Monday, May 31, 2010

Curve 5-30-2010

Last night I went to see Rudy Owens pitch and I wasn't disappointed. While giving up a 2 run homer in the first, that was basically all he would give the Phillies. He consistently sat around 90 (range was 88-90) and topped out at 91. Be advised those were all Altoona's gun readings and their gun is notoriously slow, about 2 MPH. He really relied on his fastball a lot, but when he did throw his other pitches they were successful. His changeup was regularly in the 76-78 range and definitely fooled some batters. Through 6 IP he threw 83 pitches, 56 strikes, with four K. He sat down the final eight in a row. Other than that first inning he was excellent.

Hector Jimenez gave the Curve the lead in the 5th with a shot to right, and Alex Presley followed with a shot to nearly the same spot, just not as deep.

Tony Watson came in and his his first save pitching very well, although two of the longest outs of the day were against him. Speaking of long out, Chase d'Arnaud had a very long out and also a nice double, and Rudy Owens really got into a pitch that died near the warning track in Center.

Outside of two innings there wasn't a ton going on as Owens kept the Phillies in check. You would be amazed at how many bad hitters the Phillies trotted out there yesterday.

Sunday, May 30, 2010

Pens Add a Few Prospects


The Pens have made a few minor signings in the last week, acquiring a few young prospects. The first prospect they acquired was right winger Nicholas Petersen, a 6 foot 3 power forward. Petersen, drafted by the Pens in the 4th round 2009, had been playing with St John of the QMJHL and totalled 79 points in 59 games. Petersen was signed for three years at entry-level money. The Pens also traded a 6th round pick in the upcoming draft to the Ducks for goaltender Mattias Modig. Modig, 23, was a 4th round pick by the Ducks in the 2007 draft. Modig is a very technical butterfly goaltender that posted a 2.35 GAA and .913 SV% in his last 2 seasons playing in Sweden. Modig was also signed to an entry level contract, but for only 2 years. The addition of Petersen is a solid depth move at the winger position, but the Modig trade surprises me. The Pens already have a "log-jam" of goaltenders in the system with the potential of Pechurskiy, Killeen, and now Modig joining Curry and Theissen. Theissen is likely a "no-brainer" for the AHL starter position, and nothing yet official has been signed with either Pechurskiy or Killeen, but it still presents an interesting situation when training camp rolls around in the fall.

Thursday, May 27, 2010

Why the Hawks have this locked up.

Congratulations Chicago Blackhawks you are the Stanley Cup Champions. Was it your scorers? Nah. Your Goalie? Hell no. Well then what was the secret to your success?

Come on it's blatantly obvious why the BlackHawks will win the Stanley Cup this year...... the Winter Classic.

Every year since it's inception the Winter Classic has sent one of it's participating teams to the Stanley Cup finals, where they all proceeded to lose. Take out that second mortgage people!

Now the real question, are we ready to lose the Stanley Cup next year?

Wednesday, May 26, 2010

5 Reasons Not to Hate Marian Hossa



Marian Hossa, it is a name that has become just about as infamous to Pens fans as the person who wears it. He is the guy everyone loves to hate, and receives a nice shower of boos not only in Mellon Arena but Joe Louis Arena, Bridgestone Arena (not sure why but Preds fans seem to despise him as well), Phillips Arena, and maybe even more. But why is he despised so much? The popular answer is the way he left for money, contract, etc, but it is time to look at the facts that he was no different then your average trade deadline rental player. Here are 5 good reasons to (at least for now) put aside your hate for Marian Hossa...

1. He gave us Pascal Dupuis- Ok, well maybe he didn't personally get us Dupuis, but we would not have Dupuis had it not been for the Hossa trade. Dupuis is not only a strong locker room personality, but has really picked up his scoring input recently. I would say he was the value of that entire deal.

2. Pens didn't lose that much- I will say that I have both an Armstrong and a Christensen jersey in my closet and they were always two of my favorites, but the truth is that they just havn't been producing like they used to. Armstrong has taken on the grinder role with Atlanta, and while he is effective at that, he hasn't been the impact forward the Thrashers had originally hoped for. Christensen is currently on his third team since the trade (ATL to ANA now with NYR) and has taken a similar role as a shootout specialist with all of them. Prospect Angelo Esposito, drafted in the 1st round in 2007 by the Pens, also hasn't panned out all that well, at least not yet. He has struggled with injuries and managed little success in professional hockey.

