Game 6

The Pens have brought this series to a game 6 with a focus on each game. They have been focusing on the task in hand, the one game directly ahead of them, and have not thought of the rest of the series. This focus and better goaltending and defense work have brought us to today, Game 6. The Pens need to remain focused on today's game and continue to improve as well. They need to stay disciplined as the Flyers continue to capitalize on their power play regularly. We can not afford to take stupid penalties or allow the Flyers to drag us into making choices that will cost us. Therefore, the Pens will need to be smart and careful. With the better defense and fabulous goaltending from Marc Andre Fleury, the Pens can stifle the Flyers again.

In game 5, our star players were not exactly the stars and other players have been stepping up. Tyler Kennedy had a strong game and Jordan Staal has been strong this entire series and with continued hard work from these players and our star players, the Pens can have a strong game. Over and over again, it has been said that the Pens are focusing on each game, each period, each shift. This is exactly what they need to be doing and it has been working. They need to continue with that process today. Another great game from Fleury would be another great boost for the team and though he won't have the Pens fans behind him today in Philly, he knows we will be cheering for him from home. We know that the Flyer fans are somewhat (or downright) hostile, but we also know that the Pens can win in that arena and the fans can sometimes just fuel our team's fire to win.

Remain focused, stay out of the box by being disciplined, take a lot of shots and block a lot of shots. These are key factors going into today's Game 6. The Pens are well aware of the fact that laying off their game could be detrimental and their season could end. Therefore, the Pens will give everything they have, just like they have been the past few games. They will be doing their best to bring this series back to Pittsburgh. Let's Go Pens!

Game 5

The Pens have brought it back home for a Game 5. Now is the time to show who believes. I want Consol Energy Center to be so loud that I have trouble hearing Bob Errey and Paul Steigerwald, seriously, please.

The Pens need to concentrate on tonight's game right now and nothing but tonight's game. Like they said for game 4, their focus needs to be on one game, one period, one shift at a time. With strong defense and strong goaltending from Marc Andre Fleury, this team has a great chance to take it back to Philly for Game 6. With the same offense we have been getting in this series and some discipline to not take so many penalties, the Pens could have a strong game.

It became apparent in Game 4 that the officials were going to be cracking down and calling anything they see so that this series does not get out of hand. Therefore, the Pens need to remain disciplined and stay out of the box, especially since the Flyers have been lethal on the power play. Limiting their chances will help and shooting often in tonight's game will be big factors for the Pens.
Also, I hope to see a strong performance from Fleury. I believe he got a boost from the victory in Game 4 and he needs to show that he is the better goaltender.

With focus and strong defense and goaltending, this game can surely go in the Pens' favor. Flyers defenseman Nicklas Grossman was injured in Game 4 and is listed as day-to-day and will not be in the lineup tonight.
The Pens will be without Paul Martin again tonight. Craig Adams and James Neal will be back after serving their one game suspensions, while Arron Asham will sit out his second game of a 4 game suspension.

Coach Dan Bylsma had a great quote for what is needed for tonight's game: "...We need to be at our best. The building needs to be at its best. The fans need to be at their best. The people outside watching need to be at their best. We have to have everybody at their best for the start of this game..." I agree, let's show how much we believe in this Pens team and make sure that we have no voices tomorrow. I believe. Let's Go Pens!

Choosing to believe.

To think, that just a week ago, I was extremely excited for the playoffs to begin. Now, a week later and the first round is like a nightmare; one I just can not awake from. A series like the one the Pens are in now would be a nightmare against any opponent, but the fact that we are down 0-3 to the Philadelphia Flyers makes it much more troubling.

The first game was not what the Pens wanted to happen, giving up a 3 goal lead to lose in overtime, 4-3. That is not how we wanted the series to start and Game 1 was just like a light rain fall to begin this storm of a series so far. Then, game 2 brought the thunder and lightning with the back and forth scoring and then the end result of an 8-5 loss. 8-5 loss in the playoffs. To the Flyers. Then came yesterday's game 3- a game with desperate hope for the Pens to turn this series around. What we got instead was a horrible part of the storm, the worst yet. It came with the worst elements: hail, wind, rain, thunder and lightning. Or, fights, ejections from the game, another collapse in play, and another horrible loss. Hopefully you took shelter. The Pens looked more like the Flyers yesterday towards the end of the 8-4 loss. Fights took precedent over playing and it ended with a horrible defeat and the Pens being down 0-3 in this series. A part of me was happy to see some fights (some more than others), I'll admit. Maybe I just wanted to win something yesterday. Though, I knew it would not win us the game and seeing stars and players fighting and being ejected made me uncomfortable. However, I was angry and frustrated, just like the players were.

