In any sport, it's convenient to have a couple of superstars. The Pittsburgh Penguins have that in the form of Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin and Kris Letang. The Penguins are now one game away from their fourth Stanley Cup, and while this superstar trio has been a big part of the success, others have stepped into the spotlight, as well. Over the past two months, offseason and midseason acquisitions by general manager Jim Rutherford and call ups from AHL affiliate Wilkes-Barre/Scranton have ... Read More
Pens preview: Fleury to start in pivotal Game 5
After a 4-3 loss, the Penguins are now tied with the Lighting in the series 2-2. Last game, Marc-Andre Fleury was put in the net halfway through the third period, and he has been named the Game 5 starter. Matt Murray has been looking fatigued in the net and having a change in goalies may be what the Penguins need to come back in the playoffs. Both Evgeni Malkin and Sidney Crosby have been slowly making a return as they have both earned points this round. Having Malkin, Crosby and Fleury ... Read More
‘Baby Pens’ proving to be the backbone of the NHL Penguins
Over the years, the Penguins have been criticized for their talent in the minor leagues. Big trades and acquisitions used to fuel failed playoff runs of years past seemed to have drained any previous minor league depth the Pens had down in Wilkes-Barre. With the vast amount of injuries dealt with in Pittsburgh this season, the Pens had to dig deep and heavily rely on minor league depth that many thought was not there. These players that began the season playing in the AHL are proving any ... Read More
Pens can’t overcome poor start; fall to Rangers in Game 1
The Pittsburgh Penguins' first-round Stanley Cup playoff series with the New York Rangers got out to a nightmarish start on Thursday night. The Penguins completed one of the worst first periods in recent memory, giving up a goal on the game's second shot and taking four minor penalties in the first 20 minutes en route to a 2-1 series-opening loss. The home crowd at Madison Square Garden didn’t even have time to sit down before Derick Brassard lit the red lamp behind Marc-Andre Fleury, scoring ... Read More
Penguins make return to Stanley Cup playoffs
The Stanley Cup playoffs are back. What seemed to be a fait accompli early in the season turned into a gut-wrenching struggle down the stretch, as the once-dominant Penguins looked like a shell of their former selves, backing into the postseason with a 4-9-2 record down the homestretch. The Penguins have now qualified for the postseason for nine consecutive seasons, but for the first time in a long time, find themselves in the position of being underdogs, as they will travel to New York City ... Read More
Mailbag: Playoffs? We’re talking about playoffs.
Do the Penguins still control their playoff destiny? Yes. By earning a point, the Penguins reduced their magic number from four to three. That means any combination of the Penguins winning three points and/or the Ottawa Senators losing three points will qualify the Penguins. The Senators play the New York Rangers on Thursday night. The Penguins host the New York Islanders on Friday night. Both teams play on Saturday, with the Senators in Philadelphia and the Penguins in Buffalo. Even if ... Read More