Pens win slugfest to go 3-0 in preseason

Tangradi parked where he should be.....right in front of the net!

Geno putting the beat down on Rick Nash.........fun to see, but WTF Geno??

Tanger droppin bombs!

It was only preseason, but Evegeni Malkin and Rick Nash of all people are fighting in the 3rd period? I held my breath praying for no broken hands in that one, but man it sure does tell you that the intensity level and focus are both way up.....it is only preseason, and it is tough to tell what the regular games will bring, but this Pens team seems to be ready for the season....Newcomer Arron Asham seems to fit right in, as does Mike Comrie. Defenseman Zybenek Michalek is even better than advertised, and the battles for the final roster spots are intense......Right now, it looks like both Brett Sterling, and Mark Letestu along with Ryan Craig and Eric Tangradi are making a push for that final spot on the forward lines......On defense, Corey Potter, along with Derek Engellend seem to be fighting it out for the seventh spot, while many think that Simon Despres is making a case to get a nine game trial......I do love what I see from him! Soon enough the real games will start, and we will see what they really have........No matter, how you slice it, I cannot wait to Staal back on the ice.

A little positive......a little negative......

Oaky, everyone including myself has put our faces in the laps of Pens management over the past year given the beauty of the new Consol arena, and generally speaking, it is well warranted. The sight lines are great, the seats are roomy, the food is about 10 steps above the old barn. We even had Sushi and Hoegaardens last night at the Consol.........yeah, I cannot believe I admitted that either.....I mean I had a Primanti sandwich and an Arn City! There are so many nice things about the new barn, that it is hard to know where to start........so I will chip away at some of the issues that I think they need to work on a bit. First, the policy on not leaving the building once your ticket is scanned. On the first night of the preseason, we went to the game, sitting in our Loge box seats....they are considered premium seating, are charged at a PREMIUM, and come with amenities such as parking passes on the Loge level and access to the different restaurants, along with the ability to enter earlier in order to enjoy those restaurants. The kids were excited to get in early, eat, and they thought check out the new pro shop. We finished our meal, walked down the steps to go to the pro shop, which was less than 50 feet from where the ushers were letting people in. We were informed that since we were already in, we would not be allowed to exit and return. No kidding! I could not take my daughter 50 feet away to spend MORE money that goes to the Pens, after spending premium ticket money for a seven year commitment?!! And the staff is that cement headed and lazy that they could not watch the same 3 of us leave and come back with the tickets? Not smart..........

It is early, and it may get better, but we have attended 3 events at the arena in the loge seating, and had great service the first nite, a different crew and poor service the second night, and last night, good but not great with yet a different team. How about letting the same people service the same sections and get a little continuity going.....both sides can get to know what to expect from the other, making it a better experience for all.........

Finally, after giving huge kudos for the idea of giving away the tickets the Pens gave away to last nights game, I am going to bitch again. I have NEVER seen a more inconsiderate group of people EVER in a hockey arena. And the kids, you give a pass to....any time there are tons of kids in an area, some of the sanity you have come to expect goes by the wayside......but the coaches and parents of those kids last night....two thumbs DOWN.......you were at the arena on a free pass, 8,000 strong, and acted like you owned the joint. The most basic courtesy which is waiting for a whistle before moving your fat mullet headed assess across your neighbors faces to hit the nacho stand was pretty much ignored all night...........again, kids may not get it, but the parents leading their groups of kids up and down the aisles REPEATEDLY and SLOWLY while others attempted to watch the game through you, should have been thrown off the concourse. Sorry, but it was CONTINUOUS, and if you are this involved in the sport and do not know the etiquette, you should stick to softball. Otherwise, you are just plain old ignorant! I am pretty sure for the vast majority of you, it is the latter.....and the ushers, well they were pathetic.....they enforced it on kids and women, but seemed afraid to tell the lunkheaded fathers about the rules.......the kids were fun to watch as they enjoyed the game in every way, but the adults who could have allowed all of the fun, but taught some courtesy and etiquette get a big FAIL........hey Mario, how about putting an age limit on the freebies if you do it again, allowing one person over the age of 15 for every 5 kids.......at least the kids are cute.