This series has been difficult to watch, mostly because we know how well this team can play. Those skills have apparently gone away. The defense must have forgotten what to do and some offensive players have neglected their regular top player style of play. While it hasn't all been Fleury's fault as some have been suggesting, there certainly have been goals scored against Fleury that should have been stopped. However, these losses have been a team effort.

Where is the team that was confident and determined to make it all the way? What happened to the team that knew how to play a solid game? Granted, at times, this team struggled with that during the regular season, but never this mightily. Where have the Penguins gone?

I of course am still a Pens fan- that will NEVER change. Though, I am disappointed in the Pens and even embarrassed. I'm frustrated and upset also. The Pens need to play better in nearly every aspect of the game. I'm not in the locker room, I'm not a member of the organization. There is nothing I can do but watch and hope the Pens play better.
Game 4 is Wednesday night in Philadelphia again. The list of teams who have come back from being down 0-3 in a series, winning the last 4 games to come out as winners, is a short list. I would feel more confident in the Pens' chances of accomplishing this feat if they were playing better.

On the other hand, the Pens seem to have enough doubters, ones who have lost all hope. Perhaps I need to be an optimistic person, one who continues to believe in the Pens.
Therefore, I will put the first 3 games behind me and hope and pray the Pens recover and discover how to win. I will choose to continue to believe in my team and believe a miracle could happen. Perhaps it's because right now, I can't handle the thought of being eliminated in the first round by the Philadelphia Flyers, when so many believed we would be bringing the Stanley Cup back to Pittsburgh a fourth time. Though, I will stand behind my team and believe and hope for a miracle and believe that the Pens can figure things out and pull it together and win 4 straight games.

I'm well aware of the situation. I understand the circumstances and predicament the Pens are in. I know the odds against us as well. But what else can I do? Be devestated of our current situation and sulk? Or, could I stand behind my team and believe that they can come together and win 4 straight games, making one of the greatest comebacks in NHL playoff history against an opponent that is beating us in nearly every aspect of the game?
Since so many people seem to be on board with the first option, I opt to go with the latter. I choose to believe. Let's Go Pens!

It's Playoff Time.

I am back from my trip and it is time for the playoffs. Round 1 against the Philadelphia Flyers begins tomorrow night at Consol Energy Center for the Pens at 7:30 p.m. Just a little over 24 hours from now.
There is nothing quite like hockey playoffs, it is easily one of my favorite times of year. I saw a quote a few weeks ago that said, "Life will be postponed due to hockey playoffs until further notice." This may have been meant as a joke, but to me it is the truth. Nothing gets in the way of me and my playoff hockey. Really, the regular season is just the same as well though. I rarely ever miss a Pens game, ever. Though, if friends choose a night that interferes with some Pens playoff hockey, they will hear from me that another night needs to be chosen.

Playoff hockey is thrilling and exciting. I know people who only watch playoff hockey because of the excitement and energy. Every game, mostly, is intense and when you get to a game 7 situation, I don't know what could be more exciting and/or nerve-racking. The games that go into multiple overtimes keep you on the edge of your seat no matter what overtime it is because you can't miss any of it. Players giving it their all because this is it; the playoffs are where teams make it all the way or their season ends abruptly in a series. The stakes are higher and so is the intensity. While I will admit, at times games do make me nervous, it is the nerves and excitment that make playoff hockey one of the best things in the world. No exaggeration, playoff hockey is that great!

Playoff hockey is exciting no matter who the opponent, but the Pens' first round opponents are quite familiar and quite hated: the Philadelphia Flyers. Regular season games between these teams usually get pretty heated and this series will surely not lack in the physical aspect of the game and will offer an exciting show for sure. The animosity between these two teams has never been hidden and this series is sure to be can't miss hockey.

