ThinkPenguins.com

Around the League - 12/29/08

December 29, 2008 – 12:27 pm | by Bob Buskirk

Well let’s start with the Pens, for the second year in a row Sidney Crosby was ranked #1 among the “100 People of Power and Influence” in the hockey world, in rankings compiled by The Hockey News.

- The Post-Gazette has a good article on if Shero should be given a deadline to win the cup.

- Vinny Lecavalier explained his non-fight with Matt Cooke last week.

- Puck Daddy has a great post on why the Rangers don’t need Sean Avery.

- Check out this fight between Vancouver’s Darcy Hordichuk and Ottawa’s Chris Neil.

- The Winter Classic is just a few days away, here are some things you can check out:

The Time-Lapse Camera
Tour of Wrigley
Wrigley Wrants Blog

Game 35 - Pens 1, Devils 0 - First Shutout of the Year

December 27, 2008 – 1:11 pm | by Bob Buskirk

First Period
The Devils get 2 great chances on Fluery point blank, but he makes a great save.

Dupuis picks up a Devils turn over, looks like he has a breakaway, but the puck rolls off his stick and Satan gets a shot but misses the net.

The Devils take a penalty, pens on the power play. The pens basically do nothing on the power play, really sad.

Talbot chases a dump in and gets tripped into the boards, looks like he is hurt. Devils take a penalty on the play and Cooke gets a 10 minute misconduct on the play. Pens on the power play, they pass it across the crease and it almost goes it, they get a few more cracks at it, but can’t put it in. Pens can’t do much of anything else on the power play, Devils kill it off.

Pens get 2 good chances and are putting some pressure on.

With about 30 seconds left in the first the Devils come into the pens zone, they take an initial shot, fluery saves it, they get the rebound, fluery saves it, they get the rebound again and they shoot it wide! The Pens go back the other way and almost put it in the net, but Clemmensen makes a few good saves.

Second Period
The Devils get some pressure early, but Fluery makes some good saves.

Eaton gets called for hooking, Devils on the power play. The Devils get a few chances, but once again Fluery is there to make the key saves.

The Devils come into the Pens zone, Elias comes down, fakes a shot, more to the slot and fires one on net, Fluery makes a great save!

Both Pens and Devils exchange chances, but Fluery and Clemmensen both make the necessary saves.

The Pens come down into the Devils zone, Malkin passes the puck into the slot to Fedotenko he rips a wrist shot on net, Clemmensen gets a piece of it, but not enough as it trickles by him and into the net! 1-0 Pens!

Whitney gets called for a hooking penalty, Devils back on the power play. With tons of traffic in front the Devils put a shot on net, Fluery makes the save, the rebound comes out to Langenbrunner and you think he is going to score but Fluery drops his stick and dives over to make an amazing save! That’s what having a premier goaltender in this league is like! There is a pile up in front of the Pens net and the puck appear to go over the goal line, then be swept out by Eaton’s skate. They go to Toronto to review and play and they rule it no good, great play by Eaton! Gionta gets a tripping penalty, 4 on 4 for 16 seconds. Whitney’s penalty expires and the Pens are on the power play, but bascially do nothing.

Elias takes the puck in the pens zone and puts it on net, Fluery makes the save and when the rebound comes out FLuery trips up a Devil player, he is called for tripping, Cooke will serve the penalty.

End of the second.

Third Period
The Devils start the third on the power play. The Devils get a shot on net, it gets past fluery and is in the crease, the pens try to clear it but it goes right to a Devil player but he misses a wide open net.

Martin goes to the box on an interference penalty, pens on the power play. Pens really don’t do anything on the power play, not good at all 0 for 4 tonight.

The Devils are putting alot of pressure on the Pens.

The Devils take another penalty as one devil chops down Fedotenko. The pens once again can’t produce on the power play, thats 0 for 5.

Sykora gets called for hooking, Devils on the power play. The Pens do a great job killing the penalty, definitely needed to there too!

Madden has the puck in the Pens zone, he passes it over to Langenbrunner who takes a 1-timer, Fluery makes another great save!

The Devils call at time out to try and organize things.

The Devils really are getting many chances, even after the timeout. They pull Clemmensen with a little over a minute left. Fluery makes a few saves in the last minute of play and the Pens win!

Game Thoughts
Well we all know who was the #1 star tonight….FLUERY! It is great to have a star goaltender who can make the key saves when you really need it. There were a few times tonight when the Devils could have easily scored, but Fluery was there to make the amazing saves. The Pens played an alright game, they did do a good job in the third, easpecially on that last penalty kill. The Pens power play was once again bad, I beleive it was 0 for 5 tonight, which is horrible for a team that has a much fire power as the pens do. Things still need work, but it was good to get a win tonight!

