Brent Johnson lays out Glass Jaw DiPietro with one elbow.

In case you missed it, or you just want to relive the awesome again and again, here it is straight hot off the youtube presses.




Fan submission from their glass seats:


Hell of a game Pens!

Islanders vs Penguins Game 52, Didn't we just see these guys?

Well here we go again, seems like we did this recently... Oh yeah last Tuesday. So before I said that Fleury needed to be the guy to stonewall the Islanders and he definitely came out and earned that 5million a year paycheck during the 0-1 shutout he posted against them. Tonight that chore falls on Brent Johnson but after his last performance hopefully he comes out and has something to prove.

Penguins injury woes continue as they are now without Aaron Asham who has suffered an injury to his upper body after last nights first period. Letestu is having an MRI done today to see how severe his problem is, he was rumored to be on crutches so hopefully it's just a precautionary thing. Malkin will also not be in the lineup tonight, however he has practiced the past two days including a practice today with Bylsma, Kennedy, Lovejoy and Eric Tangradi.Sidney Crosby will be missing his 12th (including ASG) consecutive game. Here is hoping Sid's scoring streak stays longer than his missed games.

This is the back end of another back to back series of games, the 10th of such series so far this year. In that time the Penguins are 6-1-2 on the 2nd game, 13-4-2 overall. The Penguins are 6-3-1 in the last 10 games. Tonights game will be a good game to see Tangradi and Jeffrey on the same ice again, only this time in an NHL game together. Jeffrey has been the golden ticket as of late winning key face offs to set up scoring chances, calling his own number for a slapshot or posting the game winning shot in a 7 round shootout. The kid has moxie and he's taking it out on his opponents.

No projected lines for tonight as far as I know, you can expect something like this:

Chris Kunitz - Dustin Jeffrey- Pascal Dupuis
Matt Cooke - Jordan Staal - Tyler Kennedy
Eric Tangradi - Max Talbot - Chris Conner
Mike Rupp - Craig Adams - Eric Godard

Brooks Orpik - Kris Letang
Paul Martin - Zbynek Michalek
Alex Goligoski - Deryk Engelland


Big Brent Johnson will be in goal for the Penguins.

Love those pads.

After an assist in last nights game, Maxim Talbot is one point away from 100 career points. You could tell in the past two games he has been hungry to get a puck on net. Mighty Max has been mighty silent in most of the games this year, leading some (and me) to speculate on him playing himself out the door. Hopefully that isn't the case as he adds a lot to a team that needs all the support from the bench it can get right now.

I don't know what it is, but you gotta love him.

Eric "Big Dog" Tangradi called up to Penguins from WBS. In Line-up vs Isles.

After an AHL All Star Performance and the blow the Pens suffered to Aaron Asham last night against the Rangers, the Penguins have called up their #1 prospect, Eric Tangradi. Big Dog has played in 9 games this year for the Penguins and has 1 goal and 1 assist. Here is hoping he will fill in nicely after practice and come out like Jeffrey with guns blazing against the Islanders. There was no morning skate today for the Penguins but Tangradi, Malkin, Kennedy, and Ben Lovejoy were practicing this morning.

Bylsma was working Lovejoy and Malkin particularly hard on the ice, weight skating and more.

Tangradi on the ice at practice this morning.

Dustin Jeffrey... Man of the night. Jordan Staal, Not Suspended for Prust's Dive.

So we all knew last night would be a pretty huge game, and a pretty huge game is what we got to witness for sure. Somehow, even while missing 4 of their centers after Staal was ejected with a match penalty in the 2nd, Aaron Asham going down in the first, the Penguins were able to squeeze a victory. That somehow, was off the hard work of Marc Andre Fleury and the spark of a goal from Dustin Jeffrey.

The first period had some interesting prose to the rest of the game. The Rags came out and scored within the first 4 minutes of the game, a goal by Prust facing a practically empty net. Shortly after that during a face off Cooke and Prust are jawing at each other and jobbing each other before the puck drop. After the drop the two appear to want to fight, Prust definitely wants to but Cookie doesn't go. This was foreshadowing for the second period.

The rest of the period was uneventful except for some choice saves, and an injury to Aaron Asham forcing him out of the game.

In the second the Pens took another blow after a huge save by Fleury within the first minute of the 2nd period. Fleury couldn't stop the next onslaught after a turnover in the Rag's offensive zone leads to an Ansimov rebound goal. The Penguins at this point are pissed. 16:43 left in the period and Engellend decides it's time to take some of the hate out on Prust's face.

Engel definitely woke up the Pens after taking out Prust. At 14:30 left in the 2nd, off a fresh power play, Dustin Jeffrey let's one go from the top of the face off circle and beats King Henrik Stunnedqvist for the first of 3 consecutive goals the Penguins would notch this period. With a little over 9 left in the period Rupp came in to score a deflection, with Kunitz coming but 4 minutes later to tally his 17th goal of the season. It was after this that the foreshadowing comes into play.

