Merry Christmas Everyone!

We at Penstation would like to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas!

If you are like us, you are wishing for nothing short of a Penguins turnaround in the new year. The Pens started the season out on a tear, but have been stuck in neutral as of late. After losing Tuesday night to the Tampa Bay Penguins Lightning, the Pens face a situation where they need to start winning--and against good teams.

The Pens travel to New Jersey on Friday to face the Devils. The Devils are currently ahead of the Pens in the standings, and the game marks a big opportunity to start climbing back toward the division leaders. The Penguins return home on Saturday to take on Alexei Kovalev and the Montreal Canadiens. The Habs are also currently ahead of the Pens, but only by 2 points. Beating both of those teams would result in the Penguins potentially moving into the 5th spot in the East from the 7th. Despite playing two good teams, the next week gets even more difficult with a home and home series with the Boston Bruins. The Bruins are the best team in the Eastern Conference and sit behind just the San Jose Sharks for the league lead. The Pens will first see the powerhouse at home on the 30th before traveling to Boston for the New Years Day match up.

With plenty of big games ahead, the Penguins' Christmas list is not short at all. This is one of the most exciting weeks in hockey, so don't miss a step. Everyone have a safe holiday! Oh yea, let's go Chicago! Who doesn't want to see the Blackhawks beat the Detroit Red Wings?

Merry Christmas Everyone!

A New Era in Toronto

Although it was pretty clear that Mats Sundin would not play for the Maple Leafs any longer, a new... leaf, if you will, can be turned in Toronto. The long time Maple Leaf captain made his decision earlier this week to sign with the Vancouver Canucks.

What does this mean for the Toronto franchise? Truthfully, it means just about nothing. I don't believe that anyone fully expected Sundin to wear a Leaf on his sweater anymore. The team has moved on from their former captain and will continue to do so after his decision.

What does this mean for the Penguins? Regardless of Sundin's decision, the Pens wouldn't have seen him suit up at the Mellon tonight. So once again, I guess the decision does not impact the Penguins' game against the Leafs.

So now you ask, "What does this have to do with me?" Nothing. We just found it hard to find something to write about with the Maple Leafs. I guess all we could come up with was YET ANOTHER Mats Sundin story, even thought it has NOTHING to do with the game tonight. Congratulations to us.

Regardless of the Leafs' record, or how well the Penguins can play, our northern rivals have always given the Pens a good game. I for one miss the days when Tie Domi used to come to the Igloo. Actually, as good as our division and rivalries are now, I miss the old division in general. Oh well.

Look for a good, tough, physical game tonight. I fully expect Marc-Andre Fleury to show up and be a star in the game. I'm also expecting Matt Cooke and Brooks Orpik to punish the Leafs and excite the home crowd. It shouldn't take much to excite the faithful fans; when the Pens wear the powder blues, the fans are always a big part of the game.

What to watch for.

1. Matt Cooke has been killing people. When 24 is on the ice, get ready for how the Cookie Monster acts without PBS censoring.
2. Marc-Andre Fleury is one of the best goalies in the world when he is healthy. Look for the Flower to be on top of his game tonight. We also caught word that he may be wearing vintage looking pads tonight. That could be interesting considering they are brown. Everyone has heard the story about the eye doctor that recommended Fleury white pads. Let's just hope the brown ones fare better than the yellow.
3. Evgeni Malkin is coming off of a 4 point night. We're looking for Gino to add another 3 tonight against the Leafs.
   

Let's Go Pens!!!

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Let's Go Pens!

Christmas Coming Early in Pittsburgh

After a little bit of a slide, the Penguins rebounded nicely with a 6-3 win over the Atlanta Thrashers last night. The win was a big one as the Penguins control just a 1 point lead over the Devils for 3rd place in the Atlantic Division. Even though the Penguins celebrated their 17th win, there are several Christmas presents that have come early; each one tops the win over Atlanta.

1. Marc-Andre Fleury returned to his home between the pipes last night. Fleury, who's injury was never fully disclosed, missed several games while Dany Sabourin filled in wonderfully. Despite solid play by Sabourin and John Curry, Fleury was missed and the team will be glad to have him back.
2. The Penguins and Ray Shero have announced a two-year contract deal with forward Maxime Talbot. The deal will keep Talbot wearing powder blues through the 2010-2011 season.
3. Ryan Whitney and Michel Therrien are planning for Whitney to play on the 23rd of December. The game against the Lightning on the 23rd would mark the first time that Whitney has played since the Stanley Cup finals. Whitney had surgery on his foot to repair a chronic problem and has been missed, especially on the power play, this season.

