From Russia With Love...Pens Defeat Leafs 4-1

The Pens badly needed a spark tonight in Toronto, thankfully that came in the form of defenseman Sergei Gonchar. Gonch had 2 goals and his presence really set the tone for the game. The Pens didn't play perfectly and midway thru the 2nd period the game looked pretty even and you couldn't tell who was dominating.

But off a nasty Geno feed, Gonch ripped a slapper home and made it 2-1, or did he? Play didn't stop as the puck went through the net so fast it came out and Ponikorovsky was hauled down on a breakaway attempt. Penalty shot pointed the ref, but wait didn't Gonch just score? The refs made the call upstairs and it was easily seen that Gonch's shot did indeed go in and therefore no penalty shot. The crowd went wild, as did Steigy and Bob.

The Leafs got a power play from that crazy set of events but they couldn't score. Kessel was all over the ice tonight and he'll be a welcome addition to team USA in the Olympics. He was flying, as was Pens killer Jason Blake, and Lee Stempniak. The "Monster" or Gustavsson was strong in net but the Crosby goal was awful. Sid had one stick on the puck and the Monster went for a poke check, oops! It went 5 hole and the Pens were then up 4-1.

Gonch's calming presence and the way he carries the puck up into the Off. zone on the PP is immeasurable and no one on the Pens can do it like him. Letang is getting there and Gogo has good speed, but no one has the shot that Gonch does. His slapper is a rocket, and he had 2 of them today where the Monster had no chance to save either.

Fleury had yet another terrific comeback game in stopping 42 of 43 shots. The Toronto shots are mostly terrible attempts and are easily stopped yet their in top 5 in the league for shots per game. Brian Burke will surely be unloading his flood filled roster of UFAs in the next coming months. Poni, Blake, Hagman, White, and Stajan will be the first to go if any.

The Pens needed a win badly and Gonch's return surely lit a spark in the hearts of the Pens. When will Feds and Dupuis stop being complete mishaps on the ice? Pretty ridiculous to watch those two just fail to capitalize on legit scoring chances every game. Even Mike Milbury on the Hockey Night preview made fun of Geno's wingers he's like there's Rupp and who's the other guy? Capalli?


Tomorrow's game will be on VERSUS as the Pens visit Minnesota, FU direcTV


-IN SERGEI GONCHAR WE TRUST

Discipline and Offense Lead The Flyers Past Pens, 7-4

Let's face the facts ladies and gents, the Pens are a struggling bunch right now. They've lost 7 out of the last 9 games and their hurting from many different facets of their game. Goaltending, defense, and secondary scoring are the immediate things that come to mind. Fleury is 1-6 in his last 7 games and has a 4.48 gaa. Ok it's a slump, these things can happen, but it's still a problem. The defense is having a tough time staying physical, making the first pass out of the zone, and limiting their mistakes. Mckee, Eaton, and Gogo have all been sloppy.

Gogo was flying today and had some good rushes, but his slapper and wrister are the softest things in the world. His shots either get blocked or are easily stopped by the goalie. Even Leighton who let up 4 could stop Gogo's shots. Gonch's presence on the backend with both his slapper and wrister are critical for the success of this team. I love the way Tanger has been playing last couple weeks amidst the slump. He's been physical, likes joining the rushes, and is shooting the puck on net.

Secondary scoring came tonight in the form of Cooke and Rupp but what about Dupuis and Caputi? Both had some quality chances and weren't able to capatilize. Dupuis shines offensively once every 7 or 8 games, just like Fedotenko and Kunitz. Is that the consistency you want heading into the playoffs? Yes Feds is a playoff performer and blah blah blah, but how long can Shero wait until he pulls the trigger for a sniper?


Geno had a couple chances to shoot on the PP but didn't and was forced to give it to Gogo who's shots are as ineffective as they come. Geno HAS to shoot it more often, his speed, stick-handling and passing skills are phenomenal but he should not have only 14 goals at this point in the season. He is far too talented to be passing up slappers from inside the circle or the point.

