Pens beat Leafs in front of a sold out crowd at the mellon arena

Hey pens fans,
Tonight, the Pens defeated the Leafs 4-1. It was a sell o ut crowd at Mellon Arena tonight and many Leafs fans made the trek to the game. Christensen opened up the scoring with a powerplay goal from Crosby and Ouellet. Thenin the second Toronto came back as MAts Sundin tied it up at one a piece. Then in the third Gonchar scored on the Power play from Crosby and Malkin. Then Malkin scored on the power play assisted by rosby and Malkin. To round out the Pens' scoring Jordan Staal scored unassisted. Fleury was in oal stopping 30 of 31 shots tonight. nils Ekman took a nasty fall in the corner and went directly into the Penguins locker room. Another player jumped onto the ice the ice, becasue play had not stopped and the Pens were assessed a penelty for too many men on the ice. It is believed that Ekman injured his elbow and will be re-evaluated. It looked like it could be bad folks.

Pens Fall to Devils

Hey pens fans,
Tonight, the PEns took on the New Jersey Devils in Jersey. They lost the game with a final score of 3-0. Marc-Andre Fleury was in goal stopping 26 of 29 shots. The Pens had 26 shots and took 8 penelties, but killed all of them. they had five power play chances and didn't score on any or at all in the game for that matter.

More Pens News/ KC Preds?

Hey pens fans,
Well one rumor I have seen bouncin around online is that there is considerable interest in moving the Predators from Nashville to Kansas City. Perhaps, the Pens can stay in Pittsburgh then. Also, it is rumored that MArk Cuban has or is in the process of putting together an ownership group to buy the Pens. Basillie has now said he is again interested in buyin the team. Some politicians are saying that a deal for a new arena could be done in 2 months or less. That's it for now. Merry Christmas! I will post over the holiday if something breaks...

Pens Fall to Thrashers in Shootout on the Road

Hey pens fans,
Tonnight, the Pens took on the Atlanta Thrashers on the road. The fnal score, after the shootout, was 4-3. Jordan Staal scored short-handed in the second period. Thenin the third Malone scored assisted by Orpik and Crosby. Then Sidnet Crosby scored assisted by Christensen and Recchi with just seconds remaining in the game. The game went into a shootout where the Thrashers scored twice. thibault was in goal stopping 29 of 32 shots during the game.

Lemieux statement

Hey pens fans,
This is Lemieux's Statement

"Recent developments, including Wednesday’s decision by the PGCB, and the recent termination of the purchase agreement by Jim Balsillie have convinced us that it is time to take control of our own destiny. Accordingly, starting Thursday, the team is off the market, and we will begin to explore relocation options in cities outside Pennsylvania. After seven years of trying to work out a new arena deal exclusively in Pittsburgh, we need to take into consideration the long-term viability of the team and begin discussions with other cities that may be interested in NHL teams.
As soon as we are no longer restricted by our agreement with Isle of Capri from negotiating an arena deal here, in the next few weeks, we will also begin discussions with local leaders about a viable Pittsburgh arena plan.
We will have no further comment at this time."

This is truly a dark hour for the Penguins. If anyone has ideas on how to help save our Pens please email me at pensfan17148@msn.com Now, it is time for action, even more than before.

IOC does not get slots license / Pens Future Uncertain

Hey pens fans,
This is the Statment released by Ken Sawyer on behalf of the Penguins today after Isle of Capri did not get the slots license.

"We congratulate Don Barden and PITG Gaming on their successful bid. Obviously, we are very disappointed that the Isle of Capri was not awarded the slots license. We want to thank them for their effort over the past year, including an unprecedented offer to fully fund construction of a new arena had they received the license.
We also want to thank the dozens of local leaders and thousands of fans and concerned citizens who voiced their support for what they believed was the best plan for our region. Had Isle of Capri been selected, it would have ensured the long-term future of the Penguins in Pittsburgh and would have delivered a $1 billion development opportunity to the Lower Hill and Uptown.
At this point, our franchise enters a period of uncertainty, with our lease at Mellon Arena set to expire this summer. We will re-evaluate all of our options before deciding on a course of action and making further comment."

This statement was unsettling, but realistic. Here is Gary Bettman's statement.

“The decision by the Gaming Commission was terrible news for the Penguins, their fans and the NHL. The future of this franchise in Pittsburgh is uncertain and the Penguins now will have to explore all other options, including possible relocation. The NHL will support the Penguins in their endeavors.”

Lemieux previously stated that himself and the ownership group would re-evaluate after today. It seems very uncertain, what will happen.

I have one wish for Chrsitmas and I think all Penguin fanns are thinking the same thing. All I want is for the Pens to stay in Pittsburgh. I guess now all we an do is wait and hope...

Pens Fall to Blues

Hey pens fans,
Well, it is the Pens who are blue now. (sorry i couldn't resist) They lost tonight 4-1 at the Mellon Arena to St. Louis. Evgeni Malkin had thhe Pens' lone goal assisted by Sidney Crosby and Nils Ekman. Fleury started in oal and was replaced after a period. He let in 3 goals on 12 shots only stopping 9. Thibault finished out the game stopping 13 of 14. This was a bad game. Hopefully, we can erase it from our memories and move on. I hope this does not haunt us.

Lemieux Press Conference

Hey pens fans,
Sorry. this took so long to post, but it has been one of those weeks and its only Tuesday. Lemieux basically said that the deal is off and himself and the Lemieux Group LP are not looking at other offers until after the slots license is awarded tomorrow. At that time, they will reevaluate their positon and proceed from there. As we know, if Isle of Capri gets the license the Pns get and arena and a new owner would have to keep them here. More as it unfolds...

details on Balsillie's cancelled deal

Hey pens fans,
Apparently the NHL gave him extra terms to the deal, these included a clause that would make him keep the Pens in Pittsburgh, no matter what happened. Therewas a part of the deal that would give the NHL control of the team if things did not work out well also. that's all i have been able to find

Pens Lose in Montreal

Hey pens fans,
The Pens lost by a score of 6-3 against the Canadiens. Malkin scored the Pens' first goal from Christensen and Orpik. The Pens' second goal was scored by Nasreddine from Crosby and Recchi. thier tird and final goal was by Christensen from Talbot. Fleury was in goal stopping 27 of 32 shots.

Pens win and Bassili with draws bid to buy team

Hey pens fans,
The Pens took on the Islanders at the Mellon arena. The final score was 7-4. Ryan Malone had a hat trick and Recchi got his 800th assist.
The goals were Malone from Crosby and Recchi; Crosby from Recchi and Whitney; Recchi from Ekman and Malkin; Staal from Moore; Talbot from Melichar and Armstrong; Malone from Crosby and Recchi; and Malone from Crosby and Scuderi
Thibault was in net stopping 28 of 32 shots.

Also, Bassili has withdrwn his offer to buy the Pens. something broke dow in his negotiations with the league. No one seems to know what or why. this omes just days beofre the slots license is anounced. More if I can find it...

Pens Relaese LeClair

Hey pens fans,
The Pens have released John LeClair. This means that he is now an Unrestricted Free Agent. I would look for a team in need of a veteren on a budget to pic him up for around half a million. As a UFA, he could draw some interest, since it is likely he can be had at a cheaper rate.

Pens Win! 8-4

Hey pens fans,

Tonight, Pens took on the Flyers at the Mellon Arena. The Pens won by a score of 8-4. Yes, that is a lot of goals. So, here is the Pens' scoring run-down...

1st Period

4:06 Goal by Thornburn assisted by Ruutu

5:06 Goal by Crosby assisted by Malone and Scuderi

12:50 Goal by Gonchar assisted by Recchi and Crosby (PP)

2nd Period

5:56 Goal by Malone assisted by Crosby and Gonchar (PP)

7:17 Goal by Gonchar assisted by Crosby and Malone

9:29 Goal by Recchi assisted by Gonchar and Crosby

3rd Period

3:10 Goal by Ouellet assisted by Malone and Crosby (PP)

19:53Goal by Staal assisted by Gonchar (SH)

Crosby had 1 goal and 5 assists for 6 points. He is now in first place in the scorin race and in all-star voting.

Marc-Andre Fleury was in oal for most of the game stopping 18 or 22 shots.

Thibault was in net while Fleury was dealing with an eqipment problem and stopped 1 of 1 shots.

A decision on LeClair should be made within a few days.

The slots license will be awarded soon, as well.

Pens defeat Capitals in a Shoot-out

Hey pens fans,
Tonight, the took on the Washington Capitals. The final score was 5-4. The Pens goals were as follows...
Talbot assisted by Ruutu and Thorburn
Christensen assisted by Ouellet and Moore
Crosby assisted by Malkin
Malkin assisted by Malone and Crosby

Shoot-out Goals by Christensen and Malkin. Pens win the shootout 2-1.

Final Game score was 5-4 Pens. (4 goals + 1 for the shoot-out victory)

Pens Thrash the Thrashers

Hey pens fans,
Tonight, in Atlanta the Pens defeated the Thrashers 4-3.
The goals were...
Sidney Crosby assisted by Gonchar and Dupont
Evgeni Malkin assisted by Crosby and Gonchar
Ryan Whitney assisted by Malkin and Christensen
Colby Armstrong assisted by Malkin

Fleury was in goal stopping 20 of 23 shots.

The Pens put up 43 shots on net tonight.

Rangers defeat Pens in Shootout/ LeClair

Hey pens fans,
The final score was 3-2 Rangers. Nils Ekman scored the Pens first goal on a penelty shot. Sidney Crosby scored the Pens other goal assisted by Recchi and Fleury. Fleury was in goal stopping 20 of 22 shots on net.
As for LeClair he has NOT cleared re-entry waivers and is still assigned to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. No word on if he will have to report there or not.

Pens Fall to Panthers

Hey pens fans,
Tonight, the Pens lost to the Florida Panthers 3-2. Erik Christensen opened up the Pens' scoring on a goal from Armstrong and Crosby. In the third, Sidney Crosby scored to tie it at 2, assisted by Gonchar. Jocelyn Thibault was in goal tonight stopping 27 of 30 shots. Ryan Malone re-joined the Pens' lineup after being out with a broken forearm. From here the Pens go on a road trip, which opens up Thursday night against the Rangers.

John Leclair has cleared re-entry waivers

Hey pens fans,

Well, John Leclair has cleared re-entry waivers. I have no idea what move will be made from here. I would guess that a trade would be a logical step. To what team or for what players, however, I cannot yet surmise a guess. I would think that perhaps the Flyers or even the Rangers cold use a guy like him, but that is ust me speculating and as ar as I know no offers have been tendered.

Pens moves some players up and down

Hey pens fans,
The Pens recalled defensemen Miki Dupont and Alain Nasreddine from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton and assigned defenseman Noah Welch to Wilkes- Barre/Scranton.
FYI - Nothing new with LeClair, as of yet.

Pens Fall to Islanders

Hey pens fans,
Tonight, the Pens lost to the Islanders 5-3 tonight. Armstrong scored the first goal assited by Malkin and Crosby. Christensen scored next assisted by Whitney and Fleury. The Pens inal goal was scored by Recchi assisted by Whitney and Crosby. Fleury was in goal stopping 30 of 35 shots on goal.

