Wednesday, February 25, 2009

F3-Pens Win

The Pens VS Islanders recap:
1st Period:

2nd Period:

3rd Period:
2:28 Malkin makes a sweet play at the Blueline, Passes to Gonchar, Ganchar passes to Sykora...Goal. 1-0 Pens.

MAF gets a shutout after a not so good performance against Washington.
The Defense may have played one of their most impressive games of the season, For once their were no bad giveaways in the defensive zone.
Letang is a beast, he should never be a healthy scratch.

With 3 of the 4 teams ahead of the Pens losing last night, the Pens get a Critial 2 points to move closer to that 8th spot in the east. Ryan Miller going down with a high ankle sprain doesn't help the Situation in Buffalo, But the Road definately doesn't get any easier with the Pens traveling to Chicago to take on the Blackhawks.

Go Pens

The Islanders

The Penguins host the New York Islanders in what is almost a must win tonight, but lets face it, you have to beat teams like the Islanders to consider yourself a playoff off team. The DVE morning show descibed it perfectly, "it's not a must win, but a would suck loss". Yes the Islanders suck and yes the in the middle of rebuilding but for some reason the pens can't beat them. Like most other sub 500 teams that the Pens have stuggled with all season long.

With any luck there will be a wicked wrister recap following the performance. GO Pens

Friday, February 20, 2009

I wonder if Coach T was watching

The Pens skated to a 5 to 4 victory last night on home ice. After giving up leads all night long Gonchar finally got the game winner in the 3rd period, It would be Gonchars first goal of the season. Bylsma gets his first win as the Pens head coach. Shero is already typing up the 3 year contract.
The Game was all about taking the lead and letting the habs back in it. getting an early one goal lead from Sykora to start, The Pens did just what they had to do, get the first goal. The Pens got 2 goal lead early in the 3rd period with goals by malkin and Staal. Malkins goal was one of beauty and the pass from Crosby was equally as impressive, but the pens leat the Habs come back with 2 goals from Kostitsyn and Plekanec to tie the game a t 4, But Gonchar would end all hopes of a comeback when he delivers a heavy slapshot from the point that beats Price for the 5th time in the game. A win is a win and the Pens need a lot of them to grab one of the top 8 spots in the east.
The Schedule doesn't get any easier with back to back games against philly and Washington coming this weekend. We will get to see Mike Richards diving across the ice all afternoon, and Captain Caveman taking runs at everyone with nothing called because he is who he is.

GO PENS

Monday, February 16, 2009

Farewell Coach T

So Ray Shero decides coach T was the cause of the underachieving Penguins. Ultimately the sub par performance of the players cost Therrian his job. The Pens just don't seem to be ready to play at game time. is that caused by the coach? If you play at this level you shouldn't need a coach, or anyone, to get you up for the game.
Other than Crosby, Malkin and a few energy guys like Cooke, Talbot and Kennedy, who looks like they even want to playing hockey. Some look like they are just going through the motions.

The Pens still have a chance to get into the playoffs, but in my opinion, firing the head coach will make that a bigger obstacle. In my opinion this is a sign that management has given up on the season. With the trade deadline only weeks away, does this attitude make Shero a buyer or seller?

Go Pens

Sunday, February 8, 2009

Damn- The Pens Lose

I am in no way recapping what took place this afternoon at the hands of the Detroit Reddicks. The Penguins continues their impressive streak of not showing up for afternoon games.
What could be worse than the Pens getting shutout by the wings, Hossa scoring the second goal of the game, and Ty Conklin being the one getting the shut out. I can't remember being more pissed off than i was this afternoon. To make things even worse Peirre Mcguire was there to make dumbass comments about how good the Wings are and how bad the Pens are. After listening to The announcers you would think that Marc Andre Fleury is the worst goalie in the league, Sidney Crosby is just a mediocre player at best. This guy just needs to stop.
This week doesn't get any easier, the Sharks come to town on Wednesday. Arguably the best team in the west, The Pens have no excuses, they have to win.

Go Pens

Wednesday, February 4, 2009

There is a season Pens win

It's couldn't have been written any better, A star player putting his team on his back and taking them the distance. Evgeni Malkin did just that, there was noway he was going to be denied tonight.
What a terrible first 2 periods then what a completely different team in the 3rd. with Malkin leading the way the Pens come back from a 3 goal deficit to steal 2 points from the Lightning.

The game started out with a ferocious pace. 10 seconds into the game Fleury has to make a big save on Vinny with his right pad. What a shot and what a save. It didn't take long for the Pens to fire up that worthless power play of theirs. 18:42 Malkin draws a penalty. I don't think the Pens entered the zone, Tampa bay kills it off easily.

Orpik would return the favor by trying to take Malones head off with his stick. Malone hides in the corner and cuts himself to draw some blood. 4:00 penalty to take care of. Things almost got a lot worse when Letang wrists one into the stands, the refs say it was deflected. We got away with one there. That won't be the only thing the Refs screw up this game.
It gets better. coming out of commercial break, Steigy lets us know that it's Satans 1000th career game. He actually only cared about 750 of them.
The Pens end up killing off the double minor and get a Power play of there own as Stamkos interferes with MAF. Again the Lightning kill it off fairly easily although Mckenna did have to make a save or 2.

