Courtesy @FSBIGBOB

Malkin wearing #11 in the Olympics?

Orpik spotted at candy-truck crash.

 

From reader JeffDFD:

"Long story short, my grandpa had a stack of old paper he had saved from important days and gave them to me because it was my birthday.  I had most of the recent ones, but found a yellowed April 25, 1983 Pittsburgh Press paper with the attached picture on it.  The main headings on the paper that day were the NFL draft (written in the Pittsburgh Press by now ESPN's John Clayton) and there was an article that had Bradshaw talking smack on the supposed #1 pick John Elway.  Elway had an agent and they were demanding 7 MILLION DOLLARS!  TWO in the signing bonus!  Apparently Elway was also a baseball player and was deciding whether or not he should play baseball.  Steinbrenner was trying to throw a ton of money at him.  There is also a sweet add for a FREE VCR Recorder or Atari Game Computer.

The hockey news for the day was about the Bruins beating Buffalo in OT the night before. Edmonton beat Chicago 8-4. Smizik's article was talking about a bunch of people going over to John Covert's house in Beaver county and waiting for the phone to ring for the draft.  True to Smizik negative form, second or so paragraph in starts 'Kenneth Finnin, dead about eight years...'"

 

Wooooooooooooooooo

 

E.T. give finger

 

 

 

Sidney Crosby. Unbelievable.

Hidden in all of this is the Penguins overcoming a 2-goal deficit.

 

It certainly has been a treat watching the maturation of Crosby.

His goal-scoring tear began in the playoffs last spring, and he hasn't let up.

 

We don't care where the Penguins fall amidst the 8 seeds going into the playoffs.

Their play on the road this year doesn't leave us concerned about 4 away games in a series.

Plus they closed out all four series last years on the road.

 

 

Regardless, any team with Crosby wearing its sweater is a threat.

Then add Malkin to the equation. And Fleury.

 

 

Not to mention Jordan Staal. He has become a force. His last handful of games have been unlike any stretch in his career since his rookie campaign. Finally got a goal. Such a shame that the first question he had to field in the locker room after this game was about Crosby.

 

Speaking of unknown stats, the Pens have had 4 giveaway nights this year.

And there's been a hat trick on three of those nights.

Those numbers may be made up.

 

Stunned pics galore after the jump.

 

TRADE RUMOR SPECIAL

 

Somebody called into Grover Monday night and mentioned RJ Umberger.

 

Is Staal's play of late making the Pens contemplate a shift in thinking?

As in, bumping Staal up to number-2 center and trying to acquire a solid two-way third-line center?

 

The resounding theory is that Shero is fishing for a defenseman.

 

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7:00 PM

 

Mellon Arena

 

Listen to the game at [WXDX]

 

 

First off, the game is on Versus.

Anyone with DirecTV has probably found an alternate way to watch these games by now.

 

Max Talbot is likely still out with a groin injury.

 

Brent Johnson will be in net for the Pens, who will be wearing their blue jerseys tonight.

 

The Penguins are 6-3 in the blues this season.

 

Now, onto important news.

From Empty Netters:

"Guerin was spotted in the locker room sans moustache and was quite proud of that accomplishment. He was showing it off to just about everyone."

 

 

 

The shootout kind of soured what was other wise a tremendous game to watch.

The line dividing pro-shootout and anti-shootout people is well-defined.

We wanted sudden-death OT all the way to the end.

 

It has to be said that Jordan Staal deserved a goal in this game.

His penchant to step it up against Detroit goes all the way back to his hat trick in November of '08.

And we honestly don't have to detail his heroics during the Finals last season.

 

 

And it also has to be said that goalie Jimmy Howard should've gotten the number-one star.

If the game was in Detroit, he would have. 46 saves. Pens running at him all day. If Osgood was in the game, it would've been 8-0 pens in the first two minutes.

 

But Sidney Crosby, captain of the Penguins, was given the number-one star.

He was clearly the most dominant player on the ice.

 

A couple of people on Twitter mentioned that this might be a game that turns the season around. Not sure how a team that has been at the top of the Eastern Conference all season needs something to turn their season around, but still, it isn't an empty statement.

 

 

Maybe the Pens have been playing down to teams this season.

Maybe they're dealing with the whole targets-on-their-back thing.

