Conklin to play outdoors again

Something interesting as news is broken that Chicago and Wrigley Stadium will officially be the next host of the NHL's biggest sideshow, err regular season event of the year.

This will mean of the three regular season games (Edmonton/Montreal in 2003, Pittsburgh/Buffalo 2008 and now Chicago/Detroit 2009) will share Ty Conklin as a common link in them all. Conklin, you'll remember, is the Pittsburgh free agent who went to Detroit that hasn't drawn disdain.

If Conkblock had signed to NYI is there any doubt that the rumored early favorite for the outdoor game (Islanders/Rangers at Yankee Stadium) would have happened? Ok, maybe not but it's summer and not much is going on right now.

A Winter Classic Indeed

Wow what a game. I can't wait to see the ratings just out of sheer curosity. Game thoughts:


``My initial thought was this game was exactly like the Steelers/Dolphins game. The game conditions were so terrible that you really can't take too much away for either team. You just have to hope you get the bounces and come out on top. In both this hockey game and that Steelers game the total number of points on the final scoreboard was 3, by the way.

``I don't know who wouldn't have faith in Ty Conklin, but he played awesome today. He absolutely held the Pens in it, making numerous great saves left and right.

``Great exchange happened today at my house. A bunch of my friends (who all grew up in Virginia and don't know much about hockey) were watching with me. Obviously they were paying attention today and could tell Sidney Crosby is the face of the league and was the emphasis of the game. Noticing that the game deciding shootout goal was on his stick, one buddy astutely noted:

"Wow this couldn't have worked out any better for the league, the game's #1 bright star with a chance to win it in such an exciting fashion"

I quickly pointed out how the games most skilled players in the game often fail at shootouts and Crosby was but 6 for 20 in such attempts since the beginning of the 2006-07 season.

Aside from being shocked/disgusted that I could recite such a stat another friend remarked: "Yeah, but if he's as good as the hype that we've been watching for the past 3 hours, he's got to bury this".

Instantly I thought of all the Crosby-haters that might understandably get fed up with all the attention he receives. Silently I nodded, he does have to finish it.



Game.

A Long (Successful) December

The only Eastern Conference team to gain more points than the Penguins (18) in December was the conference breakaway team Ottawa Senators (20).

Not bad considering Dany Sabourin and Ty Conklin have been the netminders since December 6th and key players like Max Talbot, Sergei Gonchar, Ryan Malone and Gary Roberts have been injured or missed games during this stretch.

Now it's time for the highest profile regular season game. If you don't know what this is, you're living in a cave.


Bring it. I'm stoked. I'm sure all the players on both teams are going to be laying it all on the line, and even though the conditions are going to be unpredictable, I have a feeling something special is going to take place in this most special of games. Think 87 or 71. I am.

Happy New Years folks. See you tomorrow afternoon with a comprehensive recap.

Google Post of the Week

Today's google searcher that stumbled across this humble blog was looking for:
"Crosby circles the wagon and loses the puck"

We're the top listing for that too!

Happy New Year to everyone! I'll be back a little later with thoughts going into the big game. I'm glad that geography and working on Wednesday makes it impossible for me to even think about going.....Too cold for these bones.

Pens beat Caps, sun rises in the east

Despite playing one of the most dreadful periods (it was the 2nd) that I've seen of professional hockey, the Penguins picked up 2 points on the hapless Washington Capitals.

Thoughts:

``The loss of Mark Eaton showed early and often. Sergei Gonchar looked brutal and downright uncomfortable out there in his own zone.

``Brooks Orpik came back from his 3 game healthy scratch exile with a vengence, credited with 5 hits and 5 blocked shots and played the style that has to be pleasing to the coach.

``Caps fans, by now, are used to the heartbreak of crushing defeats at the hands of Pittsburgh....But if that ridiculous Crosby-to-Malkin one timer hits the net (instead of the post) with less than 5 seconds in regulation even I would almost feel sorry for them.....Almost.

``Much of the team looked disjointed but the Roberts-Christensen-Laraque line was not good. Guess it was lightning in a bottle.

``Speaking of Crusher, what a faceoff win late in the game to set up Sydor's tying goal. That's as clutch as any shootout goal he'll score.

``The Caps got the short end of the stick twice in penalties: Ovechkin's cross-check wasn't even close to being a cross-check and Shaone Morrrrrisssssonnnn's roughing wasn't that rough. (The lesson, as usual kids is don't spell your name like a jackass).

``Anyone seen or heard from Petr Sykora?

``Glad to hear Mr. Nemesis is ok and just has a superficial cut after taking an accidental Kris Letang skate to the leg.

More about Ovechkin, let's look at him and Crosby head to head....If you're keeping track (and I am!) Sid is still "Gretzky'ing" AO. That of course is a term I think I created meaning you've got more assists than the other guy has points.

Sidney Crosby: 5 goals, 12 assists, 17 points

Alex Ovechkin: 5 goals, 4 assists, 9 points

And more importantly:

Penguins: 9-1
Capitals: 1-7-2 (1 shootout and 1 OT loss)

Nice to get two more points, but it'd be hard to drop a home-game to the last place team in the Conference who played the previous night. Either way, drop two more in the points column and time to move on.

Up next, a home-and-home with the Buffalo Sabres. Somehow I get the feeling one of these games will have more hype and excitement behind it than the other...