins had about 2 guys on the bench, 5 guys on the ice, with guys in the box through the whole game basically. Despite all of that, Vitale still threw down, I guess he was feeling left out.
So Thursday Bylsma receives his 100th win as a Penguin's coach. Friday night Bylsma is treated to a $10,000.00 fine and is under review for an automatic Suspension. He watched his team fall into utter disarray until Goddard spared him anymore punishment by leaping off the bench to 'save' Johnson, who doesn't need saving. Goddard gets an automatic 10 game suspension and Bylsma is asked to leave. Not too big of a deal I guess considering Godard hasn't performed well and only basically instigates at this point, we have Engelland for that. Tangradi, as I said above suffered a hit in the final minutes of the third period, and is suffering from concussion type symptoms. This means that the Penguins have lost 2 more forwards and have already made an extra call up from Wilkes-Barre for tomorrow's afternoon game against the Rangers.
The good news? Talbot and crew don't seem to be too dejected from this game, as they were all smiles riding in the Cab's to Central Park to practice on an outdoor rink today. The team dressed at MSG but after their bus encountered an accident had to get off and get the cabs. Hard birthday for Talbot last night but he's a hockey player and he'll get over it.
I leave you with Steigerwalds disgust at this game. One of Steigerwalds finer moments, especially after the first period he said P.A Parentaeu was his friggen boy. Steiggy...
I guess for all intents and purposes this is a Goalie Fight. It isn't much of a "fight" though. Price goes for a punch, Thomas goes for the takedown, but Price gets Thomas's shirt over his head and it's game over within about 3 seconds. Just like Johnson's fight only this time not as exciting or manly and brutal.
Tim Thomas just looks too old trying to fight. Too old. This was one hell of a hockey game though in Beantown. like 6 goals in the 2nd period alone. Check the highlights and see for yourself.
