Hockey God Update

Penguins Winger Gary Roberts will NOT be in the lineup tonight for game 1 against the Rangers.

Defense Pairings


Gill - Scuderi

Letang - Whitney

Orpik - Gonchar

2nd Round Predictions And Key Performers

The Penguins are going to have their hands full in this 2nd round playoff series. The New York Rangers have a tough blend of skill, grit, sound defense, and outstanding goaltending with King Henrik. Both of these teams are equipped to play any brand of hockey.Whether that be a tight checking defensive game or a lights out shootout. In order to win the Series the Penguins MUST win at Madison Square Garden.

Prediction: Penguins in 6 games

Key Performers:

Rangers

Jaromir Jagr

Will we see a motivated Jag's playing for his last big contract and chance at The Cup ? Or will we see the disgruntled, egotistic crybaby that has been wearing # 68 all season long. He holds the key to The Rangers success.

Sean Avery
Where do we start with this Vogue intern? Wow this guy is the ultimate super pest. The Rangers will rely heavily on his ability to get inside Pen's star players heads. If things get crazy, I don't think Mr. Avery will find it very fun to play in Mr. Roberts Neighborhood

Henrik Lundqvist
He will be the x-factor for the Ranger's. As a vezina finalist he has shown the ability to take over games and dictate the tempo throughout. Shooting as much as possible and scoring early is the game plan The Penguin's should adhere to. It wont be easy but King Henrik is beatable.

Penguins

Hal Gill

The USS Gill will almost certainly be deployed against The Jagr Line. In the past he has been able to take Jag's off his game which will certainly be his focus in this series. By using his big body down low, he can match him step for step which will prevent those patented wrist shots from the slot that we are accustomed to seeing from Jaromir.

Marc-Andre Fleury
The Flower needs to continue to blossom this series. This team will go as far as Marc will take them. He needs to be sound positionally as well develop an edge to his game. Avery no doubt will cause havoc in front of the net and Marc Needs to respond accordingly. Expect big things from the two-niner.

Gary Roberts
This man is no mere mortal. You cannot say enough to what he contributes to this team. He needs to set the tone early and show The Ranger's exactly what it is like inside Mr. Robert's neighborhood. Look at the water ... look at Roberts drinking the water...

Pirollo's Peak Performer Game 4

# 37 Jarkko Ruutu

1 goal, +1, 2 sog

The Finish Crash won the game for The Pen's with a pretty backhand spini-rama goal that ended up being the # 1 play of the day on Sportscenter. Ruuts displayed great discipline by accumulating 0 penalty minutes the entire series....

He will be huge down the stretch....

How "sweep" it is.

And how fun it was too.
It's hard for me to forget the whooping the Senators got in the first round so that I can reminisce about the things that actually brought me giggles and glee.

The "Senator"
I thought a Seantor was the guy in the togo reciting Socrates & figuring out diplomacy.
Apparently, Ottawa doesn't know either.
I almost think that the South Park guys orchestrated this one...how much cheese can you put into the opening of you hockey game? This much.


And...I found this toolbag of a video.

That would suck to do all this & then have your team get swept in 4. Good effort though.

The National Anthem
I do think I know the real inspiration behind the Penguins sweep. Most national sports teams get a celebrity to sing the national anthem. Ottawa picked the wrong one.
Mr. McFeely from Mister Rodgers Neighborhood.

Don't they know that Mr. McFeely & Fred Rodgers bleed black & gold.
Don't they know that their is a Dinosaur dressed up like Mr. Rodgers IN Pittsburgh.
Thanks for the motivation.
And the giggles & glee.
And the week-and-a-half of rest.
And a first round by.

Sweep Dreams Senator's

The Penguins wrapped up their Eastern Conference Quarterfinals matchup with the OttawaSenator's to sweep the series 4 games to 0. The Pen's brought the same intesity and killerinstinct to Game 4 that has helped them to a first round sweep. Goals by Evegeni Malkin, Jarkko Ruutu, and an empty netter by Sidney Crosby sealed the deal for the Pen's, and helped to enstill a positive playoff memory moving forward.

"Most of us, our first playoff memory was losing here," Penguins Capitan Sidney Crosby said. "That's changed now."

The Penguins have gained a confidence that will do wonders for them thourghout this playoff run. None bigger then the confidence that Marc-Andre Fleury now has in his own abilities.
Fleury's teamates realize that his contribution is the reason they will go far in thechase for the Cup.

"Since I've joined this team and he returned from high ankle sprain injury, he was strong for this team," said Winger Marain Hossa. "He hasn't missed a beat. There were a few saves in Game 4 that were unbelievable. You need great goaltending in the playoffs, and he was great for us."