There have been some positive signs believe it or not. The all-important 3rd line of Staal/TK/Cooke has been doing it's deed. Hitting, speed, grinding, and scoring. Talbot was thrown on there with TK and Staal, and he helped assist Rupp on the Pens 4th goal. Max looked very sharp for the first time in several weeks tonight, good to see.

The struggles of the defense have been downright ridiculous. If we're to play effectively in the Off. zone the D has to make a good first pass and help the forwards. And defensively the D has been terrible. There were 3 or 4 two on one's in this game and Van Riemsdyk had two carbon copy goals where the D just fell asleep and collapsed. Skoula hardly played at all in the 3rd period, he was awful.

Give the new look Flyers credit. They were much more prepared to play this game and played smart and disciplined hockey. Carcillo didn't take any stupid penalties and neither did Hartnell. Wow, really? Yes really. Carter had 2 big goals on a couple nasty wristers. Richards was effective and the D did an excellent job of keeping the Pens forwards to the outside. Pronger and Carle did a good job on the Geno unit.

The Pens PP was 0-3 and the PK allowed 2 PP goals. The PP continues to struggle mightily. The opposition always knows who's gonna shoot and from where. Easy to read. Guerin/Kunitz/Cooke don't do a good job of screening the goalie at all. They move away and look away for tips the majority of the time.


Let's hope this road trip gets the Pens rolling again...


-IN AARON ASHAM PASSES WE TRUST

Pens blow 3 goal lead to Sabres, Lose 4-3...What's Goin On?

You read the title right, the Pens blew a 3 goal lead!!! Defense, goaltending, and a team effort were 3 key components that were missing from the Pens this game. Where's Max "Superstar" Talbot? Dupuis? Adams? The secondary players need to start producing or at least making their presence felt. Adams tried to engage himself physically but it ended up being a penalty.

After the Pens were just playing lights out and on their way to an easy 2 points, Drew Stafford's penalty shot goal turned the game around. Kunitz had just buried a shot to make it 3-0 Pens, a minute and change later Mckee sat on a frozen puck in the crease and Stafford beat Fleury five hole. MAF has not been himself the past couple games. He went for a poke check on Stafford and completely missed and Stafford blew it by him.

The Pens were playing with passion and worked hard till the bitter end. Patty Lalime came in relief of Miller after the 3rd Pens goal and he was dynamite, again. This time he ended up on the winning side. He stopped all 27 shots the Pens fired and the Pens outshot the Sabres 38 to 24 overall in the game. 18 second period shots were fired on Lalime and in the 3rd period the Pens seemed gassed and a bit frustrated.

Geno was flying like a mad horse again and he almost tied the game late. I thought Gogo had a better game offensively and it was interesting to see that Bylsma paired him with Gonch. Letang is having a hard time getting the puck to the net, as are most of the Pens d-men the past three weeks. After the Stafford penalty shot goal, the Sabres began playing their game, using size and speed. They made the simple plays their good at making and they were in the face of MAF all night.

Hecht, Gaustad, Kennedy, and Vanek were in the face of Fleury on every opp. they could get. Lines 1-4 for the Sabres were all playing with jam and fire. The team has a lot of big, skilled guys who know how to use their size and strength. Reminds me a bit of Washington's big players: Steckel, Laich, Gordon, and now Chimera.

Momentum is a funny thing in hockey and over the years Pens fans should know better than anyone that a game is never over. Leads like this are blown and the Pens went from being completely in control to being down by 1. Pominville's goal to make it 4-3 was a beauty as he lifted it upstairs and Fleury had no chance. Stafford was phenomenal in this game. He was a healthy scratch the last game so he had something to prove to Coach Ruff.

TK was also scratched the last game and he played a spirited game and used his speed which he's so good at doing. He helped create Staal's goal to make it 1-0 Pens in the 1st. But the Pens need to begin playing as a team. They need passion and a 60 minute effort. Skill alone from guys named Sid, Geno, Gonch, and usually Fleury will allow them to be in games, but winning will take everyone.

