While it just seems like yesterday that the Penguins season ended with the Red Wings skating Lord Stanley around the Mellon Arena ice, it is now time for a new season.  The Penguins were hit hard by free agency, and according to some serious over-reactors, were decimated by it.  But, the Pens that will take the ice tomorrow at 2:30 to start off the NHL campaign still have an excellent chance to defending their Eastern Conference crown and getting back to the Finals.  Yes, everybody seems to be writing them off already.  Yes, history is against them.  But, this team has made a habit of proving its doubters wrong in a big way.  This was supposed to be the year the Pens made their run at a Finals.  Here are the questions facing the Pens this seasons.

1.History- This has been brought more then the Jordan Staal has brothers that also happen to play in the NHL and R.J. Umberger is from Pittsburgh.  To get back to the finals and win the Pens will have to buck some serious history.  Since the NHL expanded to 12 teams in 1967, only one team has ever lost in the Finals and come back and won the next year.  Maybe its a bit of historical irony that the team is the 1983-84 Edmonton Oilers, the team that Pens are most often compared with.  Going back to 1996, only one Finals loser has come back to even win a series in the playoffs the next year, that being the Dallas Stars in 2001.  Legend has it that the defeated Oilers walked past the lockeroom of the Islanders after they had beaten them four games to one, and were surprised that there wasn't rachous celebrating going on, but just a team that seemed more relieved to have won.  That supposedly gave the Oilers the confidence they needed to beat them the very next year.  Its hard to say what the Red Wings winning on the Pens ice last year did to them mentally, but remember, they simply wipped the very same Ottawa Senators off the ice after they had beaten them in the playoffs the year before.  Many an expert are using history as the deterrent for the Pens this season, but to me, that is just an easy excuse to write them off, instead of seeing and what they still have.  I would never lump the Pens in the same boat as teams like the '06 Oilers, '98 Caps, or '99 Sabres that made miracle runs and couldn't finish.  The Pens are far from a one-year wonder team, and anybody that thinks that they are, is just simply a fool.

2. Arrivals/Departues- This is No. 2 on the Penguins hit parade that will supposedly keep them from contention and cause them to take a serious step back.  Yes, the Penguins were hit hard by free agency.  But instead of looking at the quanity of the losses, look at the quality.  I am not here to rip on the players the Pens lost, they were all good players, and in the case of one, great.  I fully appreciate the service they did for the Pens, however long or short it was.  Everybody blew up on the Marian Hossa defection to the Red Wings,  But, saying that his loss cripples the Pens is just overstating it.  Hossa is a great player, no disputing that, but he didn't start contributing on a consistent basis until the Rangers series in the playoffs. The Pens played basically their entire regular season without him, and won the Atlantic Division and secured the fourth 2nd spot in the East.  Ryan Malone is fine player, but can you really expect the numbers that he put up last season if he isn't skating alongside Malkin and Sykora?  Gary Roberts, despite his massive popularity among the Pens fanbase was injured for most of last season.  Georges Laraque and Adam Hall made some good contributions to the Pens during the season, but they were nothing more then role players.  Like I said, not ripping on them, that is the honest evaulation of how things were and are.  What can you expect out of Miroslav Satan, Ruslan Fedetanko, Eric Godard, and Matt Cooke? Satan is a bit o####amble, as he was part of an Islanders that could rarely find the back of the net, but he also didn't have Sidney Crosby as his center either.  Fedetanko and Cooke are solid grinders for the team that can contribute much in the way that Jarrko Ruutu, Roberts, and Malone did.  You can't dwell on what isn't there anymore, even though that is what all of the media is doing.  You can see the quality signings that GM Ray Shero made added to what is still here, and that is still very damn good. 

3. Injuries- Already the Pens have suffered two big injuries.  Ryan Whitney will probably be out until Christmas while Sergei Gonchar will be out far into the New Year.  Those losses do hurt, especially on the power play, but they aren't crippling.  Gonchar has probably the best year of his career last year, as he not only made the offensive contributions you expect out of him, but he has his finest year defensively.  Whitney was in and out of the Therrian dog house with some very poor defensive play at times, but he hit a late stride in the playoffs.  Defense is probably the deepest unit on the team, as the solid squad from last year retained Brooks Orpik, the underrated Rob Scuderi, and Hal Gill.  Also coming back is Mark Eaton, who has been shut-down when he has been on the ice for the Pens, but can't seem to stay heatlhy.  The last two years combined he hasn't played a full season worth of games, but if he can stay healthy, takes some serious sting out of losing Gonch.  Kris Letang proved to be NHL worthy through his mid-season promotion last year, as he showed an ability to adapt to a more defensive game.  Alex Goligoski is the wild card in the equation.  Goligoski lead the Baby Pens of the AHL in points during their playoff run last year.  Management was debating on how to get him playing time, because there is really nothing more for him to learn at the minor league level.  Now he has his chance.  Also, the Pens not being able to unload Daryl Sydor in the off-season now looks like a blessing in disguise.  The depth will help them now, but they cannot afford another big injury along the blueline, especially early. 

4. Jordan Staal- This will be a big year for Jordan, who correct if I am wrong, has brothers that play in the NHL as well?  Staal had a huge rookie year netting 29 goals, but last year crashed back to earth in the scoring department big time.  But, Staal showed the potential to be a Selke candidate year in and year out.  He is a monster on the penalty kill, one of the best on the team.  But, this is the last year of his entry deal.  It's no secret that Staal wants more of an offensive role this year, and was put on the Malkin line in camp.  Staal obviously would like a big offensive year so he can cash in like his teammates have the last few years.  But, knowing Michel Therrian's tendacy to flip lines and move players around, will he allow Staal to develop a scoring touch if he starts out slow?  Especailly knowing that how good of a defensive center that he can be? If Jordan Staal can score like he did his rookie year, it will be a tremendous boost to the Pens, as he does have the talent to match Malone's production on the Malkin line.

5. The Corp- Actually this isn't a question.  This is the statement.  Everyone wants to say the Pens can't do this or that now that they have lost players to free agency.  But, the fact still remains, nobody can match the amount of young talent that the Pens can put on the ice. Period.  They still have Crosby.  They still have Malkin.  They still Fleury.  And guess what folks.  They are all going to continue to get better.  Realize that Crosby and Malkin haven't been healthy for a full season together yet.  If that changes, it is scary what they can do.  People being irrational idiots when it comes to Crosby can continue to be fools and dog him all they want.  It doesn't change the fact that he is the best in the biz, and makes everybody around that much better.  Oveckin is a great player, not disputing that, but he doesn't have the drive that Crosby has, and that is what sets them apart.  Malkin showed that he is a superstar in his own right, and can carry a team if neccessary.  Marc-Andre Fleury had maybe the best thing ever happen to him when he suffered that high ankle sprain last year.  Getting pushed by Ty Conklin did a world of wonders for him, and he responded with the best play of his career.  Once again, if he can stay healthy for this season, he is going to be a serious deterrent to scorers everywhere.

I am sure that the Penguins are going to start off slow,  The shortened off-season and European vacation is probably going to slow them down early.  But the last two years the Penguins have started slow before catching fire in December, leaving almost all competitors in the dust from then on.  The overall strength of the franchise is still very good, and the health of the franchise is probably at an all-time high.  If you want to bet against the Pens this season, that is fine.  I am sure you won't be the only one.  But, that is what this teams thrives on.  Tomorrow starts the journey, will this one have a happier ending?  I can't wait to find out.      