With three early gifts like that, it is easy to forget that the Pens played last night. It was great to see the offense return to put up 5+ goals once again. It was even better to see that Fleury looked to be his agile self in net for the black and gold. Fleury made several key saves throughout the game. A left toe save off of a deflected shot was all I needed to see to be glad that he was back. Fleury was moving left to right and got his left leg out an extra inch to send the would-be-goal wide. It is saves like that one that we need to be reminded of just how good the Flower is.

As for our three stars, you could probably have guessed them yourself.

1. Evgeni Malkin (2g, 2a)
2. Matt Cooke (1g)
3. Jordan Staal (1g, 1a)

Some might question our choice for Matt Cooke, but his high energy and punishing hits sparked the Pens to their win. As for Gino and Staaly, their stats explain everything. For full game stats, be sure to check out the NHL game summary.

The Penguins will be looking for more Christmas joy when they play the Toronto Maple Leafs at Mellon Arena tomorrow. Game time is 7:00. It's a busy season, but whether you are home or on the road, Fox Sports Net and 105.9 The X will have the game as usual.

Let's Go Pens!

Consol Energy Center

It's official.  The Penguins and CONSOL Energy Inc have released their deal pertaining to the new arena's naming rights.  CONSOL has been involved with the Penguins over the last few years, and it looks like they will be partnered for many more to come.

Consol Energy Center will be the home of the Pittsburgh Penguins for the next 21 years.  The multi-purpose arena, that is scheduled to debut with the 2010-2011 Penguins team,  will be home to much more than the Pens.  The state of the art facility will feature concerts, family events, and other sporting exhibitions.

For more information on the deal and the official release, check out the link on the Penguins' page.

Sorry

Sorry about the lack of posts the past couple of days.  Penstation's internet has been down and hasn't been able to post.  Check for new posts tomorrow.

-Matt

Rear View Mirror

The Penguins are just 4 points behind the Atlantic Division leading New York Rangers.  With 3 games at hand, the Pens sit in a great spot to make a move at the lead.  The only problem is that the Atlantic Division is arguably the best in hockey, and the Pens are even in points with the Philadelphia Flyers and just 4 ahead of tonight's opponent, the New Jersey Devils.

The Pens will play New Jersey tonight at 7 o'clock and we expect the game to be a battle; a battle it will have to be for the Pens to win.  The team has hit a bump in the road recently and has lost a couple of games that looked like they'd end up in the win column.  While Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin are on top of the world, Jordan Staal and Matt Cooke have struggled since losing Tyler Kennedy.  Neither Chris Minard or Janne Pesonen has seemed to fit the role that Teagues did and he will be missed dearly until his return.

Speaking of injuries, Philippe Boucher looks like he will return to the lineup soon.  Boucher returned to practice and seems optimistic that he will be playing in no time.  Getting Boucher back would be a boost to the defense that lost Hal Gill for 2 or more weeks.  Not that Ben Lovejoy played poorly in Gill's absence, but the Penguins have some of the best defensive talent in the NHL and it would be nice to have them healthy.

Be sure to watch the Pens tonight on FSN Pittsburgh or listen to them on 105.9 The X.

Pens Fall in 3rd, Lose 2nd Straight

The Penguins were on national television Monday night when they took on the Buffalo Sabres via Versus.  It was an exciting matchup featuring the league's leading scorers, Evgeni Malkin (1) and Sidney Crosby (2), and the leading goal-getter, Thomas Vanek (1). 

There were 7 goals scored in the game with 6 coming in the first two frames.  Malkin made the play of the night when he fed Ruslan Fedotenko for the first goal of the game.  Malkin was coming down the right wing and had his body opened toward the net so he could pass or shoot.  He was played perfectly so to create room, Malkin pulled the puck up between his legs and fed a cross-crease backhander to Fedotenko.  R.Fed would score once more in the first and the Pens went into the locker room up 2-1.

