Tonight on Broadway...

Ok, so we hope not to see Sean Avery in his off the ice profession....

If you are like me, you're still buzzing over that intense game on Sunday, in which the Pens won 2-0 over the Rags. I definitely sat thru that game alot quieter than I did the first one, but in the end I let loose with a few screams of victory.

Yes.. Pens up 2 games to none... sweet.

There is alot of whining on the Rangers side, and thankfully the Penguins are just sitting back and staying quiet about it. Although Therrian let loose yesterday in a press conference when questioned for the gazillionth time about the "Crosby diving" issue. Good for him, someone needs to stick up for Sid. He's been taking the brunt of criticisim for most of his life, you'd think as an adult he'd be able to get past all this. I'll say it again... it just comes down to jealousy.

No one handles the puck like he does, no one keeps going after it full throttle like he does, and no one else can stay on their feet despite someone trying to trip them up (paying attention there Marty?). The kid doesn't need to dive. He draws penalties because those fool enough to try and keep up with him get flustered and get called for the penalty all on their own. 'Nuff said.



Wouldn't you have love to have been able to hear the exchange that went on here? :)

Tonight in New York, the Rangers will be playing for their playoff lives. Forget that the Pens record in MSG has totally sucked this year. I myself am not even gonna think about it. But the Penguins definitely have the upper hand here, they are up 2 games to the Rags none.

Got to love our chances. :) Being undefeated in 6 playoff games is nothing to sneeze at either.

MAF has turned into the beast we all knew he could be, and trade deadline acquisitions Hal Gill and Pascal Dupuis have proved valueable as well. Still not sure how I feel about Hossa, as he's shown more wiffs than a baseball player. He has some shining moments, but I'd really like to see him score more, who wouldn't?

Game time is just a couple hours away... time to make it #3. Let's do it!

Let's go Pens!

A time to live, a time to win

So nine days without Penguins hockey left lots of time to watch the other teams catch up and finish off their series. The Rangers clinced their series with the Devils two days after the Pens swept the Senators, so they had a seven day break.

In the whole scheme of things, it all seemed to make us even.

I'll admit to being a bit nervous being down 3 goals to none. I'd been anticipating this game for 9 days, and usually I'm a bit optimistic sportswise. Heck, I almost felt like I was there playing... I did not want to lose.

Then when Rutuu scores that first goal for the Penguins, talk about relief! And so it started, they got the shot of adreniline they needed as well, within 14 seconds Dupuis makes it 3-2!! I'm guesssing my neighbors were wondering what the hell was happening at my house. Between my screaming and the surround sound cranked for 'maximum enjoyment', it must have sounded rather interesting from outside. :)

Hossa and Sykora getting the tieing and go ahead goal in the third made winning this game very possible. Not sitting on their hands though, the Rangers tie it back up at 4-4. I'm seeing visions of OT dancing thru my head.

But then two of the big reasons I love this team put my heart at ease. What at first seemed to be a goal by Sidney Crosby, in the end was deflected in by Evgeni Malkin. Sweet... Now, only need to kill off just a bit under 2 minutes. It can be done, but it's gonna be a battle.

Martin Straka was called for interfering on Sid who was on a rush started by Marian Hossa. It was text book interference, yet former Penguin Straka prostested, and claimed Crosby was diving......

“I just saw him,” Straka said. “He was diving and that was it.” What a jerk.

From Slap Shot:

One of the pre-series lines of conversation was about Crosby’s alleged flopping to draw penalties, something he denied vehemently. He did not make a strong case for the penalty afterward, but was happy to get it.

“I just saw Hossa block a shot and I was trying to catch up to him,” Crosby said. “I don’t know what I tripped over, a stick or a skate. I just think he was trying to get back and get position on me.”

Straka was so angry at the referees that he drew a game misconduct at the end for complaining.

Yeah... you stay classy Marty, between you and your buddy Avery, you'll most certainly be named the runners up for the Lady Bing.

So, game one.. won. Shame to have to wait until Sunday for the next one. But, at least the Pens are back in the swing of things. Back in a New York groove... gosh I wish I could think who sang that song!

Observations:

White out looked great!!! Though.. I have to say, the teams who did all red, or orange.. looked a bit cooler. Shame we didn't do a black out, but I guess it's understandable why not.

With all Versus lame graphics and such, I really wanted back the simplicity of the FSN score box. It's tough reading power play time with the actual game time. Plus the darn thing is huge. I want to see game action, not that the OT is sponsered by Las Vegas.

Why are they still showing the Amp commercial with Ryan Miller? He didn't even make the playoffs. I like the commercial, but... I'm sort of embarassed for Ryan Miller.

That said.. there are some cool hockey themed commercials out there. My fav they show on the NHL network, with a little girl in the grocery store with her mom, after she gets her cart hit by another woman. "Are you gonna take that? She's a goon, go over there and give her a smack!" But the best part is the little girl elbowing the glass of the freezer case.. "FIGHT! FIGHT! FIGHT!"