The Pens finished #1 overall in the league in scoring and the Flyers finished 2nd overall. Therefore, we may see some high-scoring games, or we may see some hot goaltending. One just never knows in the playoffs. Both teams feature some of the best offensive players in the league and both teams also have good powerplay systems. The Pens will need to be sure to be consistent on the power play though. The Pens' penalty-kill was ranked higher than the Flyers' and the penalty kill will need to be strong against the Flyers and limit their opportunities.
Fleury will need to be strong in net and come up with those huge saves like he has in the past in the playoffs. The Pens are determined to make it to the Stanley Cup Finals this season and they believe with their lineup that it is possible. We, as fans, know what this team is capable of. They need to be strong defensively and on special teams as well as in net and also show just how potent the team can be offensively as well. Consistency will also be a huge part to focus on for the Pens.

I doubt the Pens will need to work on their motivation. This is a determined team that is well aware of what it takes to raise Lord Stanley's Cup. I don't think they will have any trouble getting fired up for their first round opponents either and vice versa. This is sure to be an exciting series. There are plenty of storylines to discuss between these two teams, but none of the trash talk or former players of ours on their team currently matter now. All that matters is sticking to our game, playing our best and beating the Philadelphia Flyers to advance to the second round. I know I am ready for some playoff hockey and I am sure the Pens are fired up for their opponents. Let's hope emotions don't get the best of the Pens and result in bad penalties, let's hope for the emotions to drive the Pens that much harder to complete their task: eliminating the Philadelphia Flyers from the playoffs. Let's get these playoffs started.

Predators in town tonight.

The Pens had a recent return of a star player, Sidney Crosby, and the Nashville Predators will have Alexander Radulov returning to the lineup either tonight against the Pens or in their game Saturday. Radulov had been labelled as the best player not in the NHL.
Both returns have been discussed as huge boosts for the teams. Radulov, a friend of Evgeni Malkin, was playing in the KHL most recently for 4 seasons and is now returning to the Predators. The Pens are getting serious consideration to make another great run at the Stanley Cup this year from many people and the Nashville Predators are getting some consideration in that discussion as well and the return of Radulov has people talking even more.

The Predators are currently a team that does not have to worry about making the playoffs, though they are a team fighting to get home-ice advantage. They are currently tied with the Detroit Red Wings for 4th place in the Western Conference. The Predators are a strong team obviously and they are a strong team defensively. So, we may not see another 8-goal game like our 8-4 win over Winnipeg Tuesday night from the Penguins tonight. The Pens will need to take shots whenever available. Maybe Sidney Crosby will get his first goal since his second return tonight. Though, I am not one of those people who is worried by the fact that Crosby hasn't scored a goal yet. He has racked up the assists since his return and goals will come. It's Crosby after all.
Predators goaltender, Pekka Rinne, and Marc Andre Fleury are both tied for the most wins this season in the league with 39. Let's see who comes out the leader tonight.

Matinee feature against the New Jersey Devils.

The Pens got back on a winning track yesterday with their 2-1 win over the Boston Bruins. Fleury was strong in net against the Bruins and the Pens played a strong game.

Now, we must play another strong game today against the New Jersey Devils in New Jersey. If today's game is anything like New Jersey's game yesterday against the Flyers, then we will need to be strong in net again. The Devils beat the Flyers 6-4 yesterday. The Devils were sputtering just before the All Star break but have not lost since coming back to play afterwards. In their past 11 games, they are 7-3-1. The Devils have recently put together Ilya Kovalchuk, Patrik Elias, and Zach Parise together on one line and the results have been pretty good. They are putting up some good numbers and are a line that needs to be contained best as possible.

Overall, the Pens will need to play a strong game and be responsible defensively against this offensive team as well as getting enough shots on net to get past Martin Brodeur.


Yesterday I mentioned Cal O'Reilly making his debut in the Pens' lineup and yesterday he had a promising debut on a line with Tyler Kennedy and Steve Sullivan. He had a shot on net in his nearly 14 minutes of ice time. He saw some time on the second power play unit and won 4 of 8 faceoffs, though also had one giveaway.

In yesterday's afternoon game, Brooks Orpik had a highlight reel hit against Boston's Daniel Paille, sending him flying in the air a few feet. A nice clean, good hit like that is something to see. It will surely be added to Orpik's repertoire of great hits.

In the midst of a long break.

The Pens are currently on a pretty lengthy break from playing. They have not played since their loss to the New Jersey Devils on New Year's Eve and do not play again until Friday night at home against the New York Rangers.

Speaking of breaks, I apologize for the lengthy break I have been taking. It was the holiday season and then some technical difficulties as well. I hope you all had a wonderful holiday season!