 

Last night, the Detroit Red Wings won the Stanley Cup.  Anybody who has read me before knows this is not the result I wanted.   But I will start by congratulating the Red Wings and their fans.  The Red Wings are a great team and they played like it.  They more then deserved to win.  For supporting my Steelers on their Super Bowl XL run I can never really hate Detroit.  In fact, I hold very little bitterness this morning.  Enjoy the Cup Detroit, you did indeed earn it.

The sun did actually rise this morning over my homeland of Western Pennsylvania.  However it came with a vicious thunderstorm that woke me up.  If life was a movie, some people would call that imagery.  If you are a fan of any team, you are going to get your heart broken.  That is the nature of the beast.  You remember the great times, but somehow, the heartbreaks stay with you just as long. 

I wonder why Marc-Andre Fleury, who's legendary performance in Game 5 will still be reveard around this area, leans back on a puck and goes in.  I wonder why Marian Hossa, who may very well have played his last game in a Pens uniform, chips a puck over Osgood and it rattles along the crease and doesn't go in.  That's life.  I wish things could have been different.  But they aren't.  Hossa sitting on the ice and blankly staring off into space after the shot didn't go in summed up how Pens fans felt on the whole last night.

But not this morning.  Yes, it was disappointing to lose last night.  But, when you remember what a ride this 2007-08 season was, you feel pride.  Pride of a team that was counted out several times this season.  I can remember the day after Sidney Crosby went out, most experts proclaimed the Pens wouldn't make the playoffs.  Not only did they, but they finished 2nd in the Eastern Conference.  The gutsy performance of this team throughout the year was inspiring.  Key player after key player went down, and just kept playing their game. 

Names that will be doomed to obscurity like Eric Minard, Connor James, Jonathan Filewich, and Ryan Stone helped get the Pens to last night.  Moments like Jarkko Ruutu scoring the game winner in the shot out over Ottawa Thanksgiving Night that turned around the season.  Like Sidney Crosby scoring the game winner amongst the snow and 70,000 people.  Like Kris Letang helping the Pens sweep their Western Canadian trip.  Like Evgeni Malkin refusing to let the team fall off after Sid went down.  The same goes for Ty Conklin. 

The playoffs were thrilling to say the least.  Absolutley demolishing Ottawa, the team that did the same to them the year before, and doing the same to rivals New York and Philadelphia.  I was lucky enough to attend Game 1 against the Flyers, and it was the best live sporting event I have ever attended. 

They say nobody remembers the team that loses a championship game or series.  The fans of the losers obviosly beg to differ.  But these Pens won't fail to be remembered.  This was a young team that is on the verge of fulling relizing its potential.  The Pens will go through changes this off-season as do all teams, and the team that takes the ice for the 2008-09 season could be radically different.  But with the players that are in place, another run like this with a happier ending won't be just wishful thinking.

So, I offer a great big thanks and round of applause to the 2007-2008 Pittsburgh Penguins.  It wasn't that long ago that the Pens were the worst team in the league, and in danger of moving.  Those type of lows make losing yesterday not so bad by comparison.  A big salute to all the free agents, if that was their last game in Pens uniforms, thanks.  To Sid, Geno, Jordan, Marc-Andre, Gonch, Ryan: the future is still brigh, and we will have our day.  Can't we just skip the whole off-season thing have it be October now? 

  

No matter how this series ends, Game 5 of the 2008 Stanley Cup Finals will go down as an instant classic.  The game had it all.  Detroit was literally seconds away from clinching the Cup.  I mean 34.3 seconds away.  That was after the Pens had blown a 2-0 lead, and had missed on several chances to extend the lead.

The late second and pretty much all of the third period have been indicitive of the series.  The Red Wings totally dominated play.  The Pens were giving it all, but were down a man, and Ryan Malone was out there maybe on guts alone after taking a puck to the face. 

After Brain Rafalski scored to lead the Wings all the way back, it was over.  The glorious season and playoff run was over.  Sid's goal in the Winter Classic.  Malkin carrying the team on his back.  Ty Conklin's admirable backup job.  Wasting the Sens, Rangers, and Flyers in succession.  They were all about to become footnotes to a season that wasn't meant to be.  The Red Wings had the clamps on, and the Joe Lewis was ready to celebrate.  But then, Max Talbot. 

Max Talbot was the one tapped by head coach Michael Therrian to come on as the extra attacker when Fleury was pulled.  It looked just a formaltiy when Henrik Zetterburg skated at center ice with the puck, ready to end it for good, but he was turned away.  Evgeni Malkin, had nice keep that found its way onto Marian Hossa's stick.  Hossa threw toward's the net, and there was Talbot, hacking once, twice, and behind Chris Osgood  the puck went. 

As big o####oal as I ever seen a Penguin score.  That goes right up there with Kasper in Buffalo, Nedved in 4 OTS against the Caps, and Mario's winner against the Blackhawks.  The Pens were dead, and suddenly they were alive.  The season was over, and suddenly it was extended.

If the Red Wings were stunned, they didn't show it in the first OT.  They were using Marc-Andre Fleury as a they own personal shooting gallery.  Good chance after good chance.  Holmstrem on the doorstep.  But Fleury answered every single time.  Now Fleury has been a bit average so far in the Finals.  No more though, and he was absolutley legendary last night.  You can't say enough about it.  Fleury simply refused to let his team lose.

In the third OT, Yuri Huddler, the man responsible for the bitter lose in Game 4, clipped Rob Scuderi in the face and drew blood.  Automatic four minutes.  The Pens power play had looked lost all night, and you were wondering if this was going to make a difference at all.  But there was Gonch, gingerly coming onto the ice after taking a header into the boards in the 2nd period.  There was Petr Sykora, who hasn't been visible at all these Finals.  There was Malkin, who is having as poor of a Finals as you could have, putting it right on Sykora's tape.  Shot.  Game over.  Game 6 back in Pittsburgh.

About 12 hours later as I write this, I still can't believe the Pens are playing.  I will say they have no business still being alive.  The Red Wings dominated for long stretches, but just couldn't put it away.  Beyond the glamour, the Pens have just brought themselves one more game.  They are still being dominated just about any way you want to look at it. 

But they are still alive.  And that is certainly something.  Last night was a reflection of this season.  They never quit.  You saw the mental toughness and determination that this team built up over a season where star after star went down.  I'm sure it will get lost among the hoopla, but credit the Pens defenseman.  Skating a man down, they did just about anything possible to try to extend the series.  Credit Ryan Malone for sucking it up big time.  Credit Sykora for coming through on his called shot, even if he was joking.  And again, above credit Marc-Andre Fleury.  He is the reason why the Pens are still playing. 

Like I said in the opening, Game 5 is an instant classic.  It's true meaning will probably be determined by how Game 6 turns out.  But the fact there is even going to be a Game 6 is shocking.  There is nothing like the Stanley Cup Finals, and somehow, someway the Pens staived off elimanation, and have earned a second life.       

On Saturday night, the Pittsburgh Penguins will compete for Hockey's Holy Grail, the Stanley Cup.  They of course will face the Detroit Red Wings, in what all observers and fans think will be a very entertaining series. 

The Pens ran roughshod through the Eastern Conference, and they blew away the Senators, Rangers, and Flyers in succession, while only losing two games.

But of course they didn't get to this far overnight.  It has been a long, hard road since they were a mess of a franchise and team.   Here are the reasons, in no particular order, that the Penguins are now on the cusp of their 3rd Title.