3. Saved a lot of money- As much as Pens fans wanted Hossa to stay, the truth was that they just couldn't afford him anyway. In order to give Hossa the years and money he wanted, they would have had to use essentially the rest of the already tight stretched salary cap.

4. Won the Pens a cup in 2009- Ok, maybe he didn't mean to, but his lackadaisical play in the 2009 finals took a vital presence away from the Red Wings, and meant one less threat against the Pens. I know it is a pretty weak reason, but at least it isn't a reason to dislike him any more.

and number 5 and probably the most important...
5. He's gotta beat the Flyers! Hossa along with teammates Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews will lead the Blackhawks into the 2010 finals against the Philadelphia Flyers. So, at least for the next few weeks, all of my previous grievances against Hossa will be put on the back burner as he will be vital in order to take out the Flyers and preserve the sanity of the rest of the NHL. Go Hawks.

Tuesday, May 25, 2010

Was Walker right last season?

Last season there was a pretty big hoopla when Neil Walker said he thought the new regime was holding down the old one's players. Walker did eventually come up and wasn't all that great. This year though Neil Walker is absolutely killing Triple A, the man blocking him at the ML Level is the woeful Akinori Iwamura.

Even worse than that is the fact that with Andy LaRoche hurt we are starting Delwyn Young at third. His defense was on full display in last nights embarrassment. Not content to ruin third base he played a role in our "breakout" first baseman's injury. I understand that they aren't going to cut Aki. This FO is loyal to a fault. But what about Young? He plays all the positions that Walker can play (except Walker plays them much better).

So why isn't he up? Failure to run out an pop-up with the "infield fly rule" in effect. What does that mean? That Walker didn't run out a ball that was a unequivocal sure out. If the ball had been dropped, dribbled like a soccer ball to the outfield, and traded for the phone number of a girl in the stands (not even a hot one, maybe like a 6), Walker would still have been out.

His maturity has been questioned quite a bit, including by Stark. I don't know what we're missing but save the incidents I have mentioned I can't recall anything else. He was a model player in Spring Training, and has been moved from his natural position at Catcher (because he was going to be blocked by Paulino, hahahaha), to third base, then to outfield, now to second base. The guy has worked extremely hard to become the most versatile player in our minor league system.

He deserves his shot more than anyone else in AAA up to this point, and that includes Pedro Alvarez.

Monday, May 24, 2010

Wednesday, May 19, 2010

Deryk Engelland Re-Signed


The Penguins have resigned Deryk Engelland to a one year contract extension Wednesday afternoon. It is a two way contract, meaning he could move freely between NHL and AHL without clearing waivers, and would pay him 500k for one season at the NHL level. (would be less at AHL level) I think this is a good move for the Pens. Engelland has been a strong, consistent factor on the blue line in Wilkes-Barre Scranton and looked promising in his nine games in Pittsburgh last season. Though Engelland at 28 years old is one of the Pens older AHL prospects, there is still time for him to make his mark as an important fill-in or 7th defenseman at the NHL level. Also, his experience in Wilkes-Barre makes him a perfect defense partner for a younger prospect like Brian Strait or Robert Bortuzzo. Though I am certainly not ruling Engelland out as a possible Pittsburgh starter next season because he has the ability, I think he will start the season in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton and see a few assorted callups throughout the season. Engelland's signing is also important on a broader scale because it shows that the Pens are already trying to get deals done with some of the players they intend to keep. Expect more to come soon.

