Godard dropping Orr

Silence from the MSG broadcast is always a good sign...



Kudos to Eric Godard for setting the tone literally right out of the gates....He's half the price of Georges Laraque, and actually drops the gloves*!


*14 times to BGL's 5, though Laraque has been sidelined with a nagging groin injury.

"Big deal, he breaks your face. Get it fixed."

Good story from the Canadian press about most entertaining fighters (to which there were many responses) and who is the most feared...To which there was just one..

Jarome Iginla:

"I wouldn't want to get caught in a line brawl with him."

Chris Neil:

"He's probably the toughest in the league. He's strong, he's powerful. It's one of those things where you watch his fights, meanwhile, when he's out there on the ice, he's coming after you, so you've got to be aware."

And the Penguins own, Paul Bissonnette:

"I'm not really afraid of anyone, but if I were to fight him, I'd probably be shaking going in. That's just the respect you have for him and what you've seen him do in the past. If I want to play in this league, that's going to be my job and obviously I'd have to do it, that's life. Big deal, he breaks your face. Get it fixed."

The man they're talking about, of course is this man (note: not Donald Brashear):

The hustle to return

As if Philadelphia thought Pittsburgh couldn't possibly play harder, out comes the news that Max Talbot took all 90 minutes of practice this morning and declared his broken foot good to go.

They said it was a pain issue, so if Talbot was able to get the skate on and practice, obviously that means the pain is manageable enough to go.

So now the question becomes; who sits?

• Georges Laraque? The big guy only played 7:01 last night and didn't really seem to have much an impact. Plus the Flyers didn't play Riley Cote or Steve Downie, so keeping the heavyweight in the lineup may not be needed.
• Adam Hall? He's the 4th line center (Talbot's niche) and only played 4:49 at even strength. Hall also lost 4 of his 6 faceoffs last night. Hall's been quietly solid at his job, but not spectacular.

It'll be interesting to see what happens, Michel Therrien isn't a coach that likes to change a winning lineup that much, but to get one of his best energy guys and PK'ers back, we think he's going to have to. If it were our call, we'd scratch Hall tomorrow night and then, if all goes well, think about scratching BGL for Game 3. That's a long ways away though.

Let's go to the circus...

It's time to talk about a clown. As usual, someone beat us to the punch, we were going to recap this stupid journalist saga of Ottawa's Don Brennan but James Mirtle (M.D) already did. It's a good recap and everything we would have said.


We didn't bring up what started this entire mess (Brennan saying a Senator should intent to injure Sidney Crosby's ankle), because it's not worth mentioning. Our Canadian buddies tell us that Brennan is largely considered a joke north of the border so why bother...


However, the store starts getting good when Georges Laraque rightfully calls this moron "stupid" when a Pittsburgh reported relays the theory. That should have been that, but Brennan decides to be Johnny Big Balls and write in his next article that BGL should say it to his face.


Well, Georges did today. First of all, even on the internet we don't think it's wise to dare a 6'3, 260 pound man that uses his fists for a living to say anything to your face. Second, why would you type something like that, knowing it's going to get back to him? Lucky for Brennan, there were tons of witnesses around and that's ALL Laraque did was call him stupid to his face. So what's Mister Reporter going to do now?

Continue being a joke

Penguins announce team awards

Most Valuable Player - Evgeni Malkin

Leading Scorer - Evgeni Malkin

A.T. Caggiano Booster Club (To the player with the most 3 Star selections throughout the season) - Evgeni Malkin

Players' Player (voted by the players for demonstrating leadership on and off the ice) - Ryan Malone

Michel Briere Rookie of the Year - Kris Letang

Baz Bastien Good Guy Award (for co-operation with the media) – Ryan Whitney

Edward J. DeBartolo Community Service Award - Georges Laraque

Bill Masterton Award Nominee - Ty Conklin

Taking lumps, Pens lose

Well the Penguins got one point tonight, and if you'd look at it in the bigger scheme of things; 3 points out of 4 in two days, despite only scoring four total goals. Not bad. But definitely some room for improvement. The Rangers are a great defensive team with a solid system and mentality. They know their system and they don't usually give up much in the way of chances. Considering all the teams in the East that are likely to make the playoffs, they're probably one of the most dangerous ones considering that, and the fact they've got a great goaltender (Lundqvist), a serially clutch scorer (Drury) and a couple guys with a lot of experience (Shanahan, Jagr).