1. Michel Therrian- He isn't universally loved inside the Pens lockeroom, but the hardline coached has completly turned his team around, in a very short amount of time.  Therrian took over for the Great Edzo (I am choosing not to try to butcher his name)  behind the Penguins bench just midway through the 2005-06 season.  Edzo was simply overmatched as a head coach, and clearly wasn't cut out to be the man running things.  His team played sloppy, no-accoutability hockey.  The defensemen seemed to be making it up as they went along, and their play reflected it.  Therrian was head coach previously with the Montreal Canadians and the was the head coach the Pens farm team before being promoted.  He wasn't no time making in impact.  Less then two weeks into his stint, he ripped his team like few coaches have ever ripped their team publicly.  He called out his team's effort, and wondered if they were trying to be the worst defensive team in the league.  When new GM Ray Shero was brought in, it was conventional thinking that since Therrian wasn't Shero's guy, he would be fired for someone who would be.  Shero did surprise quite a few people when he elected to to keep Therrian, and the move has payed off.  Therrian has done what no other Pens coach has been able to do, not even the great Bob Johnson and Scotty Bowman, play defensive hockey first.  Therrian's has dogged the team ever since he was brought in on his defensive system, and the team has responded to it.  Team star Sidney Crosby was an early convert to his system, and Therrian credits him with saleing it to the rest of the team.  Therrian's coaching has payed off in the vastly improved play of Rob Scuderi and Brooks Orpik.  Sergei Gonchar has always been renowned for his offensive ability, but has turned into a Norris snub for this year.  The Pens are first in the playoffs with a GAA of 1.86 and that is no accident or fluke.  While it is now gotten recently recognized, the defensive play has been strong for most of year, despite several injuries along the blueline.  Therrian has mananged his stars the right way, as he urging of Evgeni Malkin to live up to his superstar ability after Crosby went down in mid January, raised him to a MVP candidate.  The Pens play accountable hockey on both ends, e####ally defensive, and Therrian is a big part of the reason why.

2. Top Draft Picks-  A product of being a bad team like the Penguins were in the first part of the season is getting top draft picks.  While it was a bit of no-brainers to pick the guys the Penguins have picked, the baseball team across town has had top picks for the last decade and a half and have royally screwed it up just about everytime.  So it isn't the easiest thing in the world to do.  Brooks Orpik has turned into a solid defenseman, complemanting his hitting ability that he always showed.  Ryan Whitney has been quiet in the playoffs, but has great offensive ability.  He still needs to work on things defensively, but has not made the big mistake so far in the playoffs.  The Pens moved up to take Marc-Andre Fleury in 2003, and surprised observers taking a goalie No. 1.  The Pens look like genuises now for it, as Fleury has played remarkably well in the playoffs.  Despite putting up 40 wins last year, people still questioned the ability of Fleury, and the questions seemed legimate as he started out shaky this year.  After missing three months with a high ankle sprain, he has missed very few things as of late.  Ty Conklin performed admirably in Fleury's absence, but Fleury's earned back his starting job, and has rewarded the faith put him in him with some big time play.   Fans were disappointed when the Penguins didn't win the 2004 draft lottery, as that meant not being able to pick Alexander Ovechkin.  But they got second, and they were to pick another Russian, Evgeni Malkin.  It took a while to get Malkin here, but he has been worth the wait.  He has followed up his Calder Trophey winning year with a MVP candidate year.  Malkin was just amazing in the time Crosby was out of the lineup, and has been very good in these playoffs, scoring 19 points.  Of course the luck turned for the better, the day the ping pong bounced right, and they won post-lockout lottery, and the rights to select Sidney Crosby.  Crosby has been all that was advertised and more.  The youngest captain, scoring champion and MVP is the franchise player the Penguins hoped he would be.  His work ethic has rubbed off on his team, as they have joked that there is no such thing as a voluntary practice with Crosby on your team.  Jordan Staal developed well ahead of everybody's time table, and third in the stable of great young centermen.  Staal's scoring dropped off from his first year, but his defensive play is nothing short of spectactular, and is a future, multi Selke award winner.  Bank on that. 

3. Mario Lemeiux- The partron saint of hockey in Pittsburgh is the reason why there is even hockey in Pittsburgh.  The franchise great has been just as remarkable from the owner's box.  It was Mario that saved this team multiple times.  It was Mario that kept this team afloat despite some staggering financial loses.  He balked at saleing the team to Jim Belseli, when we wanted to move the team to Hamilton, ON.  He fought tooth and nail with local and state governments to get a new arena for his team, and finally got it secured.  The new arena will be ready for 2010, with a great team ready to occupy it.  No athlete in the history of team sports have ever done what Mario has done for the Penguins, on and off the field or ice as it would be.

4. Ray Shero- The current GM of the Penguins has picked where he legendary predecessor, Graig Patrick left off.  While Patrick's staff drafted well, he moved some poor free agents moves in Ziggy Palffy and Jocelyn Thibuilt that spelled his doom.  Shero has taken Graig's nature of a bold trade-deadline deal and ran with it.  Bringing in Georges Laraque and Gary Roberts brought much needed grit to the team.  Trading for Marian Hossa, even if he leaves after this year, will mark my words, go down as one of the great steals of all time.  Everybody still thinks the Pens gave up too much for him, and I still don't see it.  Pascal Dupuis who just the throw-in in that deal, has played great two-way hockey, and has been a solid contributor on the first line.  Hal Gill has been another great acquisition, being a large force on the blueline that they were lacking.  Signing Jarrko Ruutu, Mark Eaton, Ty Conklin, Petr Sykora, Adam Hall, and Darryl Sydor have all worked out spendidly.  

5. The Lockout-   The Lockout had a devestating effect on hockey.  The NHL is still trying to recover in some ways.  But the changes that the lockout brought about have defiantely helped the Pens.  The salary cap that small market teams like the Penguins pushed for has helped them greatly in leveling the financial field.  Ironically it could be their undoing this summer(but I am not raining on the parade as of right now).  The emphasis on calling clutching and grabbing, allowing for a more offensive game has helped.  And while there is still plenty that goes on that isn't called, we aren't in the glory days of the Trap where he took a player getting punched in the face to get a call.  If only the league would wise up and get the hell off of Vs., and the benefits off the Lockout would be more apparent.

6.  The Massive NHL Conspiracy-  Since the Penguins have so much young talent, it only makes sense that they get all the breaks.  No penalty ever called against them is ever legit in any way, shape of form, so the referees on league orders make sure everything goes the Pens way.  It has nothing to do with the superior skills that the Pens players have as individuals or as a team, so the NHL has to fix the Pens games for them.  The Senators, Rangers, and Flyers were on to something, but thankfully the Pens due to fixed calls and pre-determined outcomes were dispatched quickly.  Also, Gary Bettman was the third gunman on the Grassy Knoll, while a not-quite-in-the-womb Mario Lemieux was his getaway driver. 

 Obviously I'm joking about the last reason.  That is just a jab at all those that think the Pens are in Finals because of some conspiracy, getting calls, or whatever other stupid reason.  Here a fact for you people.  The NBA has their great young star in LeBron James in the NBA Finals last year.  They drew the lowest ratings ever.  Having the young stars in the Finals doesn't guarantee anything.  And obviously the NHL could care less about ratings as they have allowed their playoffs, and the first two games of the Finals to be shown in Vs. 

Despite getting some false hope with Kimo Timonen(or as some people would have you believe, the second coming of Bobby Orr) returning, the Pens finished off the Flyers with a 6-0 thrashing at Mellon Arena.  The Pens are a perfect 8-0 on home ice, and haven't lost at the Arena formally known as Civic since February.  More importantly, the Pens clinched the Eastern Conference Championship, and third trip to the Stanley Cup Finals. 