As Bob Errey mentioned it will be a very quiet plane ride to New Jersey tonight and the Pens will need to regroup and be ready to ride Johnson tomorrow in net. Feds will most likely be in and Godard a scratch. The Pens chased one of the 3 best goalies in the league and still lost the game, figures.


-IN TRADING FEDS WE TRUST

Statement Game for Pens...Geno Records Hat Trick as Pens Roll 8-2 Past Sens

It was only this morning that the Post Gazette featured a column about Geno's struggles of late. The sun goes down, the Sens come in, and BOOM Geno light's the lamp 3 times and it coulda been 5 or 6 the way he was playin' tonight at the Igloo. His new linemates Guerin and Kunitz, had themselves a 4 point night to add to the demolition of the feisty Sens.

What a weird game. The 1st period was as dominant as any team has ever been against the Pens in the Bylsma era. The Sens outshot the Pens 24-9. 24 shots! That's a legit amount for a game already. The Pens PP was terrific. Scoring 3 goals on 6 chances, and boy has it been awhile since the PP lit the lamp this often and looked this dangerous.

On the 1st Pens goal Leclaire was scattering back and forth for a good minute before Sid found a wide open Geno for the old backdoor play. Remember Ryan Whitney 2 years ago? Yeah he used to be decent at it, but that was all he could do. One of the guy's acquired for him had his best night of the year, Mr. Kunitz. He was forechecking, making nice passes, and driving hard to the net. 'Atta boy Chris.


If Kovalev scores on the wide open net chance he had in the 1st, the game changes completely. What seemed to change the flow was Adams's hit on Alfredsson in the 1st. Alfy has been the heart and soul of the Sens franchise for so many years and the Sens really felt his absence in this game. Not to mention Spezza was injured as well.

The Pens scored 5, yes 5 unanswered goals in the 2nd after they couldn't even manage one goal on Monday night against the Devils. The Pens are now 2-1 against the Sens on the season and each game could've gone either way really. We have to give props to one of the best rebound goalies ever, Fleury. This wasn't a surprise. We have seen when he gets pulled or has a bad game in the playoffs or whenever, the next game is always a special one.

Fleury stopped 36 of 38 shots and the Sens were throwin the puck from all cylinders and he had to be sharp. Fisher, Kovy, Michalek, Kuba, etc. were all makin their presence felt. As was that Chris Neil guy. The man is a frake train headed for hell. He had about 4 to 5 bone crunching hits tonight and had a nice fight with Rupp as well. This was the best Rupp looked in a fight all year, nice job.


Billy G had a couple huge goals in this game. One was off a power move on the PP and the other on a 3 on 1 when Sid fed him for an easy goal. The Pens had much more life and passion in this game than they did against the Devils. They have to take this energy and use it against NJ next week. The whole team was involved in this game and every pass was tape to tape and very clean.

Congrats to Geno for shutting the critics up and having a special night while being watched by Team Russia's GM Tretiak. He came to see Geno, Kovy, Gonch, and Volchenkov and he got Kovy being fancy but ineffective, Geno being dynamite, Gonch being solid, and Volchenkov scoring a goal and then having a nice knee on knee hit on Geno. Is that a scary 1st line for Team Russia: Ovie, Geno, and Datsyuk?....Yeah I just got the shivers.

Have a safe Christmas my friends and see you on Sunday for a Preview of the Pens-Leafs game.



-IN GENO WE TRUST

Silence Of The Pens...Brodeur Sets Shutout Record, Devs win 4-0

Congrats to the greatest goalie of all-time Marty Brodeur for setting the record for shutouts with 104. He passed Terry Sawchuk, who ironically got his 103rd shutout against the Pens, but that was way back when. Marty was sensational tonight as the Pens threw everything at him.

The wraparounds, shots to the pads, gloveside, top shelf. Fail fail fail. The Devils improved to 3-0 against the Pens on the season, scoring 4 goals in each of those games and not giving the Pens any chance to taste victory. What to do? Going into the playoffs this is not a good problem to have and Bylsma has failed to come up with a proper game plan against this type of team.