On another note, Andre Roy was pice up by the Lightning on re-entry waivers, which means the Pens are responsible for half of his salary.

LeClair

Hey pens fans,
The Penguins have assigned John LeClair to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the AHL.

Malkin Named Rookie of the Month for November

Hey pens fans,
That's right, Evgeni Malkin has been named rookie of the month for the second straight month.

Pens fall to devils and LeClair cleared waivers

Hey pens fans,
Tonight, the Pens lost to the Devils in New Jersey 5-2. Christensen scored assisted by Malkin and Gonchar. Then Malkin scored assisted by Gonchar and Melichar. Fleury started in goal and was pulled after letting in goals on 8 shots. Thibault finished the night stopping 18 of 19.

John LeClair cleared waivers today. Trust me guys he will not be in Pittsburgh long.

Pens Place LeClair on Waivers

Hey pens fans,
John LeClair has been placed on waivevrs. LeClair has been playing on the Pens fourth line and has been getting around 12 minutes of ice time per game recently. Leclair has two goals and five assists in 21 games this season. He is a five-time all-star has and has 406 career goals, 819 career points over 967 career games. He also won the Stanley Cup, in 1993, with the Montreal Canadiens.

Pens Win!

Hey pens fans,

Tonight, the Pens defeated the Islanders 3-2. This was Crosby's first game back from the groin Injury. The Pens first goal was scored by Colby Armstrong, assisted by Crosby and Melichar. Their second goal was scored by Colby Armstrong from Crosby and Recchi. The Third goal was scored by Thorburn assisted by Staal. In the final seconds Armstrong almost had hiis hat trick. He was pulled down on his way to the empty net and I think it should have been a penelty shot. This was Marc-Andre Fleury bobblehead night at the Mellon Arena. It is his 22nd birthday. He stopped 33 of 35 shots on net. Note: Ryan Malone should be returning within the next couple weeks from a broken forearm. He was cleared to start shooting today.

Happy Birthday Marc-Andre Fleury!

Pens fall to Rangers in last seconds of OT

Hey pens fans,
The final scoree of the game was 2-1. Sidney Crosby did not play. Malkin, who was said to be injred in the last game, did play. Apparently he just ot his bell run. Malkin also scored the Pens' goal tonight assisted by Christensen and Gonchar. Fleury was in goal stopping 28 of 30 shots. Former Penguin Marty Straka had the game winner for the Rangers in the OT.

Pens Fall to Islanders

Hey pens fans,
Today, the PEns lost to the Islanders 3-1. Crosby did not play. The Pens lone goal came in the third period. It was scored by Malkin and assisted by Armstrong and Recchi. Thibault was in goal for the Pens stopping 26 of 29 shots on net. The Pens had 37 shot of which DiPietro stopped 36. Malkin left the game with an "undisclosed" injury.

Pens Fall to Bruins in a shootout

Hey pens fans,
Tonight, the Pens lost to the Bruins. The final score ater the shootout was 4-3 Bruins. Mark Recchi scored the Pens first goal assisted by Scuderi. Evgeni Malkin scored the seond goal assisted by Talbot. The third goal was scored by Mark Recchi and was assisted by Malkin and Whitney. Marc-Andre Fleury was in goal for the Pens tonight stopping 28 of 31 shots. The Bruins Marco Sturm was the loan scorer in the shootout to put the Bruins over the Pens. sidney Crosby sat out this game, after sustaining a groin injury in Monday's game. He is expected to be back in the lineup shortly. That's it for now. Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

Sidney's Injury

Hey pens fans,
Sidney Crosby has suffered a groin injury and will be evaluated over the next few days.

Pens defeat Flyers again! / Crosby Hurt

Hey pens fans,
Tonight, the Pens defeated the Flyers 5-3.
Here the Pens Goals in order

Goal scored by LeClair assisted by Whitney and Gonchar
Goal scored by Moore assisted by Crosby
Goal scored by Whitney assisted by Moore and Ekman
Goal scored by Crosby assisted by Whitney and Malkin
Goal scored by Gonchar assisted by Recchi and Malkin

Fleury was in goal stopping 22 of 25 shots.

Crosby was injured. What he injured, I do not yet know. As soon as I find it, I will post it. I hope it is not serious.

The Pens played a good game tonight. Beating the Flyers is always a good night, but this year it has been spectacular. The Pens next game is Wednesday night in Boston.

Pens defeat Rangers

Hey pens fans,
Tonight, the Pens took on Jaromir Jagr and the New York Rangers at the Mellon Arena. The final score was 3-1 Pens. Jagr was looking for his 600th goal and I am pleased to say he is still at 599. Jordan Stall scored the Pens' first goal assisted by Malkin and Gonchar. Recchi scored next assisted by Gonchar and Crosby. Recchi scored again assisted by Crosby and Armstrong. Fleury was in goal for the Pens tonight stopping 23 of 24 shots. The Pens played a good game tonight. they were blocking shots in the slot and playing some good defense, which is what they have been needing to do. Our power play still needs a little work. It was the same dump and chase each time and it did work once tonight, but once it failed a few times, the Pens need to move on to a new approach. I think that is something that they need to work on in the coming weeks.

Pens Fall to Sabres

Hey pens fans,
Tonight, the Pens lost to the Sabres in Buffalo. The finla score was 4-2. Crosby had te first goal assisted by Recchi and Scuderi. the Pens second and final goal was also by Crosby from Recchi and Ouellet. Thibault was in goal stopping 32 of 35. Tomorrow, the New York Rangers come to town to take on the Pens at the Mellon Arena.

Malkin Saga continues

Hey pens fans,
Well, the Malkin sag ia continuing with the NHL winning a major step. Evgeni Malkin was cleared to stay with the Penguins after a federal court judge denied a demand by his former Russian club, Metallurg Magnitogorsk, that he be yanked from the NHL. Metallurg Magnitogorsk, of the Russian Super League, claimed that Malkin is under contract in Russia. Metallurg sought a preliminary injunction which would have banned the Malkin from playing for the Pens until after the matter is resolved. A ruling Wednesday by U.S. District Judge Loretta A. Preska clears the way for Malkin and minor leaguers Andrei Taratukhin of the Calgary Flames and Alexei Mikhnov of the Edmonton Oilers to stay with their NHL franchises. Led by Metallurg Magnitogorsk, the Russian clubs sued in October claiming that the NHL broke U.S. anti-trust laws and interfered in their business affairs by signing players who were still under contract with them.

Pens defeat Flyers again!

Hey pens fans,

Tonight, the Pens took on the Philadelphia Flyers at the Mellon Arena. The final score was 3-2. The first goal was by Sidney Crosby unassisted. Then Jordan Stall scored assistd by Ouellet and LeClair, in the first period. The Pens final goal was in the 3rd period and was scored by Evgeni Malkin assisted by Recchi and Crosby, for the game winner. In goal tonight, for the Pens was Marc-Andre Fleury stopping 23 fo 25 shots on net. His save % was .92, bot bad at all. The Pens play again on Friday in Buffalo.

Hurricanes defeat Pens

Hey pens fans,
The final score of tonight's game was 6-2 Hurricanes. The Pens' first goal was scored by John LeClair assisted by Ruutu. The Pens' second goal was scored by Mark Recchi assisted by Ekman and Moore. Thibault was in net for the Pens stopping 24 of 29 shots. (one goal was an empty netter) So, how about the Pens non-goal? Well, to be honest I thought it went in, but it wouldn't be the first time I was wrong. That's all I'm going to say about that. As for the officiating overall, I think that there were a few bad calls and a few missed calls. I think the eofficiating was weak and it had a large impact on the game. I am not one to bash refs, but tonight I feel obligated to. It was that bad. I know that every call cannot be perfect and that refs are only human, but come on. Can you at least make it look like you were trying?

Penshockey Poll

Hey pens fans,
The most recent question was which player made the bigest impact on the Pens in October. the winner with the most votes was Malkin.

Pens defeated by Ottawa

Hey pens fans,
Well, the Pens lost, but after the second period, we all saw that coming. The final score was 6 to 3 infavor of the Senators. The Pens first goal was by Ouellet assisted by Malkin and Whitney. Their second goal came in the second period. It was scored by Malkin and assisted by Ouellet and Crosby. The Pens final goal was in the third period and was scored by Talbot and assisted by Gonchar and Armstrong. Fleury was in goal stopping 38 of 44 shots.
The Pens were out shot tonight putting on 17 on net. They were beaten up and down the ice tonight. It wasn't an entirely bad game. There were some bright spots mixed throughout. Fleury made some great saves and Malkin's goal was spectacular. The Pens play tomorrow in Carolina against the defending Stanley Cup champion Hurricanes.

Ekman's Record

Hey pens fans,
Nils Ekman set a new team record for fastest 3 goals, in last nights game. He scored his hat trick in 4 minutes 10 seconds, breaking Lowell McDonald's 33-year-old record.

Pens Fall to Lightning in OT

Hey pens fans,
The Pens lost to Tampa Bay tonight at the Mellon Arena in Overtime. The final score was 4-3. Nils Ekman had all 3 Penguin goals tonight for the hat trick. Crosby and Gonchar assisted on the first goal. Whitney and Gonchar assisted on the second goal. Crosby and Armstrong assisted on the third goal. Fleury was ini goal stoopping 27 of 31 shots on net. The Pens next game is Friday against Ottawa.

Pens Fall to Ducks in OT

Hey pens fans,
Tonight, the Pens wrapped up their Western Road Trip in Anaheim against the Ducks. The final score was 3-2 Ducks. The Pens first goal was in the 1st period scored by Moore from Thorburn and LeClair. Their second goal was by Thorburn assisted by Malkin and Crosby. They were held scoreless for the second two periods. Thibault was in goal stopping 37 of 40 shots. Those are good nmbers, buut that OT goal he let in was weak. It was a weak goal that should have never went in. The Pens return home to take on Tampa Bay on Wednesday.

Pens fall to Sharks

Hey pens fans,
Well, the Pens took on the Sharks tonight in San Jose. The game opened with a hit from behind which took Eaton out of the game. The hit was by Cheechoo who was ejected from the game. In the first, Oullet tied the game at one assisted by Melichar. Then the Pens scored again on a goal by Moore assisted by LeClair and Ouellet. The final score was 3-2 sharks. Fleury was in goal stopping 31 of 34 shots. the Pens next game is Monday in Anaheim against the Ducks.

Malkin Named Rookie of the Month for October

Hey pens fans,
Malkin has been named Rookie of the Month for October. He has sput up great numbers this month with goals in every game he has played.

Malkin

Hey pens fans,

Evgeni Malkin mad a bit of history in last night's win over the kings. He has now scored a goal in each of his games this season. that is 6 straight games with goals. This is the first time this has happened in 89 years. It last happened in 1917-1918 season. Congratulations Malkin!

Pens and Kings go to OT and Win!!!