The Pens did exactly what they needed to do.  They came out flying, and never looked back.  After Ryan Malone deflected in Sidney Crosby's shot/pass, it was all but over. Evegeni Malkin, Marian Hossa, Malone again, Jordan Staal, and Pascal Dupuis would finish off the route and give the Pens the series win. 

The Pens won this game because they did what they didn't do in Game 4: come out ready to finish the series.  The Flyers staived off elimanation in that game because they came out more energy, and got the Pens to take penalties.  The early penalty drew by Max Talbot and insuing power play conversion set a clear tone for the game.  The Pens were more disciplined this game, being physical without taking the penalty.  The Flyers didn't come out and lie down.  They were beaten soundly by a better team that was in the right frame of mind. 

So far the Pens have shown that when they are properly focused, they are a hard team to beat.  Give credit to the Flyers, they fought hard all series, but were down-in by superior talent.  They had a remarkable climb out of the cellar, and have nothing to be upset about.

As for the Pens, it has been a long road since 2003 when they were the worst team in the league by far.  Getting Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin was a big help, but the Penguins re-built their team the right way.  They drafted smartly, and developed their talent in a impressive way.  Making moves like acquiring Georges Laraque, Gary Roberts, Hal Gill, Pascal Dupuis, and Marian Hossa have all worked out in ####s.  The Pens have been absolute force in the playoffs, as their Game 5 win gives them an impressive 12-2 playoff record. 

But this if far from the final step.  As evidenced by post-game interviews, the Pens are not satisfied with what they have accomplished so far.  Their is still one more mountain to climb, and it the toughest one to scale.  But these Penguins, born of so much promise, are one step away from relizing that promise.  They are as determined as they are skilled.  They will have to wait for their next opponent, and while they can't enjoy this win that much, us fans that have been there through thick and thin certainly can.  To quote the great Mike Lange when the Penguins clinched their first trip to the Stanley Cup Finals in 1991: "You can spit shine your shoes, because we are going dancing with Lord Stanley".

The Penguins and Rangers are returning to New York for Games 3 and 4 of their Eastern Conference Semi-Finals series.  It is a bit of a surprise that the series is 2-0 in the Pens advantage.

In was common thinking that the Pens couldn't retain their level of play that they had over the Senators.  The Rangers were a tougher opponent, more talented, and would be more interested then the Senators.  So far the Rangers have been all of that.  But, it hasn't mattered all that much. 

The Rangers are playing their hardest right now.  Jaromir Jagr who has had problems focusing in the playoffs in the past, obviously wants to win this series bad.  He forechecking, skating, shooting, and passing to the best of his ability.  Chris Drury has been a menance on the penalty kill.  Marc Staal is a great young defenseman,  But it hasn't been good enough. 

In Game 1, the Rangers blew a 3-0 lead.  With their vaunted defense and King Henrik in the net, that wasn't supposed to happen.  After the Pens answered with two quick goals, it had turned into a Penguins style game.  A scoring battle ultimately favors the Pens and they won Game 1 with a steller comeback effort.

Game 2 though was the Rangers game.  They were playing tight defense through the neutral zone.  Lundquist was wall in the net, denying the Pens at every turn.  But, the Pens scored in a nifty backhand-to-forehand move by Jordan Staal on the power play to go up 1-0.  You would figure that the Pens and their fans would be nervous over not filling the net like they did Game 1.  This where perception of the Penguins should change.

Right now, the Pens supposed weakness, their defense, is outclassing the Rangers vaunted D.  They playing a tight forecheck, and when the Rangers are getting chances, they aren't great chances.  After the Rangers picked up three goals on the Pens to open Game 1, the Pens D has really clamped down.  Marc-Andre Fleury is out-dueling King Henrik right now, after pitching his second shutout of the year.  The Rangers played their game, and lost.  That says a lot of how well the Penguins can adapt their play right now.

And maybe if the Rangers would focus on themselves, and instead of worrying about this supposed conspiracy that the refs and league have against them, they might  not be in a 2-0 hole.  They complained for calls before the series, and have continued to do so.  They have complained Crosby is a diver, the Rangers are getting the short end of the stick in terms of calls, and blah blah blah.  If they put all that energy they have into complaining about every call into their game, they wouldn;t be where they are at right now.  Their have been missed calls on both sides, and when Fedor Tyutin blantantly pushes down Crosby with his free hand, its a penalty.  There are things you can control and things you can't.  Referreeing isn't one them, and if they want to win this series, they had better start focusing on something else.

And don't make the mistake of thinking the Pens are stealing this series.  They have been the better team on the ice, period.  They are playing better, complete hockey right now then anybody is.  This isn't the one-dimensonal team that a lot of people would like you to think they are.  You show up to play the Penguins right now, you had best bring you best and then some, because anything less will result in a loss.

That being said, Game 3 is going to be a measuring stick game for the Pens.  We are going to find out how good this team really is.  Going on the road, in a hostile enviroment, against a team that is fuming right now, is going to seriously test the mettle of the Penguins.  The Pens are winless in Madison Square Garden this year, but that is irrevelent right now.  The Pens have considerably raised their game in the post-season, and have proved they can win on the road.  Game 3 should be a very entertaining game and interesting to see how both teams come out.   

The Pens completed their through domination of the Ottawa Senators with a 3-1 win, completing a four game sweep.  The sweep was the Pens first of any opponent since the sweep in the 1992 Stanley Cup Finals over the Blackhawks.  The Pens win their first playoff series then the 2001 Eastern Conference Semi-Finals over the Buffalo Sabres.

Give the Senators some credit.  They did come out and play like there was no tomorrow when everybody had pronounced them dead.  I'm sure Sens fans and their ridiclous press corps in Ottawa will say they get jobbed repeatedly in this series, and the Pens stole it.  That is just sour grapes and not being in touch with reality.  The long and the short of it is the Pens were the vastly superior team in this series and results of the games show that. 

I'm sorry folks, but the Sens in no way deserved to win this series.  Consider this stat.  The Sens lead in the series for a grand total of 4:28.  And it took them to Game 3 to take that lead.  Credit Martin Gerber, Anton Volchenkov, and Sean Donovan because they were the only Sens to show up in this series.  Despite Gerber's fantasic performance, he still gave up 15 goals in four games, but it still could have been a whole lot more.  Volchenkov was a warrior the whole series, battling the whole time despite taking a Evegeni Malkin slap shot to the face.  Donovan got the Sens rally started in Game 2, and was constantly driving to the net. 

As for the Pens, they are starting to look like a force to be reckon with,  Crosby finished with 8 points, Malkin with 7.  Marian Hossa put everything he could on net, and is playing great on the defensive side.  The power play has been off an on, but it is showing signs of coming around.  They also were able to get contributions from role players like Jarkko Ruutu and Maxim Talbot. 

Most importantly the Pens are showing they can win anyway you want to play it.  You want to try to score with them, they can do that.  And that defense being a big weak spot?  How about five goals against the entire series? Not to mention the Senators never scored in the first period.  The defense played smart, disciplined hockey while putting the clamps on the Sens.  Also Marc-Andre Fleury is playing out of his mind right now.  He wasn't tested much by the Sens, but he always answered them when they pushed. 