The Penguins have laid a solid foundation in this first round that will be needed as they continue
thier trip towards professional hockey's greatest trophy, " Lord Stanley's Cup ". Solid Defense,
quick strike offense, and elite goaltending are the essential ingredients for a successfull cup
run. Sending the Senator's into an early spring hibernation showed the entire NHL exactly what
scary things this hockey team is capable of.

With that in mind ... "Sweep" Dreams Ottawa .. better luck next time...

Game 4 Preview

After taking a commanding lead in the quarter final series 3-0. The Penguins attempt a clean sweep of Ottawa tonight at Scotiabank place. Given the level of play demonstrated in previous games, game four should be nothing short of spectacular.

The Senators are going to come out with an all out attack in a last ditch effort to keep their slim and ever fading series hopes alive. No matter how good the Senators play the Penguins know that they need to be that much better.

" They're going to come out hard, " are we going to come out harder ? hopefully. That's the plan." Said Center Max Talbot

Closing out the forth win of the series sooner rather then later will do wonders for this Penguins team. It will provide a chance for their banged up players to heal as well as a better chance to prepare for their second round opponent.


As great as the Pen's have played throughout the first three games they know exactly how hard it is to win game 4 in any Stanley Cup Playoff Series.

" We know its going to be extremely tough to win the last game," " but the sooner we can do it, the better." Said Penguins Winger Marian Hossa.

As long as the Pen's can establish a lead a lead and play a tight checking game the series should be theirs. They must not get caught in the goonery that no doubt will take place once a penguins victory is assured. Finishing off this series and heading into round two healthy should be the Penguin's biggest concern.


After the beating they took this series, Ottawa would like nothing more then to spoil the playoff run for the Pen's.

Pirollo's Peak Performer Game 3

# 18 Marian Hossa

1 G, 2 A, + 2, 3 SOG

What a breakout game for Big Poppa Pump. I didnt think he was ever going to score a goal, not to mention his pretty pass to Max Talbot for the Pen's first goal. His offensive flair was only a shadow of his contribution last night. His ferocious back check on a breakaway kept the Senators from getting a prime scoring chance. The chemistry is getting scary.....

Game 3 Review

Game 3 had all the elements of a classic Stanley Cup Playoff Game. From the bone crunching body checks and tight defense, to the onslaught of shots and offensive chances this game had all the makings of a down to the wire showdown . That was until Sidney Crosby had something to say about it.

Through two periods of play the Pen's and Sen's were tied at one a piece thanks to goals by Nick Foligno and Maxime Talbot of the Pen's. At the 12 second mark of the 3rd period Sidney Crosby took matters into his own hand ripping a Snap Shot Five hole on Martin Gerber propelling the Penguins to their first lead of the contest. Followed up with goals by Jordan Staal at the 1:30 mark and Marian Hossa on the power play. With a 4-1 lead the game was quickly out of reach.

Lost in the shadow of the incredible offensive performance is the play of Marc- Andre Fleury who's 33 saves on 34 shots was the reason the penguins were in the game long enough to build an offensive attack. Not only does Fleury have the confidence in his own abilities, he has his teammates believing that he is the guy they can count on to win a game for them single handedly.

"He was big for us early and really shut the door at the end," "He got us the win." said Penguins
Defensemen Ryan Whitney.

The Penguins now have a reliable bonifide # 1 goaltender who is playoff tested to go along with their fast strike scoring. That combination should prove deadly to any opponent challenging for Lord Stanley's Cup.

Senator's News and Note's

- Center Jasson Spezza says his knee feels fine after the morning skate and will be in the lineup

- Daniel Alfredsson will be in the lineup tonight. I cant see how he will be 100 %. This should be the spark the Sen's need at home. This could get interesting......

Prediction: the Sens stiffle Pens using agitating wall mural.

The Senators have come out with demoralizing tactics stolen straight from the Axis powers of WWII. Murals & posters strewn about slowly diminishing our confidence & hope. I'm surprised Ottawa doesn't have someone on the radio like "Tokyo Rose" telling all the Pens fans that Crosby has been assassinated.

This is what the coaching staff & the front office in Ottawa came up with.
Put up a poster.
Not working on scoring or the powerplay or penaly killing or blocking shots.
"Can we move that mural done the hall...man, are they gonna be pissed."
Classic.