Some thoughts:

• Marc-Andre Fleury has given up just two even-strength goals in his last eight games. He is still doing more than his share to give the team a chance. The Flower is kicking out rebounds, but it seems to be with a purpose; they're going directly to his defensemen or to dead spaces in the ice for the most part. Fleury is playing well. The only two that got by him tonight were both with the man-advantage (one that Rob Scuderi clearly batted in and the other saw Jordan Staal and Hal Gill put a pretty good screen on him).
• Speaking of Scuderi, he seemed to have a rough night. That own goal not with-standing, he got turned around a couple of times by the likes of Jaromir Jagr and didn't look comfortable.
• It seems a little weird they let the first goal stand. Replays were conclusive that Scuds hit the puck *just* before his glove hit Scott Gomez's stick away, but the fact remains that Gomez's stick was clearly above the cross-bar and he intended to make contact with the puck. By the letter of the law, he didn't touch it, so the goal was good but it seemed like he was rewarded by being in the crease and having his stick up. It was kinda fishy.
• To be clear though, Gomez never hit the puck and we're not disputing that it was a goal, it just seems like a play like that shouldn't be considered one......If that makes any sense.
• The whole team, in fact, didn't quite look like they had their legs under them; especially early registering only one shot on goal (despite getting a lot more in the way of scoring chances). To be sure this game meant a lot more to the Rangers, and it showed.
• Brooks Orpik was credited with 5 hits but had a lot of power behind all of them. A clear sign was once when Jagr went in to fish out a puck dumped in, he pulled up and braced himself instead of charging right through the oncoming hit, like he's apt to do. Orpik's presence was definitely at it's finest tonight.
• While it seemed like some Pens were spinning their wheels, guys like Jarkko Ruutu (6 hits in 8:25 of work), Maxime Talbot (goal, 2 hits and 2 blocked shots) and especially Georges Laraque (assist and only 2 credited hits) left an imprint on the game. BGL might have had one of his finest games of the season, the big guy was really digging out there.
• The powerplay, to be generous, doesn't seem in-sync. With Sidney Crosby and Sergei Gonchar on the points and Ryan Malone, Marian Hossa and Evgeni Malkin down low, it's got more firepower than ever, but it's not meshing right now. We really think that Ryan Whitney should go back to his customary spot but it would be hard to relegate any of the forwards off the ice. Perhaps bumping Malone down to the second half of the powerplay with the likes of Petr Sykora and Jordan Staal might open things up for more chances down the line if the brute skill of Malkin/Crosby/Hossa doesn't get the job done.
• The stacked line we mentioned was put together for the 2nd half of the game, and why not try to see if it could provide a spark. Nice coaching move to see if anything would result.
• We also like the wrinkle of sneaking Malkin out when guys like Laraque and Ruutu are out there every once in a while. More often than not it results in some serious cycling work and a decent scoring chance or two. It also keeps the opposition on their toes, as a guy like Malkin is easily the best player on the ice and can find a little more room to operate.
• Jordan Staal led all Pens forwards in ice time (largely since he's so important to the PK) and had some good chances but still is sophomore slumping it up. Staal scored 29 goals last year, largely on Malkin's wing. This year the Pens have made it a point to play Staal exclusively as a center and his production is not there. With Talbot playing so well, you'd wonder if they might spark him by trying to slide him back. However, it should be pointed out that last season was the first time that Staal played wing at any level, so perhaps that's not an option. It's just a little frustrating to watch, is all.
• Back from the doghouse, Ryan Whitney played more minutes than anyone but Gonchar and had a feisty edge after the whistle that he hasn't much displayed. It seems that Coach Therrien's message has registered with the talented if not inconsistent player.
• The Penguins may have been lucky the game didn't go to a shootout, since their best player in that regard was left in the press box. If there's justice, Kris Letang is back in the lineup on Wednesday and either Scuderi or Darryl Sydor will take a game off.