With that said... bring on game 2! LET'S GO PENS!

A New York state of mind

It goes without saying if the Penguins had lost tonight, this little gem of a graphic I did up would not be here on my hockey blog :P

But I don't have the time to gush about my wonderful teams win, and shall save that for hopefully sometime tomorrow or Sunday morning. If you want a great game recap, stop over to the Pensblog or EmptyNetters. :)

Oh, how tastey it is to win....

It's a sweep of the Senators!!!

3 down... 1 to go!

Are you excited? I think I'm jacked up enough for an entire city... hell, living where I do, I may be one of the very few that are even watching hockey! I so want to share my enthusiasim!

Did you know that the actual Stanley cup is in Europe? It was in Belgium today, after that it's on it's way home to await the winner of the playoffs. Hmmm.. wouldn't it be sweet to have in in the 'Burgh?

Now tonight could end it all. Sadly I missed the first period of Mondays game, due to picking up our new car, the upside being it's got XM radio in it, and before I left the dealers lot I found the Pens game. Yeah, I'm awesome... What I didn't miss apparently was the gladiator/senator type dude come out during the pregame. Scary stuff. I watched the replay of it on EmptyNetters and YouTube. How in the hell did those players even agree to stand there for that? Baffling...

As much fun as it would be to end this series at home, in front of our own fans, it is going to be just as fun to take the Senators out in 4 games in front of their own crowd. Alfie, Spezza, Heatley, all humbled in front of their own fans... not to mention Ray Emmery. How bad is it for that pathetic excuse for a goalie. Smoked in last seasons finals, and not even participating in this years.

And, talk about a sight... seeing Senator fans leave the game when they're losing... what dedication :P

So tonight's the night, and the Pens are alright... wrist band is on... Penguins shirt on... directv autotuned... Let's start this thing so we can end it...

For the Senators fans out there......

You just gotta love it...

And if you don't love it, chances are your not a Pens fan! And as such, most likely not looking at this... not that many do >_<

As for someone in the Senators orginization posting pictures outside the Pens locker room as a form of psychological warfare just may back fire on them. If someone did that to me... It'd just piss me off to win all the more.


One thing is for certain, you have to love the passion in these playoff games, and you can't for one second give up. Things change in a heart beat. Ask Boston, ask the Devils... heck as the Sharks. Just when you think you're up, you could be down.

It's not a given we'll sweep this series. Do we want to? Of course. Can we? You bet your wazoo. But statistics in my book don't mean diddley. When it gets down to it, it's if you have that W or L beside your teams name that means most.

Jason Spezza might not be playing tonight... and has Dany Heatley even shown up in this series yet?

No matter. It's fun to watch Bryan Murray fume on the bench. What a wanker.

Tonight in Ottawa is going to be intense, just as it always seems these Canadian crowds can be. Makes me wanna win more... and just shove their face in it.

It's time... are you ready?

It's April 9th... and that means the playoffs start today!! w00t!

If you're not ready now, you never will be. Forget that nasty loss to the Flyers on Sunday, forget the fact that the coach of the Senators is a lisping dweeb that is trying to use the press in a feeble attempt at motivating his injured and lagging team, but most of all forget that last year we lost to the same team in 5 games.

This.. this is a new season! Gary Roberts is back, and if that isn't motivation enough, think Crosby, Fluery, Malkin, Hossa, Gill... the list is endless. I think it's safe to say this team is ready to prove themselves.

Crosby admitted yesterday that last year the team was literally awestruck at the start of their first playoff game last year. Thankfully they have that little bit of experience behind them, to help them, and also having Hossa, Roberts, Sydor, and Sykora there as older more playoff wise veterans also is in their favor.



So my friends, the new round begins. Strap yourself in and get ready for the emotional roller coaster, the blood, sweat, and tears that is playoff hockey! I'm so anxious for game time I can't sit still...

And to satisfy the lol monster in you... stop over to the Pensblog (Steigy approved).. just don't be easily offended or have a full bladder. And.. I need to add EmptyNetters to my list of hockey links there to the right. Solid game recaps and observations.

With that said.. put on your fav Pens jersey and drop the puck!!

Atlantic Division Champions!!!

Forget Monday... it's a new day!

Still smarting after Monday nights loss in the big apple to those Rangers???

Well... fergitaboutit!!!!

It's a new night, it's game 81, the last home game of the regular season!! And guess what? These last two games of the season are against those bastard Flyers!

And if that wasn't encouraging enough to get your blood pumping, if we win tonight... we can clinch the division... AND... we can knock those cruddy Flyers out of the playoffs, and let's be honest... how sweet would that be?!?!

With all that said, you know it's gonna be two rough and tumble games, the Flyers are going to bring it.

I say... bring it on... Let's go Pens!