Tuesday, May 18, 2010

Pens Free Agents


Now that the Pens' season is over, it is now time to take a look at the free agency list. This is a list of current Penguins players whose contracts have expired. Some of these players will be resigned by the team, but others will not be wearing the skating penguin next season. There is also a number of other free agents who the Pens have been rumored to be looking at, but I will not speculate at this time. The players who will be free agents are:
Sergei Gonchar- Though Gonchar is probably the most well known name in this list, his high contract demands and age as well as his lackluster play defensively in Game 7 and through the playoffs make it highly unlikely Gonchar will be back with the Pens next year.
Matt Cooke- The Pens will hopefully do everything in their power to resign Cooke, who was a key component to the team in both ends of the ice. My feelings are that Cooke will be back next season.
Alexei Ponikarovsky- Ponikarovsky has not been entirely what the Pens have hoped for since acquiring him at the trade deadline. This combined with the amount of money he eats up from the cap make it pretty unlikely he returns to the Pens.
Ruslan Fedotenko- Fedotenko spent most of the playoffs riding the bench, even when he was perfectly healthy. His production during the season dropped drastically and the coaches have somewhat lost faith in him. I don't forsee the Pens offering him very much to come back.
Bill Guerin- The Pens would gladly offer Guerin a one or two year deal, if he chooses to return to the NHL for another season. The question is not if he can still play well, but if he still wants to. His decision cannot be predicted by anyone but him, so the Pens will just have to wait and see.
Mark Eaton- I believe that Eaton is the biggest question mark of the entire offseason. While his regular season play was criticized, he had a strong showing in the playoffs. Eaton's contract is somewhat large, but not unaffordable if the Pens want to bring him back.
Jordan Leopold- Leopold, another midseason acquisition, has played some solid hockey for the Pens since arriving. I believe his future depends on what the Pens decide with Eaton, because it is unlikely they keep both. For now, Eaton has a slight advantage but Leopold is certainly a capable option.
Jay McKee- McKee was put into the role of 7th defenseman after the Pens got Leopold. He did see some playing time, but was often scratched. The Pens could certainly afford to bring McKee back if they wanted, but I doubt he would even want to return.
Ben Lovejoy- Lovejoy is considered by many, myself included, to be an NHL starter next year. The Pens will likely give him a decent sized pay raise, but it would be worth it as he is now ready to be an impact player at the NHL level. Expect him to be back next year.
Deryk Engelland- Engelland brings a strong, physical presence to the table and while he may not be fully ready for full time NHL competition, he is certainly an able fill-in and brings some physicality and experience to Wilkes-Barre Scranton. I think he will be back next season.
Chris Conner- What Conner lacks in size and stregnth he compensates for in speed and energy. He was one of the first people that the NHL Penguins looked to when they needed a replacement, and even saw some time in the playoffs. If the price is right, there is a decent chance he will be back.
Nick Johnson- Johnson plays a physical and hard-working style of hockey, and can be a potential NHL 3rd or 4th line player with another year or two of minor league development. He shouldn't be too expensive, and is definitely worth consideration to re-sign.
Ryan Bayda- Injuries plagued Bayda's last season with the WBS Pens, as he saw little time. When he did play, he was decent but certainly injury prone. The fact that he is also quite old for an AHL prospect makes it unlikely he returns unless he comes very cheap.
Chris Lee- I see this as a 50/50 shot that Lee returns. He was effective at the AHL level, but does not have much NHL upside. He could come back, though, if the organization wants to have some experience in Wilkes-Barre.
Aaron Boogard- Wilkes-Barre has enough fighters to be without him, but he might come back if he goes very cheap. I still think the Pens let him go.

Pics From Last Night's Shitshow

GFJ



Blurry Charlie



The Ridiculous Shift



"I'll take who is a future HOFer, the next Pirates manager and a shitty catcher for $100, Alex"



Pirate Killer



Keep walking. Indy is that way



It wasn't all bad. We got to sit in this for 9 innings

Sunday, May 16, 2010

Go Habs Go!


It seems the hockey world is just toying with the emotions of Penguins fans now, as now we are all rooting for the Montreal Canadiens just 4 days after they broke our hearts in Game 7. Why, you may ask? Well, they have drawn our most hated enemies, the Philadephia Flyers. I'm not sure I will be on the up and up with the series, but here are some links where you can keep tabs on the series...
Out west the series between San Jose and Chicago kicks off as well. Fan reaction is split in this series so I will post one of each...
The pain from the Pens loss is still quite powerful, but at least its hockey. More to come on the Pens offseason later...

Friday, May 14, 2010

Yinz Luv 'Da Guins!, PIT vs. MON (Game 7)

A big THANK YOU to the great Jim Shearer for another season of YLDG!



Now I can't get that rap song out of my head. Thanks, Jim!

Thursday, May 13, 2010

Where Did It All Go Wrong?

