nossagog

Although easy,just to prove that Penguins were not the only team with some ugly goalie masks.

Game day skate pairings on defense were: Orpik-Eaton Niskanen-Murray Bortuzzo-Engelland Despres-Letang Good to see Tanger in full practice mode. Maybe he plays by the end of this road trip.

I'm not worried about Crosby at this point. The fact that he's doing interviews shows that he's not daffy from the hit. When he had the concussion, they would not let him talk to anyone until he was ready for practice.

Sigh, I was really hoping not to answer, because I'm afraid I'm soo old that I saw him play in it. I believe this was Michele(sp?) Dion's mask from the early 80's. NOW do you see why they gave us the Lemieux pick!!!

Such an overused saying. So, for whom has he ever knocked out that he had Karma coming to get knocked out.

For the Pens, I think Shero picked him up for the draws with Sid is out. Damn, he was 13 and 2 on faceoffs last night. Shoot outs are great, but there ain't no stinking shootouts in the playoffs.

I'd rather them let that go as they did. Would have been different if Sutter would have won the draw, or even just tied it up after that. Hope Neal is okay, he took the elbow on the button. @JackStraw Typically for that penalty, they whistle it as soon as it happens because they figure that the player does have possession. But as I said, I would rather see them wait, almost like soccer for and advantage.

This would be my guess, and then if he's right, he'll jump up and down and tell you that for months. The fact that Crosby stopped in to see the team is a sign that he's wrong. When Crosby had the concusssion before, you didn't see him anywhere. But who knows, oh yeah, only the Shadow knows, bwah ha ha ha.

Hey Hey Hey there, no need to get personal with a Pittsburgh reporter. No need to call him a fat douche, be polite, just call him a PLUS sized Douche please.

(pounding chest) WORD!

I think its more of a matter of Letang and Martin being out, who would be the puck moving defenseman on the top two parings. Right now, they're still trying to skate it out, and they don't have the back end talent for that.

Wow, the Pens are a complete mess with Letang and Martin out of the lineup. The backend can't move the puck past their own faceoff dot. Get used to this, this is two games in a row that the opponent has simply pinned in the Pens with a hard forecheck.

Kennedy has never really been in the doghouse, I can't remember him getting scratched no matter how he plays(like the blind back pass from behind his own net to the slot last game). His determination has always been there, but with him not playing on the PK, his options are limited as he is falling further. Once Sid gets back, he's headed for the 4th line. Overpaid for a 4th liner.

Hopefully there are not many carryovers from the game last night against the Sabres. That was the worst played game by the Pens in quite come time. Niskanen looked aweful, and literally cost the team a goal with a blind back pass between the faceoffs dots OF HIS OWN ZONE! I have no idea what he was doing. Kennedy did the same thing in the second, it was contagious. The stupid penalties were back for a game, but at least the Pens PK worked really well. Problem with that is that with all the penaltes, Malkin,Neal and Iginla did not get alot of playing time. I can see those three starting to feel more comfortable together, hope that they breakout tonight.

No No and No, I keep tellin you all, its the Borscht. Anyway, its going to help the fact that his game has changed a little since the concussion. He doesn't go barrelling into corners as much, and avoids unnecessary contact along the boards instead of trying to bull his way through, or use that low lean. I think the fact he does that now will keep him from too may hits. @B21 Kunitz has no chance whatsoever of winning the Art Ross. I think Malking is firmly entrenched with Neal and Iginla. Kunitz is going to have to suffer with Dupuis and, ugh, Kennedy. I would rather have seen them put Jeffery up there instead, Kennedy has become much more of a grinder, and hasn't really played center since coming to the Pens.

Well you picked a winner on the scoring at least. What a bunch of bonehead plays tonight, just aweful turnovers left and right. Good to see the Sabres play a good game with all that's going on with their team. Nice to also see Fleury come into the game in relief and play well. They really missed the combo of Martin and Letang also, the Sabres didn't need to worry about them coming out of the zone in transition at all tonight.

Jeez, I go out of town(well that's not so unusual though) and look what happens. The only good I heard was that they seem to have put in a plate, so the jaw should be stronger, and he may come back earlier than if they simply let it heal. Well, good for us to hear, but probably was longer in surgery and hurts a little more.

Will be an interesting game tonight, Sabres seem to be in complete sell mode, so who knows who may get held out tonight, just in case. But then again, it could make the players play just that much harder to stay with the team. Could be a case of determination overcoming skill. Hope the Pens don't let down for this one. Time for Malkin to step up. The last few seasons he's stepped up big time when Sid has gone down. Needs to do so once again. Tonights probable lines as they practiced today: Kunitz-Kennedy-Dupuis Iginla-Malkin-Neal Morrow-Sutter-Cooke Glass-Jeffrey-Adams Orpik-Eaton Murray-Niskanen Engelland-Despres-Bortuzzo Good God, TK centering what used to be the first line.

To me, I would have no problem with a two minute inteference on this, because he hit him before the puck got there. But that should be all, this is one player using his shoulder on another, and he initiated the contact just before or on the goal line, so there was some distance. He didn't use his hands or stick to push him, it was just a should to shoulder that happens all the time.

Obviously it was his welcome gift to Pittsburgh.

Solid playoff style game played there after the Sid thing. PK was fantastic today, they are now starting to gel quite well. I think that will be the only thing that will keep Glass in the lineup. At this point, with TK being moved down to the fourth line, he could be the biggest loser here. Kunitz 5 min check from behind, meh, not deserved. If they wanted to call 2 for interference, I'm okay with it as he hadn't gotten to the puck, but 5 minutes? Look at the Coburn hit on Dupuis(Not picking on the Flyers in particular, just a point of reference), that was worse. I think the official called based on the end result instead of the play itself, that play happens every game, in this case the player loses his balance and goes into the boards funny and he gets a five. They were just getting the goal line on that, so it wasn't even as if they were worrying about the boards yet. Oh well, I think that the kill gave the Pens the momentum they needed for the rest of the game. I liked the physical response of the Pens in the third too. Even Geno got into it with a nice plant on Matt Moulsen. Murry looks slow at times, but he's able to use his body well, as long as he can get that frame between the puck and an opposing player along the boards, he''l win that board battle easily. He can hit too, which just adds to the physical nature of the team. THIS is the Vokoun that we have been waiting for, maybe THIS will push Fleury a little further. Two shutouts in a row for Vokoun. Iggy's gonna have some fun as soon as he realize he has linemates who are just as good, or better than he is. I don't think he was ready for Malkin and Neals speed, and put them offsides several times today.

Clutch win against a team fighting for the playoffs. No Martin or Letang to start the game. Lose Sid to a puck to the mouth minutes in. Lose Kunitz to a major penalty in the second. No problem, enter Matt Cooke. Yes, I said it, Matt "I'm gonna troll your team today" Cooke. Best game from him I've seen in a long time. Key on the PK, especially on the 1:44 of 5v3 during the Kunitz major. Scores the game winner, then after some chirping from Matt Martin, plants his butt on the ice twice off the ensuing face-off, priceless. For all the Iginla on Sid line people, I think he'll be just fine with Geno and Neal. They generated a few chances, it will just take a little time for him to realize when he's on the rush, its okay to go straight in the zone, Geno and Neal will be driving for the net.

Shame, he was having such a good season. As always, it sometimes is a matter of injuries that determines things. Won't be bad, unless they lose Letang long term.

Ouch, Sid just took a Orpik slapper in the mouth

Vokoun playing again today, IGGY IS IN THE LINEUP!!!!!