Now, back on to the Pens. The Pens went into their Christmas holiday break on a great win streak, but came into this long break losing two in a row. Losses to the Flyers and Devils nonetheless. Now the Pens will be looking to get back on the winning side and they face a tough opponent on Friday in the New York Rangers. The Rangers are currently sitting atop the Atlantic Division and racked up another win against the Flyers in the Winter Classic on January 2nd. (How about that Mike Rupp??)
Even with all of our injuries, we all know that this team is capable of accomplishing a good bit still. Evgeni Malkin is playing extremely well and James Neal continues to rack up the goals. Hopefully, some key players with injuries will return soon and this long break allows the Pens to focus on what they can improve on.

Let's hope this new year brings more health and less injuries to the Pens and let's also hope that Fleury can finally become more punctual (He's been saying that for years now!) and that Arron Asham can give up chewing tobacco!

Pens beat Blackhawks

Last night's game against the Chicago Blackhawks was an amazing game. The first two periods, the Pens were in control and were dominating in nearly every aspect of the game. Going into the third, the Pens had a 3-0 lead over the Blackhawks.

Though, we know nothing is perfect. The Pens lost some focus in the third as the Blackhawks came out determined to change the momentum of the game in their favor. They peppered Fleury with 17 shots in the third period, but the Pens were able to slow them down and not allow the Blackhawks to tie it up. The final score was 3-2 and the Pens got a big win against the team atop the standings.

Now, we will look to Friday night's game against the Winnipeg Jets. It's the last game before a little holiday break for the Pens and they will be looking to finish strong before the break so they can enjoy their time off. It would be nice going into the break with a 3 game winning streak.

Eric Tangradi was assigned back to the Baby Pens today and Paul Martin is listed as day-to-day.

Pens fall short against Detroit.

The Penguins just could not pull off a win last night against the Detroit Red Wings. Despite leading a good portion of the game 1-0 on a late first period goal by Evgeni Malkin, the Red Wings came on strong in the third and beat the Pens 4-1. It was not a game in which the Pens played horribly. Are there areas to improve in, of course. There are after every game. Every area of our game has to be strong with or without our best players in order to win hockey games, especially against other strong teams.


Marc Andre Fleury states that he needs to be better in order to give the Pens a fighting chance every night. He knows it's not good to give up 3 goals to a good team and that in doing so, it makes it tougher on the team. He knows he can play better and step up and be a stronger force in net. We all know what Fleury is capable of and have seen him at his best. He has carried this team through injuries numerous times before and needs to do it again.


Alex Picard and Jason Williams have been sent back down to the Baby Pens and Zbynek Michalek says he may return Friday night.

What a busy day!

Well, it's been a busy first week back for Sidney Crosby and it was a busy day in the NHL today for coaches, and not the good kind of busy for some coaches.
First of all though, let's talk about Sidney Crosby. He has been back for 4 games now and has been doing a pretty great job after missing such a long time. Such a great job in fact, that he was named the first star of the week in the NHL. He has put up 9 points in those first four games and specualtion has already begun on whether he can take over the points column. It's a tad too early for that in my opinion, but I would be happy to see him try his best at it. Though, you never expect anything but Crosby's best when he is playing. Why do you think he had such a long recovery? He wanted to be sure he could play at his best upon his return.

The Pens are off to a great start, leading the NHL currently and with the addition of Crosby back in the lineup, I am sure the Pens are not a team a lot of other teams want to face. Which means that Dan Bylsma is doing a great job as coach, but that's not the case for two other Eastern Conference teams today. Bruce Boudreau, the Washington Capitals coach and Paul Maurice, the coach of the Carolina Hurricanes were both fired today. Boudreau was replaced by Dale Hunter and Maurice was replaced by Kirk Muller. Both teams have not been performing as well as some would expect and stars on those teams have also been suffering so far this season with mediocre starts. We'll have to wait and see what these coaching changes do for these teams.



To change subject, I read a great feature on Marc Andre Fleury last week on thn.com by Ryan Kennedy that was a great read. Here's a link to the article for you to check it out. http://www.thehockeynews.com/articles/43125-Kennedy-Can-Fleury-catch-Brodeurs-win-total.html?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=thn_daily_20111126

The column is about whether or not Fleury can catch Martin Brodeur's records and gives a good case as to why our top netminder is capable of doing just that!

Pens face Lightning tonight.