All in all it's a loss but not one in vein considering the Pens were outplayed for most of the night. They did get a point in the standings and now are 2 points up on Montreal. The Habs have a game in hand, but even if they were to win it, the Pens get the tiebreaker by virtue of more wins. Perhaps more importantly, the Penguins need to only get 1 more point (or have NJ not win one game) to win their first division title since 1997-98. That would guarantee at least the #2 seed in the East right there.

It sucks to lose like this, but it would be a bigger backbreaker if this were a couple weeks from now and not the last day in March.

So it will all come down to two games against the hated Flyers, who are fighting desperately for their own playoff lives. This is what it is all about.

Laraque suspended...What does it mean?

The Penguins have had now four close calls with suspension: there was Georges Laraque's hit on Steve Downie, Jarkko Ruutu being called for 3 dives (which is written in the rules as a suspension pending a call with the NHL), Ruutu's knee-knee hit on Ilya Kovalchuk and the hammer finally dropped on Laraque's elbowing of Buffalo's Nathan Paetsch last night.

Can't say we're that surprised or disagree with the call. The NHL has to protect their players and blows to the head are the most dangerous, and becoming too frequent offenses around. And for anyone who follows Colin Campbell's discipline techniques it's usually either no suspension, 1 game or 3 games...So it's no real surprise on the length either.


The bigger question is how Laraque and Coach Therrien will handle the vacation after it's up. You'll remember, Therrien specifically and publically put BGL through the paces after a practice not too long ago; skating him back and forth in an effort to jumpstart his biggest player who hadn't been playing fierce enough in management's eyes. Will Laraque be given a chance to play down the stretch and in the playoffs?

Room for BGL could be hard to find even before guys like Sidney Crosby, Marian Hossa, Gary Roberts and Adam Hall return. With role players from the minors like Connor James and Chris Minard playing well in limited minutes; not to mention Jeff Taffe who's carved a niche in roster.

Laraque's bigger question has to be if his future in Pittsburgh is also got to be in jeopardy in this point. No one denies that BGL is the ultimate "nuclear deterrant" of the NHL. He's the top dog on the block. Abuse to Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, particularly after the whistle has decreased 100 fold since Laraque's acquistion.

The problem, as Edmonton and Phoenix found out, is keeping the big guy motivated and giving an honest effort every night. To Georges' favor, a lot of players refuse to fight him (as an example Milan Lucic turned him down in a game before fighting Ruutu). Plus everyone pretty much knows that Laraque will not be anything more than a 4th line winger. It's got to be a boon to motivation to know you've reached potential as a hockey player. But at the same time, pretty much the only way a player can be effective at the NHL is to be busting tail and giving 100% all the time.

It's a Catch-22esque situation: that what makes Laraque great (enforcing) also limits his ice-time and willing opponents which naturally shuts down motivation a little bit. All which ultimately makes him expendable to an organization.

Or, of course he could come back with a new perspective after this "vacation" and be given a second chance by a coach who honestly does believe in him and want him to do well. Maybe BGL sticks in the lineup solely on presence, moves his legs really well, makes a few good, clean hits and does hit part to help the Pens long into the playoffs. Who knows.

Wade Belak vs. Georges Laraque

The google searches don't lie, a lot of people want to see this fight. Unfortunately, Laraque winning a fairly easy decision in the bout didn't translate to the reversal of momentum he was hoping for with his team.

An ode to Michel Therrien

In our estimation, few head coaches in all of sports have it worse than Michel Therrien. Before you scoff, consider that almost always incoming GM's get "their guy" to be the coach. And since Therrien's stint has preceded Ray Shero's term as general manager, he isn't Shero's "guy". Therrien just hasn't messed up enough to get fired yet.

Furthermore, whenever the Penguins do well the credit goes to all the players. After all, with superstars in Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, as well as a very talented supporting cast like Petr Sykora, Sergei Gonchar, Ryan Malone, Ryan Whitney and Jordan Staal, how can any coach not produce a win in a given night? To say nothing of the expectations now that Marian Hossa is a Penguin.