Kris Letang vs. Jacob Voracek 9/25/10

Evgeni Malkin vs. Rick Nash 9/25/10

HBO 24-7 presents NHL Hockey Penguins vs Capitals - National Cable TV | Examiner.com

HBO 24-7 presents NHL Hockey Penguins vs Capitals - National Cable TV Examiner.com

Body Slam

Steelers are 2-0!

Listen to these offensive numbers for the Steelers today....and they are as OFFENSIVE as they could be: 2/15 on 3rd downs or 13%........pathetic.......net passing yards were 21 yards.....yes you read that right, 21 whole yards! Their net offensive output yardage wise was 127 yards, and they did not score a touchdown on offense all day, despite many glorious chances. There truly is not a single positive thing to say about the offense today.....nothing.....but I think we can agree on something for sure at this point......all of you Dixon lovers, well, I think we see what Dixon is, which is extremely subpar. The good news is that Leftwich should be ready next week, and we only have two more games until Roethlisberger can play. The better news is that the defense was stifling today,m similar in play to that 2008 version. Lil Wayne, uh, I mean Chris Johnson was held to 34 yards on 16 carries, breaking his streak of 12 straight 100+ yard games. They also did not surrender a touchdown until late in the 4th quarter. They created six turnovers, on top of the one created by special teams, and looked DOMINATING! Woodley, Timmons, Harrison, Polamalu, Smith, McFadden.............all had great games today. Sprinkle in the excitement of the 97 yard kick return to start the game, and there were plenty of good things to watch........just not when the Steelers had the football. The Steelers are guaranteed to be at least at the 2-2 mark most experts felt they had to achieve to be in a good position for the playoff run once Big Ben came back. A 3-1 record at the break would be encouraging. If this defense can continue its stellar play, this team will be more of a handful than expected this season.

An Interesting Pens Training Camp is set to open this weekend

Training Camp is about to open........cannot wait!

Simon Despres.....can he make the leap from juniors to the big club a la Jordan Staal 2006?

Eric "Big Dog" Tangradi-Can he make the big club as top six forward and replace Guerin as the net front prescence on the power play?

Dustin Jeffrey-Another young kid who will put the heat on guys like Talbot and Kennedy this season.

This training camp should be a very interesting camp for the Pens. The Pens have 13 forwards on one way contracts this season, and plenty of NHL experience at this position. That said there is still a lot up in the air with regard to the wingers on the top 2 lines. Will Staal move up to center the second line with Malkin on the wing? Will Comrie be a top six winger, or 3rd line center? Will Asham play on a third or fourth line? Can Eric Tangradi make the jump from the AHL to the big club and in what capacity? Will he play the Ryan Malone on the second line, or toil on the 3rd or 4th lines to earn his spurs? Can Tyler Kennedy impress enough to keep the young guns like Mark Letestu and Dustin Jeffrey from taking his spot? What about Mad Max? In June of 2009 Ray Shero said that every team who wins the Stanley Cup has a Max Talbot. After an injury plagued 2009-2010 campaign and another solid season from Craig Adams, Talbot finds himself potentially expendable. At the same time, Malkin likes playing with Max, and if Talbot is healthy he could find himself skating on the second line, the fourth line or even in another city before this season ends. This organization, though lacking in top six wingers, is not lacking in 3rd and 4th line types who could come up to the big club and contribute.

As intriguing to me is the defense. As noted in an earlier post, the top 4 defensemen on this club could rival most, and the fifth, Goligoski, has solid offensive upside. After that, the battle for the 6th and 7th spot on the defense gets interesting. The number six spot has been assumed to be available for Ben Lovejoy to take, and he fits the mold of being a capable puck moving defenseman with good size. Some say that Derek Engellend, a more physical player could steal that spot in camp due to his ability to hit in the mold of Brooks Orpik. Simon Despres is supposed to be a star in the making, and maybe a year away from making the big club, BUT some think he can leap right from the Q to the NHL and make an impact. His puck carrying skills, speed, offensive instincts and size make him a potential addition to the big club. In addition, the organization is high on Brian Strait, Robert Bortuzzo, and Carl Sneep, though it seems as if they are more likely to make a big push next season. This is a great problem to have on the blue line. Finally, the Pens could decide to bring in a vet on a league minimum type contract right before the season starts, as there are likely to be some available at a price that is cap friendly to the Pens who have about 1.2M left to spend.