 

But seeing the winged-wheel jerseys come into Mellon Arena undoubtedly gave the Pens some flashbacks. Perhaps this fevered affair with their SCF bride reminded the Penguins how it feels to be skating hard and fast all game.

 

And even though this game was big, there are bigger things going on right now than Pittsburgh/Detroit.

 

With the big time trades going on in Toronto earlier in the day on Sunday,and the Rangers/Flames deal late Sunday night, the trade winds have rolled in.

 

Think of it like this. Not counting tonight, the Pens have five games left before the Olympic break. The trading deadline is like seven minutes after the Olympics. In March, the Penguins never have a week without at least three games.

 

So basically, if Shero is making a move, it is coming in the next two weeks, you'd have to think.

 

Buckle up.

 

 

 

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12:30 PM

 

Mellon Arena

 

Listen to the game at [WXDX]

 

Know The Enemy:

Babcock's Death Stare

 

This isn't from their gameday.

We just like it:

"Look, I like Chris Osgood. I just don't understand how anyone thinks there's a goaltending controversy at this point. Regardless of rust or how much he felt like sulking, he just wasn't good against Minnesota. It wasn't just the goals -- there were definitely some sweet shots and flukey goals. Even outside that, Osgood had absolutely no confidence. He was deep in his net, he was slow getting side to side, and he wasn't stepping up when Detroit needed him to. That all definitely led to a few of those goals. Sure, whatever, blame Babcock for him not having confidence. Do whatever. But I don't know how that justifies giving him more starts.
...
There's just no point, with Detroit where they are in the standings, in taking such a huge gamble in Osgood. Jimmy Howard should be playing 75-80% of the games down the stretch. Osgood should get one more chance to take his job back at the end of the year, if Detroit's in the position where they can afford a few shaky games from him."

 

 

The Detroit Red Wings.

They're not the Philadelphia Flyers.

They're not the Washington Capitals.

In terms of Penguins rivals, there are a number of teams that may rank ahead of Detroit.

 

But, given the fact that we've met them in the Stanley Cup Final two years in a row, there's still something special about playing them.

It feel a little bit more important than just a regular game.

 

This will be the Red Wings final regular season appearance in Mellon Arena.

Unless history repeats itself again and the Pens and Wings meet in the Stanley Cup Final once more, this will be the Wings final skate on Igloo ice.

They've won a Stanley Cup here.

So far, they're the only team to ever win a Cup in the Igloo.

 

Jimmy Howard will likely be in net for the Wings.

Marc-Andre Fleury will start for the Pens.

 

Tyler Kennedy and Alex Goligoski could play today.

Max Talbot will not.

Neither will the Wings' Tomas Holmstrom.

 

Nick Johnson and Mark Letestu have been called up from WBS.

 

We're in the midst of working on our Olympic Fantasy game that is set to launch next weekend.

We'll have the full details out this week. Entry fee is $10 and first place wins $500 and this:

 

 

 

 

 

 

And now for old time's sake, two videos to mock Detroit.

First, you already know.....

 

And second Benstonium's new vid:

 

 

 

go pens

 

 

Insane news from Dejan Kovacevic of the PG, that will certainly be the talk of everything.

 

Mario and co-owner Ron Burkle have actually made an offer to buy the Pirates. PG

 

Now, the Pirates said they aren't for sale, but you have to believe pressure will mount. If this would somehow get done, this might be the only way to save the Pirates in this town before the Penguins and Steelers completely make them irrelevant forever.

 

All we are saying is this. If 66 owns the Bucs, we're going to at least 20-30 games. We'd support Mario if he bought a team in Afghanistan. And we know tons of others that would do the same.

 

This would be nothing but good for Pittsburgh. Could you imagine turning PNC park into a frenzy like the Mellon during the playoffs?

 

So of course the Pirates would reject it.

 

Unreal.

 

Go Pens

 

(UPDATE)

 

Pirates bloggers are whatev about it. [WHYGAVS]

 

We'll be interested to get MONDESI'S HOUSE take, along with RAISE THE JOLLY ROGER.

 

We know PSAMP will be as jacked for it as we are.

 

 

(UPDATE II)

 

Ray Shero, gm? Just sayin...

 

 

(UPDATED III)

 

As expected, MONDESI'S HOUSE agrees with us.

WHYGAVS digs into this big time, as does RAISE THE JOLLY ROGER.