Now that we have all had one full day to get all the screaming and head-banging out of our systems, I think its time we take one final look at where it all went wrong for the Pens in Game 7. What's important to remember, though, that this upset was brewing since Game 4 but was brushed aside by nearly everyone after the win in Game 5. Montreal stole the momentum away in Game 4, managed to control the damage from Game 5, and then really took control of the momentum with a comeback win in Game 6. All this aside, however, lets take a brief look at what happened to cause the Game 7 letdown.


-GOALTENDING- Everyone thought that after 6 hard fought games and a tough 7 games beforehand, there was no way Jaroslav Halak could continue to play at the level he was. He proved all of those people quite wrong, however, by playing even better than he was. Halak made some incredible "point-blank" saves on the Pens that stopped their comeback in its tracks. As for Fleury, he was nearly golden all series long, but picked a very bad day for his first really bad game.


-STRIKE EARLY AND OFTEN- The Pens' momentum was killed nearly right off the bat when Sidney Crosby was put in the penalty box for a "boarding" (or so it was called on the ice) call 10 seconds into the game. This, combined with another delayed penalty on Pittsburgh, gave the Canadiens a quick goal 30 seconds into the game. They would never look back after that.


-CONDITIONING- The Canadiens flat-out outworked the Pens in Games 6 and 7. The Pens looked like a wounded animal, and though they still got a large number of shots on goal, they were constantly getting beat to the smaller battles to the puck. They also had trouble finishing their checks consistently. This, by itself, seems rather insignificant, but after 2 games of getting outworked like that it does take a toll on the team.


-WHERE'S CROSBY? MALKIN?- The Canadiens were excellent in shutting down the dynamic duo from the Pens, constantly "smothering" them and keeping them out of the action. This was especially true for Crosby, who was unable to free himself from Hal Gill assigned to stay on him constantly.



Well, that officially closes the book for the Pittsburgh Penguins 2009-2010 season. It was a season of ups and downs, emotional goodbyes and fresh young faces. It was a season of high Stanley Cup repeat hopes, and sadly a bitter ending. Nonetheless, the Pens again made the playoffs in a top 5 seed for the fourth year in a row. Sidney Crosby tied for the Rocket Richard Trophy, and is currently nominated for the Hart. Jordan Staal received a Selke Trophy nomination and showed why he may be the toughest man in the NHL. So, Congratulations Pens on giving your fans another exciting year and lots to cheer about. And one final goodbye to the Pens old home Mellon Arena. So long old pal, we'll never forget the many memories you gave us. Lets take one final glimpse at the 2009-2010 Pens because its moving forward from here.



Lets Go Pens

Wednesday, May 12, 2010

Heartbreak


Listen, I'm gonna spare you all the pain. Habs goals were Gionta, Moore, Cammalleri, Moen and Gionta. Pens goals were Kunitz and Staal. Fleury got yanked, not his night. Halak was spectacular. Pens were 0-6 on PP. Habs were 2-4. Everything that could have gone wrong did for a game 7. Thats about all I got right now. We will always love our team, but for now some time to recover before the offseason moves start to pour in. More to come later...

Tuesday, May 11, 2010

Monday, May 10, 2010

See You Wednesday Folks


Pens lose. Habs win. 4-3. See you Wednesday... Ok, maybe there is a little more to the game than that, but that is all anyone really wants to talk about after that game. The Pens were outplayed, and that is about all that matters at this point. The analyzing is over, the momentum swings are over, and it comes down to one final showdown to decide whether or not the Pens move on. The Pens shot themselves in the foot right off the start when Kris Letang gave the puck to Mike Cammalleri who scored just over a minute into the game. Sidney Crosby would come up with an answer, though, when he batted in a Mark Eaton rebound for his first goal of the series. Kris Letang would find a little bit of redemption in the second when he scored a powerplay goal to give the Pens a 2-1 lead, but it would be the last they would get. Cammalleri would strike again later in the second, and Jaroslav Spacek, back from an extended injury, would score less than 3 minutes later to reclaim the lead. This stretch in the middle of the second looked all to familiar to the beginning of the third in Game 4. The Pens were beginning to get comfortable with their lead, and the Canadiens caught them totally off guard and took the lead for good. Maxim Lapierre would put the game out of reach midway through the third when he swerved through the entire Pens defense and beat Fleury to put his team up by 2. Billy Guerin deflected a Sergei Gonchar slapshot late in the third to put the game within 1, but it would be too little too late. Montreal held on as the Pens were completely unable to generate any offense in the last minute with the empty net extra attacker. This scenario is all too familiar to both of these teams, and it will come down to which team wants it more. The Pens needed two game 7s in their cup run last year, and Montreal is coming off an upset Game 7 win last series over the Capitals. NHL Game 7s are the most exciting matchups in all of sports, and this one should not disappoint. They are also very unpredictable, so trying to analyze them is a near useless effort. The Pens do have 1 major advantage, however, and it is the home ice. Lady Mellon will be loud, as the fans and players understand that there is the potential that if they lose, it will be the last hockey game ever played at The Igloo. These are the moments that characterize a season, and it is time to see what the Pens are made of. Lets Go Pens and See You Wednesday!