Early in the 2nd, Kris Letang made it a 3-1 game on the power play.  He was set up by Crosby on the play who extended his point streak to 7 games.  Unfortunately for the Penguins, they would not score again in the game.  Why unfortunately?  Because, the Sabres tied the game in the 2nd and went on to win 4-3.

Score Sheet.

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Without taking credit away from the Sabres excellent penalty kill, the Penguins power play was abysmal.  The Pens went 1-9 on the game and failed, once again, to convert on a 5 on 3 opportunity.  The 5 on 3 came on a bench minor that accompanied Vanek's interference call and gave the Pens a full 2 minute chance.

Also, it was great to see Ben Lovejoy play in his first NHL game.  The New Hampshire native had a great preseason showing for the Pens and was brought up to replace Hal Gill, who was a scratch on the long list of Penguins unable to play.  For more information on Lovejoy, check out his bio at The AHL.

Finally, our 3 Penguin stars:

1. Ruslan Fedotenko 2g (6&7)
2. Evgeni Malkin 2a (33&34)
3. Kris Letang 1 ppg (1)

Jason Spezza Tricks Pens Into Loss

After playing a pretty flawless game against the Hurricanes, the Penguins and Dany Sabourin lost a physical outing against the Ottawa Senators.  Actually, they lost the game to Jason Spezza that recorded his 2nd career hat trick.

As a team, the Penguins played a pretty solid game.  Throughout the game, it never felt as if they were being outplayed to a point where they should have lost.  The game marked just the 3rd time that Dany Sabourin gave up 3 or more goals this season.  Despite playing an overall typical game, Sabou looked sparatically flustered and seemed to not have typical control over his body.  While his positioning cost the Pens a goal and nearly another, Maxime Talbot proved that he could assume the role of a last resort goaltender should the situation arise.  Talbot made a kick save on a puck that nearly missed the right side of the net and proved that he could shut out beer league players around the world.

Sidney Crosby recorded an assist on the night, and his Two-Headed Monster counterpart Evgeni Malkin tallied a goal and a helper.  Malkin's late goal gave him a 5 point lead on teammate Crosby in points and provided some hope for another heart-stopping finish.  Unfortunately, Alex Auld stood stellar and the Ottawa Senators hung on to win 3-2. 

I think that I am going to start offering the Penguins' three stars from each game so that people will see who was playing their heart out.  To start off with this afternoon's game we are going with:

1. Jordan Staal
2. Evgeni Malkin
3. Matt Cooke

For more information on the game and to see the official three stars, be sure to check out the official NHL score sheet.

Injury Bug

While the Penguins haven't quite seen the injury bug that the Pittsburgh Steelers have, they have had to adapt to several influential and key players going down.  The latest news on Tyler Kennedy is that he suffered a sprained knee against the New York Rangers when he left the game in the 2nd period.  Initial outlook points to Kennedy being out 4-6 weeks.  (Pens)  We fully expect Chris Minard and Janne Pesonen to be tried in Kennedy's role.  Both players could have something to offer Jordan Staal and Matt Cooke, but this could be Pesonen's chance to shine in the NHL.

Be sure to watch the Penguins in their afternoon game against the Ottawa Senators.  The game is at 2:00 PM today and can be seen on FSN Pittsburgh and heard on 105.9 The X.  This marks the first game the two teams will play since the 2-day double header played in Stockholm to kick off the season.  Get your tivo ready--Sidney Crosby is red hot and Evgeni Malkin wants the point lead. 

Penstation was under a bit of an injury bug as well since no post-game was added following the win over the Carolina Hurricanes.  Be sure to follow up later today for a review of today's game.  For more information about the victory over Assistant Coach Ronnie Francis, check the official score sheet from Thursday's game.

Let's Go Pens!

Penguins Lose One in Own Fashion

The Pens lost a nail-biter last night in New York.  The much anticipated rivalry game ended in the only way that it could--a shootout.

The game started off as a test of strength.  Eric Godard and Colton Orr dropped gloves just 2:46 into the game.  Both guys took a few blows, but it looked as if Orr got the better of Godard.  They physical play continued the length of the game, but didn't get out of hand.  There were no more fights and only 1 or 2 unnecessary penalties, but body shots were exchanged.

