Since it's Halloween...

Happy Halloween everyone!

It was a more happy Halloween for me because I saw a picture of Geno and Sid at the Pens Halloween party and got a good laugh. If you haven't seen the picture, I am sure you can find it online pretty much anywhere by this point in time, but I am not going to post it due to various reasons. Not quite sure what Geno is from his costume, could be a few options. Sid, though, dressed as a gladiator. Good to see that he had head gear as part of the costume. We want to make sure that he is taking precautions when it comes to his concussion and we don't want any setbacks coming from a Halloween party.

As for Jordan Staal and Tyler Kennedy, they dressed as Dumb and Dumber with the blue and orange suits that are iconic from the movie. I just wonder which one was dumb and who was dumber?

Now that is a Halloween party I would really love to attend. Maybe I can work on that for next year's party. Happy Halloween!

Much needed break comes for Pens.

Just as the Pens are getting a break from the schedule, I took a small break from posting because of a busy schedule recently and I apologize. So here is the much anticipated next post:

After a pretty tough schedule for the Penguins for the month of October, they are coming to a stretch where they have some time off between games. Our next game is not until Thursday against the San Jose Sharks. This will give the Pens a chance to have some practices where they can focus on all facets of the game and work out any problems they may have noticed during the busy month of October.

Sidney Crosby will have a chance to get in some good practices and hopefully get some contact to see whether or not he is ready for some game action. However, with this time off and more chance for practices, we know that Crosby will be returning soon, hopefully. I am predicting a return shortly!

The Pens also will have a chance to reflect on their 4-3 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday. The game was a bit back and forth in the goal-scoring, but the Pens could not pull off a tying goal and the loss ended their win streak at 5. They'll have plenty of time to analyze this loss and others and work on areas that are struggling perhaps, maybe 5-on-5 play. Their penalty-killing was not as strong as it has been all season Saturday night either. There is always room for improvement and the Pens who are exiting the first month of the season with the most games played and an 8-3-2 record, this time will give a pretty good team the chance to get even better and some injuries to heal.

Can't wait for Thursday!

Fleury shuts out Islanders.

Marc Andre Fleury earned his first shutout of the season and 20th of his career Tuesday night against the New York Islanders. Fleury was strong in net as the Pens completed their 3-0 win against the Islanders. Evgeni Malkin returned to game action last night and appears to be ready to go.

Now, I didn't let a thought of the possible shut out cross my mind and of course, I did not dare speak of the possibility out loud either. I was relieved when those last minutes wound down and the Islanders were unable to score. Great job Fleury. The Pens will have a chance to repeat another win against the Islanders tomorrow night as the Pens host the Islanders at Consol Energy Center.

Pens vs. Islanders tonight.

After a few wins at home, the Pens are on the road again in New York for tonight's game against the New York Islanders.
Coming off of victories over the Montreal Canadiens and the New Jersey Devils, the Pens are looking to get the next win on the road tonight.
The Pens also could have Evgeni Malkin in the lineup tonight, he is a game time decision for tonight's game. It would be wonderful if Malkin were ready to play tonight. Though, we have been doing pretty well without the forward and also without Captain Sidney Crosby. The Pens have maintained a great Penalty-kill that began last year and have been receiving some goal-scoring from James Neal and Jordan Staal had a two-goal effort Saturday night against the Devils. The Pens are playing strong without some of our key players and I can not wait for the entire team to be healthy.

Tonight's game against the Islanders will probably not look like the debacle these two teams had last season mainly because the two teams played against each other after that game last season and settled any lingering problems then. I don't need to detail the way the game last season played out or reminisce on any of the events or even the score, it's a game many of us will never forget.

It's a new season and a new season series against the Islanders and the Pens are just looking for a win.

Crosby not far from returning.

Crosby was cleared for contact a little while ago and it was exciting news for all us Pens fans because we know that that is one step closer to being ready for some game action. Though, with the Pens busy schedule, the captain has not been able to experience much contact since he was cleared because most of the practices have been game-day skates. I would like to think that when our schedule slows down a bit and the Pens are home more, the contact will be coming steadily and practice will become the routine practices and the captain will return soon.
I am not one to jinx anything dealing with the Pens. I don't make predictions on outocmes of Pens games or stats simply because I would think I jinxed the team. I'm the type of person that if a goalie hasn't let a goal in and it's the third period, I don't even dare think about a shutout and as the third period winds down, if someone I am with watching the game mutters anything about a shutout, I give them a glare. I just don't want to take any chances. That being said, I am hesitant to say anything, but I have a feeling Sid will be back soon. Not much of a prediction, I realize that, but I am just anticipating his return and hopefully his gradual process of being the same player he was when he was taken out last January.
When asked about an upcoming break in November from so many steady games and the chance at more practices, Sidney said, "I'm anxious for that for sure but, that being said, there needs to be times and situations and we haven't gotten a lot of those lately with our schedule," Crosby said. "As things go on, we'll get more and more time and hopefully get a better feel for where I'm at as far as contact is concerned." -thn.com

He's not the only one who's anxious.

