Pittsburgh Penguins

Deryk Engelland may not have received a charging penalty during the game but NHL disciplinarian Brendan Shanahan may be assessing punishment nonetheless.

In the Penguins’ 3-2 victory over the Chicago Blackhawks Tuesday night, Engelland delivered a crushing blow to Chicago Blackhawks rookie Marcus Krueger at the 8:55 mark of the first period.  While Krueger was entering the Penguins’ zone, Penguins forward Pascal Dupuis wrapped him up at the blue line.  Engelland approached Krueger from his right and hit him near the boards.  Engelland led with his forearm, knocking Krueger to the ice.  Despite the monstrous collision, Krueger bounced right back up as Engelland fought with Krueger’s teammate, John Scott.  Engelland was assessed a major penalty for fighting while Scott received a 5:00 major for fighting, a 2:00 fight-instigator minor and a game misconduct. 

Continue reading "Engelland Awaiting Hearing"

In what may go down as one of the most underrated signings today, the Penguins have brought in right-winger Steve Sullivan.

Sullivan, 36, signed a one-year, $1.5 million contract.  The speedy winger contributed 10 goals, 12 assists and 22 points in 44 games last season for the Nashville Predators.  While he has lost a bit of his scoring touch (he once scored 34 goals for the Blackhawks in 2000-01 during the dead-puck era), Sullivan still can get the job done.  Keep in mind that the Predators are a defense-first team; it’s a completely different philosophy in Pittsburgh.

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So... Gonchar, who?

The Penguins may have improved even more this off-season, making a big splash in the free-agent market.  Zbynek Michalek was a very steady-defenseman for the Phoenix Coyotes last season, while Paul Martin was skating the puck down his opponents' throats in New Jersey all season.

Continue reading "Pittsburgh Loads up on Defense and ..."

The NHL season hasn’t even been over for a week and I already miss it. I have a fever and the only cure is more blaring goal horns. This season left a much better taste in my mouth than the previous one because not only did the Blues make it back to the postseason, their biggest rival didn’t win the postseason. The Red Wings had everything going their way. There hadn’t been a home team that had lost a Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals in 38 years. The road team hasn’t won a championship in a Game 7 in any professional sport since the Pirates did it back in 1979. So Detroit took that fact and dominated the first period. Pittsburgh outshot the Wings 10-6 in the first, but it didn’t feel that way watching it. But then Detroit let them off the hook.

Continue reading "NHL Finals Recap and Award Predictions"

Yes, eleven shoys on goal is an absolutely pathetic total for any team, let alone a team that was in the Finals last year and is, despite their play lately, still one of the tp teams in the league. And yes, the Penguins should beat the Phoenix Coyotes because they are a better team. Of course it's also true that the Pens should have more points than they do (12) and are getting a bot behind the division leading Rangers who now have a nine point lead over the Pens. So, if all of these statement are true, shouldn't we be panicking? Believe it or not the answer to that question is a resounding NO. Here's why:

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