Dodging two bullets, by accident

Last season there was much controversy, and vitriol, about the handling of two "Marquee" players on the Pirates roster. Best buddies Jack Wilson and Freddy Sanchez were both offered what many FO-bashers claim was a low ball offer.

Lets handle Freddy first. The offer for Sanchez was 2 year $10 million dollars. The catch was that he had to give up a vesting option of $8.4 million contingent on him getting 600 PA last season. If he were to give up that option and reach 600 PA it was like he was making $1.6 million in two seasons, a terrible deal given his track record. Even though he was having some injury problems, and really always was kind of fragile, most assumed he would get the plate appearance just out of hand. We all know how that ended though, he didn't even come close to 600 PA. Freddy Sanchez was then re-signed by the Giants at two years $12 million. A bit higher than the Pirates offered but very much within the ballpark.

That's a great deal for Sanchez no doubt, but what has he given the Giants since the trade? 29 hits. That is all. He hasn't played at all this season due to injuries and missed 51 games last season. That type of cash into an oft-injured, powerless second baseman with little defensive range is just ludicrous looking back. There is a chance he is out of the league before his contract is up with his injury problems.

Now onto Jack Wilson, who has also missed a lot of time. Jack Wilson was offered $8 million over two season, he had a club option for 2010 of $8.4 million which the Pirates were never intending to use. Wilson also has an injury history too, he hasn't played in 150+ games since 2005 and his stick has been very unimpressive. He is the definition of an all glove no stick SS. He also has 6 errors in this young season, his previous career high was 18 in 2006. The latest bad news for Wilson? Another injury, actually 2. A hamstring and a knee have both knocked Wilson out of the lineup recently. Could you imagine paying $4 million a season to Wilson part time the next two years? Almost seems like something David Littlefield would do. The Mariners thought it would be prudent to do just that and more, they signed him to a 2 year $10 million deal.

Even if we get little in return for these guys, it was the right move. Hell just moving Snell's salary with Wilson was worth it. Ronny Cedeno does about what Wilson does and is much much cheaper. These aren't keystone guys regardless. Even Aki, who has been bad is contributing more than Sanchez. It was said that tying up over $16 million on a middle infield of Sanchez and Wilson wasn't a good allocation of funds, and that is 100% dead on obvious.

The problem is that Huntington did try to extend these guys, and he had the benefit of really knowing their full injury problems and the like. I'm not sure if Huntington ever wanted them to sign for this reason but tried to please the fans, or build up their value, but if he seriously wanted these guys back, I'm sure glad he failed.

Saturday, May 8, 2010

Clutch Performance!


