From before the playoff started, many believed Pittsburgh needed Marc-Andre Fleury and Brandon Sutter to make an impact in order for the Penguins to have a chance at winning their fourth Stanley Cup. After Game 1, so far so good. Brandon Sutter broke a 3-3 tie mid way through the third period to push the Penguins over the Columbus Blue Jackets 4-3 on Wednesday night while Marc-Andre Fleury made 29 saves. It wasn't easy for the Metropolitan Division champions to beat Columbus, a team ... Read More
Penguins prepare for underdog Blue Jackets in first round
On paper, it would be easy to look at the Pittsburgh Penguins first round opponent, the Columbus Blue Jackets, and feel confident. The Penguins have nine players who have won a Stanley Cup. The Blue Jackets? One. The Penguins have a roster full of playoff experience, nearly 1,200 total games played. The Blue Jackets? 251 games. How about star power? Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, James Neal, Kris Letang, Chris Kunitz. Go ahead, I dare you to name a Blue Jacket of comparable stature. Good ... Read More
Superstars need to shine, but Malkin is the ‘X’ factor
Barring any setbacks in his recovery, Evgeni Malkin will rejoin the Penguins lineup for Game One against the Columbus Blue Jackets after missing the last 11 games of the season with a foot injury. But just filling a roster spot will not be enough for this Russian superstar. Geno will need to play at a caliber we haven’t seen since he won the Art Ross and Conn Smythe trophies in 2009; a season that saw him score 113 points in the regular season and 36 during the playoffs. This is most ... Read More
Finals or bust for Bylsma? Not so fast
With the 2014 Stanley Cup Playoffs beginning next week, its fair to say that many Pens fans seem to await the postseason with a combination of doubt, uncertainty and negativity. Instead of excitement and the prospects of a playoff run, there is an impending sense of doom. When will the proverbial hammer drop, and who will take the blame when it does? Another playoff year, and many fans are preemptively looking for a scapegoat. That's of course, before the match ups have been determined, or ... Read More
Friday Face Off: Is it hockey or baseball season?
Michael Friend — The snow is finally starting to melt, clear, blue skies have replaced the perpetual gray clouds and the birds have returned to western Pa., to serenade us with their songs. The temperature isn’t the only thing that’s heating up in and around the Steel City, as the race for the NHL playoffs loom. The Penguins have clinched a spot and look to stave off other hungry teams fighting, figuratively and literally in some cases, for a spot in the quest for Lord Stanley’s Cup. While ... Read More
Is it Finals or bust for Dan Bylsma?
The NHL, just like other pro-sports, is a league that is about winning Championships. It’s about succeeding in the “now.” All too often, it seems many teams lose sight of this and hold on to a coach or star player far too long with no reward. So don’t you think it is time for Penguins Management to ask, "What have you done lately Mr. Bylsma?" Since making his coaching debut in 2009, a year which he took over a very defensive minded team brought them back to basics and coached them to a ... Read More
Letang returns as Pens defeat Wings in shootout
Jussi Jokinen scored the only shootout goal and Marc-Andre Fleury made at least two acrobatic saves in the Penguins' 4-3 win over the Detroit Red Wings. The Red Wings scored late in the game to force overtime and secure a playoff spot for the 23rd straight season. Tomas Jurco scored for Detroit mid way through the first period to get the Wings out to a 1-0 lead. Darren Helm kept the puck in at the blue line and sent a pass to Daniel Alfredsson whose shot from the right-wing circle caromed ... Read More
Report: Letang to return tonight
Ever since Kris Letang suffered his stroke earlier in the season, there have been rumblings that he was going to try to return before the end of the season. At times, it seemed like false optimism, but according to TSN's Bob McKenzie, Ray Shero's press conference at 10:15 a.m. today is to announce that Letang will return to the ice tonight for the Pens. "@JoshYohe_Trib: Ray Shero to speak at 10:15 about "Penguins roster."" Expected he will announce Kris Letang will return to lineup ... Read More
Pens rest stars; defeat Colorado 3-2
After a poor showing in Minnesota the night before, Dan Bylsma elected to sit many of his starters to give them a rest before the Stanley Cup playoffs. Instead of a similar result from Saturday's 4-0 loss to the Wild, the remaining Penguins played a highly competitive, defensive game that led to their 50th win of the season. Playing without Sidney Crosby, Chris Kunitz, Brooks Orpik and Olli Maatta, the Pens defeated the Avalanche 3-2 in a shootout on Sunday night. Brandon Sutter got the ... Read More
Should injuries be blamed for the Penguins recent struggles?
There have been 471 man games lost, 390 due to injury. The Pittsburgh Penguins have surely had one of the toughest seasons to date when it comes to players being out of the lineup. And while many fans may excuse this team of any disappointment to this, the organization cannot. I know what you are thinking, "how can I talk about the disappointment of the Penguins when they clinched the Metropolitan Division, and they are second in the Eastern Conference with 103 points?" I say ... Read More