Penguins vs Rangers Game 58 match 5 of 6.

Another series of back to back games against New York teams. Last time the Penguins faced a 3 game stretch against NY clubs they went 3-0.This time however it's just the Isles and the Rangers, and we all know what happened on Long Island already.

When these two clubs met February 1st, the Pens went down 2-0 quick only to go and tally 3 goals in the second period starting with Dustin Jeffrey's to get the team tied 3-3 and head into Overtime. Dustin Jeffrey also tallied the game winning goal in the 7th round of a shootout against King Henrik Stunnedqvist. This game also featured a lot of Prust, and frankly I was tired of seeing him after the game. He scored the opening goal, fought with the king of Engelland, and got hit by Staal's left cross of justice and took a dive trying to get Staal suspended. Nice try Crusty.

The game saw forward Aaron Asham take a spill which led to his injury, one which is still keeping him out of the action tomorrow afternoon. When the Penguins faced this team last their injury woes were still there, only now they're increased with suspensions to two forwards, possibly Dan Bylsma, and at least 7 players including the last games hero Dustin Jeffrey on the Injury list. Craig Adams thankfully won't find himself on there, even after getting a little dinged up in the game last night against those garbage cans on Long Island.

Fleury stood tall last game and kept the Penguins alive after they had mounted their offensive in the second period. After Johnson let in 7 goals and Fleury 2 last night one can only hope that the Flower hasn't wilted because of the fiasco. Also due to last night it's fairly guaranteed Fleury will be in net against the Rags.

Not even going to begin to give you predictions on the lineups.

With the majority of our Centers out on injury and many of the Forwards also dead or on crutches, the Penguins are going to have to rely on their #1 P.K unit and All Star netminder Fleury again to win this game. Staying out of the box is also key, after last night it should be a no brainer.

The team practiced today on an outdoor rink in Central Park. They didn't arrive without incident however as the team bus was in an accident with another vehicle. The driver of the car in the accident had gotten out of his car with that typical "WTF" reaction. Until he saw a whole team of guys in hockey uniforms and sticks get off the Bus, then he backed off. Bylsma muses that he wonders if it was because he had heard there was a game last night. Mark Letestu injured himself during practice at MSG and we lost him for 4-6 weeks, maybe that's why Bylsma basically said "Nah... Lets go to the park." to avoid any other costly injuries. Here's to hoping there won't be a morning skate before tomorrows game just so we don't lose another player in N.Y.

Dupuis had a little quip about the incident; "It's a good thing we were wearing helmets."

Letang, Dupuis, Johnson, and Craig Adams looking for a cab after the accident. Are they next to Optimus Prime?

Last time these two teams met they were a lot closer in the standings. Now they're 12 points apart and the Rangers appear to be playing themselves out of any type of contention. You'd think the Penguins wouldn't be in 3rd place in the league overall at 74points, let alone 3 points behind the Flyers for first place, but despite injuries they still find ways to keep the losses at bay.

Lets hope that happens tomorrow at MSG at 3:00pm when these two teams clash.

Lets Go Penguins!

Tim Wallace reassigned to the Penguins from AHL Wilkes-Barre.

Well didn't think it would take too long before a call up was made. Was just a matter of who it was going to be, the info just came off the presses and it looks like Tim "I want to call him William" Wallace is on his way to N.Y for the battle against the Rangers at 3:00pm tomorrow.

Wallace didn't get much production in the 2 previous games he appeared in however he did get into a fight, and as we all know, the Penguins do that more than anybody in the league. This game though Tim, why don't we try for an assist or a goal on the board instead of 5 minutes in the box.

Nikolai Khabibulin and Chris Neil get into it. Goalies (not) fighting everywhere.

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.

Talk about an Empty bench.