So the young Pens know have their first playoff series win under their belts.  They were very impressive in this series, but they weren't perfect.  They took some bad penalties in the Game 1, and gave up a three goal lead in Game 2.  But they kept their compusure on the road, and let the Senators take stupid penalty after stupid penalty.  The rest of the league had better take notice, because this team is the real deal.  The Pens now get to rest up and wait for their second round opponent.     

 

The same two teams.  A lot of the same players.  But this time there was a different team dominating the play.  The Pens went right at the Senators from the drop of the puck, and the Pens rolled the Senators 4-0.  The win gives the Pens a pivotal 1-0 lead in the series, as the Senators really could have used the first game.  It was really kind of weird how this first game mirrored the first one of last year's series. 

First of all, how huge was Gary Roberts last night for the Pens?  Roberts had made screwing the Sens in the playoffs his life's work, and he did so again last night.  Roberts, who a lot of people weren't sure was going to be ready to play after missing three months with a broken ankle, set the tone early.  First of all he bumped Wade Redden off the puck, and came in front of the net, and flipped a backhander past Martin Gerber.  Like the Sens scoring 1:38 into the first game last year set the tone for how the series would play out, Roberts' goal at 1:08 felt the same way.  He was apart of a incredible cycle in the second period, where the Sens weren't able to get the puck off of him and linemates Georges Laraque and Max Talbot.  Roberts added the capper with a minute and half left, but wasn't content with that.  A late scrum ensued after he checked a Senator, and be forced off the ice by the refs while looking to take on three different Sens.  Trust me those that were looking to fight Roberts, the refs did you a favor.

Another thing that was big for the Pens last night was Evgeni Malkin.  Malkin had a goal and two assists, already topping his performance from last year's playoffs.  The poke check on Mike Commodore that lead to the 2-1 break and Pens second goal was a thing of beauty.  Malkin was playing tight defense all night, and back checking well.  If he gets going along with Crosby who nearily missed his first goal of the playoffs, the Pens are going to hard to stop.

Kind of lost in the shuffle was the performance of Marc-Andre Fleury and the defense.  This is clearly not the same unit the Sens shredded last year.  The Sens had some big chances to get back in the game, as they had two 5-3s, both for over 50 seconds.  Those kills were just huge.  Including the 5-3s, the Sens were 0-7 on the PP, and Corey Stillman's clanker off the pipe was the closet they got to scoring.  The Pens sent a message that they won't be pushed around like they were last year.  Martin LaPointe went after Fleury and was slammed to the ice by Talbot.  Granted Fleury intiated the scrum, but that type of stand was rare last year.  Wade Redden went after Crosby, and Ryan Whitney of all people, probably the least physical of all the Pens, gave him a through beatdown.  The Sens were never able to get into a clear rhythm and hard time generating 5-5.  Jason Spezza said after the game that Pens weren't the better team 5-5.  Apprentely he played in another game last night.  Fleury wasn't tested much, but when he was, he answered.  The questions about him are starting to be silenced.

The Pens did what they needed to do.  They jumped on the Senators early and often.  Martin Gerber was the only thng standing between the Pens putting up 8 last night.  Give him much credit, because he was the only player that showed up for the Sens last night.  The Canadian press dubbed the Sens a sleeping giant the Pens should fear.  Take out the giant and fear part and you have it right.  The goal for any team starting out ont the road is to get a split, and the Sens are going to go back to the drawing board to get that.  Bank on Alfredsson being rushed back into this series, because without him, the Sens are a punchless, directionless team.  The Pens kept their home ice advantage, and will look for much of the same in Game 2 on Friday.

 

Tonight starts a journey for the Pittsburgh Penguins that is hopefully a long one.  A second straight very successful regular season has netted them the 2nd seed in the Eastern Conference, and a first round rematch of last year with the Ottawa Senators.  While the Sens steamrolled a wide-eyed, glad to be there Pens last year, this year is defiantely different.  The Pens dealt with a ton of adversity this year, seemingly losing key player after key player for long stretches.  Not the least of which was Captain and franchise wunderkid Sidney Crosby.  While last year the Pens could slide on a first round exit, they cannot this year.  They made the extra investment in trades to add to the core players, and deep run is expected.  Here is the keys to the Pens success, not only in the first round, but hopefully throughout the playoffs.

1. Marc-Andre Fleury-  It is no secret that you need solid goaltending to do anything in the playoffs.  Fleury was terrific down the stretch after missing a large portion of the season with a high ankle sprain.  During that time, Tyler Conklin did an extraordinary job of filling in,.  The Pens wouldn't be where they are today without the job Conklin did in the middle part of the season.  As for Fleury, he has to continue what made him successful in his last handful of starts.  Like in the regular season, he will probably see a lot of shots, and he must be up to the task.  Last year the Sens blitzed Fleury every game, but Fleury kept the Pens from losing by 8 goals every game.  He has more help this year, but needs the same type of performance if the Pens are to go far.

2. Evgeni Malkin-  The Pens MVP this season disappeared in the playoffs last year.  That type of performance lead people to doubt if the Penguins could surivive without Crosby.  Malkin responded with the best hockey of his young career, leading the to a division title when most people though they would miss the playoffs entirely.  Now Malkin has cooled down in recent weeks, and has to pick things up this year.  He lead the Pens in goals, assists, points, and was one of two Pens to play all 82 games this year.  His line of himself, Ryan Malone, and Petr Sykora was as potent as there was in the NHL for awhile, and has to get back to that peak again.  An underrated part of his game is how well his defensive game progressed this year, and if they can get both ends of the game going the Pens will be a tough beat.

3. Faceoffs- It's not that the Pens are bad at faceoffs, they are terrible.  The leading faceoff man is Sidney Crosby at 51%.  The playoffs have a funny way of exposing a team biggest weakness, no matter how small it might have been during the regular season.  There will be a time when the Pens will need to win a draw, and they have no one can absolutley win one.  They are going to have to baredown in this area, because this is unquestionably their biggest weakness.

4. Defense-  Believe me when I say this, this is an underrated strength of this team.  When Michel Terrina arrived in Pittsburgh, the Pens were unquestionable the worst defensive team in the league.  It took time, but he has built a solid unit despite losing Mark Eaton in late December for the season.  There are rumors he could return during the playoffs, but they don't need him to push himself to get back.  Getting back Rob Scuderi after a suffering a broken finger has been a huge lift.  Brooks Orpik is playing the best hockey of his career, as he is not only hitting like he usually does, but is playing much smarter defense.  With Darryl Sydor, Hal Gill, and Sergei Gonchar they have a veteran presence on the blueline, and some toughness with Gill.  Kris Letang has played great since his mid-season promotion, e####ally on the defensive side.  Ryan Whitney is a bit of a wild-card, as he can score with the best of them, but is prone to ghastly errors in his own zone.  The Sens flew right through the Pens last year, and they have to be the more physical team this time around.

5. Toughness-  The Pens has yet to live down the be-physical-and-they-will-fold tag.  The Pens proved their mental toughness in dealing with the injuries and just contining to play their game.  The Pens were 16-8-4 without Crosby in the lineup.  Compare that to the Senators 3-8-1 mark without Daniel Alfredsson.  A totally classless piece was written in the Ottawa Sun calling for the Senators to head hunt the Pens and go after Crosby's injured ankle, even though the writer named the wrong ankle.  The Senators are beat up right now, and the only way to bring the Pens down to where they are is beat them down physically.  The Pens have Gill, Georges Laraque, and Jarkko Ruutu to help that end, but they can't be on the ice at all times.  A team toughness, e####ally is going to be needed.  If they get past the Sens, they will have to deal this type of play again and again. 