For the Pens, Game 5 was to be "the closest thing possible to a must-win situation without actually being one." It was scrutinized how well they would bounce back after their lackluster ending in Game 4, it was analyzed as to which goaltender would have the better performance, and it was publicized as one of the pivotal games of the playoffs so far. It lived up to all that hype and more as the Pens held off a late charge by Montreal to win 2-1 and move to within one win of the Eastern Conference Finals. Marc-Andre Fleury was superb, stopping 32 out of 33 shots, with the only one he let in being on a play that should have been whistled dead with 31 seconds remaining in the game. Though the goal counted, it would still not be enough for Montreal as the Penguins Penalty Kill and shot blocking came up large in third period. The Pens found a little more offensive success, with all of it coming from the point. Kris Letang put them on the board late in the first with a powerplay goal that was shot so fast that Halak did not see it until the puck was laying in the goal behind him. The second goal was incredibly similar to the first except this time it was Sergei Gonchar who beat Halak midway through the second. This goal also meant the first career NHL playoff point for Mark Letestu, who started just his third career playoff game. Letestu also came incredibly close to a goal that would have put the Pens up 3 had Halak not made an incredibly impressive save. Letestu got the start and the returns of Bill Guerin and Mike Rupp meant for the healthy scratching of Ruslan Fedotenko and Alexei Ponikarovsky. This move was not agreed upon by everyone, but what was agreed upon is that Letestu earned a spot on the Pens roster with his play of recent. Regardless of who starts for the Pens on Monday, they should be ready for their toughest test yet. Now that the series is 3-2, the Canadiens are one game away from elimination and are facing a do-or-die situation. They are 3-0 so far these playoffs when facing elimination, so they know the feeling quite well. This new mentality from Montreal should also open up new opportunities for Pittsburgh, as well. I would expect Montreal to come out more aggressive, rather than their usual "sit back and wait for opportunities" style. This may get them off their guard, and allow the Pens to counter-attack with some shots that they would not normally get against the Canadiens' defense. Fleury will have to continue to be the best player for the Pens, just like Halak for the Canadiens. The Pens will seek to earn their way into the ECFs and the Habs will seek to prolong their season Monday night at Bell Centre. Should be a good one, so don't miss it.

Thursday, May 6, 2010

5 Minute Break



A typical regulation NHL playoff game lasts 60 minutes. Well, the Pens showed up for 55. Unfortunately, that was not enough as that 5 minute lapse cost them a 2-1 lead and eventually led to a 3-2 Montreal victory. Within that 5 minute lapse, Maxim Lapierre not only scored a wrap around shot to tie the game (2:07), but Brian Gionta banked one off of defenseman Kris Letang to give them the lead at 3:40. This was especially bad as both Letang and Fleury lost sight of the puck and it simple trickled into an empty net off Letang's skate. Beyond this, the Pens played decently. The Canadiens' other goal was scored by Tom Pyatt 2 and 1/2 minutes into the game. Both of Pittsburgh's goals were scored in the first as well, the first being a breakaway goal from Maxime Talbot and the second being a powerplay shot from Chris Kunitz. The Pens once again outshot Montreal by a large margin (10 tonight), and it took another great performance by Jaroslav Halak to hold the Pens to 2. This was especially true in the last few minutes when he stopped Evgeni Malkin on a breakaway and withstood the Pens final barrage with the empty net extra attacker. Halak finished 33-35, while Fleury's numbers added up to 22-25. This was a must win game for Montreal, and now they evened the series at 2-2 with a split at Bell Centre. What is important for the Pens and their fans now is not to over-analyze the tendencies and the momentum of this series. My advice is just to take it for what it is, a 2-2 tie. The series is even, and either team can seize it if they so choose. The Pens certainly have the talent and the poise to win this series, but it will not be a push-over. If there is one thing that Montreal proved during the series with Washington it is that they are a resilient team and do not lay down easily. Pittsburgh must stay focused, and not get ahead of themselves. Game 5 should be the one and only thing on their mind. Perhaps the best thing for Pittsburgh is coming home to Mellon Arena for Game 5 and getting away from the harsh fans at Bell Centre. They were exceptionally harsh in this series by doing things like destroying a Crosby jersey outside the arena before Game 3 and pelting the ice with trash in disapproval of a referee call during Game 4. With all this above being said, I suppose I do not need to again stress the importance for Saturday's Game 5. See you Saturday and Let's Go Pens!

Talor Battle Back at Penn State



In news that shouldn't be shocking to anyone, Talor Battle is returning to Penn State for his Senior season. Battle put his name in the NBA Draft but there was no way he was going to miss a chance to play with his half brother Taran Buie next season.

Battle's decision comes after scouts projected him to be a late 2nd round or more likely an undrafted pick.

Last year Battle averaged 18.5 points a game shooting 42% on the season. He was the only reason to watch Penn State basketball.