When Gary Roberts sees that poster he will annililate it from existence with a slight movement of his brow. Speaking of "Scary" Gary, does Ottawa really want to keep wasting their time trying to hit Gary. How about stopping 5 goals. How about stopping Malkin & Sykora from defecating on Martin Gerber (which, by the way, played a helluuva game Friday night; I give credit where credit is due). But Martin can't stop everything, especially when he reminds everyone of that delicious baby food every time we see the back of his jersey.

So Crosby & Hossa have played like what...a handful of games together. In the next round, when they starting connecting, the Malkin-Malone-Sykora Defecation line, Staal out-hustling everyone & George Laraque throwing Lemieux passes from behind the net to Roberts... it's gonna be messy.

I'll ask again. Where is Schubert? Please let someone punch you in the face.


The Pens are putting up a poster for the Sens when they come back to Mellon Arena...next year.

Sorry about your sad faces.

Series Shifts To Ottawa For Game 3

After a tremendous effort in game one and two in Pittsburgh the penguins travel to Ottawa Ontario for game three of the series. Ottawa historically has been a tough place for the Pen's to adjust to, however Defensemen Rob Scuderi does not seem to be intimidated.

"As a player, you're not intimidated by loud crowds," Scuderi said. "But, at the same time, they make it a tough place to play, a tough environment to play in."

That was evident last year when the Penguins were taken aback by the ferocious attack the Senators bestowed on them During game one in ottawa last year. The Penguins were caught on their heels and were set into panic mode once the Sen's introduced the young penguins to playoff hockey. This time around the penguins know exactly what kind of effort it takes to win in Ottawa.

"We know how hard it is to win in Ottawa," right winger Georges Laraque said. "We saw that last year."

The penguins need to play a in your face, hard hitting game similar to the play of game 1 in order to take the Ottawa crowd out of the equation.

"If we would play a game like Game 1 in their building, that would be the best way," "You go on the second shift and score a goal, then you just go with them all game, and the crowd's going to be out of it." said center Max Talbot

The penguins players know exactly what it takes now to win in Ottawa, now its all about execution.

Pirollo's Peak Performer Game 2

# 71 Evgeni Malkin

0 G, 3 A, +1 , 8 SOG

Geno was electric from the minute the puck dropped , earning the primary assist on Sergei Gonchar's tally as well as Petr Sykora's 2 bullets. The telepathy between Sykora and Malkin is pretty scary, as well as the gritty edge that has developed in his game. Sorry Ovechkin the real MVP resides in Pittsburgh.

Penguins need to keep the pedal down !

The penguins continue their march towards the Stanley Cup tonight in game 2 action against the Ottawa Senators. The Penguins took the play to Ottawa early in game one and there needs to be even more of a sense of urgency in game two. The Pen's out played the Sen's in every facet of the game , with a focus on sending a message of toughness and skill that would have Badger Bob Johsnon grinning from ear to ear. The last thing you would want to do is let up the intensity therefore allowing the ailing Senator's to return home to Ottawa with the series tied at 1 game a piece.

Penguins rugged d-man Brooks Orpik believes that the war has just begun.

"It's far from over," "They have a lot of character. We have a lot of respect for that whole team. It's going to be a long series." "It's far from over," Orpik said.

The lack luster play in game one combined with a putrid 50 game clip to finish out the regular season must be weighing heavily on Ottawa's head.

Sen's Coach Bryan Murray had this to offer up after practice on Thursday.

"We had a struggle in the second half of the year, but in the back of my mind I was thinking, The guys are waiting for the playoffs, once we get in we'll get back to the level of play we can be at." Murray said.

Throttling the Sen's when they are down in game two is imperative towards closing out the series once it shifts back to Ottawa.The hellacious atmosphere that is playoff hockey in Ottawa is something this young team would be more prepared for with a 2-0 lead in the series.

The two teams have been in this situation before, only this time the Pen's are in the drivers seat.

News and Notes

- Sens d-man Anton Volchenkov says he will be available for friday nights tilt.

- Expect to see Senators Capitan Daniel Alfreddsson some time this series. Possibly even as early as game 3 in Ottawa.

- Senators to stick with Martin Gerber for game 2

- The penguins plan to dress the same lineup for game 2.

Jesus walks on water, Gary Roberts skates on it.

..and scores two goals. Gary Roberts is a BEAST. He showed the young pens how IT IS DONE.
Fleury looks like a veteran; won't make comparisons until the finals but I've been making this comparison since he was drafted...ask Tony.
Don't forget Coach Therrien (who always looks like he walked off the movie screen of Eastern Promises, sends shivers down my spine with his slick hair & euro-dad suit). Do you think it was a co-winky-dink that the fourth line was out in 68 seconds? Set the tone & scored a hard-working goal around the cage. Coaching. Boo-yah, B. Murray.