6. Sidney Crosby-  This is the captain's time to shine.  Crosby didn't have a terrible first forrey into the playoffs last year, but it wasn't that memorable either.  Crosby had to fight through a serious high ankle sprain that sidelined him in the middle part of the season.  The Pens played very well without him, but make no mistake, the Pens need Sid to live up to the expectations that come with a player of his caliber this time of year.  Mario Lemeiux always shined for the Pens in the playoffs, and saved most of his best play for them.  The Sens will be targeting him every shift, and he has to find a way to make plays.  Getting Marian Hossa involved will be huge towards the Penguins success.      

The Pittsburgh Penguins made a most unexpected big splash before today's trade deadline, as they acquired maybe the best player available, Marian Hossa.  Hossa was acquired from Atlanta along with Pascal Dupuis for Colby Armstrong, Erik Christensen, Angelo Espisito, and this coming year's first round pick.  This is, to say the least, a bold move.  While getting Hossa is big splash, it is also a very big gamble.  With this move the Penguins have made it very clear that they want to win, and win now. 

Along with Hossa and Dupuis, the Penguins also acquired Hal Gill from Toronto.  The 6'7 defenseman offers the type of physical presence on the blueline that the Pens have desperatedly needed.   Here is the breakdown of both deals.

Marian Hossa and Pascal Dupuis for Colby Armstrong, Erik Christensen, Angelo Espisito, and 2008 1st Round Pick

The Good-  Marian Hossa is certified sniper.  He has 56 points along with 26 goals.  The acqusition of Hossa finally gives Sidney Crosby a legit, natural scoring winger.  The Penguins power play, which is already lethal, adds a another big threat.  When everything is up and going, the first PP unit will be Crosby, Malkin, Hossa, Gonchar, and Whitney.  To the rest of the league, good luck stopping that on a consistent basis.  Pascal Dupuis doesn't score that much, but does add some more grit to the 3rd or 4th line, which ever one he ends up on.  Armstrong and Christensen were given multiple chances alongside Crosby, and neither could score consistantly. 

The Bad-  Getting Hossa really flies in the face of the Penguins front office policies.   All along the Penguins brass has said that they wouldn't morgage the current crop of players for rented players.  Hossa is more then obviously that.  He is a free agent after this year, and it seems doubtful that the Pens would re-sign him.  Hossa would seem to demand top dollar, and the Pens have to worry about extending Malkin soon.  Also, the giving away of draft picks is odd, as the Pens have built the team from the draft.  The Penguins lockeroom has tremendous chemistry, as most of the players are young and have come up through the system together.  Trading away team and fan favorite Colby Armstrong seriously messes with that chemistry.  Both Armstrong and Christensen have more points then Dupuis. 

Hal Gill for 2008 2nd and 5th Round Picks

The Good-  The Penguins have needed a more physical presence on the blueline for a while, and Gill defiantely delivers that.  At an imposing 6'7 and 255, Gill will give the type of defensive agitator the Pens haven't had since Ulf Sammuelson.  Gill will pair with Georges Laraque as the Pens' enforcers.  Gill brings some valuable playoff experience with him.

The Bad-  At 32, Gill is no spring chicken.  Gill is a physical guy, and majority of the Pens defenseman are stay-at-home, position style players.  A meshing of two could be difficult.  Also, does Gill have a future in Pittsburgh beyond this year?  With this move, the Penguins will know be without their 1st, 2nd, and 5th round picks next year.

Final Analysis

To use a poker analogy as I did in the title, the Pens have now pushed all their chips to the middle of the table.  The Pens were sitting pretty, but have really turned up the heat on themselves and the rest of the league.  The Pens had a successful run last year despite being elimanated in the first round.  Manangement has sent a resounding message that won't be good enough this year.  With Crosby and Malkin on the team, the window of oppurtunity would seem to be open for years to come, but the Pens aren't taking any chances.  Hossa is a great regular season player, but has come up short in the playoffs throughout his career.  In 55 career playoff games, Hossa has 13 goals.  Last year with Atlanta, he logged a grand total of 1 point, an assist.  Make no mistake, this is a Cup or bust move.  The Pens do have a history of this sort of thing, as they have acquired Paul Coffey and Ron Francis at the trade deadline in the past.  The deal for Francis sealed a Cup for the Pens in '91.  The deal for Francis also had a lot of people talking about messing with chemistry talk that his move is getting.  Those fears proved to be unfounded.  But then again, the Pens have missed with this type of thing.  Markus Nashlund was shipped away for basically nothing.  Were these moves that needed to be made?  Were these good deals?  The answer to those can only come in June, and Penguins participating then.       

When team captain and the face of the franchise and NHL, Sidney Crosby, went down with a high ankle sprain, the worst was expected for the Pittsburgh Penguins.  The Pens were locked in a struggle with the Devils and Flyers for the Atlantic Division lead, and Crosby was just starting to hit his stride.  Barry Melrose predicted that the Penguins would miss the playoffs entirely after losing Sid until March. 

But, the opposite has indeed been true.  The Pens have not only survived life without Crosby, but dare I say, thrived.  In the 10 games that Crosby has missed the Penguins are 6-2-2, and have taken the lead in the Atlantic Division. 

The biggest reason for the Pens strong play has been Evgeni Malkin.  Malkin has played second fiddle to Sid, and understandably so, but there was a reason this guy was picked No.2 the year before the lockout.  The day before the Pens were supposed to play their first full game without Crosby, coach Micheal Terrian sat Malkin down and told him it is now time to be a playmaker.  Malkin came out flying that game against Montreal, and hasn't stopped since.  Many observers questioned Malkin's ability to get the rest of the team invovled, but he has put those questions to bed.  How Malkin has raised his play is the stuff of legends.  In the 10 Crosby-less games, Malkin has 15 points, closing to within three of the overall points lead, held by fellow countryman Alexander Ovechkin.

In the Penguins first Cup year of 1991, Mario Lemieux missed the first half of the season with a back injury.  While he was out, the line of Kevin Stevens, Mark Recchi, and John Cullen carried the Pens until Mario's return.  Recchi and Stevens were vital cogs in the Penguins first Cup run, and Cullen was the big piece that brought Ron Francis to Pittsburgh.  How that line played then is how the line of Malkin, Petr Sykora, and Ryan Malone is playing now.  Sykora started out slowly this year, but has finally found his old scoring stroke playing alongside fellow Russian Malkin.  Malone's play has been up and down in his career, but his playing solid two way hockey right now, and is cleaning up in front of the net.

When Sid went out, the power play seemed likely to suffer greatly.  Crosby was the quarterback of the PP, and in the first few games out of the lineup, the power play just seemd lost without him.  However, after working some things out, the Pens power play has gotten even better, rising to the top of the league.  A big reason is that the Pens are shooting more from the point, e####ally Kris Letang.  Letang has been big as of late, as he is seemingly getting more confident with each game, and scored the game winner yesterday against the Flyers. 

Also consider that Sid hasn't been the only one out of the Pens lineup.  Right after Sid went down, the Pens lost Adam Hall and Tyler Kennedy.  Colby Armstrong has also missed time recently.  Add to that Gary Roberts still on the shelf, Mark Eaton being done of the year, and Marc-Andre Fluery just now beginning rehab games with WIlkes-Barre/Scranton, and the Pens standing atop the Atlantic Division and only 3 points off the Senators pace for overall Eastern Conference lead is that much more remarkable.