Hey pens fans,
The Pens took on the Kings in LA and the game just ended at 1:03 am East Coast Time. It was a late one, but well worth watching the final Overtime Score was 4-3 Pens. Jordan Staal opened up the scoring in the first from Recchi and Ekman. Later in the First Malkin netted a goal assisted by Crosby and Armstrong. Then in the third Noah Welch tied the ame at 3 assisted by Recchi and Crosby. Then in OT Evgeni Malkin scored assisted by Gonchar and Crosby. Marc-Andre Fleury was in net for the Pens stopping 24 of 27 shots. The Pens next game is Saturday in San Jose with a 10:30 pm east coast time faceoff. Goodnight Yinz.

Happy Halloween!

Hey pens fans,
FYI for anyone who didn't know the Pens have decided to keep Jordan Staal here in Pittsburgh. On the other hand, Kris LeTang has been sent back to his Canadian Junior Team. Eric Cairns has been recalled from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton after his rehab stint there. As, October comes to an end, I think that the hockey world is blinking is amazment at the progress the Pens have made. No one thought we would be a formidable opponent for a fews years. This Octoer has been one of the best, not only recently, but in team history. Now don't go bet your life savins that the Pens will win the the cup this yeaer, but they are a force to be reckoned with. Hopefully, this trend continues throug there Western road trip, which begins in LA, with a 10:30 pm face off time here on the east coast.

Pens Slaughter Flyers

Hey pens fans,

Tonight, the Pens took on the Flyers in Philly. The final score was 8-2 Penguins. Congratulations to Sidney Crosby on his first NHL Hat trick. The Pens goals were as follows.

1st goal scored by Crosby from Whitney and Melichar

2nd goal scored by Talbot (Shorthanded)

3rd goal scored by Talbot from Gonchar and Welch

4th goal scored by Crosby from Malkin and Eaton

5th goal scored by Crosby (unassisted)

6th goal scored by Malkin (Powerplay) from Gonchar and Whitney

7th goal scored by Recchi from Staal and Malkin

8th goal scored by Moore from LeClair and Ouellet

Fleury was in goal stopping 31 of 33 shots on net.

This was definetly a great game. It was fun to watch and it was especially great because it was a win against the Flyers. The Pens head out West nenxt week and will take on the Kings in LA on Wednesday,

Penshockey Poll

Hey pens fans,
I just wanted to let you know that I have been having some problems with the Penshockey Poll, as you will notice it is currently missing from the site. I have tried multiple hosting services for it and none seem to work properly. Does anyone know of a good place to host a poll? If any one knows of a good service please leave it as a comment. I will continue to try to get a Poll to work, but that may take awhile. Any help would be appreciated.

Pens Win!

Hey pens fans,
Tonight the Pens defeated the New Jersey Devils at the Mellon arena 4-2. this is the Pens third win in a row. Then Pens first goal of the game was scored by Ekman assistd by Eaton. Then Crosby scored assisted by Malkin and Whitney. The third goal was by Staal assisted by Ekman and Recchi. the fourth and final goal was by Malkin assisted by Crosby and Whitney. Fleury was in goal stopping 20 of 22 shots on net. then Pens next game is Saturday in Philadelphia.

Penshockey Poll: What is your favorite Hockey Movie?

Hey pens fans,
The results are in and it is a tie between the Mighty Ducks and Miracle. If annyone has a sugestion for a poll question feel free to email it to me @ pensfan17148@msn.com and I might use it.

Malone

Hey pens fans,

I forgot to mention in my last post that Ryan Malone broke his arm last night and will miss about 6 weeks.

Pens defeat Blue Jackets

Hey pens fans,
The Pens defeated the Blue Jackets today, by a score of 5-3.
The goals were...
Gonchar (PP) from Ouellet and Whitney
Gonchar (PP) from Recchi and Malone
Staal (SH) from Recchi and Scuderi
Malkin (PP) from Crosby and Ouellet
Staal (SH) unassisted
What a game. Gonchar had 2 points, Recchi had two points, Ouellet had 2 points, and Staal had 2 shorthanded goals. No even strength goals at all for the Pens. Fleury was in goal stopping 36 of 39 shots.

Pens defeat Islanders in OT/Metallurg Lawsuit

Hey pens fans,
Tonight the Pens took on the New York Islanders and won 4-3 in overtime. Then Pens first goal was scored by Ouellet from Malkin and Crosby. The second goal was scored by Ekman from Gonchar and Crosby. The third goal was scored by Malkin from Crosby anWhitney. In overtime Sergei Gonchar netted the game winning goal assisted by Whitney and Ekman. Fleury was in goal tonight stopping 34 of 37 shots faced.

Now on to Russia. Today, the Metallurg Magnitogorsk hockey club, for whom Malkin used to play, filed an antitrust lawsuit against the Penguins. They are still claiming he should not be allowed to play here, because he is under contract with them. They are also asking for unspecified damages from both the Penguins and the NHL.

Pens Fall to Devils/Malkin nets first NHL Goal

Hey pens fans,
Tonight, the Pens took on the New Jersey Devils at the Mellon Arena for Sidney Crosby Bobblehead night and Malkin's first NHL game. The Pens lost that onctest 2-1. The lone goal that slipped by Brodeur was Malkin's 1st in the NHL and he was assisted by Mark Recchi. Fleury was in goal for the Pens and stopped 32 of 34 shots. One thing the Pens did do tonight was lead in shot, which is a rarity for this club with 38 (37 of which Brodeur Stopped). This was Brodeur's 450th win. The Pens take on the Islanders next.

Malkin

Hey pens fans,

Malkin is expected to play Wednesday night (10.18.06) at the Mellon Arena, when the Pens take on the New Jersey Devils.

Pens Fall to Hurricanes

Hey pens fans,
Well, tonight the Penguins lost to the Carolina Hurricanes at the Mellon Arena. The final score was 5-1. The Pens lone goal was scored by Letang from Gonchar and Ekman. Trevor Letowski of the Hurricanes was taken off on a stretcher after a colliding with Colby Armstrong. There was a large pool of blood on the ice. His neck was put in a brace and he was put on a backboard. EArly reports are saying that he has a large gash on his forehead, probably from falling face first on the ice and he is moving his limbs. Hopefully he is okay. Also, Marc-Andre Fleury left the game in the second period. He has a bruise on his forehead and a cut above his left eye. He sat out the remainder of the game. No word on if he will miss any games due to this. Malkin is expected to be back in the Pens lineup within the next week or so. Speculation is that it will be for Wednesday's home game at the Mellon Arena, which is Sidney Crosby Bobblehead night.

Pens defeat Rangers

Hey pens fans,

Tonight, the Pens took on Jaromir Jagr and the New York Rangers at Madison Square Garden. The final score was 6-5 Pens. Jordan Staal opened up the scoring in the second period with his first NHL goal it was shorthanded and unassisted. Then the Rangers scored twice with goals by Jagr and Cullen. Then Letang got his first from Crosby and Gonchar on the power play. Hall added a tally for the Rangers. Then Ouellet scored from Recchi and Crosby. At the end of the second it was 3-3. Then ini the third Whitney scored on the Powerplay from Crosby and Armstrong. The Rangers scored on a goal from Nylander. Whitney then added another goal for the Pens from Armstrong and Moore. The Rangers scored again on a goal from Shanahan. Then Crosby lit the lamp assisted by Recchi and Ouellet.

Pens Fall to Red Wings

Hey pens fans,
Tonight, the Pens took on the Detroit Red Wings at the Mellon Arena. The final score was 2-0 Detroit. Marc-Andre Fleury was in goal for the Pens. Their next game is Thursday in New York against the Rangers.

Pens Win! 4-0

Hey pens fans,
Tonight, the Pens faced-off against the Flyers in the home opener. The final score was 4-0 Pens. Fleury had the shuout stopping 40 shots. Ouellet opened up the scoring with his first assisted by Ruutu. A few minutes later Ruutu scored assisted by Ouellet and Moore. The third goal of the game was by Crosby from Ekman and Scuderi. Melichar rounded out the scoring for the nighgt assisted by Crosby and Armstrong. Also, Mario Lemieux's number 66 is retired once again the banner was up in the rafters for the start of the game and Mario's Birthday. The pens next game is Saturday against Detroit.

Sold

Hey pens fans,
Businessman Jim Balsillie, from Hamilton, Ontario, has signed a letter of initent to buy the Pens and the price a reported $175 Million. He has said he would move the team to Hamilton, but he has also said he would keep the team in Pittsburgh if a new arena was built. Well, the fans want the team here, and reportedly the NHL wants to keep the team here. The sale of the team could be announced as early as tomorrow, October 5th, which is the home opener, and Mario's birthday.

Sabourin gone; Orpik injured

Hey pens fans,

The Vancouver Canucks claimed goaltender Dany Sabourin,who the pens placed on waivers to free up a spot to get Chris Thorborn.

Brooks Orpik had sustained an injury to his hand, in a scrimmage. It has apparently gotten worse. He will miss the opener tomorrow night and may require surgery.

Chris Thorburn

Hey pens fans,
The Pens claimed Chris Thorburn off of waivers from Buffalo.

Stall, Letang make team, players sent down, fleury, roster

Hey pens fans,
Well, Jordan Stall has made the team and has signed a contract. Crosby, Malkin, Stall, oh the possibilites, once Malkin is back, that is. Also, Kristopher Letang has made the team. Now both Letang and Stall are not up here definetly, if they play in nine or less games they could be reassigned to their previous teams in the QMJHL and OHL, respectivly and it would not count towards their contracts.

Then Pens also reassigned Forwards Daniel Carcillo, Libor Pivko, Ryan Stone and Maxime Talbot and defenseman Noah Welch to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.

Marc-Andre Fluery is expected to start in goal at the opener on thursday.

The following link is to the Penguins Official Roster as of 4:30 pm today 10/2/06. http://www.pittsburghpenguins.com/team/TCRoster100206.pdf

Pens Fall to Sabres

Hey pens fans,
Last night the Pens lost aother preseason game to the Sabres. The Pens first goal of the egame was from Michel Ouellet, assisted by Moore and Orpik. Their second an final goal was from Ryan Malone assisted by Whitney and Stone. Malkin skated witht the team and Crosby, but did not play. Maybe he will be back sooner than we thought? Crosby made the trip, but did not play and LeClair, Recchi, Gonchar stayed in Pittsburgh.

Pens Fall to Sabres in OT

Hey pens fans,
The game at the Mellon Arena ended in yet another ot loss. The final score was 4-3 Buffalo. Goals were: Colby Armstrong, from Nils Ekman and Sidney Crosby. John LeClair, from Karl Stewart and Kristopher Letang. Colby Armstrong, from Ryan Whitney and Sidney Crosby.

Karl Stewart

Hey pens fans,
The Pens claimed Karl Stewart off waivers from the Ducks.

The Pens go marching one by one...

Hey pens fans,
Ok, so maybe the titles a little corny, but it got your attention, right? The Pens are at West Point undergoing some training that is not like anything they have probably ever done before. They did some not so suprising things like calisthenics, push ups and the like. They ran stairs and other tasks. From what I have heard they did some drills involving assault rifles, replicas of course. They also did some team building drills that involved carrying theier teammates, like they were rescuing them. They also had to "dodge enemy fire" and rescue "wounded" teammates. All in all it seems rather intersting. Hopefully, this will make them stronger as a team. If nothing else this should build teamwork and it seems to be a physical experience, that should help get them into shape. If I hear anything else, I will let you know...

and down they go...