Under new coach Lemaire the Devils take the fewest penalties in the league, play smart offensive hockey and flawless defense. The key is scoring the first goal, but that didn't happen. Fleury lead in four softies but the sloppy defense wasn't doing much to help. Fleury shoulda been pulled after the 2nd goal by Bergfors because you know when Fleury starts letting in softies it becomes a snowball effect.


Granted, Fleury has been playing a lot of games against tough opponents and has performed spectacularly in all of them. Why not put Johnson in there while the game is not yet out of reach? Dean McCammond is seeing 1st line duties for the first time in his career. The former Sens forward was once headshotted by Steve Downie and now he's back and playing some spirited/rejuvenated hockey.

McCammond, Elias and Parise was the only threatening line for the Devils yet some of the other guys chipped in for goals. Brodeur's rebound control is a sight to see, as are his puck handling skills. There were no 2nd chance opps. and even though the Pens had 35 shots, they didn't seem like legit chances. Credit Marty and his defense.

What gets the Pens going in games is that emotion or hatred. They can't seem to find any of that when they play the Devils. They seem lethargic and unfocused. Clarkson wasn't in the lineup and I know he could've given the Pens some life but he's also an effective player, as is Zubrus and Martin who also sat out last night.


The Pens still got some good efforts from TK, Geno, Sid, Guerin, and Rupper but "snipers" like Fedotenko are still coming up empty. How long will Shero wait? Geno is very frustrated and it's because of the lack of a consistent scoring winger. Heck Sykora did better than Feds and he's the weakest player in NHL history. Ray Whitney, Brad Richards, and Mike Ribiero are guys Shero should target as the March 1st trade deadline approaches.

Staalsy took a puck to the nose and it was bleeding like non other. Great to see him play the 3rd period. TK looked good with Geno and Feds/Dupuis last night. He was cutting to the front and making his signature move but nothing to show for it unfortunately.

The Sens visit town Wednesday night and the Pens will definitely look to inject some fuel in the fire with scrappers Carkner, Ruutu, and Neil arriving.


-IN NIKLAS BERGFORS WE TRUST

Fleury Shines As Pens Down Sabres 2-1 In SO

They tried to run him over, get in his grill, and get him off his game. Everything but the last part worked last night in Buffalo. Gaustad (above) should throw himself off a bridge if he doesn't make the US Olympic team. Or maybe throw Brian Burke off? Either works. But he not only leads the league in faceoff % (64.3) but he's a big body, can skate well, has soft hands, and is defensively responsible.

Back to Fleury, he was dynamite yet again. And speaking of Olympics, with the way Flower is playing right now how do you not consider him the starting goalie of Canada? Well maybe because his competition is some guy named Marty Brodeur, yes true but still it's worth a look. You listening Stevie Y?

Fleury had a number of big saves that kept the game knotted at 1-1. Grier was stoned on a breakaway and then all three shootout participants were sent home packing. Fleury's poke check during the shootouts is a sight to see, he's always looking to disrupt the shooter and challenge him rather than sit back. Letang went to the backhand this time, he scored a forehand goal in Philly on Thursday, and the Pens improved to 6-0 on the shootouts for the season.


This game could've gone 3-1 either way. The Sabres and Pens both had numerous chances to take the lead on a PP but nothing could get done. Former Pens goalie, Patty Lalime was sensational. He's not Ryan Miller, but he was pretty close to it tonight. Geno seemed frustrated all night again and took a couple stupid penalties as a result. Where was Fedotenko? I swear you see this guy one game and it seems his scoring slump has ended but no, instead he dissappears again. Dupuis had the puck roll of his stick like 5 times, whatever.

Dear Santa, for Christmas can I please have another 1st line winger not named Kunitz and another 2nd line winger preferably not named Fedotenko? Pleaseee. And by Santa I of course mean Ray Shero, and usually when I'm thinkin somethin or your thinkin somethin, Ray's thinkin that exact same thing...or close to it.