Yinz Luv 'Da Guins!, PIT vs. MON (Games 1-3)

Wednesday, May 5, 2010

Update on Jordan Staal


The morning after Jordan Staal injured a tendon on his toe during Game 1 Friday night, a media frenzy ensued. Some reporters at TSN initially broke the story that he was out for the rest of the playoffs, and panic struck across the Pens fanbase. Later that morning, however, some of TSNs more educated reporters including Bob McKenzie said that this may not have been the case and encouraged everyone to wait for the statement of Dan Bylsma. Bylsma gave the official injury as a torn tendon, and put Staal on the Day to Day list. Since then, Staal has undergone successful surgery to repair the tendon and has began skating again. He participated in a brief skate Tuesday morning and Wednesday he participated in a full equipment optional practice at the Bell Centre. This clearly shows improvement, and he said that it was not getting any worse while skating. Bylsma has yet to release a time for his return, but I imagine that it will be sometime in the next few games (probably 5 or 6). This was an amazing recovery, but it was about normal for Staal. Staal is not only one of the toughest players on his team but in the entire NHL. I wish Staal the quickest and most effective recovery, and cannot wait until he is back on the ice for the black and gold.

Also, as for the Pens' other major injury, hardly any information has been released on the condition of Billy Guerin. Bylsma did say, however, that there is a chance he may participate in Thursday's morning practice. Guerin was scratched as part of a game time decision in which he came out for warmups but never saw action during the actual game.

Tuesday, May 4, 2010

Flower Power!


The critics say he was soft in Game 2. The critics say that he cannot come up big in clutch situations. Some critics even say that he should be benched for backup goaltender Brent Johnson. But honestly, since when does Marc-Andre Fleury care about the critics? He gave them all a reason to eat their words Tuesday night when he made some huge saves in the beginning and ending of the game to give the Pens the 2-0 victory and himself his first shutout of the playoffs. Nearly anybody who watched the game could tell you that Fleury was the main reason why the Pens won, and he was in great form. The Pens skaters had an extremely sloppy first period, and the Canadiens controlled much of the play in the offensive zone. Fleury had a match for their every move, however, as he held the fort down through the first and allowed the Pens to regain their composure in the second. After a slow second, in which Fleury did not see much action, he was golden in the third, robbing several golden opportunities by Montreal and killing off a penalty late in the game to secure the victory. Fleury was not the only one silencing critics, however. After a bit of a lackadaisical start to the series, Evgeni Malkin scored the lone even-strength goal for the Pens and had a strong game overall. It occurred on a powerplay early in the third in which he took a pass from teammate Sergei Gonchar and shot a laser shot that Halak did not see until it hit the twine behind him. Pascal Dupuis also added a late empty net goal to close out the game and secure the 2-1 series lead for Pittsburgh. Playoff wins are great, and it is another step in the right direction for the Pens, but that should not take away from another good performance from Halak. Had it not been for some Fleury-magic, this may have been an entirely different story. While they looked significantly improved with settling the play down and trying to get good positioning on the defense, they still need to work on getting traffic in front of Halak and scoring the "ugly goals." Nevertheless, it gives the Pens home ice advantage again in the series and a chance to really make an impact in the series if they win again in Game 4 Thursday night at Bell Centre.

Jeffy boy the pipes, the pipes are calling

Good news! The Pirates called up 1B Steve Pearce today! In the logical world this would mean he is probably going to platoon with the struggling Jeff Clement. In Pirate land he was just brought up to be another bat off the bench. Seriously how can you ignore his AAA line of .349/.452/.605 with 16 XBH (2 homers) in 86 AB?

What? By looking at last years MLB numbers? Well..Um sure last season was his worst MLB season, but still his line of .206/.296/.370 with 4 homers is much better than Clements this season.

Jeff Clement has destroyed AAA pitching. Steve Pearce has hit AAA pitching well too. Clement has three season with an OPS of .850 or more at AA, Pearce has three with an OPS of .850 or more as well.

What we have is basically the same player, from opposite sides of the plate. Their AAA stats are unbelievably similar. In 359 games at AAA Clement is .279/.368/.492 with 59 homers (1 every 6.08 games), the majority of which was played at Catcher. In 237 games at AAA Pearce is .281/.354/.482 with 33 homers (1 every 7.18 games), most of which was at 1B.

Pirates fans are clamoring for Pearce because of a very small sample at AAA this season, a level he has shown success at for years. If there was ever a situation that literally screamed for a platoon it is this one. Just remember people wanted Pearce run out of town after his abysmal season last year.