Hey pens fans,
Well, the Pens made a few roster moves before going to West Point yesterday. They assigned Tyler Kennedy, Erik Christensen, Jonathan Filewich, Conner James, Stephen Dixon, Micki Dupont, Matt Carkner and Alain Nasreddine to Wilkes-barre/Scranton.

West Point

Hey pens fans,
This week is when the Pens go to West Point for some training. This could be an interesting time for the team and I will do my best to finid out what I can. According to a source, the exercises they will participate in will build teamwork and hlp then to work together. No word on exactly what these are or how physical. This is definetly going to be intersting. Penguins "Bootcamp" started today...

Malkin

Hey pens fans,
Wll, it looks like he will be out for a while, but no word on exactly how long. I am thinking at least 2 more weeks to as many as 6, but that is not official, that is just a guess based on his injury type.

Pre-seaon Loss and A win

Hey pens fans,
Sorry for the lack of updates, but y internet has been down, but its back now. On Saturday, the Pens lost in a shootout to Buffalo 3-2. Then today the Pens beat the Flyers 2-1. It seems to hae been a busy weekend for the pens playing, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. I have never recalled a 3 in a row before. Sorry for the abrubtness, but I g2g, more later..

Pens Fall to Capitals in Pre-season OT

Hey pens fans,
Well, tonight's game had a bit of excitment, as the pens lost to the caps 5-4 in ot. The penguin goals were: Sergei Gonchar from Whitney and Ouellet; Connor James from Talbot; Dominic Moore from Eaton; Gonchar from Ekman
Gonchar had two goals in the game, that was a bit suprising, to say the least. Marc-Andre Fleury was in goal tonight. This was the first game I have been to this year. It looked pretty good, for preseason. Out defenseman actually seemed to be playing defense, which was a nice change. I think we are much stronger on the blueline, but time will tell.

Malkin and Recchi Injury Update

Hey pens fans,
Well, Malkin did dislocate his shoulder. They were able to pop it back into place and he was wearing a sling on the team's way back. No word on how many games he will miss. I would assume he would miss at least Friday's, but he could suprise us. Now, Mark Recchi was not as lucky. He fractured a bone in his face and will probably miss a few weeks. So, the season has not even started and it looks like thigs are not oinig in favor of the Pens...

Pens defeat Flyers in Preseason/ Malkin & Recchi Injured

Hey pens fans,
Well, first the good news the Pens won tonight by a score of 5-4.
Now, the bad... Malkin and LeClair collided and Malkin hit the ice hard. He laid there for about 3 minutes. He skated off, but it appeared that he was not moving his left arm. He was taken to the hospital. Mark Rechi was hit in the head with a stick and was also taken to the hospital, there has been no word on their injuries, but as find it I will post it.

Pens fall to Senators in Pre-season action

Hey pens fans,
The Pens were defeated by the Senators 5-2 tonight in Halifax at the Metro Centre, which is close to Crosby's hometown. The Pens first goal game in the 3rd period and was scored by Stephen Dixon assisted by Sidney Crosby. The Pens second and final goal came later on in the 3rd. It was scored by Sidney Crosby and assisted by Kristopher Letang. Marc-Andre Fleury was in goal and stopped 28 shots. The Pens play again tomorrow.

Captain

Hey pens fans,
Well, Therrian has announced that the Penguins will not have a captaian this season, or at least to start. He said that the Pens will ave just alternate captains, as they did for the remainder of last season after Lemieux's retirement. They Penhockey poll on this was tied with Mark Recchi and John Lelair each getting 36% of the vote. So, no captain for this season, or at least not yet. I guess it is time for a new poll.

A few roster moves

Hey pens fans,
The Pens reassigned 4 players to Wilkes Barre-Scranton. They sent forwards Jordan Morrison, Mathieu Roy, and Tim Wallace. The also sent defenseman Paul Bissonnette. Goaltender Patrick Ehelechner was assigned to Duisburg (Germany) and Ronald Petrovicky looks to be out for 8-10 weeks following his hip surgery on Friday.

Training Camp

Hey pens fans,
Well, so far ini the camp things seem to be going well. Colby Armstrong had a hat-trick in a scrimmage and Malkin had 2 goals in one. Nothing much going on in the way of rumors involving the Pens. It looks like it could be a good year at the Pen's camp. That's about it for now.

Rookie Camp

Hey pens fans,
The Pens had opened rookie camp and from what I have learned it seems to be going well. Malkin seems excited to be in Pittsburgh and did well at the drills in camp. Jordan Staal seemed to be doing well, also. Noah Welch is there too and perhaps he will breakk into the NHL this year. Rookie camp continues next week.
In the rumor world, it seems that the Pens do not seem to be in the race for Carter any more. Otherwise, I haven't heard much of anything. More as I find it...

Malkin's contract

Hey pens fans,
Malkin's base salary in the 3 year deal will be $984,2000, plus incentives that could be worth $2.85 million per season. It is thought that the incetives are structured much like Ovechkin's contract..

Malkin

Hey pens fans,
Word is it's a 3 year deal...

Malkin Signed!

Hey pens fans,
It appears as though the Malkin saga is coming to a close. Malkin has been signed, but I have not found specifics on the deal, but will post them when and if they become available.

Hockey Boot Camp?

Hey pens fans,
This season the Penguins will do something a little different at training camp. The Pens are spending 4 days at West Point. They will go through classroom sessions, as well as physical ones. The hope is they will learn to work as a team.
Also, the Pens have reached a player transfer agreemet with Edmonton, who will now have players playing in Wilkes-Barre Scranton. Most of the team will still be made up of Penguin prospects.

All Settled

Hey pens fans,
Well, the move is complete. At least yeaterday was a slow day for the Pens nothing happened yesterday. Early this morning, I was hearing a resurgance or the Carter to Pittsburgh rumor, but nothing new or definite. More as I hear it...

Moving

Hey pens fans,
Just to let you know, I am moving tomorrow, back to campus that is. I may not be posting as fast as Inlike if somethhing breaks, but I will get it up, as fast as I can. After that it should be back to normal.

more personnel moves by shero

Hey pens fans,
In addition to Ray Shero's oter staff editions of earlier he also filled the following jobs.

The new athletic trainer is Chris Stewart, who was with the Stnaley Cup Champion Hurricanes last season.

Dana Heinze was named equipment manager and has spent the last 6 years as the assistant equipment manager in Tampa Bay.

Frank Buonomo was named director of team services.

Travis Ramsay is now the team's video coordinator.

Dan MacKinnon and Bill O'Flaherty were named pro scouts and Jim Madigan was hired as an amateur scout.

Shero hires

Hey pens fans,
Pens GM Ray Shero has hired Jay Heinbuck as their new Director of Amateur Scouting and Dan Bylsma as an assistant coach for the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. Looks like he is starting fill all those starts from his mass firing earlier. ALso, it seems unlikely that Dumont will end up a Penguin, as was previously thought to be likely. Ther Anson Carter saga is still unresolved and no word on if the Pens still show interest or are in the running. More as I find it...

New Look

Hey pens fans,
Well, it took me long enough, but I finally finished the redesign of the site. It had to be black and gold for our pens. Also, check out a new feature, the Penshockey Poll, to your right. This is where I will poll you, the readers, with questions about our Pens or anyhthing else hockey. So, go ahead and vote. Please, feel free to let me know what you think of the new look, the poll, or anythig else involving the Pens.

Winger Rumor

Hey pens fans,
Well, the rumor is that the Pens are looking for a winger, whih one is a little harder to narrow down. I am hearing names from Bondra to Dvorak and just about anyone else who is still available. The Pens looking for a solid winger is a sensible possibility based on our currenet roster, but who is up in the air. If I narrow it down any better I will let you know, but for now Dvorak is looking to be most likely, but on a scale of 1-10 I wold put tis at about a 3. So...

Penner/Malkin

Hey pens fans,
The Pens have signed free agent goalie Andrew Penner, who appeared in 40 games for the Syracuse Crunch of the AHL lat season, posting a 20-12-1 record with a 3.25 goals against average and one shutout.
Also, Shero has officially made a statement on Malkin saying he is now in the US. No Shit!

The Malkin Story

Hey pens fans,
Well, Malkin in now in the LA Area, and here is what his agents said has happened in the past few days, as it appeared in the Pittsburgh Post Gazette.