Scoring started off in the first when Sidney Crosby stole the puck behind the Rangers' breakout and headed behind the net.  Three New York players followed Crosby like he was the second coming of Gretzky.  Crosby slid a great backhand pass past sticks and skates and found Mark Eaton in the low slot.  Eaton buried the puck to score his first goal of the season and his first as a Penguin.

We wouldn't see scoring action again until midway through the 2nd.  Jordan Staal and company have controlled the puck every time they hit the ice and it paid off once more.  Matt Cooke fed Rob Scuderi from the right corner.  Big number 4 took a heavy shot from the point that found Staaly's stick before striking twine.  2-0 Pens.  A minute later the Rangers would make it a 2-1 game off of Nikolai Zherdev's stick.  Scotty Gomez and Wade Redden each got an assist on the goal and would each get 1 more before the night ended...

Gomez and Redden teamed up again to set up another Ranger goal with just over 5 minutes left in the game.  This time their helpers set up Petr Prucha who found his first goal of the season.  Prucha had been a healthy scratch for 10+ games and looked last night like he'd found his game again.  The goal tied the game at 2-2 in Penguin fashion and would eventually send both teams into familiar territory--overtime.

Crosby and Evgeni Malkin found their chances, but neither the "Two-Headed Monster" or the New York Rangers could grab a goal.  With little surprise, the two experienced shootout teams would head past the 5 minute overtime and into the most exciting moment in sports. 

Both Dany Sabourin and Henrik Lundqvist were two of the league's shootout stars going into last night's finish.  Each goalie had only allowed 2 goals while facing 16 and 17 shooters respectively.  Those numbers would alter a bit as Lundqvist proved why the Rangers are so dangerous in extra time.  Dany Sabourin looked different than Pens fans are accustomed as he allowed all 3 Rangers to score.  Lundqvist faced only 2 shooters, but did allow a goal to Kris Letang.  Rangers win 3-2.

Check out the complete score sheet here.

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During the 2nd period of the game, Tyler Kennedy and Mike Zigomanis left with undisclosed injuries.  Hopefully we will hear something as to their status today, but after never hearing anything about the still day-to-day Marc-Andre Fleury, we won't be holding our breath.  I expect at least Janne Pesonen to be called up for tonight's game against the Hurricanes.  If the Pens do bring up more than one player for tonight, expect Chris Minard to make his 3rd appearance of the season.

It was good to see that December's alternate captains were Jordan Staal and Matt Cooke.  The two players have been the underdog workhorses behind the Pens' success and it was great to see Michel Therrien pay respect to the players.  Unfortunately,  if serious, Kennedy's injury could alter the line's chemistry.

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Be sure to watch again tonight as the Pens take on the Carolina Hurricanes at 7 PM.  As usual, the game can be seen on Fox Sports Net Pittsburgh and heard on 105.9 The X.

Big Apple, Big Game.

It's been a while since the Penguins have played a team ranked higher than them--tonight, they will.  The Pens face off against the Atlantic Division leading New York Rangers tonight at 7:00 PM.  The Guinos have played a couple games in New York this season, but it's been a while since they've been to NYC.

The Penguins go into tonight behind the Rangers by 5 points.  Tonight provides an excellent opportunity to close that gap to 3, and have a real shot at taking the division lead.  The good news is that New York has played 4 more games than Pittsburgh and that won't change since the teams are playing tonight.

Leading scorers, Evgeni Malkin and Sidney Crosby, will do everything they can to make sure the Pens come out on top in this game.  The two players have a new-found chemistry together and we feel that they will be used more together in tonight's game.  Hopefully, they will get together situationally through the season to skate game-changing shifts.

Be sure to check out the game tonight on FSN Pittsburgh.  If you are out in the car or feel like listening to Mike Lange's broadcast, you can find the game on 105.9 The X.  Alternatively, the radio broadcast is available through NHL.com's new gamecenter setup.  I'll be chatting it up with Pens fans on there during the game.

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Thanks for the support everyone.  Things have been tight lately, but expect more frequent articles.  We are currently looking for writers.  If interested, e-mail Penstation.Blog@gmail.com

Also, we were informed that ThePittsburghChannel.com has linked to us.  Check out their list of Penguins fan sites at The Pittsburgh Channel.