Again, the Pens are in a warmer place preparing for a game, tonight's game is against the Tampa Bay Lightning. Fleury will be in net tonight and Crosby, is not in the lineup, just to reiterate. Michalek practiced with the team today, nearing the 4-week mark of a 4-6 week recovery period.

The Pens are on their annual dad's trip and in the past, that has usually meant the Pens have stepped up their games to make dear old dad proud, so let's hope that trend continues tonight. Also, the motivation of being eliminated by the Lightning in last year's playoffs may be an incentive to bring their "A" game as well. Either way, look for tonight's game to be an exciting one, not sure if it will be quite as exciting as the Colorado game, but you never know in the game of hockey.
Let's Go Pens!

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 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.

Crosby named #1 Canadian Hockey Player.

When asked who the best hockey player is, Pens fans will almost surely tell you Sidney Crosby, or Evgeni Malkin. Narrowing that down to only Canadian hockey players, the answer will surely be Sidney Crosby by Pens fans. Well, it seems NHL.com agrees. When rating the top Canadian hockey players in the NHL today, NHL.com gave Sidney Crosby the coveted number one spot. NHL.com gave their opinion in their list of the Top 10 Canadian players and Crosby was not the only Pen who was honored with appearing on the list. Marc Andre Fleury received the #4 spot. Though, Martin Brodeur received the #2 spot on the list.
No other NHL team had 2 players on the list.

To view the entire list:
http://penguins.nhl.com/team/app/?service=page&page=NewsPage&articleid=463385

Team Canada releases Olympic Camp Roster.

Soon after the USA Hockey group released their roster for the 2010 Olympic Camp, Team Canada has done the same. It is no surprise that Sidney Crosby is invited. He will be joined by teammates Marc Andre Fleury and Jordan Staal who were also invited to the camp. 46 players were invited and that list will need to be cut down to 23 by the end of December.

Those invited:
Goaltenders: Martin Brodeur, New Jersey; Marc-Andre Fleury, Pittsburgh; Roberto Luongo, Vancouver; Steve Mason, Columbus; Cam Ward, Carolina

Defensemen: Francois Beauchemin, UFA; Jay Bouwmeester, Calgary; Dan Boyle, San Jose; Brent Burns, Minnesota; Drew Doughty, Los Angeles; Mike Green, Washington; Dan Hamhuis, Nashville; Duncan Keith, Chicago; Scott Niedermayer, Anaheim; Dion Phaneuf, Calgary; Chris Pronger, Philadelphia; Robyn Regehr, Calgary; Stephane Robidas, Dallas; Brent Seabrook, Chicago; Marc Staal, New York Rangers; Shea Weber, Nashville

Forwards: Jeff Carter, Philadelphia; Dan Cleary, Detroit; Sidney Crosby, Pittsburgh; Shane Doan, Phoenix; Simon Gagne, Philadelphia; Ryan Getzlaf, Anaheim; Dany Heatley, Ottawa; Jarome Iginla, Calgary; Vincent Lecavalier, Tampa Bay; Milan Lucic, Boston; Patrick Marleau, San Jose; Andy McDonald, St. Louis; Brenden Morrow, Dallas; Rick Nash, Columbus; Corey Perry, Anaheim; Mike Richards, Philadelphia; Derek Roy, Buffalo; Joe Sakic, Colorado; Patrick Sharp, Chicago; Ryan Smyth, Colorado; Martin St. Louis, Tampa Bay; Eric Staal, Carolina; Jordan Staal, Pittsburgh; Joe Thornton, San Jose; Jonathan Toews, Chicago

http://penguins.nhl.com/team/app/?service=page&page=NewsPage&articleid=433240

Pens win game 6, force game 7.

The Pens knew what was on the line, knew that if they made any big mistake or small one for that matter, their season could be over. That would explain why Fleury played a spectacular game and had some assistance from Rob Scuderi who kept the puck out of the net last night as well. That would explain why Staal's line became a force last night, scoring both the goals. One from Staal and the other from Kennedy. We need the secondary scoring and we got it last night, which resulted in the 2-1 Pens win.
The Pens now move on to Detroit for game 7. The Pens have gone to a game 7 this year, in the series against the Washington Capitals, and they embarrassed the Capitals with a 6-2 victory. However, I don't think this game 7 will have the same result. No matter how much I wish it would. This is the Stanley Cup Final, game 7, where the entire prize is up for grabs. What most have waited their entire lives for, worked hard in the off season and all season long for, it comes down to this game 7. I don't think the Pens will need to be reminded of the motivation and neither does Detroit, they both know what is at stake. Should be a game to remember.