The goaltending situation, barring injury is set with Fleury and Brent Johnson taking care of business...........

Hey, every season takes on a life of its own, and you cannot predict injuries, or even players having a down year. From where I sit, I love this Pens team and its chances to take back the hardware. I fully expect Malkin and Fleury to rebound from sub par seasons last year, and I think that Crosby will be Crosby, and that Jordan Staal will embrace his shot at greater offensive responsibility. In addition, I like the new make up of our defense, and the general balance and grit of the forwards. If you add the competition for roster spots and ice time to the mix, you should see a very motivated group of players that make up the supporting cast to the core of stars the Pens have. Get ready for an exciting season as the 2010-2011 version of the Pittsburgh Penguins attempts to take back the Conference and Lord Stanleys cup!

Let the Big Dog EAT!

Steelers win their first of four games without Big Ben

cool tattoo work.................

dont let this dude near the middle schools!

Oh Yeahhhhhhh!

A win is a win is a win in the NFL. The Steelers were actually 2 point underdogs at home to the Falcons yesterday but prevailed after the third straight overtime game against Atlanta. There were some things to worry about from this game for sure. The first of which is the health of two key lineman. Max Starks left the game with what appeared to be a high ankle sprain. This offensive line came into this season as a weakness. Losing Willie Colon for the year in training camp did not help. Losing Max Starks for any length of time will be tough for the black and gold. Also "Big Snack" Hampton left the game with a hamstring problem. I think the problem is that his hamstrings have to hold up 350 + pounds!! Hoke is a great back up, but losing Hampton would diminish the depth on the line and the freshness that rotating those players brings......Also, Dixon who threw one pick, could have thrown four, and looked very much like Kordell lite.........The Steelers could not score a touchdown during regulation against a defense that was 28th in the league last season. Randle El looked ineffective returning punts, and Jeff Reed missed two field goals, including a very makeable one that should have won the game in regulation.

There were plenty of positives, not the least of which is the fact that the monster game of Timmons, if it is indeed the start of his breakout year could be indicative of a DOMINANT linebacking corps, the likes of which have not been seen in awhile. Hines Ward played a great game and was a true leader on the field, even if he is a blowhard off of it. McFadden and Taylor played well in the secondary and Polamalu made a Polamalu play with the game on the line, that should have resulted in a regulation win. Mendenhall kept plugging away despite running into 8 man fronts all day, and ultimately gashed the Falcons for the game winner.

That said, the thing that I took away from this game that is most encouraging is this..........this is a game in which the Steelers were resilient and FOUND a way to WIN, despite many mistakes........this game would have been LOST by last years version of the black and gold. Last year if Atanta did not drive the field at the end of regulation to win, they sure would have scored on the opening possession of OT, after Reed's missed FG. Instead, the defense held in OT, and Mendenhall to it to the Hizzy on the first play from scrimmage for the Steelers in OT. Perhaps the bitter embarrassment of the stretch run last season, and the emergence of guys like Wallace, Timmons, and Pouncey will be enough for this team to surprise the experts. Time will tell!

Mike Comrie - amazing goal!!!

An amazing goal by newest Penguin Mike Comrie. With a couple of 30+ goals seasons, three 20+ goal season, Comrie again is a nice pick up by Ray Shero to bolster the strength of the Pens. Comrie would center the third line or play wing on either of the top two lines and fit in very well. He is a fast skater, and plays with a bit of an edge for a smaller guy. At 500K he is a VERY cap friendly signing for the Pens that continues to create versatility throughout the lineup!