With just 4:39 left in the period Prust comes out and blasts Kennedy right in front of the bench. Well Jordan Staal took particular offense to this little hit Prust decided to dole out and gives him a good hard cross check then, from what seems like out of no where, a left cross to Prust's face. Prust goes down, but it looks very suspiciously like a dive. Jordan received a match penalty, ejection from the game, and gave the Rags a 5 minute power play... One they capitalized off of and tied it up in the final seconds of the period.

Thankfully it was reported today that Jordan Staal will not be suspended, and will be in the lineup tonight. Here is the footage of some cerebral Staalsy in action:

The third period for the most part was very conservative hockey. More spectacular saves by Fleury and defense from the Pens took it to OT. More conservative play in the OT leads us to a shootout. 

After an amazing poke by Fleury and 7 rounds later we get this:

All in all, a tough game, a tough 2 points, but Dustin Jeffrey is really proving his need to be on ice full time in the NHL.

Around the league:
The Flyers lost to the Lightning 4-0
The Islanders stomped the Trashers 4-1, they'll play the Penguins tonight at 7pm.
The Capitals lost in a shootout against the Habs. Cary Price does this Lame Vanilla ice pose again to the stands:

Let it be known I officially hate this pose.

Penguins vs Rangers match up 4 Game 51

Okay tonight marks the first game of February, the first game off of the All Star Break, and a hell of a match up right before a snooze fest against the Isles tomorrow at home. Just when the penguins suffer another injury in Mark Letestu, the Rangers are getting their leading scorer back in Dubinsky and a few other pieces will be back to revitalize their team. Good news for Pens fans was that Geno was back on the ice practicing again for the second time since missing three games, he won't be on the ice tonight for the Pens and will miss his 4th straight game but they should have him back soon to help lead the charge to the playoffs. The Penguins did get Eric Goddard back who will be winging on the fourth line.

This is going to be one of those games the Penguins have to win, first of back to back games, against New York clubs no less. First game off the break, first game of the month. Only ahead of the Rangers by 5 points in the standings, so picking up an extra 2 here will not only increase their hold on second place in the division, it will put them to within 3 points of the Flyers (71pts).

The lines are little iffy tonight so I'm not going to post projections. Who knows what Bylsma will do with the lines. Jeffrey could be on the top line, or Staal could man the top line, we'll see tonight when the puck drops.

Marc Andre Fleury in net for the Penguins. No jumping jacks or push-ups during the game though Flower, we do need a hell of an all star performance and a win though!

Lets go Pens!

Media Day 2/1/2011

So it's Media Day leading up to the Superbowl now that the teams are in Dallas, and so far it seems like it's all smiles and fun for the Steelers. Troy Polamalu's hair has made several appearances so far. Including a resting place atop Brett Kiesel's beard. Both iconic hair styles beard or normal depending on preference, appear to of gotten their own celebrity followings. Troy's hair thanks to the hilarious Head and Shoulder deal he made, and Kiesel's beard just for being an epic lumberjack beard.

 Then Hines Ward got in on the bandwagon for Troy's hair and donned the hair for this interview:

 

 Ward was said to look like the return of Rick James, change that press desk to a DJ booth and it would look pretty crazy. 

I couldn't find a video to embed but here is Mike Tomlin's first Press Conference at media day courtesy of NFL videos.

There are 5 days until Superbowl 45. I still need all 10 fingers and toes to count down this event because of my excitement for it. Number 7 by Number 7.

Dustin Jeffrey Called Up, Letestu Injured During Practice. Malkin Skates.

Earlier today Dustin Jeffrey was called back up to the NHL, this happened roughly around 11am, unfortunately it wasn't for Letestu. Letestu went down around 11:40am during the morning skate and has been sent back to Pittsburgh with a lower body injury and re-evaluation, he will not be in the line up tonight. It is unknown yet which line Jeffrey will be placed on for the game against the Rangers this evening, so far he is slated to be on the bottom line, but Letestu was going to be on the top line. 

Letestu who was the subject of one of the Penguins most recent contract extensions hopefully will not be missing much time due to this injury, as he is very essential to the beginning of this next 10 game stretch. Eric Goddard, who the Pens have been missing for the past 13 games with an eye injury is back in the lineup tonight for Letestu.He has been practicing with the team since before the All Star Break. The Penguins are left with Jordan Staal, Jeffrey, Talbot, and Kennedy at Center with the injuries to Crosby, Malkin, and Letestu.

Here's hoping Goddard doesn't fight anyone yet, but if he wants to make someone smell his armpit again I'm sure he will. That look on his face is priceless. Looks like Brashear is making out with his pit too.

Good news for the Penguins however was that Geno was back out on the ice practicing again today:

 

The superstar Center still won't be on the ice tonight for the Penguins against the Rangers, missing his 4th straight game.However knowing that he is out practicing is a good sign that the sinus infection and soreness in his knees is getting easier to deal with. Still no Sidney Crosby on the ice during practice, it is unknown when his return will be, he will be missing his 11th consecutive game including the All Star Game.