Refocus for Game 6.

The Pens would like to forget Game 5, a 5-0 loss in the Stanley cup Finals, but it happened. Though, now the Pens are just focused on getting back on track in Game 6 in order to keep their dreams alive. For any of those Pens fans or people who just start watching in the Playoffs are thinking the Pens are doomed or think Garon should be in net for Game 6, you are mistaken. The Pens learned from last year's final a lesson that no team in the NHL wants to learn. They lost last year and have struggled, worked hard, sacrificed, and earned this chance they have to redeem themselves in this year's Stanley Cup Final. They will not go down without a fight and they will be back at Mellon Arena to prove themselves, hopefully.
As for Fleury's play in game 5, you can not really blame him. The Pens had a meltdown, and were taking penalties, 3 of Detroit's 5 goals were power play goals. Fleury wants to prove himself. He has had to do it throughout this entire playoffs. He has been criticized and then afterwards, he rose to a level that people were praising him the next day. I am sure Fleury will be even more motivated to turn in a spectacular performance tomorrow night.
I believe in my Pens and I know they want to come out strong and play their best tomorrow night... now they just have to or else their season is over and they will yet again see Detroit skate around with the Stanley Cup on Mellon Arena ice. An image that will never leave my head, and I assure one that will never leave last year's Pens' team minds either. They have to use that motivation, use it tomorrow night and keep going for their dream.

Pens win 3-2, lead series 1-0.

The Pens played a strong first period in which they scored two quick goals and Fleury made some great saves to jump start a 3-2 win over the Canes. Boucher and Satan were goal scorers for the Pens last night, making them their first of the playoffs, and not the players the Canes were worrying about before this series started. However, it has been said so many times how important secondary scoring is in the playoffs. Without secondary scoring last night, who knows what the outcome may have been.

Marc Andre Fleury was spectacular in goal last night, quieting all those critics of his lately, as he made some spectacular saves. He kept the Pens in the game and closed the door late in the game to keep the Canes from tying it up.

Two Carolina Hurricanes players were hurt during the game: Erik Cole and Tuomu Ruutu. Ruutu never returned, but Cole was able to finish.

Pens finish off Caps, move onto Eastern Conference Finals.

I did not expect that. Definitely did not expect the outcome of last night's game 7. With a series going to 7 games and when the previous 6 were pretty much all tight games and 3 overtimes, who would have seen a 6-2 Pens win. Who would have seen a 5-0 lead at one point in this game? Well, I didn't, but that's not to say that I was not thrilled when it happened. After Fleury's incredible save on Ovechkin in the first, I felt the confidence building and then after Crosby scored on the power play, even better and then... Craig Adams scored 8 seconds later, and I was ecstatic. The game was swayed in our favor most of the rest of the way and after every goal we scored, I was that much happier. The Pens finished off the Capitals in great fashion last night in their game 7.

This series has been hyped as one of the best because of the two teams and the players and how exciting and tight the games were, but last night must have been a disappointment to those who were looking for one of those game 7s that the winner is not determined until the waning moments of the third period or even an overtime period. However, last night was in no way a disappointment to me or any other Pens fan out there. We saw the Pens solve the young goaltender Varlamov who had been stumping the Pens in some games and eventually he was pulled. No offense to the young goaltender, he did a phenomenal job in the playoffs this year, until, that is, last night, but it was a great feeling to me to see him making his way to the bench after the Pens 4th goal. For the mere fact that it was like an item we could check off a checklist in order to win this series: Solve Varlamov. Check. We did more than that, we took him out of the game. It took us to game 7 to do it, but as long as we did it and in game 7 it happened to feel that much sweeter too.

So, thanks Pens for an exciting series and we'll see who we play next!

Pens vs. Flyers-Game 5.

Tonight the Flyers and Penguins will meet in Game 5. The Pens lead the series 3-1. Both teams are desperate and both will have to come out strong and play an intense game. I am expecting a physical game and with the different types of games we have seen through this series, who knows what really to expect? Goaltenders could steal a game once again, offense could put the other team away, defense could shut down the other team, special teams could either make or break a team. One thing for sure, the Pens need to get better on the power play and step up their game from Tuesday. Fleury gave us that win.
Dupuis will be moved onto the 2nd line, Satan will be on the 4th line for tonight's game.