The Pens have this confidence and swagger about them which was unseen the past couple seasons. Even when things aren't going too well, you know it's not over, and you're still confident that they'll win this game. This type of confidence and sometimes even cockiness can be seen down through the lineup. The Sabres have this pack mentality which made it very tough to create any room in the offensive zone. Even Kunitz's goal was a bit whacky and Lalime made a mistake.


Lindy Ruff will still be coaching the Sabres when we've all got grandkids and we're tellin them that the Sabres made it to the Finals one year ('98) believe it or not. As long as Cindy Crosby and Ovie rule the East, their won't be no Cup for the Sabres. Give Ruff credit the team has a lot of solid role players: Grier, Kennedy, and Ellis. And they play his system to a tee.

See ya tomorrow night as the Division rivals visit town, the New Jersey Diablos. Yes they're boring and Parise is on a cold streak but they've beaten us twice this year by a score of 4-1 and they still have Brodeur, oh yeah that guy, right. Talbot didn't look great in his return to the lineup, but it's better than what Godard can bring. Eaton was injured on a collision with Grier last night and he should be out a couple weeks. Marty School uhhhh will be back in.



-IN CHRIS KUNITZ WE DON'T TRUST

Pens Dominate Flyers, Win 6- 1

Watching the first 5 minutes of the game was like attending a boxing clinic taught by Mike Tyson, it was that intense. After Crosby scored the 1st goal of the game just a couple minutes in, 3 consecutive fights broke out 16 seconds apart. First it was Rupp vs. Asham, that was a pretty fair match. Asham took exception to a couple bone crunching hits Rupp put on Flyers D a couple shifts before. Then it was Cote vs. Godard, a true heavyweight tilt. Both had some good punches in there. But then Adams fought Carcillo and well Adams just got crushed.

I've never seen 3 fights on consecutive shifts, neither had any of the players, at least not at the NHL level. The fights set the tone for an intense game. Guerin scored the Pens 2nd goal on a puck Boucher couldn't cover. Carcillo scored the 1st Philly goal on the PP. And he looked pretty alive (unlike the rest of Philly) in this contest. He finished every check and had soccer been allowed in hockey, he could've had 2 goals.

The turning point in the game came after the Flyers cut the lead to 2-1 and they got on a power play, Staal stole the puck away and got a 2 on 1 break with Cooke. Staal held it and faked the pass and went top shelf on Boucher, 3-1 Pens. Getting a shorthanded goal like this took the energy out of the Flyers. In the 2nd period, Hartnell made yet another stupid play when instead of shooting a wide open look he tried a slap pass that ended up on an odd man break for the Pens. It went from Crosby to Letang to Staal for a wide open rebound goal. 4-1.


Pronger and Carle (their top d-men pairing) played a very poor game tonight. Pronger turned the puck over a couple times and it lead to some Pens goals. Boucher couldn't come up with the big save when he needed to. And Carter/Richards were invisible. When Carcillo is more noticeable offensively than either of those two, that's a problem. The Flyers were definitely gassed from the previous night but their 3rd/4th lines couldn't do anything positive for them.

Laperriere, Cote, Kalinski, and the others are very mediocore at best meanwhile the Pens had all 4 lines rolling consistently. Staal was an offensive monster all night and both Geno and Feds had goals and showed off some of the '09 playoff chemistry again. Geno was especially flying in the 3rd when he beat the Flyers team and was skating around like a ballerina, it's a scary site for opposing defenses.

The Flyers are playing with much less heart than they have in years past, and this game was evidence of that. Pronger's name is usually said a couple times a game after scrums or hits but he was silent all night. Expect the Flyers to be well rested and to come out with some passion on Thursday night. When you get abolished 6-1 the only way to go is up.


The newly formed PP with Geno rocking the left point and Kunitz/Guerin screening the goalie was quite effective in the 1st goal. They moved the puck around and Crosby had a wide open net to shoot at. The Flyers can fight but they didn't seem to bring that physical edge that helps them win games tonight. They wanted to play run and gun and it failed miserably.


-IN ERIC GODARD WE TRUST