The Lightning start to get things going again, at 6:56 Roberts sends a pass nice and easy to Downie in front of the net. He completely fans on the shot. What do people see in this lack of skill goon, really.

Ryan Malone would show him how it's done. being in the right spot at the right time, rebound slides out to him in front of the net for an easy tap in. 1-0 Lightning at 4:35 of the first.

The Pens get another power play with a minute left in the first but, don't get excited it's a Pens power play, There usually isn't too much going on.

The Period ends with the Pens only getting 5 shots.

The Lightning kill off the remaining 1:03 of the power play to start the 2nd period. Invincible goalie Mckenna came up with some big saves.

Stamkos kisses the Pipe at 17:10. Fleury had that, as Errey says, there is noway that puck goes in, But another nice bounce gives the Lightning a 2 goal lead at 15:00. Vinny Lecavalier fires a a slap shot, it deflect off of Malkins stick and right to St. Louis for a one timer. Fleury didn't have much of a chance on that one.

Gary Roberts continues his reign of terror by laying out tyler kennedy along the boards. What was interesting about that play was someone also laid out Matt Cooke that should have been an interference call, the puck was no where around him. Again that won't be the last screw up the refs have tonight.

Malkin starts his dominace at 13:20 by throwing some hits to get the team going. Mezaros is the unlucky one that gets in his path. Mezaros would leave the game, not to return. Retaliation by the Lightning give the Pens a 5 on 3 for a full 2:00. Surely the Pens would get one on this. RIght? No dice, Mckenna is a brick wall. He made countless huge saves to keep the Pens off the board. The 5 on 3 is killed and the fans don't like it. Don't boo the Penguins!!

The Pens get another Power play opportunity at 8:48. should i catch the last 2:00 minutes of family guy or should i watch the Pens power play? I picked the Pens, should have watched family guy. The Lightning kill another one.

3:08 a backdoor pass to Vinny. 3-0 Lightning. FLeury maybe should have stopped that pass. Letang didn't have a stick. Life sucks right now.

The Pens go to the locker room down 3 goals.

And then comes the 3rd period. We need an early goal to get things going. And who better to do it than Malkin. 3-1 lightning with a lot of time left on the clock.

The Refs would come up big for the lightning. They completely miss Malkin getting hit in the face with a stick at 9:15 but, 10 seconds later they call Whitney for holding the stick. If Tampa Bay would have scored, i would never watch Hockey agian. But thankfully the Pens kill it off.

5:54 the world stopped turning, a dark cloud came over the Igloo, lightning struck the ice at the left point as Mark Eaton winds up a slap shot, it was like slow motion, the puck deflects off a Tampa stick in front, the puck hits the back of the net. 3-2 lightning with a lot of time left.

5:07 The Seasoned Veteran Gary Roberts makes a Rookie mistake. Matt Cooke gets under his skin causing Roberts to knock him to the ice. The Pens go on a power play, a entire town was destroyed in Africa.

The Pens make him pay with 30 second left on the man advantage, the game is tied but, even more impressive, the Pens scored on a power play. That's reason to celebrate on its own. The parade is scheduled for noon tomorrow.

The both goalies have to make big saves in the final minute of the game, and this one is going to overtime.

The Pens needed the entire ot period to make the comeback complete. Talbot puts one in the net with 36 second left but it was also 2 seconds after the Ref blew the whistle. If you cheered you're retarded.

But Malkin would put it in the books. 4-3 overtime win for the Pens.
The Pens turned this game around and played like they wanted it, Hopefully they can do the same with the season.

Next game on Friday. Go Pens

Monday, February 2, 2009

The Steelers

I find it very interesting that The Wicked Wrister contributor Arlow has not commented on the Steelers getting lucky in the last 2 minutes of the game to get a championship that the #1 defense tried so hard to give to the Cards. The game was as entertaining as it can get for football, which that really isn't saying much, but a win is a win. Hats off to the Steelers for another championship, but more importantly, hats off to the city of Pittsburgh. Now having that out of the way, on to the Penguins and the growing concern that the playoff run will have to wait until next season.
The Supension of Tyler Kennedy (bullshit) will open the door for the Luca Caputi, the best thing to happen to ice hockey since the Zamboni. As for me this is a much anticipated call up. This kid has got skill. Lets just hope he isn't buried on the 4th line.

With a little over a month left before the big day, the Rumor sites should start throwing shit out there that just doesn't make sense, like the "Malkin to the Kings" rumors of last season.
Something of a surprise Ray Shero is willing to make a deal come trade deadline. Let's hope we can avoid another Marian Hossa off season, will he sign, won't he sign bullshit.
Everybody but a member of "the Core" is trade able. There is that one guy in Atlanta, i hear he is pretty good.

The Pens meet the Canadiens tomorrow in Montreal, the Habs have someone whose contract is up, he would look really good burying a pass from Crosby. I think he wears #27.

GO Pens

Sunday, February 1, 2009

We are Running Out of Time: Pens Lose

The Pens lost to the Toronto Maple leafs and i don't really want to talk about it. Garons debut in net was a little less than stellar. you won't win very many games giving up 5 goals.

But today is a new day. There is something going on today. I know there was something i had to do today. What in the world is there that is so important today, Sunday February 1 2009. I'm sure it will come to mind.

Next game Tuesday.......Go Pens