Pens host Montreal Canadiens tonight.

Coming off of a win against the Minnesota Wild, the Pens are facing the Canadiens at home tonight. After a few losses in a row, the Pens hope to continue their winning streak they started Tuesday night. James Neal got his 6th goal of the season Tuesday night and continues his great play while we are down quite a few members.

However, we are getting a member of the Pens back for tonight's game... Brooks Orpik is expected to play tonight for the first time this season. Kris Letang will be out again, serving the second and last game of his suspension. It is nice to see some of our injured players beginning to come back to the lineup because when we have a healthy team, that's a scary team to play against.

Pens vs. Winnipeg Jets tonight.

After a couple tough losses to Washington and Buffalo, the Pens are looking to get back on track tonight against the Winnipeg Jets. The Pens will have to do so again without Evgeni Malkin who is still experiencing some soreness and did not even come along on the road trip and neither did Sidney Crosby. The Pens will have to pull off a win without the two forwards and will again rely on scoring from other players. James Neal seems to be filling that role quite well. After a disappointing end of last season with the Pens after he was traded, I am thrilled to see Neal coming into his own with the Pens and really finding his scoring touch. I can not wait for a full, healthy lineup for the Pens to be ready, but until then, I will be satisfied with continuing strong play on special teams and a bit of an improvement 5-on-5 as well as scoring from unexpected sources and scoring from players who were brought here to score some goals.

The Jets are having a tough time in their season back in Winnipeg as they have not won a game yet. They will be looking for their first win tonight against the Pens.

A day full of good news.

Well, a 3-0-1 record isn't a bad way to start a season and neither is hearing the news that Sidney Crosby has been cleared for contact. Just about a week and a half into the season, we get the news we have been waiting for. It's news we have been expecting to hear for a little while and today it finally came.
Another piece of information the Pens leaked today was that Chris Kunitz signed a two-year contract extension. Good to see Kunitz sign and stick around as well.
Malkin is a game time decision tonight for the game tonight against the Washington Capitals and a lot of reports are coming out that it is likely Malkin will be playing, but we will have to wait and see.

Tonight's game may be a heated battle against the Washington Capitals, but both teams are participating in a fundraiser for the tragedy that struck the Lokomotiv team this past summer.

A day of good news from the Pens will hopefully continue with great news tonight! Let's go Pens!

Pens win Home Opener

The Pens opened the Consol Energy Center with a win last night against the Florida Panthers. The Pens pulled off a 4-2 win last night at home without Sidney Crosby or Evgeni Malkin. Not that that should surprise anyone. Especially with our wonderful line of Matt Cooke, Joe Vitale, and Pascal Dupuis. That was meant to be read with a tone of sarcasm, because some might not expect that line to be as lethal as they have been, but they have been fantastic. Last night's game was no exception either. They have been chipping in offensively, Matt Cooke has 3 goals in 4 games, and work hard every shift they are out there. With key players out of the lineup, it's great to see the rest of the team click and make our great team that much stronger.

Matt Cooke is not only adding goals to the Pens, he is adding a new perspective to his game. That would be less hitting, or at least the kind that would get him suspended, which for Matt Cooke could be any hit he delivers since he has earned a reputation for the suspensions he receives for hits. Last night Matt Cooke got his first penalty of the season and it was for interference. He knows he hurt the Pens last season with a hit that caused him to have a 17 game suspension including all 7 games against the Tampa Bay Lightning in the first round of the playoffs. The Pens struggled and who knows what might have been if Cooke had been able to pitch in during that first round elimination. Now, Cooke has a new philosophy and it seems to be working well. I commend Matt Cooke on the changes he has made to his game and look forward to seeing the changes continue the rest of the season.

Also, last night, Marc Andre Fleury was trying to get that empty net goal and I was rooting for him to get it just as much as he wanted it. It would be great to see Fleury get an empty-net goal and I loved seeing him trying last night because it is a tad funny to watch and see the team trying to help him. I hope he can achieve that goal this season and I'd love to see that huge grin of his when it does happen.

The Pens play host to the Washington Capitals tomorrow night and a question most are wondering is if Evgeni Malkin will be in the lineup. We'll see.

Pens Home Opener Tonight

After watching so many opening ceremonies during their Western Canada trip, the Pens will actually be able to take part in their own home opener ceremonies. There's nothing quite like having that first home game and hearing the excitement of the home crowd.
The Pens play host to the Florida Panthers tonight. Remember, if you are attending the game, you are asked to be in your seats by 7:20!

The season started days ago, but now there will be hockey in the city of Pittsburgh and now that they're home, the season truly gets underway for the Pens.

Pens conclude season-opening road trip.