The Pens aren't really known for being a tough team.  Historically, the Pens have relied on flashy offense to get them to their greatest heights.  And while the Pens still lean heavily on their offense, there is no questioning the toughness of this team, e####ally mental.  The Pens have taken each injury in stride, and have gone out and just kept playing.  Those that doubt the coaching ability of Micheal Terrian really need to stop, as he has kept his team and its seemingly ever-changing cast focused on the task at hand.  Sid is still a month off, but if the Pens keep playing like they have been, he will add to a force to be reckoned with,not having to save the team from obivilion like most people thought.

The Penguins and their fans have been waiting on pins and needles to find out the true nature of Sidney Crosby's injury and how long he will be out.  Thankfully it is just a high ankle sprain and not something more serious, however he's out at least a month. 

While that is good news in a best case scenario type of way, losing your captain in the middle of a 10-0-1 stretch while he was he was just beginning to hit his stride is obviously not good.  You don't lose a player Sid's quality and have it not be a bad thing. 

This Sid injury comes as a big blow to a team that is already injury riddled.  So far the Pens have lost their best defensman Mark Eaton for the year, have Gary Roberts out with a broken leg, and Marc-Andre Fluery is still out with a high ankle sprain.  Maxim Talbot has also missed a good portion of the season with the same injury.  In the game after Sid went down, the Pens lost Colby Armstrong and Adam Hall to hip and groin injuries respectively.

The silver lining so far has been the play of Evgeni Malkin.  Malkin knows that the team is now on his shoulders as played nothing short of remarkable in Sid's absence.  In the two games since Crosby's injury, Malkin has three goals and an assist, while being almost unstoppable skating through through the neutral zone into the opposition's end.  Malkin is getting his teammates involved as well, which obsevers questioned whether or not he was able to do. 

Obviously the Pens' collective back is up against the wall right now.  They are about to go to the break without their best player and a host of others, while being at the top of a logjam in the Atlantic Division.  However, the fall out of a top spot to out of the playoffs isn't that far, and the Pens can't simply afford to stumble now.  The team is going to have some guys step up majorly, and have some guys that has underachieved so far pick up their games(that means you Jordan Staal and Petr Sykora).  Does this mean the Pens will now want to swing a major deadline deal?  Time will indeed tell, but I think that depends on the Pens play in their first couple of games out of the break.   

 

 

It seems to be you can set your clock by it.  Its January and the Penguins are rolling again.  It was this time next year that they started a 14-0-2 run that springboarded them into from marginal to surefire playoff team.  While it might seem doubtful that they can rip off that type of run again, they are starting to settle into a groove.  Sid the Kid is defiantly the Man, but unlike early on in the season, is getting help from all over. 

The Pens started the season with a bundle of expectations.  It is much easier to come out of nowhere and succeed then when its expected.  While not the definitive hockey publication, USA Today predicted a Stanley Cup win, while many others had them making deep runs.  The Pens started the year skuffling some.   Much of what hurt them last year in the playoffs was still hurting them.  They was shotty defensive play, hit and miss goaltending, and scoring almost non-existant outside of the first line.  Rookie sensation Jordan Staal lost his scoring touch and still hasn't found it, but is playing very well defensively.  The Penguins couldn't hold the ever dangerous two goal lead, and in an eight game stretch against division opponents they went 2-6.  So far, they have only four wins inside the division, which is tied for worse in the league. 

However the Pens season took a dramatic turn Thanksgiving Night.  That night they went into Ottawa, the team that steamrolled out of the playoffs.  The Penguins came out flying, making hits, getting to loose pucks, and getting solid scoring chances.  Most importantly, they answered the Senators, as they overcame two 2-goal deficits.  It was a huge lift that Jarkko Ruutu scored the game winner in the shootout.  Since the Pens have rarely looked back, despite several key injuries.

Marc-Andre Fluery was just starting to hit his stride before going down with a high ankle sprain.  He is still out and probably won't be back until February.  Maxim Talbot, the club's scrappiest player and one of their best penalty killers suffered the same injury, and hurt himself more trying to rush back before re-agrivating it.  Gary Roberts had his leg broken in a freak play, where a player he was attempting to check fell down and rolled up on his leg.  Mark Eaton, the team's best defenseman, suffered an ACL injury and was just recently ruled done for the season.  However, some players have stepped up in a big way,  Rookie Kris Letang started out shakingly, but rebounded to play solid defense, and proved to be a big moment player.  He is 4 for 4 in shootouts, including two in back to back games in another big turning point for the Pens as they went swept a roadtrip of the West Coast Canandian teams.   Jeff Taffe has been a solid fourth line center, and Georges Laraque, Darryl Sydor, Erik Christiansen, Colby Armstrong have risen their level of play.

Maybe the biggest reason why the Pens have been able to get on this roll has been the play of Ty Conklin.  When Fluery intially went down, Dany Sebourin was given the first crack at taking the starting job.  He was ok, but Conklin has gotten between the pipes, and so far, he hasn't tasted defeat.  With last night's win, Conklin is 8-0 as the Pens' starter between the pipes.  Conklin hasn't been flashly, but he has been very solid.  His Goals Against are under 2 and his save percentage is over .900.  You have a goalie that can post those stats, and you won't lose many games.  While Conklin has been hesitant to credit his play for helping the Pens turn it around, but he has been remarkable.  

The defense has ironically played very well after Eaton went down.  A theory floated is the six guys that make up the current defense corp know that they are going to play every night, and there isn't any of switching in and out that there was.  Sidney Crosby has lived up to all the expecations and more, as the reigning scoring champ and MVP has a chance to repeat both.  Evgeni Malkin has scored 8 goals in the last 9 games, as a recent pairing with Sidney Crosby has worked for him and hasn''t damaged overall club scoring.

The Pens are right now on a Southern swing.  They have struggled against the Flordia teams, but have just beaten the Panthers in back-to-back games and face the struggling Lightning.  The Pens will then play division games, which like I said earlier, has been their biggest weakness so far.  Right now, they trail the Devils by a point.  No two ways about it, they have to improve that in the second half.  As the Pens get healthier in the coming weeks, it is very exciting of what they can do.  They are a good bet to make the playoffs, but last year's glad to be there isn't going to work this year.  Big things are expected of this team, but that is a bit further down the road.  Right now, the Pens look like the team they were expected to be. 

 

2007 was an interesting year in city of Black and Gold.  There was unusual, sometimes refreshing changes and surprises.   There also lingering and staggering disappointments.  But like all years, there was plenty of good to go with the bad, and vice versa.  Here is a team by team breakdown of the good and the bad in Pittsburgh sports.  Here's to looking back at 2007 and hoping for an even better 2008.

Pittsburgh Steelers

The Good-  This year brought the rarest of the rare events in Pittsburgh sports, a Steelers head coaching change.  A realtive unknown defensive coordinator of the Minnesota Vikings leapfrogged in-house and fan favorite candidates Ken Whisenhunt and Russ Grimm.  Of course that man was Mike Tomlin.  Tomlin became the first ever black head coach in the history of Pittsburgh sports, when he officially got the job on January 20th.  The first ever Camp Tomlin opened in late July, and was a very physical camp.  Sometimes there were three-a-day practices.  The Steelers jumped out of the gate and pounded the Browns without mercy, 34-7 on opening day.  The Steelers would win five of their first six, including shutting out their Super Bowl XL opponents the Seattle Seahawks 21-0.  2007 was a special year, as it marked the club's 75th Aniversary.  In what has been a year long celebration, an All Time team was chosen by fans, which included all the greats from the Dynasty 70s and four current players.  A gala was held at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center where the team was gathered, and all things Steelers were celebrated.  The current Steelers squad threw their own party, and beat the #### out of the rival Ravens on Monday Night Football, 35-7.  The Steelers would sweep the Browns in a dramatic comeback effort at Heinz Field, lead my a memorable scramble by Ben Roethlisberger.  The team held a share or outright lead of the AFC North all season, and clinched their record 18th Division Title with a loss of the Browns.  Mike Tomlin, like his predecessor, will lead his team to the playoffs in his first season.  Also, QB Ben Roethlisberger bounced back from the torrent '06 season, and has set the record for most TD passes in a season, breaking Terry Bradshaw almost 30 year club record.

