The Pen is Mightier. PENS WIN.
Another unreal performance in the shootout.
All that was missing in the shootout on the Pens' side was Erik Christensen.
Same moves and everything.
This game was such an engima. First off, it probably got pretty solid ratings for Saturday night, considering there were more than a handful of people who didn't feel like driving on the roads in the midst of a southwest-Pennsylvania-er.
And then came the storylines.
These two teams are battling at the top of the Eastern Conference.
Actually that was the only storyline.
Not too much to say about the game itself other than the Pens won.
It was a solid game to watch, though.
They are now 13-3-1 since Bill Guerin's buzzer-beater.
A 6-2 loss in Ottawa.
A 3-2 loss on the Island.
A 3-2 loss at home to Carolina.
And the Blackhawk game.
Two of those teams are stains.
The Pens just don't bring their shit some nights. Big deal.
No rest for the weary.
The top team in the East comes to the Mellon on Monday.
A little over a week from now, the Pens repeat this schedule.
Bizarre.
GAMEDAY 36 - SABRES
7:00 PM
HSBC Arena
Listen to the game at [WXDX]
If you have any questions for Mike Lange, Phil Bourque or Bob Grove join the Penguins Radio Network Facebook page.
You can submit questions via the discussion tab for the Crash the Net segments or Penguins Hotline after the game.
The Sabres are playing their second of back-to-back games tonight.
Last night they defeated the Maple Leafs 5-2.
This is the Pens first game against the Sabres this year.
Ryan Miller played yesterday, so Patrick Lalime will start for the Sabres.
No word as to whether or not he will hold out for more money if he wins tonight's game.
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Charlie's Corner: No Homo
First off, I really enjoyed sharing e-mails with a bunch of you this week.
It is amazing seeing my face all around town.
If you'd ever like to chat or e-mail me stuff that hasn't made it to Pensblog yet, or was never used by the guys because they are dicktouchers, feel free to email me.
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
And yes there is no "G" in there.
I would love to have a weekly MaleBag....
...segment each week where I answer questions.
After the jump, my first blogging enemy.
Pens Fans Number One in NHL
From the Penguins website:
"Pittsburgh Penguins fans have been named the best in the NHL by Forbes magazine, in ratings unveiled this week at www.forbes.com.
Penguins fans were rated No. 1 in the league, followed by Toronto Maple Leafs fans at No. 2 and Philadelphia Flyers fans at No. 3.
According to Forbes, “For the 2008-09 season, we ranked teams based on average regular-season home game attendance as a percentage of arena capacity, regular-season local television ratings as a percentage of the team’s metro area population and team merchandise sales. Pens fans emerged the most fanatical."
Basically this gives Flyers fans another thing to complain about.
It also gives us a reason to re-post a bunch of fan photos we've received over the last few months.
The Men Who Stare At Goals. PENS WIN.
Greg M. saw this from the PG and sent it along:
"The Penguins often end practice with a shootout, which serves a purpose as a drill but also usually provides some fun. Goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury, who sometimes gets a little silly, really put on a show with unconventional moves as players bore down on him. A few times, he did a spin. He stopped defenseman Sergei Gonchar after one of those. Other times, he did a couple of quick pushups. Once, he turned his back to defenseman Mark Eaton and, looking over his shoulder, still made a stick save."
Fast-forward to last night.
Claude Giroux comes flying down in the shootout all pumped up.
MAF fakes a poke-check. Giroux shits himself.
MAF faked a friggin poke-check. When Giroux was in the high slot.
Goalies don't do that. That is where MAF is at right now.
Look for that poke-check when he faces Yomoshimi Tokagura on a breakaway during mop-up duty against Japan in February.
Maybe.
How demoralizing is this for the Flyers?
They probably played their best game in a while.
They controlled Bing and Geno to an extent.
They slowed down the Pens offensive game enough.
But they couldn't solve Marc-Andre Fleury.
And so another wrinkle to the world champs is shown.
In, really, his first steal of the season, MAF was all business.
Three years ago, the Pens lose this game in the third period.
Last night, MAF stands his ground and basically owns the game.
Pens get 4 out of 4 points against the Flyers in a home-and-home.
Take that any day of the week.
And now a big time game in Buffalo on Saturday night against the Sabres.
It may not feel like a rivalry game, but it changes once the puck drops at HSBC.
It always does.
GAMEDAY 35 - FLYERS
7:00 PM
Wachovia Center
Listen to the game at [WXDX]
If you have any questions for Mike Lange, Phil Bourque or Bob Grove join the Penguins Radio Network Facebook page.
You can submit questions via the discussion tab for the Crash the Net segments or Penguins Hotline after the game.
Chant along everyone!
"Crosby Sucks!"
"Crosby Sucks!"
"Crosby Sucks!"
It only makes him stronger.
Welcome to the Wachovia Center where it doesn't matter who wins, as long as someone gets hurt.
"I'm ready. I have a helmet."
-- Evgeni Malkin
Cheering for fights and chanting "Crosby Sucks" are the only two constants that the Flyers organization has experienced this year.
Everything else has been a mixture of disappointment, anger and failing to live up to expectations.
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Alternative Uses for the Civic Arena
After the Penguins jump over to the Con next season, Mellon Arena will lay behind them, cowering in fear, knowing that its end is near. It's not the type of ending Disney would have written for such an iconic building.
But...news flash: Walt Disney had lung cancer and died.
They are going to tear down the Mellon Arena. No petition is going to change that.
The guy that designed it is all jammed up. We don't blame him.
Let's face it. Making the Mellon Arena a parking lot is a tough pill to swallow.
But we reckon you've swallowed worse.
Like throwing down 70 bucks for a Milan Kraft jersey.
Not to mention there is nowhere to park as it is. Screw that parking garage they are building. Great, now instead of sitting in traffic in the parking lot, you can sit in the parking garage.
So, in theory, leveling the Mellon Arena for more parking is the right thing to do. Communism works in theory, as well.
And since it's Pittsburgh, this whole thing will be screwed up somehow.
So we've taken it upon ourselves to come up with alternative uses for the Mellon. Under our many proposals, the Mellon Arena would be saved, the city of Pittsburgh would have unlimited money, and the economy of the United States would be righted.
But...news flash: Walt Disney had lung cancer and died.
They are going to tear down the Mellon Arena. No petition is going to change that.
The guy that designed it is all jammed up. We don't blame him.
Let's face it. Making the Mellon Arena a parking lot is a tough pill to swallow.
But we reckon you've swallowed worse.
Like throwing down 70 bucks for a Milan Kraft jersey.
Not to mention there is nowhere to park as it is. Screw that parking garage they are building. Great, now instead of sitting in traffic in the parking lot, you can sit in the parking garage.
So, in theory, leveling the Mellon Arena for more parking is the right thing to do. Communism works in theory, as well.
And since it's Pittsburgh, this whole thing will be screwed up somehow.
So we've taken it upon ourselves to come up with alternative uses for the Mellon. Under our many proposals, the Mellon Arena would be saved, the city of Pittsburgh would have unlimited money, and the economy of the United States would be righted.
After the jump, we detail numerous plans, totaling in revenue streams upwards of $82 billion, that can save the Mellon Arena.