Malkin surfaces in Los Angeles
Russian's former hockey team calls his letter of resignation 'crude falsification'
Friday, August 18, 2006By Chuck Finder, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Russian hockey player Evgeni Malkin, surfaced yesterday, fittingly on an ice rink -- in Los Angeles alongside NHL players -- and apparently poised to sign, seal and deliver his services to the Penguins by month's end. Yet the latest plot twist in his global hockey melodrama unfolded half a world away, over a fax machine in his air-polluted steeltown home of Magnitogorsk.
Gennady Velichkin, head of the Metallurg Magnitogorsk team from which the player he called "a national treasure" fled last weekend, told Russian media yesterday that the contract termination sent the team was so unacceptable that the club's lawyer tossed it into the trash.
Mr. Velichkin added that the faxed, handwritten letter, part of the two-week's notice required under Russian law to void a contract, was a "crude falsification" bearing a signature that didn't resemble the one on the deal Mr. Malkin, 20, signed, reputedly under duress, in the wee hours of Aug. 7.
"They would take his signature at 3 in the morning on a contract, but not on a letter of resignation?" joked Ronald Brand, the director of Pitt's Center for International Law Education and an internationally noted expert in foreign court judgments.
So begins the next leg of the ongoing Malkin saga, which may see him end up in court before he plays for the Penguins.
"I'd be surprised," said Downtown attorney Dennis Unkovic, an international-law specialist who isn't involved in this case, "if this doesn't have to be negotiated out, as opposed to just walking away from the contract. It's one thing if you're working on an assembly line. But these [young hockey stars] are very specialized people with the potential of damages. [Metallurg officials] are probably looking for a cash settlement."
NHL Executive Vice President and chief legal officer Bill Daly echoed that notion, pointing to Moscow Dynamo's litigation against Washington Capitals star Alexander Ovechkin, who was drafted immediately before No. 2 Malkin in the 2004 draft. A U.S. District Court judge last January ruled in favor of Mr. Ovechkin, who, differently from Mr. Malkin, didn't have an enforceable contract in place with his Russian team.
"I think the cases have factual differences," Mr. Daly said in an e-mail interview. "But the themes are similar -- the players both want to play in the National Hockey League, and the Russian clubs are trying to extort large sums of money to allow them to play here." The Russian Hockey Federation has declined the past two years to sign the international player trade agreement between the NHL and other foreign countries, mostly because many team officials there contend players like Mr. Malkin should earn them much more than the $200,000 guaranteed in that deal.
Mr. Daly added that NHL officials and attorneys would become involved in any potential Malkin litigation, the same as they did with Mr. Ovechkin "although we weren't named as a party. We felt there were league interests involved, and we wanted to advance and protect league interests. It would be premature to speculate what might happen here, but it's certainly possible that league interests will be implicated again."
Agent J.P. Barry, who was there to greet Mr. Malkin in Finland and begin the cloak-and-dagger escape plan across three continents, told Canadian media that he and co-agent Pat Brisson aim to have their client in Penguins training camp on time next month.
"Hopefully, he'll be able to go to Pittsburgh in a few weeks," he told the TSN network in Canada. "As far as we're concerned, the two-week notice is the next area that we'd look into in the next little while. He could very well sign after that. Or we could look into different circumstances the past month." He didn't specify, though those circumstances likely involve the pressured negotiations Aug. 7 and two written attempts to terminate Mr. Malkin's existing Metallurg contracts.
In the first interviews piecing together this tale of foreign intrigue, Mr. Barry told TSN that the L.A.-based agents were contacted Aug. 5 by Mr. Malkin, two days before he re-signed with Metallurg and amid the firing of his previous agent, Don Meehan, after two months and rehiring the Barry-Brisson firm. He asked one of them to meet him in Finland, where Metallurg would land en route to a tournament. Mr. Barry said Metallurg team officials withheld Mr. Malkin's passport for most of the past month, and immigration at the Finland airport would be the first chance he would have to get it back.
Mr. Barry whisked him into seclusion at an undisclosed apartment -- "we have some Finnish friends who helped us out." They awaited visa clearance from the U.S. Embassy in Helsinki. That visa arrived Wednesday, he said. Two hours later, the player and agent boarded a flight to America.
The crux of the case remains the document signed Aug. 7 in Magnitogorsk.
"The Russian labor code is the applicable law, and it's a matter of the contract between Malkin and who he played for," said Kirk Junker, director of international programs and assistant professor with the Duquesne University law school. "He may have agreed to all sorts of things" under not only the jurisdiction of Metallurg, but possibly the Russian Hockey Federation as well.
Neither the U.S. nor Russian governments can legally get involved. It's strictly a labor case, in which his Russian team could seek an injunction to delay Mr. Malkin's Penguins debut or seek an arbitration settlement against the player, which would be enforceable to a degree in U.S. courts.
"Incidentally, according to the law, he is obliged to work at least those two weeks, and he ... has been shirking [such responsibilities] for five days," Mr. Velichkin contended.
In the meantime, Mr. Barry said, Mr. Malkin skated yesterday with NHL star Rob Blake and others on an El Segundo, Calif., rink that the L.A. Kings use as their practice facility.
For the first time in this five-day saga for Mr. Malkin, the Penguins commented yesterday in a statement by new General Manager Ray Shero: "We have been informed by Evgeni Malkin's agents that Evgeni is now in the United States. At the appropriate time, we look forward to sitting down with Evgeni and his representatives to discuss what can be a very bright future with the Pittsburgh Penguins."

more on Malkin

Hey pens fans,
Well, Malkin is suposed to be in the Pittsburgh area sometime today. There is a rumor going around that Montreal has made an offer of 4 players and a draft pick, for him, but everywhre I turn it is a differnet 4 players. I do not think the Penguins will go for the deal. currently, the plae that sews the Pens Jerseys is making Malkin Jerseys for the upcoming season. Inclding, the ones to be sold to the fans. In my opinon, the Penguins would not invest the money in this if dealini him was a serious possibility. More as I hear it...

More on Malkin

Hey pens fans,
Well, Malkin was in Toronto and he is now alleged to be in an undisclosed loation inn the United States. That is all I know, at the moment. More, as I hear it...

The Malkin Saga Continues/rumor

Hey pens fans,
Well, Malkin is somewhere between North America and finland. Hopefully, it all turns out for him. This is what the General Director of his Russian Club had to say, as it appeared on TSN's website. ''We all are really shocked by his departure and we will take legal actions against the NHL club Penguins from Pittsburgh,'' Metallurg general director Gennady Velichkin told Itar-Tass news agency. ''Americans like to speak about democracy and teach the whole world how to live but engage in sport terrorism and simply steal people.'' So, now we steal people? At least we weren't threatening him to play in our country. This will be going on for a while, I supose...
As for the rumor, the Pens have a shot at Carter. More as I get it...

Malkin

Hey pens fans,
Evgeni Malkin landed in Finland with his Russian hockey team, Metallurg Magnitogorsk. Malkin took his belongings and passport. He has not been located since. It has been heard that he is heading for North America, possibly Canada. Other sources have said that Russia has been putting intense pressure on his family and their business. I do not know exactly what or to what extent, but Malkin is MIA, at the moment.

Pens Sign Connor James/Rumor

Hey pens fans,
The Pittsburgh Penguins have signed free agent right wing Connor James, who appeared in 77 games with the Manchester Monarchs of the AHL during the 2005-06 season and recorded 42 points (17+25).

Also, it is rumored that we may be a possibility, but not the favorite for Dumont and we are still in it for yannic perrault.

Malkin

Hey pens fans,
Well, it looks like Malkin may not be in the NHL this season afterall. Reports are saying that he has signed a new one year deal to replace his 2 year deal with his Russia club.

Fleury

Hey pens fans,
Well, I know I just got back from vacation, but I went on a bit of an impromtu camping trip this weekend. While I was gone, the Pens have resigned Marc-Andre Fleury to a 2 year deal.

Announcer/signings/Russia/Rumors/WBS coach

Hey pens fans,
Well, longtime Penguinns annoucer Mike Lange, who was recently fired by fox sport, will be doing gthe play-byplay on the radio this upcoming season with Phil Bourque doing the color commentary. Paul Steigerrwald is doing the tv play-by-play with Bob Errey doing thhe color.

The Penguins have signed Libor Pivko to a one-year contract. Pivko spent last season with the Milwaukee Admirals of the American Hockey playing in 69 games. He recorded 70 points (12+58) and 63 penalty minutes.

The Penguins have also signed Alain Nasreddine to a one-year contract. He had appeared in 71 games during the 2005-06 regular season with the Penguins’ American Hockey League affiliate, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, recording 12 assists and 71 penalty minutes.

Evegeni Malkin, might just make it to the NHL for the upcoming season after all. After Russia rejected the IIHF transfer agreement, it looked as though all hope was lost. The good news is Russia has a old law on the books that the employee of any company can submit a letter of resignation and a notice of 2 weeks to leave their job. Malkin has sent such a letter to his Russian club. Now we can assume that they will try to stop this and try to change the law, or at least challenge it or try to sue the Penguins or somthing actition. they will not let him go easily, but thhis mighgt just be te loop hole we have been lookinig for.

Rumor has it that the Pens are still in the Yanic Perreault hunt. It is "likely he will become a Penguin," as one source put it.

The Penguins have also named a new head coach for their AHL affiliate in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. Todd Richards has been named coach. He has spet the lasat 4 seasons as asn assistant coach for the Milwaukee Admirals.

That's it for now...

Shero cleans out the staff

Hey pens fans,
well, there is one thing I forgot to post in my hurrie dpost last night. Shero went on a bit of a firing spree. He fired Gilles Lefebvre (goaltending coach), who was replaced by Gilles Meloche. He fired Rick Kehoe (Scout), Steve Latin (equipment manager), Paul Flati (assistant equiptment manager), and Scott Johnson (assistant trainer). Latin had been with the Pens for 18 years and Kehoe for 31 years. Also, just a reminder in case you missed it scout, Greg Malone left the Pens for Phoenix. That is a lot of vacancies for Shero to fill and don't forget Meloche's scouting position needs filled too.

I'm back and did I pick one Hell of a Time to go on vacation.

Hey pens fans,
Well, the Pens have been busy recently. I guess I will just run it down item by item.

Malone was awarded a two year deal with salaries of $1.3 million for 2006-07 and $1.45 million for 2007-08.

Dominic Moore to a two year deal.

Sold! Well, a group led by Sam Fingold has signend a letter of intennt to buy the Penguins. I am taking that to mean that as long as all the i's are dotted and the t's are crossed and the money comes though, they are sold.

Gilles Meloche has been named goaltendinig coach, he has held this position with the team before along with also haveing bee a scout with the club.

I think that is it for now. If I missed anythting I will add to it later, but I have only been home for 2 hours, so please cut me some slack.

More as I hear it...

I'm off

Hey pens fans,
Well, I am leaving for vacation soon and as far as I know, I won't have access to the internet, but I am working on that. If I dono't get it this is my last post until I get back, but I am going to try to find a way to update, if not I will post a full recap when I get back.

It's Official

Hey pens fans,
The Penguinns have offically announced that Mark Recchi has been signed and will return to Pittsburgh for the upcoming season.

Petrovicky/Recchi

Hey pens fans,
The Pens have signed free agent right wing Ronald Petrovicky, who spent last season with Atlanta. TSN is reporting that Recchi has signed a deal with the Penguins. I have also heard this from other credible sources, but the PEns have not officially announced it.

Busy Pens

Hey pens fans,
Well, the Pens have signed free agent defenseman Matt Carkner to a one-year deal. He spent last season with Cleveland of the AHL. Avoiding arbitration, the Pens have re-signed defenseman Brooks Orpik to a two-year contract. Rumor- Recchi is coming back to Pittsburgh. On a side note sorry my posts are a bit delayed. I was having some technical problems, which I think are all fixed now.

Wade Skolney

Hey pens fans,
The Penguins have signed defenseman Wade Skolney, who played for the Philly Phantoms of the AHL last season.

Colby Armstrong

Hey pens fans,
The Pens resigned Armstrong.

trade/signing

Hey pens fans,
ThePenguins have acquired left wing Nils Ekman and goaltender prospect Patrick Ehelechner from the San Jose Sharks in exchange for a 2007 second round draft choice. The Pittsburgh Penguins have signed center Joe Jensen, their eighth-round draft pick in 2003.

Trade

Hey pens fans,
Sorry, I didn't see this coming at all. the Pens acquired Dominic Moore and Libor Pivko from the Nashville Predators on Wednesday for a third-round pick in next year's draft.

What the $%#@!

Hey pens fans,
Well, at tleast that is what I though when I heard the news. Sorry, no huge Pens scoop, but what is going on with the Islanders? This is confusing me to no end. Most of you have probably heard about the abrupt firing of their GM Neil Smith, after only being on the job or about 6 weeks. Then in the same day, how at thee time goalie, Garth Snow retired to take the GM job. I am not sure about many things, regarding this.
1. Why was Smith fired? He was barley their long enough to impact anything. I know is has been said that the problems involved him feeling like he didn't have control, but is is bizarre.
2. Why Garth Snow? This is even more puzzling. He has no GM experience. Up until a few days ago he was slated o be the back up goalie. Why would they take him, when there are moree than a few qualified guys out there for the job, including former Penguin GM Craig Patrick and possibly even Pat Quinn.
This is just strange...