Pens in Jersey Tonight

December 26, 2008 – 1:42 pm | by Bob Buskirk

The Pens are in New Jersey tonight to take on the Devils at 7PM. The Pens are coming off another bad loss at home, they need to play a solid game tonight. Since the Pens have been losing the Devils have moved up in the standings to 6th place in the east and 4th in the Atlantic. Brodeur is still out for the Devils, but that has not made that much of an impact as Clemmensen has played well. The Pens demoted fowards Jeff Taffe and Tim Wallace, but has also called up Paul Bissonnette and Dustin Jeffery. It will be interesting to see where they fit into the lineup. Hopefully the Penguins can strike first and keep a lead in this one, Go Pens!!

Game 34 - Pens 0, Lightning 2 - Shut out at Home

December 23, 2008 – 10:13 pm | by Bob Buskirk

First Period
Wow the pens start the game great, their first line has the puck in the Lightning zone for the first 2 minutes of the game. Malone gets in Malkin’s face both go off for roughing, 4 on 4 action.

Dupuis takes a holding the stick penalty, lightning on the power play. The lightning get a few chances but Fluery is there to make the saves. People are booing Ryan Malone when he has the puck.

Whitney gets the puck and takes it into the Lightning zone, the puts it in front and Taffe deflects it on net, no clue how it did not go in there!

The lightning try a wrap around, Fluery makes the save the rebound bounces around in front the Lightning get a few wacks at it, but Fluery covers it. There is a scrum, but nothing comes of it.

The puck comes down into the pens zone and takes a weird bounce off the back boards, Stamkos gets the puck and is about to put it in the open net, but Taffe saves the day and stops him. Pens take a penalty though, Lightning on the power play. The lightning are getting some good shots, but the pens are doing a good job blocking shots. Pens kill off the penalty.

Malkin gets tripped, Pens on the power play. Pens look really good on the power play, but don’t convert. Lecavalier decides to try and fight Cooke, probably for the hit he put on him last year. Cooke does not want to go so Lecavalier gets a penalty, Pens back on the power play. Pens try the backdoor play by Sykora just puts it wide. Lightning kill it off then draw a penalty. Lightning on the power play, period ends.

Second Period
Lightning start the second on the power play with about 30 seconds left, pens kill it off.

Game is sort of slowing down, both teams are getting some chances, but nothing substantial.

Sykora gets a pass behind the lightning defense, he fakes out smith, but just shoots it wide! The lightning come right back and take it into the pens zone, they take it behind the net and pass it out front and score. What a bad goal, 1-0 lightning.

Malone takes a holding the stick penalty, pens on the power play. Whitney is on the power play this time, pens look pretty good but can’t score. Lightning kill it off.

Malkin get the puck wide open, he passes it back for Crosby and he just shoots it wide, whats with the pens and missing the net tonight.

The lightning are getting some pressure on the pens, but both Recchi and Dupuis go off for penalties. Lightning get a great chance but Fluery makes an insane save, Malone gets a chance coming into the pens zone but he shoots it just wide.

Third Period
The lightning are clogging up the neurtal zone, then pens are having trouble getting anything setup in the lightning zone.

Time keeps coming off the clock, the pens just can’t get anything going.

Talbot gets a 4 minute highsticking penalty, tough break. Scuderi gets hit from behind by Malone, no call..looks like scuds is hurt. Malone comes back down into the zone and scuds lays him out. Malkin chases the puck in short handed, Smith comes out to play it but does not do a good job of it and falls over, then me blatently hooks Malkin, no call. Malkin comes down into the zone behind the lightning defense and ties to go to the backhand but Smith stones him. The lightning come back down into the pens zone and score…wow. 2-0 Lightning.

Recchi gets a step on Scuderi and gets a good shot on fluery, but he makes the save.

Pens pull the goalie with about 1:30 left. Pens get somne shots bit Smith makes the saves, pens call time out with 55 seconds left. Lightning get about 5 chances to put it in the empty net but can’t, game ends.

Game Thoughts
Another home loss and against the Lightning who are one of the worst teams in the league. Tampa played a good game for sure, not the best but they shut down the pens offense for the most part. Smith also made a few key saves, the one on Malkin and the one right at the begining of the first period. The pens are still passing the puck too much, they need to get the puck on the net, they only had 15 shots tonight. Fluery was good and kept the pens in it as much as he could. There were some definite no calls where there was a blatent penalty on the Lightning. Whitney played an ok game nothing to rave about. Pens are falling out of the playoff picture, not sure what to say.

Malone and Bolts In Town Tonight

December 23, 2008 – 4:29 pm | by Bob Buskirk

That’s right Ryan Malone will make his return to the Igloo tonight as the Pens take on the Lightning at 7:30 tonight. The Pens are coming off a good road overtime win against the Buffalo Sabres last night. This is a back to back game so we will see how the Pens perform. Ryan Whitney will be making his return to the lineup tonight, because of that Letang is out. Stone has also been sent back down to the AHL.

Hrmm there really is not much to say about the Lightning, they are not having a good season at all sitting in 14th place in the east, they have only won 7 games all season so far. Things are not good in Tampa at all. With that said I wouldn’t totally count them out, the Pens have had trouble with them in the past and the Pens haven’t been playing their best hockey as of late so we will have to see how the game goes. Go Pens!!