So what happens after 346 penalty minutes, 14 fighting majors and 21 misconducts? Your bench looks just about this depleted, and the penalty minutes list is this long:

1st Period Summary

Time		Penalty Detail
2:37		Micheal Haley: 2 Minutes for Roughing Zbynek Michalek
10:22		Micheal Haley: 5 Minute Major for Fighting Craig Adams
10:22		Craig Adams: 5 Minute Major for Fighting Micheal Haley
14:33		Travis Hamonic: 2 Minutes for Hooking Mike Rupp
15:51		2 Minute Bench Penalty for Too Many Men on the Ice (Served by Eric Tangradi)
17:56		Eric Godard: 5 Minute Major for Fighting Trevor Gillies
17:56		Trevor Gillies: 5 Minute Major for Fighting Eric Godard
20:00		John Tavares: 2 Minutes for Slashing Kris Letang

2nd Period Summary

Time		Penalty Detail
5:21		Josh Bailey: 5 Minute Major for Fighting Pascal Dupuis
5:21		Josh Bailey: 10 Minute Game Misconduct
5:21		Pascal Dupuis: 5 Minute Major for Fighting Josh Bailey
5:21		Pascal Dupuis: 10 Minute Game Misconduct
5:21		Travis Hamonic: 5 Minute Major for Fighting Mike Rupp
5:21		Mike Rupp: 5 Minute Major for Fighting Travis Hamonic
5:21		Mike Rupp: 10 Minute Game Misconduct
5:21		Deryk Engelland: 2 Minutes for Roughing Matt Martin
5:21		Deryk Engelland: 10 Minute Game Misconduct Matt Martin
5:21		Travis Hamonic: 10 Minute Game Misconduct
5:21		Matt Martin: 2 Minutes for Instigator Deryk Engelland
5:21		Matt Martin: 5 Minute Major for Fighting Maxime Talbot (Served by Trevor Gillies)
5:21		Matt Martin: 10 Minute Game Misconduct
5:21		Matt Martin: 10 Minute Misconduct
7:51		Frans Nielsen: 2 Minutes for Slashing Alex Goligoski
17:20		Eric Godard: 2 Minutes for Roughing Jack Hillen
17:30		Zbynek Michalek: 2 Minutes for Slashing Michael Grabner

3rd Period Summary

Time		Penalty Detail
1:19		Brooks Orpik: 2 Minutes for Charging Kyle Okposo
1:19		Kyle Okposo: 2 Minutes for Roughing Brooks Orpik
4:47		Brent Johnson: 5 Minute Major for Fighting Micheal Haley (Served by Marc-Andre Fleury)
4:47		Eric Godard: 2 Minutes for Roughing Micheal Haley
4:47		Eric Godard: 10 Minute Game Misconduct
4:47		Eric Godard: 2 Minutes for Roughing Micheal Haley
4:47		Eric Godard: 10 Minute Game Misconduct
4:47		Maxime Talbot: 5 Minute Major for Fighting Micheal Haley
4:47		Craig Adams: 2 Minutes for Roughing Trevor Gillies
4:47		Craig Adams: 10 Minute Game Misconduct
4:47		Micheal Haley: 2 Minutes for Instigator Eric Godard
4:47		Micheal Haley: 5 Minute Major for Fighting Brent Johnson
4:47		Micheal Haley: 5 Minute Major for Fighting Maxime Talbot
4:47		Micheal Haley: 10 Minute Game Misconduct
4:47		Micheal Haley: 10 Minute Misconduct
4:47		Trevor Gillies: 2 Minutes for Roughing Eric Tangradi
4:47		Trevor Gillies: 2 Minutes for Roughing Eric Tangradi
4:47		Trevor Gillies: 5 Minute Major for Elbowing Eric Tangradi (Served by Jesse Joensuu)
4:47		Trevor Gillies: 10 Minute Game Misconduct
4:47		Trevor Gillies: 10 Minute Misconduct
12:12		Brett Sterling: 2 Minutes for Roughing Kyle Okposo
12:12		Kyle Okposo: 2 Minutes for Goalkeeper Interference Brent Johnson
12:40		Tyler Kennedy: 2 Minutes for Holding Frans Nielsen
16:04		Zenon Konopka: 2 Minutes for Roughing Maxime Talbot
16:04		Maxime Talbot: 2 Minutes for Roughing Zenon Konopka
16:04		Maxime Talbot: 10 Minute Misconduct
16:04		Kyle Okposo: 2 Minutes for Roughing Kris Letang
16:04		Zenon Konopka: 10 Minute Misconduct
16:04		2 Minute Bench Penalty for Too Many Men on the Ice (Served by Jesse Joensuu)
16:04		Kris Letang: 2 Minutes for Roughing Kyle Okposo
16:04		Kris Letang: 10 Minute Misconduct
16:04		Kyle Okposo: 10 Minute Misconduct
16:12		Brett Sterling: 10 Minute Misconduct Jack Hillen
16:12		Jack Hillen: 10 Minute Misconduct Brett Sterling
17:43		Andrew MacDonald: 2 Minutes for Cross checking Joe Vitale
17:43		Joe Vitale: 2 Minutes for Cross checking Andrew MacDonald
17:43		Andrew MacDonald: 5 Minute Major for Fighting Joe Vitale
17:43		Joe Vitale: 5 Minute Major for Fighting Andrew MacDonald
17:58		Ryan Craig: 2 Minutes for Cross checking Frans Nielsen (Served by Alex Goligoski)
17:58		Ryan Craig: 10 Minute Misconduct