I'm back/New Assistant GM

Hey pens fans,
Well, I have returned from my trip to Toronto. It was great. The Hocey Hall of Fame is somelace every fan should go at some point. It has a lot of great stuff about the game annd from great players. It could also make for a fun day, because it is just a good place to meet a geat group of hockey fans. All day I heard parents telling their kids about the greats of the past. It was really special. I also had the opportunity to go to Niagra Falls, whish was really amazing to see. Believe me the pictures do not do it justice. I also had the accomplish ment of eating in 2 Hard Rock Cafe's in one day. that was unique.
Well, on to the Pens new assistant GM, Chuck Fletcher. He was previously with both Florida and Aneheim over te past 13 years, serving as Assistant General Manager, Director of Hockey Operations and Interim General Manager during that time. Eddie Johnston, who was the Penguins Assistant GM will remain with the team as the Senior Advisor/Hockey Operations.

not much/bon voyage

Hey pens fans,
Well, not much is going on with the Pens. Did you hear that Onorato now says he a plan to get the Pens an arena? Well, if that isn't convieniant. I do not have any details on his plan other than he claims to have one. I know he does not favor the Isle of Capri plan. Also, the mayor of Las Vegas said he would like to have the team move to Vegas. I do not see this happening, at least not under the current circumstances, but if things change...

On a more pleasant note, I am finally doing what all hockey fans should do once in their lifetime. I am going to Toronto this weekend on my "Pilgrimage" to the Hall of Fame. I will be gone over the weekend, so if anything happens please post it as a comment to keep people up to date. this is probably my last post until I get back, unless something breaks in the next 24 hours.

Response to a comment

Hey pens fans,
Yes, I have heard that Mark Recchi is looking to come backc to Pittsburgh. Mark, though not that young, is a fan favorite. He doesn not play at the caliber he once did, but compared to a lot of guys is still good. As, much as I like Recchi and remember all the great moments with him from the past, I think it may not be in the Pens best interest to bring him back, whe we are building for the future and his time is the NHL is numbered. I like Mark alot, I'm just not sure he fits into the overall plan for the Pens. If he comes back the fans will love it from a nostalgic standpoint, but don't look for him to carry the team to the cup or anything.

Rumor - Yanic Perreault

Hey pens fans,
Rumor has it that the Pens are very much in the hunt for Yanic Perreault. Last I heard, the Pens are one of just a few teams that he has spoken to. Some sources are saying that the Pens may be one of the front runners, but time will tell. That's it for now...

Pens Ink Jarkko Ruutu / player profile

Hey pens fans,
Jarkko Ruutu was signed by the Penguins. He is listed as a winger, but he has also played defense. He will earn 1.15 million dollars this upcoming season. Ruutu is 31 years old anad is from Helsinki, Finland. He is 6'2" and weighs 208 pounds. He asplayed in 267
career regular season NHL games, scoring 23 goals and 28 assists for a total of 51 points. He has also recorded 453 and his plus/minus is -20.

Ruutu Rumor

Hey pens fans,
I have heard this from a few places, but I am not sure how likely it really is. I am hearing that the Pens are very interested in Jarkko Ruutu and may even be close to a deal. I have heard his name with the Pens from multiple places, but each has a differnt version as to how far along a deal could be or if it is just that one party is interested in the other, but it is a definite possiblility and fairly probable.

Player Profile- Mark Eaton

Hey pens fans,
Here's what's what with the Pens latest Free Agent acquisition Mark Eaton.

Eaton is 29 years old and from Wilmington, DE. He is 6'2" and weighs 212. He is a left-handed shot and is a defenseman. He was a Nashville Predator for the last 5 season and previous to that he was with the Flyers for one. He has played in 313 NHL regular season games, in which he has accumulated 16 goals and 31 assists for 47 points. He has a career plus/minus of +11 and has 138 penelty minutes. Next season, according to the NHLPA website, he is slated to earn 1.6 million dollars.

Here's the details on Vandenbussche's arrest

Hey pens fans,
Sorry the link didn't work here is the story from the Hamilton Spectator's website.
"NHL player in jail after assaulting cops in southern Ontario
TURKEY POINT, Ont. (CP) - A former Pittsburgh Penguins right-winger was Tasered and pepper-sprayed by police after allegedly assaulting three officers in a late-night brawl in southern Ontario.
Police say Ryan VandenBussche, who is now a free agent, hit one officer near the left eye, smacked another in the left ear, and tried to strike a third early Monday.
Police also allege VandenBussche threatened the life of one officer after the altercation outside a hotel in Turkey Point, Ont., southwest of Hamilton.
Ontario Provincial Police Const. Mark Foster says VandenBussche "apparently came to the rescue of a friend" who was being arrested.
VandenBussche, who lives in Norfolk County, south of London, Ont., is charged with three counts of assaulting a peace officer.
The 33-year-old is also charged with obstructing and/or resisting a peace officer, and uttering a threat to cause death or bodily harm.
He will be held in custody in a Brantford, Ont., jail until Thursday."
© The Canadian Press, 2006

Pens name Andre Savard Assistant Coach

Hey pens fans,
Savard has numerous years of experience throught the league in coaching, scouting, and team management. Most recently he has been with Montreal as an assistant GM. He will join Mike Yeo on Therrien's coaching staff.

Pens Sign Mark Eaton

Hey pens fans,
The Pens signed Mark Eaton to a 2 year deal. This seems to be a good addition to our lineup. Eaton, who played the last 5 years in Nashville, will be a good guy to hav on the blueline, where th pens where definetly lackin last season. Also, as for the rumor about Ryan VandenBussch and his arrest last night, I still trying to find out more and have not heard it elsewhere yet, but will let you alll know if I find out more...

Thoughts on the Pens

Hey pens fans,
To reply to a comment on Mike Lange's firing...
I agree with your sentiments entirely. Mike has been a part of hockey in Pittsburgh for such a long time. His trademark phrases made listening to him a part of hockey. Penguins Fans are going to miss him and I know it will never be the same without him. Once, when I was in my early teens, I was fortunate enough to get to meet Mike Lange. He is Penguins hockey and he could not have been a better guy to talk to the fans that that. I hope that he will seriously consider taking the radio position that I have heard he was offered. It would be hard to find, as loyal fans somewhere else. Mike thanks for the memories, but don't leave us yet.

As for the start of the free agency signings, the Pens have been silent. that have not made any offical moves and not only have I not heard a credible rumor, I have not heard a rumor at all involving our pens or any of the players we could loose. I do have to say that I was a bit surprised by the players we did not make qualifying offers to, but after I thought about it for a while it wasn't quite, as much of a shock.

Hopefully, the pens make some moves to build up out roster. I am lloking for us to get a solid defenseman and of course to finally get Malkin out of Russia, but only time will tell.

More as I hear it...

Mike Lange Fired by FSN

Hey pens fans,
Longtime Penguins announcer Mike Lange has been fired by FSN, who carries the Pens games locally here in Pittsburgh. He will be replacd by radio announcer Paul Steigerwald. There is speculation that Lange will take the vacancy left by Steigerwald on the radio, but that is not confirmed.

Hall of Fame

Hey pens fans,
Patrick Roy, Dick Duff, Herb Brooks, and Harley Hotchkiss will be inducted into the Hall Of Fame.

Qualifying offers

Hey pens fans,
The Penguuins have made Qualifying gOffers to the following players Colby Armstrong, Ryan Malone, Niklas Nordgren, Jani Rita, Brooks Orpik, and Marc-Andre Fleury.

The Penguins did not make offers to Ben Eaves, Andy Hilbert, Krystofer Kolanos, Konstantin Koltsov, Cam Paddock, Tomas Surovy, Petr Taticek, Drew Fata, Alexandre Rouleau, Andy Schneider, and Andy Chiodo, who will all become unrestricted free agents.

Draft Day part 2

Hey pens fans,
The Pittsburgh Penguins selectd the following players in the 2006 entry draft.
Round 1 (2nd overall) Jordan Staal, c, Peterborough (OHL).
Round 2 (32nd overall) Carl Sneep, d, Brainerd (Minn.) H.S.
Round 3 (65th overall) Brian Strait, d, U.S. National Under-18 (NTDP).
Round 5 (125th overall) Chad Johnson, g, University of Alaska-Fairbanks (CCHA).
Round 7 (185th overall) Timo Seppanen, d, IFK (Finland).

Draft Day

Hey pens fans,
The Pens chose Jordan Staal withh the second overall pick in this years entry draft. Staal is the brother of Carolina's Eric Staal. More info on the Pens draft day will come later...

Crosby Misses Out on the Calder/NHL Awards

Hey pens fans,
Well, Sidney Crosby did not win the Calder Trophy, which was won by Alexander Ovechkin of the Washington Capitals. The Hart Trophy went Joe Thornton of the San Jose Sharks. Rod Brind'Amour of the Stanley Cup Champion Hurricanes won the Frank Selke Trophy. The Buffalo Sabres' Lindy Ruff won the Jack Adam's Award. Calgary Flames goaltender Miikka Kiprusoff won the Vezina Trophy. Nicklas Lidstrom of the Red Wings won the Norris Trophy. Pavel Datsyuk, also of the Red Wings, won the Lady Byng Trophy. Anaheim Ducks right wing Teemu Selanne received the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy. San Jose's onathan Cheechoo won his first Maurice "Rocket" Richard Trophy. The Capital's Olaf Kolzig accepted the King Clancy Memorial Trophy.

Canes win the Cup

Hey pens fans,
The staley Cup Champions are the Carolina Hurricanes. This was an exciting series to watch and both teams played well. Congrats to former Pen Mark Recchi for winning the Cup. Now the season is over and the off season is set to be an active one. I will post all transactions and all the rumors, as soon as I hear them. Remember, the draft is on Saturday and I will have a post on how the Pens faired after its over.

Morozov

Hey pens fans,
Former Penguin Aleksey Morozov is expected to be back in the NHL this coming season after playing in Europe.

not much/finals

Hey pens fans,
Well, there is not much going on for the pens right now. As for the finals, it is down to edmonton and carolina. I may be getting ahead of myself, but my pick are the hurricanes.

Pens Hire GM

Hey pens fans,
Sorry, this post is later than I wannted it to be, but I worked late. Today, Ken Sawyer announced the Penguins had hired Ray Shero, as the new General Manager. It is said to be a 5 year deal. He has been the assistnat GM in Nashville for 8 years with GM David Poile. Previously he was the GM in Ottawa for 6 years, starting when it was in its 2nd season after its expansion.

Possible GM Candidates

Hey pens fans,
The Hawks' director of player personnel Rick Dudley, Nashville Asst. GM Ray Shero, Ottawa Asst. GM Peter Chiarelli, Detroit Asst. GM Jim Nill and Vancouver Asst. GM Steve Tambellini. Dallas pro scout John Weisbrod is also said to be interested. That's about it in the world of the Pens for now.

Tyler Kennedy

Hey pens fans,
The Pens have signed Tyler Kennedy, a 2004 draft pick. Here is the link to the official press release. http://pittsburghpenguins.com/team/press/arts/1887.0.php

Arena News

Hey pens fans,
The only thing that I have heard is that Harrrah's is possibly saying that they will back Governor Rendell's Plan B, to keep the Pens in town. Personally, I think Isle of Capri has a much better plan, but they are not in the front running from what I am hearing. More people need to speak out if we want this done for our Penguins. Go to my links and click on Pittsburgh First for info and how to contact the governor. The fans need to speak speak out. It is really now or never guys.