The Pens have concluded their season-opening road trip and earned 5 out of a possible 6 points. That's not too bad and I will take it. Yes, it would have been nice to see the Pens win in the shootout last night against the Oilers, but they got a point. Last night, the Pens were without Evgeni Malkin. He left the game against Calgary the night before early and sat out last night's game.
Brent Johnson looked sharp most of the game in net and then stumbled a bit in the shootout, but he played better than most back-up goalies out there.
The Pens had some chances on the power play last night that just came up short and could have been a difference maker in the game, including a 5-minute major where the Pens failed to capitalize on.

However, I am still pleased with many things from this road trip and can not wait for the Pens to be back home and have their home opener tomorrow night against the Florida Panthers. It will finally be a hockey night IN Pittsburgh tomorrow.




Short and sweet blog post, just what my best friend and blog reader asked for!

Pens win season opener.

The Pens got off on a great foot for the season, and a familiar one as well. The Pens beat the Vancouver Canucks 4-3 in a shootout last night to earn the victory. Last season, we saw plenty of shootouts and most of those were winners. However, it was nice to see Evgeni Malkin get that shootout goal last night because his shootout attempts have not always been spectacular in the past.

It's nice to see that the power play was strong last night and I hope that that continues. James Neal getting the first goal was hopefully a great sign. I believe I was just as happy as he was scoring that goal. I mentioned that I want him to show more of his scoring potential as a Pens player as he struggled with us late last season. I hope to see his goal total rising consistently and last night's goal was a beauty and we could use more of those. Of course, Matt Cooke adding two goals, one short-handed, last night was great as well. I love the Matt Cooke who scores goals and works well on special teams, not the one who gets suspended. He says he is changing the way he approaches hitting now and I hope to see that working and more goals can come as a result rather than more days spent in street clothes sitting out of games.

I saw a lot of positives in last night's game and can not wait for tomorrow's game against the Calgary Flames. That's right, it's another late start at 10 p.m. but if it's anything like last night's game, it promises to be an exciting one!

Pens season starts tomorrow.

For most of us Pens fans out there, today is like Christmas Eve. The anticipation and excitement most of us are feeling can only compare to that of a child waiting to open all their presents Christmas morning. I believe hockey fans have it a bit better though. Whereas a child gets a short amount of time opening all those presents and then enjoying playing with their new toys, hockey fans get months of nail-biting games, superb goals, jaw-dropping moments, great battles, intense rivalries, great saves, awesome breakaways, last minute goals to tie a game or break a tie and so much more. I can not wait for a new season to start, but I look forward to each and every game and this season has me particularly excited because I have a feeling we will see some great things. I may have trouble sleeping tonight because of excitement for a new hockey season, but I will need to rest to stay up for the late start for the Penguins tomorrow night in Vancouver. Something tells me though that I won't have any trouble keeping my eyes open.

So, we are almost there hockey fans! Another season is about to begin and anything is possible. At this point, any team can be lifting Lord Stanley's Cup at the end of the season. Ok, some teams and that dream are really far-fetched, but anything is possible at this point.

I also have to wish a Happy Birthday to the beloved Mario Lemieux. The Pittsburgh Penguins would not be what they are today without him. I truly believe that Mario Lemieux is one of the greatest people to ever step foot on this planet and the greatest player to ever grace the NHL. Thank you for all you have done Mario!

I'm back and the Pens are coming back too!

Well, after a two year hiatus, I decided I would come back to the blog world and do something I love about something I love: write about hockey! College got a tad busy and my blog went on the back burner. However, I have graduated and the job market allows me to dedicate a good amount of time on my blog now!

We all know the Pens season is just days away as we all have been waiting anxiously. The Pens were stellar in the preseason, going 5-1. Evgeni Malkin looked strong out there and with Sidney Crosby out with a concussion for who knows how long, it's great to see that Malkin is dedicated this season and worked hard in the offseason.

The Pens did extremely well last season under the circumstances with all the injuries. Remember, Malkin, Jordan Staal and Crosby played together for about 40 minutes. We made it to the playoffs only to be eliminated by the Tampa Bay Lightning. Our power play was atrocious during that round and was definitely something discussed and addressed. Enough about last season though, it's time for a brand new Penguins season to start and I know I am extremely excited for it to begin.

New hockey seasons bring a wide range of possibilities along for the ride. I love to see some surprise teams and players, whether it be a pleasant surprise or a disappointment. The Pens are getting high marks in a lot of different rankings, but I tend not to look at those too closely. With the players we have on our team, we are bound to end up high on most lists. And yes, I have heard that some are predicting that the Pens will win the Cup this season, but I am focused on just the beginning of the season and watching how the Pens shape up to be. One thing I am hoping for is that James Neal finds his scoring touch. He was not that stellar after coming over in a trade late last season, but I am hoping that we get to see his confidence and goal scoring go up.

The Pens 2011-2012 season starts this Thursday with a late start time for the East Coast at 10 p.m. as the game is in Vancouver. When that puck drops, anything is possible and all those possibilities of a new, fresh hockey season are why I love hockey and love this time of year! Let's go PENS!!!