So you think TK might of been a little bored there? Granato looked like he wanted to lace up and hit an Islander also. Here is hoping Bylsma doesn't get suspended but he probably will for a game, until then, Free Bylsma 2011.

Penguins vs Islanders... Hate fueled rant? Nah. Game Recap

My God...

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...

Penguins vs Islanders game 57. Islanders look to get physical.

So we meet again, Islanders. Didn't particularly like the end of the last game did you? When Brent Johnson came out and laid down the law against your goalie, now you are on your 5th goalie of the season, and this one isn't named Evgeni. Mikko Koskinen should be in net for the Islanders tonight, another Rookie goaltender that will be starting for them this year, however it is rumored a 6th goalie may start for the Islanders, Al Montoya who was recalled from the AHL today. Kevin Poulin suffered a season ending knee injury during warmups of their previous game.

Both of these teams are absolutely riddled with injuries, there are more holes in these line-ups than a 1lb of Swiss Cheese. The Penguins are skating without eight of their players. Seven of which are out on injury, the other being Matt Cooke, who is serving his 2nd of a 4 game suspension tonight against the Islanders. The most recent and one of the more devastating injuries is one to Dustin Jeffrey who was just coming into his own for this Penguins team. He did not travel to Long Island and is being evaluated by team doctors.

After winning again last night Marc Andre Fleury is 8-2-0 in his last 10 games. He continues to be a force in net after a slow start early on in the first 10 games or so. Fleury has gotten a lot of help from teammates this season in the crease but still stands tall behind his brick wall.



However tonight looks to have Brent Johnson in net against a team that he forwent a shutout on, only to tally a big time K.O and face demolition of DiPietro instead at the end of the game. It probably felt better than any shutout.

With the 14 or so injuries suffered by both teams, the line-ups for the Penguins without Jeffrey may look like this, but could change come game time:

Tyler Kennedy - Jordan Staal - Pascal Dupuis
Mike Rupp - Maxime Talbot - Chris Conner
Brett Sterling - Joe Vitale - Nick Johnson
Ryan Craig - Craig Adams - Eric Tangradi

 The Penguins will be facing one of two possible goalies that they haven't seen before. Historically when this is the case, the Pen's offense doesn't seem to do too well when they haven't faced a goalie before, and that goalie usually ends up playing out of their minds for 60minutes or more. Recently however the Penguins have shutout the Islanders in back to back games, 1-0 and 3-0 respectively.

We're in for another long night in Long Island but hey... Lets go Pens!

Dustin Jeffrey suffers lower body injury, out tonight against Isles. Eric Tangradi called up from Scranton.

Jeffrey suffered a lower body injury to his right leg in the third period of last nights game against the Kings. Jeffrey did not travel with the team to Long Island as he his staying in Pittsburgh for evaluation. It is unknown yet the extent of the injury but he most likely will join a list of depleted team members consisting of Sidney Crosby, (16th game), (Y)Evgeni Malkin, (8th game since knee soreness prior to MCL/ACL long term IR) Mark Letestu, (7th game) Aaron Asham, (6th game) Chris Kunitz (3rd game), and Mike Comrie, who has been on Injured Reserve since December 10th, missing his 41st total game of the season.

Jeffrey was making a statement for himself as a sure fill in for a long time on this Penguins roster, hopefully his injury is not severe and he can rejoin the team when they face the Rangers on Sunday.

As a result of Jeffrey not being able to make the trip to Long Island, Eric "Big Dog" Tangradi was called up to do battle with the Islanders. The team he did best against in his three game stint with the Penguins before being called back down to Wilkes-Barre.