It was a four-game series that very few saw coming. I heard some predictions say that the Boston Bruins would win the series against the Penguins. I mean, I was one of them. Most of the predictions that had the Bruins winning had the series going six or seven games. Not once, even from the biggest Boston version of a Yinzer, did I see anyone say a sweep. It was unfathomable. It truly was. It did, however, happen. All of the moves that Penguins General Manager Ray Shero made at the trade deadline ... Read More
It’s time to say goodbye to Dan Bylsma
After the Penguins were embarrassingly eliminated in the first round last postseason, changes were vowed and changes were made. Jordan Staal was traded for Brandon Sutter and a few defensive prospects, Zbynek Michalek was traded back to Phoenix, and Arron Asham was let go. Dan Bylsma, Kris Letang, and Marc-Andre Fleury all stayed but the leash was noticeably shorter heading into the 2013 season. Once again, the regular season showed promise from all Penguin personnel as the team rattled ... Read More
Penguins eliminated by Bruins in Game 4
BOSTON -- Adam McQuaid scored early in the third period, Tuukka Rask posted his second shutout of the series, and the Boston Bruins swept their way to the Stanley Cup finals with a 1-0 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins on Friday night. The Bruins won the Eastern Conference finals 4-0 and held the high-scoring Penguins to just two goals in the stunning sweep. Boston will face either the Chicago Blackhawks or Los Angeles Kings when the Bruins shoot for their second Stanley Cup title in three ... Read More
June 5, 2013: The day the sports world stood still in Pittsburgh
I'm not a fan of using words like "tragedy" or "heroes" when it comes to sports or athletes. We all know who the the real heroes are and what the real tragedies are. That doesn't mean that there are certain times when a collection of bad things will happen to your favorites teams that just leave you in a state of shock. For Western Pennsylvania, that day was Wednesday, June 6. The news first broke that morning that Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger would have to undergo minor ... Read More
Pens lose heartbreaker in double OT; Bruins hold 3-0 series lead
After dropping the first two games of the Eastern Conference Finals at home in embarrassing fashion, the Pittsburgh Penguins played, arguably, their most focused game of the playoffs. Unfortunately, Tuukka Rask made 53 saves, setting up Patrice Bergeron's game winner with under five minutes remaining in double overtime. Thanks to Rask, and a handful of shots that hit the posts, the Penguins have been pushed to the brink of elimination without winning a single game in the third round of the ... Read More
Pittsburgh Penguins: 3 Keys to winning Game 3
The past few days haven’t been pretty for Penguins’ fans. The Pens dropped the opener 3-0, the first time all season they failed to score a goal. They followed that up with a train-wreck performance Monday night in which the Bruins scored three goals in the first period before Tomas Vokoun was pulled in favor of Marc-Andre Fleury, who quickly allowed a fourth goal in the first period. The final ended up being 6-1, which put the Bruins up 2-0. There’s no way to sugar coat this, so let’s just ... Read More
Have the Penguins given up?
The Penguins can't be this bad. Can they? Soft in goal, porous and disoriented on defense, and with forwards working under the misguided belief that the game is intended to be played in only one (read: offensive) end, the Penguins Monday night officially surrendered their free pass and executive limo ride to the Stanley Cup Final. Look, there is no disputing Pittsburgh’s offensive talent. Anyone would envy their collection of skilled forwards. Take Jarome Iginla, for example. He was so ... Read More
Bruins dismantle Penguins; take 2-0 series lead
After Game 1, you could make a case that the Penguins played well enough to win only to fall on the side of bad luck. In Game 2, not so much. The Boston Bruins destroyed the Pittsburgh Penguins 6-1, Monday night, taking a commanding 2-0 series lead with the chance to advance to the Stanley Cup on home ice. Brad Marchand's goal just 28 seconds into the game stunned the hometown crowd and gave the Bruins an early 1-0 lead. Sidney Crosby misplayed the puck on the right point and Marchand ... Read More
Pens shutout by Bruins in Game 1
The Penguins threw 29 shots at Boston goaltender Tuukka Rask, but were unable to put one past him as the Bruins got two goals from David Krejci and one from Nathan Horton to secure a 3-0 win in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals at Consol Energy Center Saturday night. It is the first time the Penguins have been shutout in a playoff game since Game 7 of the 2011 Eastern Conference Quarterfinal against the Tampa Bay Lightning. The eight day rest didn’t seem to affect the Penguins, as ... Read More
Polarizing Penguins
The NBA has the Lakers, MLB has the Yankees, the NCAA has the Fighting Irish, and the NHL has the Pittsburgh Penguins. The Penguins aren't placed on this list because of how hated they are throughout North America, alone. Rather, they are placed on this list because of their polarizing nature. All Pittsburgh fans believe the Penguins are the most hated team in the NHL and they could be right. After all, the internet is full of comments from people saying Sidney (or Cindy) Crosby is a baby, ... Read More