GM Hunt/Malkin

Hey pens fans,
Three names have surfaced as possible candidates to replace Craig Patrick as GM. They are John Weisbrod, worked in the IHL and then became a GM in the NBA, Neil smith, who was the GM of the Rangers for eleven years, and Brent Sutter, who is one of the sutter borhters who played in the NHL. He also is the owner/coach of the Red Deer Rebels of the Western Hockey League. Now relating to Malkin. Famed goalie Vladislav Tretiak has recently been elected head of the Russian Ice Hockey Federation. This makes the possiblility of Malkin being her even better. His is more for the transfer agreement between the NHL and theInternational Ice Hockey Federation than his predecessor, Alexander Steblin was. this is good news for Malkin. Russia is currently the only European hockey-playing nation who has not signed this agreement.

A Season in Review - Penguins Report Cards Part 3

Hey pens fans,
The report cards continue...

Rob Scuderi- This season he played in 57 games recording 4 assists. He was -18 and had 36 penelty minutes. This was not a stellar season for him at all. We need more of an impact from him. Being -18 is a bad thing for any player, especially a defenseman. His offensive out put was not great, though I did not expect it to be. I would like to see him net a goal here or there though. His play needs to be more consistent. Defensively, the team needs to perform better and that will mean more puck possession for the offense. He needs to improve. Grade- D

Andre Roy- After being acquired in the offseason, Roy was looking to be a good fit for this team, that showed so much promise. I was excited when we acquired him. Roy played in 42 games this year recording 3 points (2 goals and 1 assist). He had 116 penelty minutes and he was -3. I did not expect him to have a large scoring impact and he played true to that. He played well, or the most part. Roy is not a goal scorer. He is more of a grinding player who works hard and tries to get it to the guys who score. It bothers me that this did not work that well, with him having only 1 assist. He stands up for himslef and teammates and is not afraid to take a punch, which is admirable. He doesn't win most toff his fights. I think he has potential with the team and if not injured like this year cold b a good fit for the future. Grade- C

Eric Cairns- He played in 50 games this year and had 1 goal and 1 assist for 2 points. He was +1, whichch is quite surprising and he had 124 penelty minutes. Cairns had little impact on the games. He is not a scorer or a great defensive player. He in an enforcer, a tough guy. Each team needs one, but it would be nice if they had another attribute as well. He did what is was suposed to well, but I wish he was a more well rounded player. I don't know how long he will be here, but he played the role of the tough guy thug well. Grade- C

Ryan Vandenbussche- This season he played in 20 games and scored 1 goal and had 42 penelty minutes. His performance was disappointing this season. I think we need moreout of him if he wants to continue to play in Pittsburgh. His future is undetermined. Grade- F

Lyle Odelein- He played in 27 games this year and had 1 assist. He is -10 and had 50 penelty minutes. His play disappointin and we need more from him. As a defensman, he should have a better plus/minus than that and he needs to step it up and play consistently. Grade- F

Marc- Andre Fleury- This year Fleury played in 50 games and for a good portion of the yearwas the undisputed #1 goalie. His record was 13-27-6. That's bad, but it isn't all his fault we have no defense. He came up big for us in the clutch and made great saves. His GAA is 3.25 and a Save % of .898. These are not great numbers, but considering the season the Pens had it is not bad at all. Grade- B

Sebastien Caron- This season he played in 26 games and went 8-9-5. That was pretty good cconsidering th performance of the team of the as a whole. His GAA is 3.98 and his Save % is .881. He played fairly well, but needs improvement. Grade- C-

Jocelyn Thibault- This season he played i 16 games before missing the remainder of the season witha hip injury. His GAA was 4.46 and his save % was .876. He played in few games, ut his performace was bad and inconsistent. His record was 1-9-3. I think Thibault is past his prime and his days in the NHL are numbered, unless he comes back from the injury completely revitalized. Otherwise... Grade- F

This concludes the report cards. In case you were wondring the team average is between a D and C-.

A Season in Review - Penguins Report Cards Part 2

Hey pens fans,
Here is part 2 of the report cards.

Jani Rita- This season he played in in 51 games recoding 10 points (6 goals and 4 assists). He was also -6. To be honest, on a game to game basis I never really saw any impact from him, but I did not notice anything overtly bad either. I think he needs to to more to make an impact and get himself recognized. Grade- D

Konstantin Koltsov- He showed promise earlier on in the season, but it fell off fast and nevere seemed to return. This year he played in 60 games recording 9 points (3 goals and 6 assists). He was -10 and had 20 penelty minutes. Well, I can't complain about his penelties. His play was not great and his plus/minus was a reflection of that. He needs to step it up or his future is looking dim. Grade- D

Brooks Orpik- He played in 64 games this year and recorded 9 points ( 2 goals and 7 assists). e was -3 and had 124 penelty minutes. Brooks was one of the more consistent defenseman we had the season. He played, for the most part, the same night in and night out. At times, there was a little extra spark and that elevated his play. Overall, this was a pretty good season for him. Grade- B

Niklas Nordgren- To be frannk, I do no think he will be in Pittsburgh next season. He waws acquired in the Recchi trade. I have wondered, since the transaction why we wanted him and have yet to figure it out.This season he played in 58 games and had 6 points. Grade- F

Matt Murley- This season he played in 41 games recording 6 points (1 goal and 5 assists), 24 penelty minutes, and was -9. I think that Murley has potential to be a much more productive player offensively and with time I think he will improve and settle into his role. He needs to work on puck possession. He played pretty good this season and should be able to improve if he ontinues on this track. Grade- C

Noah Welch- This season Noah only played in 5 games for the Pens after being called up from Wilkes-Barre. In that short time he recorded 4 points (1 goal and 3 assists). He played well in the few games he played in. I think he shows a lot of promise. I do think it is unfair to grade him without him playing in at least 15 games. Grade- Incomplete

To be continuted in the next edition...

A Season in Review - Penguins Report Cards Part 1

Hey pens fans,
As we all know, this was not the most stellar season for the Penguins, but there were some bright spots. We have seen what the players can do ans now it is time to evaluate and regroup for next year. This is my attempt at doing so. Feel free to disagree and let me know if you do, but this is how I have graded the Penguins.

Report Cards

Sidney Crosby- He was one of the bright spots in and otherswise mundane season of problems. He finished his rookie season with an impressive 102 points (39 goals and 83 assists). Crosby played in 81 of the Penguins 82 regular season games this year. He had 110 Penelty Minutes and was -1 on the year. We have just seen what this kid can really do. Sidney played extremely well this season. He had to deal with being singled out a lot in the games and he stood up for himself, when he needed to. Crosby can not only score goals he sets up some great plays for his teammates. Overall, I don't think we could have asked for any more from Sidney. He will definetly be a forcec in the coming years. Grade- A+

Sergei Gonchar- I am very conflicted by the season Gonchar had. He finished as the second leadig scorer for the Penguins behind Crosby, with 58 points (12 goals and 46 assists). He was also -13 on the year, which is not a good thing. He played in 75 games this season. His performance was hot and cold. At times, he played well, and at times he was somewhere else altogether. Gonchar made some beutiful plays, but he made even more dumb mistakes and showed a lack of effort through a good portion of the season. I think is, if nothing else, the most overpaid player we have. I was not impressed with his performance. It was good, by some standards, but I expected more of an impact and less mistakes from a veteran of his skill. Grade- D

John LeClair- He finished the season with 51 points (22 goals and 29 assists). LeClair played in 73 games for the Penguins this season. When it came to scoring he did right around, what I expected from him. He is still a great player. The only thing that concerns me is the fact that he is -24 on the season, which is bad. LeClair seemed to play well. He is not as fast, as he once was, but he is still a consistent player. He plays night in and night out. The entire team had a problem with giving up the puck on bad turnovers this season and he was not exception. I wish I could grade him higher for all the good things he contributed this year, especially his leadership. Grade- C+

Ryan Malone- He played in 77 games this year and had 44 points (22 goals and 22 assists). Malone played well thhis year. His offensive output was better than I expected and he made a real contribution to the team. He was -22. That is not good. I know I am starting to sound like a brokenn record, but this team gave up too amny turnovers and could not seem to gain or to keep control of the puck. Game after game it was the same problem and Malone is no exception to this. The entire team needs to work on it. Grade- C+

Colby Armstrong- This season Colby played in 47 games for the Penguins. He scored 40 points (16 goals and 24 assists). He also acumulated 40 penelty minutes. One thing about Colby is that he is not afaraid to play the body. He will take a hit for the team and dish them out as well. Colby had 58 penelty minutes. He finished the season +15, which makes him one of the few players not to be a minus. He is the highest plus we had. He played very well and managed to score a more than respectable amount of points in the games he played. Next year, if he continues to play this way, could see him in the NHL full time. Grade- B+

Ryan Whitney- For a defenseman, he put up some pretty good offensive numbers with 38 points (6 goals and 32 assists), in 68 games. Ryan had 85 penelty minutes. This season was a pretty good one from Whitney though he was -7, which is not great, but compared to the rest of the team, it was not all that bad either. I think he has a lot of promise and if he keeps it up, he could become a major part of this team in the future. Grade- B-

Michel Ouellet- This season he played in 50 games for the Penguins recording 32 points (16 goals and 16 assists). Michel was -13 on the year. He also accumulated 16 penelty minutes. One thing I think he needs to try to improve on is his even strength play. The majority of his goals were on the power play, but he only had 5 even strength tallies this year. If he could improve on that number it would be great. His power play is pretty good and that is something he needs to keep doing and with time it should imprve as well. He played well this year and hopefully will only be better next year. Grade- C

Andy Hilbert- He was a good acquisition before the trade deadline and I was unexpectedly impressed by his play. Based on what little I knew of his skill previous to be acquired by the Penguins, his play was a pleasant surprise. I think he is a good fit for this organization. Hilbert played in 47 games, recording 27 points (12 goals and 15 assists). He finished the season +4 and had 38 penelty minutes. I think he is a solid player who ahs the potential be a very good two way player and we saw elements of that this year. If he continues to play this way, I think he has a good future here. Grade- C+

Tomas Surovy- This year he played in 53 games for the Penguins. He recorded 25 points (12 goals and 13 assists). He was also -13 this season. Yet, again we find another major disappointment in the +/- category. Surovy also had 45 penelty minutes. His performance was not horrible, but it was not great either. The thing he seems to be lacking is consistency. Each night, you do not know what to expect. If he performed well and contributed on a more consistent basis, he could be a much better player. Grade- D

Eric Boguniecki- This season he accumulated 10 points (6 goals and 10 assists), in 47 games. Eric was -3 on the seeason as well and recorded 33 minutes in penelties. Overall, his play was pretty good. I would to see a little more offense from him. I think that if he just shot the puck more he could get a few lucky bounces. He barely averaged over a shot per game. that is my main complaint. He works hard on the ice and seems to play about the same on a fairly consistent basis. Grade- D

Josef Melichar- This season was yet another season that I do not think he reahed his potential. He played in 72 games this year recording 15 points (3 goals and 12 assists). Melichar also had 66 penelty minutes and was -2. Overall his performance needs to be more consistent. If not, I think it is time for the Pens to move on. Grade- F

To be continued in another edition...