The Bad-  All Pro and perrenial Pro Bowl Guard Alan Faneca had a nasty salary dispute with manangement, one that lead to him boycotting a couple of days of mini-camp.  Faneca has vowed this will be his last year as a Steeler, and so far, it looks like that will hold.  Jeff Hartings retired and was replaced with the very ineffective Sean Mahen.  The Steelers so far have only been 3-4 on the road, and only one of those wins come against a club with a winning record.  The ugly loss to the Jets has put the team in a late season swoon.  Anthony Smith made himself notorious by guaranteeing victory over the Patriots, and then the Steelers got slammed in Foxboro.  The Jags then pushed them around, as the Steelers surrended their highest rushing total in 7 years.  Ben Roethlisberger had had a career year, but has been on his back the second most times in the league.  Willie Parker was also having a career year, but broke his right fibula and will be done for the season.  Aaron Smith also suffered a season ending injury.  The Steelers haven't played defense all that well in the latter half of the season, giving up 87 points in a three game stretch. 

Pittsburgh Penguins

The Good-  2007 was a remarkable year  for the Penguins.  After losing to Flordia Panthers on January 7th, they wouldn't go pointless in a game until President's Day.  Sidney Crosby proved his Next One Status, as he won Points Title and MVP of the league.  Evgeni Malkin may not know the English language very well, but he sure can play hockey, as had a steller rookie campaign, finishing with 85 points and winning the Rookie of the Year Award.  Jordan Staal, who wasn't even supposed to make the club his first year, became the youngest player to ever record a Hat Trick in a memorable comeback win in Toronto.  The Penguins traded for new fan favorites Gary Roberts and Georges Laraque, and they have made a definite impact on the club.  The Penguins finished with the third most points in Eastern Conference, their most since 1993, and one of the biggest improvements in from one season to the next ever.  They made the playoffs for the first time since 2001, and restored a rabid fanbase to the Mellon Arena.  Most importantly, all the off-ice drama involving a possible sell and moving of the club, was finally settled as the Penguins will stay in Pittsburgh, and will have a new arena in 2009-10.  So far this season, the Penguins are about where they are when they began their big run last season.  Sidney Crosby is still the best player in the league.  Tyler Kennedy has proved to be a sparkplug, as has Chris Letang.  Letang has two winners in the shootout, and capped the Penguins first ever sweep of the West Coast Canandian teams.    

The Bad-  The Penguins lost their opening round series 4-1 to the Ottawa Senators, who would eventually represent the Eastern Conference in the Stanley Cup Finals.  They just looked overmatched at times, and lost both games at home.  The acqusitions of Daryl Sydor and Petr Sykora have worked out stekchedly at best.  Marc-Andre Fluery has so far had a very hit and miss campaign, and went down with a severe high ankle sprain.  Defensive play has been again, rather hit and miss, and they just lost their best defender Mark Eaton again to a torn ACL.  The Penguins have not fared so well inside the Atlantic Division this year, which has gotten substantially tougher. 

The Pittsburgh Pirates-  It was long overdue, but the Pirates managment changes that needed to be made finally were.  Kevin McClathy resigned in June, and Dave Littlefield and Jim Tracy were fired.  Also the directors of baseball operations and scoting were let go.  An entire new set of personell will lead the Pirates next year, as Frank Coonley will be the new President, Neal Huntington the new GM, and John Russel the new mananger.  Tom Gorzelanny proved to be a solid arm, winning 14 games.  Matt Capps took over the closer's role in June, and despite few chances, performed very well in it.  Xavier Nady lead the club in the major offensive categories.  Freddy Sanchez rebounded from a slow start to finish with another solid year at the plate.  Najar Morgan and Stephen Pierce looked promising as September callups. 

The Bad-  The embrassing overly long consectutive losing seasons streak has now reached an incomprehensible 15 straight seasons.  The Bucs weren't competitive in a division that begged everybody to be.  Major off-season acquisition Adam LaRoche had a dreadful first two months, as he struggled to keep his average above .100.  He eventually leveled out, but was mostly inconsistent the rest of the year.   Zach Duke continued his decline from his rookie year, as he was hit hard before being out most of the season with an injury.  Paul Malohm was awful the first couple of months, but when he figured some things out, he had the worst run support out of any pitcher in the league.  Ronnie Paulino was an absolute embrassement behind and at the plate, yet got start after start.  Ian Snell fell apart in the second half of the season, wrecking what looked like a promising season.  His comments about the Rockies stealing his signs just seemed to be him blaming his struggles on others.  The free agent signing of Tony Armas Jr. was an unmitigated diaster.  There was the pointless trades for Matt Morris and Caesar Izturis.  Jim Tracy showed complete apathy in dealing with his team, and at most times, seemed to not care at all.  Pitching coach Jim Colburn continued his mis-manangement of his staff, while picking fights with other players, one very publicy with Jack Wilson.  Team defense was appauling, e####ally that of Jason Bay.  Bay went into a month long spiril in June, and never really recovered.  Middle relieft was hapless, and Solomon Torres compounded his erratic pitching by lauching a complaint against the team, saying they tricked him into signing a below market deal.  There was also a fan protest, where some fans rallied before a game, and then walked out. 

Penn State Football

The Good-  The Nittany Lions beat the #### out of Notre Dame, avenging last season's loss in South Bend.  They also thrashed Wisconsin at home.  Dan Connor had another strong year, and surpassed Paul Posluzny's record for tackles.  Sean Lee looks poised to break that record next year, as he also had a very strong year.  Rodney Kinlaw filled in nicely for Austin Scott.  Joe Paterno, after a year wait, was inducted in the College Football Hall of Fame. 

The Bad-  The off the field run-ins with the law are almost too numerous to mention.  A fight that involved Chris Baker and Anthony Scirrato lead the whole team having to clean up Beaver Stadium after home games.  Austin Scott was charged with rape and left the team.  There were also other fights involving players that lead to arrests.  Anthony Morelli look poised for a break through, but instead was terribly inconsistent, and played e####ally poorly against against big game opponents.  His three turnovers inside the 20 lost a game to Illinois, others he just failed to show up.  The loss to Michigan came after that team had lost two in a row and were reeling.  Losing the season finale to a poor Michigan State team was just inexcusable.  A team that had the talent to compete for a National Title, instead terribly underacheived, and will settle for the Alamo Bowl.

Pitt Football

The Good-  LaSean McCoy is the real deal.  The freshman running back came out of nowhere to the Panthers lone threat on offense, and even then most defenses had a tremendous time stopping him.  He set a new record for yards in a season by a freshman, passing some guy named Dorsett.  The team showed some heart in raising up to beat Cincinnati.  Scott McKillop was at the top of the Nation in tackles.  In the year of the upset, Pitt saved a big one for last, as they went into Morgantown and stunned the Moutaineers.  It was a landmark win in the hi