Whether or not Therrien shuffles lines, is stubborn, uses the wrong goalie, doesn't play a certain guy enough or relies on someone too much, it mattes little....Therrren receives almost no credit from fans at-large when times are good, and absorbs much more of the criticism then deserved when the team loses.

Which brings us to this great article in the PG about a strenuous practice on Friday. For his faults, Therrien knows how to push buttons. Witness how he called out Whitney--a guy he has been around long enough in Wilkes-Barre and Pittsburgh to know what to do--and the player responded with 2 goals and an assist the following game. Coincidence? Don't bet on it.

In Friday's practice, to make his point, Therrien singled out a player he knows the best on the team...One he coached in the juniors to a championship. And now he's no less than the baddest man in the NHL, Mr. Georges Laraque.

Although his message was team-wide, Therrien seemed to single out Georges Laraque, and toward the end of the session directed the winger to do cross ice sprints along the center red line.

"We want Georges to move his feet a little better," was the only explanation Therrien gave.

Laraque quietly took a few questions afterward, mostly offering yes or no answers, but indicated the sprints could be a way to make up for low ice time. He has not topped eight minutes the past four games.

BGL's stat line in the past 18 games: 0 goals, 0 assists and a +/- of -3. Obviously he's not playing a lot of minutes a game and is not counted on for offensive production in the first place. Laraque has done some good work cycling the puck with his linemates; but it's clear the message sent wasn't just directed at him, but rather at the entire team. Remain focused at all times, don't take anything for granted and be prepared to come out working your ass off every single minute of every game from here on out.

This message needed to be sent because not only have the Penguins gone 1-1-2 in their past four games but that one win they allowed 52 shots against them. With all the built in excuses (injuries, trades, etc) this team needed a little reminder that they have no choice but to come out and give their #1 effort every night. Just because everyone (including this blog) has now dubbed the Pens the team to beat in the East, it doesn't mean they will even make it to the playoffs without winning some more.

Since they're professionals, it shouldn't be a surprise that Therrien's message has been received loud and clear...

"It's kind of good to get our butt kicked."--[Ryan Malone]

The boys have responded every time this season when adversity has reared it's head, be it through injuries or a losing streak.....Let's see how they can respond to the latest challenge handed down from their stern taskmaster.

Harnessing ones Chi before punching your face in

Ok so Georges Laraque enjoys a yoga session or two...You gonna say somethin' about it?

Didn't think so

Run Steve Downie, Run

I too find just walking away from strenuous activities after about a minute is the best course of action. Here's the Jarkko Ruutu vs. Steve Downie fight from last night....


Also, Riley Cote must have decided not to take his usual beating from BGL...Which means Colton Orr wasn't the only punching bag to escape unscathed yesterday.

How do you like your beatings, Mr. Cote?

By popular demand:





By the way, Cote getting mauled by a very large black man, where have I seen that before?

Good Lord, we hope Cote gets hazard pay.

(Hat tip to japers' archive for the preseason Brashear photo)

Orpik wants to stay....But why?

Gary Roberts, Georges Laraque, Mark Eaton, Jarrko Ruutu, Adam Hall, Ryan Malone and Brooks Orpik

What do those seven Penguins skaters have in common? As of July 1 they are free to find another place to play.

Ray Shero, smartly, has only signed veterans for a term of one or two years, preferring to spend the lion-share of the team’s cap room on the nucleus of the franchise’s core. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to identify the core: it’s Crosby, Malkin, Fleury, Staal and Whitney. And it shouldn’t be a surprise.

All of the impending unrestricted free agents are pretty good at what role they’re cast to. They’re veterans and most, as you’d expect, are predictably reliable. None, however, are cornerstones to the team and it’s not a stretch to imagine the majority of this list could be plying their craft somewhere else starting next fall.