Draft Lottery Results

Hey pens fans,
The Pens have the 2nd pick in the upcoming entry draft. Today, the lottery took place for the 14 non playoff teams. The order is as follows:1. St. Louis Blues 2. Pittsburgh Penguins 3. Chicago Blackhawks 4. Washington Capitals 5. Boston Bruins 6. Columbus Blue Jackets 7. New York Islanders 8. Phoenix Coyotes 9. Minnesota Wild10. Florida Panthers11. Los Angeles Kings12. Atlanta Thrashers13. Toronto Maple Leafs14. Vancouver Canucks

Craig Patrick

Hey pens fans,
Well, the Penguins held a PRess Conference today at 12:30. It was announced that Craig Patrick's contract will not be renewed. He is stepping down as GM and VP. He has been with the Penguins for 17 years. The Penguins are searching for a new GM. Ken Sawyer is not naming any names as to who the replacement will be. Therrien will remain as head coach.

Pens Fall to Leafs to end the season

Hey pens fans,
The Pens lost their last game of fthe season tonight, in Toronto. The final score was 5-3 Leafs. The Pens goals were as follows:
Sidney Crosby Assists: Colby Armstrong, Andy Hilbert
Colby Armstrong (Power Play) Assists: Sidney Crosby, Andy Hilbert
Ryan Malone Assists: Ryan Whitney, Eric Boguniecki
Sidney Crosby finishes the year with 102 points for his rookie season, which is quite an impressive triumph. This good be an interesting off season to see what happens withh the team and what will happen with Craig Patrick. Some sources seem to think it is unlikely he will return as GM. I will have the info here on all the Penguins moves as soon as I hear it. Hopefully, I will also be able to shed some light on what happened this season.

Pens defeat Isles in last home game/Crosby

Hey pens fans,
The Pens won 6-1. the goals were as follows:
Andy Hilbert (12), from Sidney Crosby and Ryan Whitney
Ryan Malone (20), from John LeClair
Tomas Surovy (12), from Sidney Crosby and Colby Armstrong
Ryan Malone 2 (21), from Sidney Crosby and John LeClair (Crosby's 100th Point)
Josef Melichar (3), from Konstantin Koltsov
Ryan Whitney (6), from Colby Armstrong and Brooks Orpik
Marc-Andre Fleury was in goal and stopped 26 of 27 shots.
The Pens final game of the season is Tomorrow in Toronto.
Congratulations Sidney Crosby on being the youngest player ever to reach 100 points!

Sidney Crosby becomes the youngest player to ever reach 100 points

Hey pens fans,
Sidney Crosby became the youngest playyer to reach 100 points tonight with an assit o Ryan Malone's 2nd goal of the game. Sidney Crosby is 18 years 7 months and 10 days old, according to my math.

Pens Fall to Islanders in Shootout

Hey pens fans,
Well, they came close tonight, but couldn't quite pull it off. The final score was 5-4 Islanders.
The Pens goals in regulation were:
Sergei Gonchar (12), from Ryan Malone and Eric Boguniecki
John LeClair (21), from Ryan Whitney and Sebastien Caron
John LeClair 2 (22), from Josef Melichar and Rob Scuderi
Andy Hilbert (11), from Colby Armstrong and John LeClair
Then in the shootout the pens scored multiple goals and it went in to extra shooters, but the the Islanders won. Sidney Crosby was held without a point. Scuderi went off in the OT. He appeared to be injured, but no word as to how seriously.

Pens Win!

Hey pens fans,
The Pens beat the New York Rangers by a score of 5-3 tonight at the Mellon Arena. The Penguin goals were as follows:
Ouellet assisted by Gonchar
Crosby assisted by Armstrong and Hilbert
Gonchar (PP) assisted by Whitney and Crosby
Armstrong (PP) assisted by Hilbert and Crosby
Armstrong assisted by Crosby and Whitney
The PEns have 3 games left this season.

Pens Fall to Flyers

Hey pens fans,
The Pens lost 4-3 tonight on the road in Philly. Ouelett, Whitney, and Crosby had the Pens goals. Yes, Crosby did play tonight after some speculation that he may not. Right now, the light at the end of the tunnel is that we only have 4 games left before the off season. Hopefully they will make some roster moves and regroup and return as te successful team we all hope for.

Crosby

Hey pens fans,
Well, first the good news, Sidney Crosby is now the youngest NHL player to reach 90 points. Now, the bad news, Crosby sat out the 2nd period of the last ame after getting a lower body injury, which is believed to be a leg injury. He is getting treatment ad is listed as day-to-day. there is no word, as to if he will moss ay of fthe Penguins remaining games.

So Close, Yet So Far - Pens Fall to Tampa Bay

Hey pens fans,
The Penguins played the Lightning on the road ini Tampa Bay tonight. Marc-Andre FLeury was in goal for the Pens. The final scorer was 1-0 Tampa. It was a close game and a hard lose for the thhe Pens as their season winds down. This win puts the Lightning into the 7th spot in the East.

The Pens Friday Night Win

Hey pens fans,
Sorry, this took so long to post. The Pens were on the road Friday against the Florida Panthers. The final score was 5-1 Pens. It was a strong game for our Pens. Sebatien Caron was in goal and stopped 36 of 37 shots for the win. Konstantin Koltsov opend up the soring in the first period with a shorthanded goal assisted by Gonchar and Malone. Soon after, Ryan Whitney scored on the power play assisted by Surovy and Crosby. In the second period, Ryan Malone scored shorthanded from Melichar and Crosby. Then Sidney Crosby netted one from Hilbert and Armstrong. The tird period had the Panthers' Jay Bouwmeester scoring their lone goal of the night. Then John LeClair scored on the power play from Crosby and Gonchar to round out the scoring. Sidney Ccrosby had 4 (1-3) points in that game. The Pens continue on the road into Tampa Bay to face the Lightning Satuday night.

Pens Fall to Devils

Hey pens fans,
Tonight, the Pens played the New Jersey Devils in New Jersey and lost by a score of 6-4. The goals were by Crosby, Hilbert (2), and Rita. Fleury was in goal. The Pens are continueing on there downward spiral and are still in the league cellar.

Pens Fall to Devils in OT

Hey pens fans,
The pens lost by a scorer 0f 2-3 in ovtime this afternoon at the Mellon Arena. Sidney Crosby and Ccolbyy Armstronog had the pens goals. The pens played a good game, but they lost it in the end after a questionable penelty call that resulted in a Devils Power Play that drove the game into overtime. Fleury played a strong game in goal for the pens tonight.

Pens Shutout Islanders

Hey pens fans,
The Pens played the New York Islanders at the Nassau Coliseum tonight. The final score was 4-0 Penguins. Sebastien Caron was in goal and made 29 saves for the shutout. The score was 1-0 after the first period. In the second period the Pens lit the lamp three times. Sergei Gonchar scored on the power play assited by Crosby and Hilbert. Then John LeClair scored assited by Malone and Koltsov. Nearing the end of the second period Sidney Crosby scored assisted by Hilbert and Armstrong. The Pens fourth goal came in the third period when Sergei Gonchar got his second of the night on the power play from Crosby and LeClair. So multiple Pens had a multiple point night. Gonchar with 2 goals, Crosby had a goal and 2 assists. Hilbert had 2 assists. Leclair had a goal and an assist. the pens return home to play Sunday afternoon at the Mellon Arena.

Pens Fall to Panthers

Hey pens fans,
The Pens lost 5-3 to the Panthers tonight. at the Mellon Arena LeClair, Hilbert and Koltsov each had goals for the Pens. As the season wraps up it doesn't appear to be getting much better for the Pens. They have ten games left in the season. Their next game is Friday on the road against the Islanders.

Pens Fall to Montreal

Hey pens fans,
The Pens lost 6-5 to Montreal on the road tonight. Former Penguin Alexei Kovalev had 2 goals for Montreal. Leclair, Surovy, and Welch each had goals and Armstrong had 2. Welch's was his first in the NHL.

Pens Win in OT

Hey pens fans,
Tonight, the Pens defeated the New York Islanders tonight, at the Mellon Arena, in overtime. The final score was 4-3. Malon, Hilbert, and Gonchar netted goals for the Pens and Sidney Crosb got the game winner in overetime. The pens played a great game in front of about 15,000 fans. Earlyin the game the Pens accumulated a large amount of penelties and spent a good peortion of the first period on the penelty kill. they hung in to win it. Marc-Andre Fleury was in goal for the Pens.

On a side note from around the NHL: The St. Louis Blues have been sold.

Pens fall to Senators

Hey pens fans,
The pens lost to the Senators 5-2 tonight. The goals were by Colby Armstrong (Shorthanded) Assists: Ryan Malone and Tomas Surovy Assists: Sidney Crosby. Eric Cairns managed to rack up 40 minutes in penelties at the end of the second period for fighting and spearing Zdeno Chara. Cairnes didn't even have 4 minutes in ice time. That is about it. the Pens are well on their way to securing a great spot in the draft.

Pens Fall to the Leafs

Hey pens fans,
Tonight the pens faced the Toronto Maple Leafs at the Mellon Arena for the 3,000 game in franchise history. The final score was 1-0. Marc-Andre Fleury played a solid game for the pens. It was an unusual game. At the end of the first period the pens had a goal disallowed, because time had run out. I am not saying the refs were wrong, but it was awful close. The power went out twice during the pens 5 minute penelty kill in the 2nd period. The rest of the 2nd period was played at the start of the 3rd. It was a heated game. It was quite odd, because there were probably just as many, if not more, Leafs fans at the game than Pens fans. It is not a good sign whe the chants of "Go Leafs Go!" drowns out the "Let's Go Pens!" The game winning goal was scored on a Penelty shot by Chad Kilger. The fact that the shot was awarded was questionable at best. I think we deserved a tripping penelty, but I did not see grounds for a shot. However, it is not my job to critique the officials, though in this case I disagree with their call.

Pens Beat Montreal

Hey pens fans,
The pens won last in Montreal Saturday night by a score of 5-4. The pens were up early with a 2-0 lead and just as fast it was 2-2. It was 5-4 by the emd of the game. Bogunieki, LeClair, ROy, Malone, and Whitney had the pens goals. Fleury started in goal for the Pens. The pens return home for a Sunday night game against the Maple Leafs.

Pens Fall to Devils

Hey pens fans,
The Pens were in New Jersey tonight facing the Devils. Marc-Andre Fleury was in goal for the Pens and the Devils had Brodeur. The final score was 2-1 Devils. Rita had the Pens only goal tonight. It was a tight game and the Pens fought hard. The Pens play there next game on Saturday, in Montreal, agaist the Canadiens. The pens havee been playing well, as of late. So, this could be a good stretch to end the season, even though we have had no playoff hopes for a while now.