Monday, May 3, 2010

Link Dump



No Pirates game or Pens game tonight. Because you have nothing to do, click on these links.

Flyers vs Bruins game two preview. [Broad Street Bully]

Get a FREE Gillette razor. [Mondesi's House]

Dodger fan catches McCutchen's homer. [Rum Bunter]

Sunday, May 2, 2010

What Happened?


At the conclusion of my Game 1 recap, I warned that this Montreal team could bounce back and completely change the course of the series. And, well, the 3-1 loss in Game 2 could not have been any more different from the first. One of the main stories of the game, and rightfully so, was the play of Jaroslav Halak. After getting chased after 5 goals on Friday night, he was unflappable saving 38 of 39 shots and making some incredible saves early in the game. The turnaround in the performance of Halak was only half of the reason why things went so wrongly for the Pens. The Pens got away from doing many of the things that they were so successful with in Game 1. Their perfect powerplay in Game 1 was held scoreless, even though they did not get very many opportunities. Another thing that the Pens did so successfully in the first game was to bring the puck into the zone and move it around. This ability to settle down the gameplay and get traffic in front of Halak was absent in Game 2, as the Pens seemed content to just try to skate around the perimeter and hope for a pass in front of Halak. Montreal's defense caught on to this, and while the Pens certainly had a number of chances, they were all manageable for Halak and he held down the fort. The other half of Montreal's game was to capitalize on mistakes and opportunities given to them. Their first goal was scored when Brian Gionta managed to get himself open in front of Fleury and shot one that was just a bit too quick for him to get. Mike Cammalleri also was effective at this, and managed to score two goals in opportunistic fashion. His first goal came early in the second on the powerplay when he batted the puck in midair past an unexpecting Fleury to put the Canadiens up 2-1. He also was the one who put the game away in the closing minutes by wristing one past Fleury on a breakaway caused by a neutral zone turnover. The Pens' lone goal was scored by Matt Cooke, who along with linemates Max Talbot and Pascal Dupuis were likely the hardest working and most valuable players the Pens had on the ice. Though Fleury's numbers were not very good, (18-21) it would not be just to pin this loss on him as all three goals were incredibly difficult and would be improbable for any goaltender to save. What is important for the Pens now is to remember that the series can flip flop back just as quickly as it did the first time, and Halak and the Canadiens could get very cold again. But even if they don't, the Pens can still beat them. They must just remember that with Halak it is not necessarily the number of shots you get on him but the quality of the shots and the traffic placed in front of him. The Pens and Habs play Game 3 Tuesday night at the Bell Centre, and it could be pivotal in deciding the outcome of the series.

Duke of Hurl

This post was supposed to be about Jeff Clement, after last nights performance though I feel like I have to call someone else out. Zach Duke.

I don't know in what league Duke is playing in, but last night he showed he has little heart. He is not some kind of leader on this team. Zach Duke looks out for Zach Duke. He is whiner, he is a baby, and he has all but assured everyone he will not be back once his contract runs out. The fact that he just let guys be hit without retaliation, and then allowed someone to throw at the best player on this team, the face of the franchise is disgusting. He had the perfect opportunity to take it to the reliever who threw at Cutch's head, instead he did nothing.

That doesn't even include the scoffs he gives from the dugout if a reliever has the audacity to blow a win for him, or the look of disgust at any fielding error. Since he apparently can't finish a game anymore I guess it's only fitting that it took Jack Taschner to do what he couldn't do and throw at Andre Ethier.

Lets not forget about Zach Duke's performance this season either, he isn't exactly lighting the world on fire, and looks more like the pitcher from the second half of last season than the guy who put on the All Star team by Charlie Manual. His WHIP is disgusting, and he is walking too many guys. Couple his lackluster start with an unwillingness to stick up for his teammates, and I won't be too sad to see him go.

Saturday, May 1, 2010

Jordan Staal Out For Season??



According to TSN's Brent Wallace, Staal is "done for the playoffs." Ouch.

**UPDATE** The Wallace report may have been a bit premature. Several other hockey talking heads are now saying Staal will be back "next round if not sooner" so who knows at this point.

Whatever it is ... Pens in 4