Did Gerber play street hockey before the game. Yikes.
Schubert WHO?
Wade Redden...how is your face? Jersey over your head like 1978. You're lucky Gary wasn't in your vicinity.
Volchenkov...glad your okay. I've played goal for 15 years & I would never want to take one like that. But you should still sit a couple games to get better All my best, AK.
Crosby & Hossa playing tic-tac-toe looked pretty.
I can't wait til they DECIDE to score.

Can't wait for Friday.

Pirollo's Peak Performer Game 1

Gary Roberts # 10

2 goals , 2 pts, +1, 3 hits, 16 pims

Its no coincidence that he wears warrior brand gloves. Mr Roberts controlled his neighborhood all night long dismantaling the Senators almost single handedly. He was like a caged aninal at the end of the game looking to murder anything with a pulse.

Game 1 Review

This exciting match began with ancient playoff warrior Gary Roberts taking it to the Sen’s early scoring on a nice feed from Georges Laraque at 1:08 in the first period. Scary Gary finished the game with 2 goals, 3 hits, and 16 penalty minutes.

"They embarrassed us last year," left winger Gary Roberts said. "I think we learned our lesson."

The penguins toped the Senators in every category including the penalty kill which withstood seven 5-4 advantages , as well as being shorthanded two men on two different occasions. The scoring continued with goals from Peter Sykora , Evgeni Malkin , and
Gary Roberts ( 2 ).

Not to be understated was Marc-Andre Fleury’s 26 save performance earning his first NHL Post Season shutout.

“For the last 15 games he's been the best goalie in the National Hockey League so I am not surprised," said Pens head coach Michel Therrien.

This game really showed exactly what kind of character has been bestowed upon these young players. After a late game altercation involving Sidney Crosby and Wade Redden, Ryan Whitney of all players took it upon himself to stand up for his captain and pummel Redden after he threw some punches towards the head of Sid the Kid.

"It's about team spirit," said Therrien. "There's good team chemistry with these guys. Whitney stepped in and did the right thing."

Like the Senators demonstrated one year ago , The Penguins set the tone for what will be a hard hitting, high scoring , in your face series. They controlled play from the minute the puck dropped to the final buzzer.

What a difference one year can make.


( tsn.ca , postgazette.com )

Pens lines For Game 1

Dupuis - Crosby - Hossa

Malone - Malkin - Sykora

Ruutu - Staal - Kennedy

Roberts - Talbot - Laraque


Gonchar - Scuderi

Whitney - Scuderi

Letang - Gill

OFFICIALS FOR STANLEY CUP PLAYOFFS

The nhl has named its officials for the 2008 Stanley Cup Playoffs


http://tsn.ca/nhl/story/?id=233827&lid=sublink06&lpos=headlines_main

It's A Great Day For Hockey

It’s a Great day for hockey.

I don’t think there is a more fitting phrase as the Pens are set to tackle the beast which is the Stanley Cup Playoffs. Tonight the Pens face an ice cold Ottawa Senators team that only one year ago administered a beating so severe that memories of that series have been entrenched in those young players minds forever. However, it was that lopsided series that has molded this Penguins team into a force in the Eastern Conference as well as challengers for the Stanley Cup. They learned last year that the second season is a completely different entity where the rigors of the regular season are only a shell of what can be expected here.

This time around the Senators limp into Pittsburgh for game one with serious injuries to some key players. They are without outstanding two way player Mike Fisher, as well as Capitan and world class player Daniel Alfredson who was lost in a border line illegal hit from Toronto Maple Leafs Forward Mark Bell. Clearly this is not the same Ottawa team which bounced the pens from the playoffs last year. All of which can attributed to suspect at best goaltending tandem of Gerber and Emery as well as lack luster play in all phases of the game.

The Penguins on the other hand are firing on all cylinders. From Crosby to Laraque, all players are playing within themselves and adhering to Michel Therriens defensive system. Newcomers Hossa, Dupuis, and Gill are playing at their highest level since being acquired at the NHL Trade Deadline. With the flower Marc- Andre Fluery blossoming before our very eyes into an elite top-shelf goaltender which made him worthy of the first overall pick in 2003, this team is set for a lengthy and successful playoff performance.

A win in this series will not come easy but is certainly an accomplishable goal. As long as the forwards pick their spots offensively, the d-men play sound fundamental defense to go along with consistent goaltending, the sky is the limit for this team.

It truly is an exciting time to be a Pittsburgh Penguins fan.