There are two players of this bunch that intrigue us here at TST the most. They probably intrigue most Pens fans and observers because they have the complete package: size, skill, reasonable speed, physicality and most hauntingly “the potential of youth”. Ryan Malone and Brooks Orpik, though almost UFA ready still seem like they have the potential to have a bigger impact than they’ve since shown. Both lack consistency. Both have shown flashes of brilliance.

Thanks to the new Collective Bargaining Agreement Malone (28) and Orpik (27) are years younger than the tradition unrestricted free agent. Malone’s NHL career is just 266 games so far and Orpik has only 264, which is just over 3 seasons worth for both. It’s strange to think both are hitting the open market when it seems like they’re just getting started.

We bring this up over something Orpik said in today’s Post-Gazette.

Even though there have been times this season when Orpik has fallen out of favor with the coaching staff, he said he'd be "very receptive" to negotiating a deal to remain with the Penguins.
"I've loved all the time I've had here," he said. "I love the guys here, love the direction Ray [Shero, the general manager] has put the organization in. Everything here is done first-class, very professionally."
While there clearly would be a market for a defenseman with Orpik's willingness -- and ability -- to play the body, he expressed no great desire to test the open market.
"Some guys get really upset with where they're at," Orpik said. "They can't wait to get to July 1 to get out of a situation. ... I've talked with a lot of guys I've played with here who have gone other places, and they kind of wish they could come back."

While we don’t doubt Orpik must enjoy his teammates and the only organ-eye-zation he’s ever known, doesn’t he have an agent? One that could tell him that if a 32 year old Andy Sutton can fetch $9 million over three years then dangit Brooks, you can too.

Also a new opportunity might do Orpik well. As the article alludes to, he’s been benched, gone through a long streak of sitting in the press box (including once in his hometown of Bahhston) and even when he’s in the lineup he’s averaged 16:46.

Orpik’s done his part to make his minutes count, with a team high 129 hits. He is the only physical defenseman on the roster, given the next blueliner is Kris Letang (39 hits in 31 games) and, brace yourself, the Sarge (34 hits in 45 games).

But physical play doesn’t always translate into smart play or indicate the coaches are happy with your performance. Orpik is on the ice for penalty kills a mere :42 a game. He mans a point on the powerplay (if you can call it that) for an average of :50 a game.

So you’re a physical defenseman but the coaches don’t trust you on the PK. You’re getting less icetime than a 20 year old rookie. You have the chance for a big payday with a team that will fall for your big hits and “potential” for more consistency. But you want to stay?

We’ll see how this pans out, we’d love to see Orpik stay and love even more for his performance (and minutes) to pick up but we just can’t see it happening.

By the way, UFA predictions:

• Ruutu: Didn’t get a bigger role, 80% chance of leaving
• Laraque: Still is happy here, team still needs that presence, 75% staying
• Eaton: Great when not injured, problem is injured too much, 50% staying (we think the Pens might not want him for durability fear, not Eaton wanting to leave)
• Hall: Great roleplayer and PK’er but his type is a dime-a-dozen 40% of staying just since Shero knows him so well
• Roberts: whatever he wants to do, stay, go to a Canadian team, retire…As usual Gary’s calling the shots, 100% awesome
• Malone: Pittsburgh boy, hard to see him leaving when he’s so comfortable with team/city but it is UFA; 50% chance of staying
• Orpik: Saying all the right things but all signs are pointing to a departure, 25% chance of staying (due to above comments)
  
  

Laraque boards Downie

If you haven't seen it for yourself, take a look first:



Flyers coach John Stevens looked this as "a vicious incident" and "a very, very dangerous play."

We'd half agree. To be sure, it was a dangerous play and Georges Laraque deserved the boarding call and probably the game misconduct he received. To call it vicious though is a little extreme, especially for a coach who's players are usually the ones laying opponent's out..

Steve Downie commented with a little more reasonable outlook like "stuff like that happens," and "we were both going in the corner for the puck".

True enough, both were racing to a puck down in the corner, a play that happens many times over in a game. Downie put himself in a worse position by cutting face towards the boards. He didn't deserve to be knocked into them, but as he mentioned, stuff like that just happens in hockey.

Laraque, for his part, says "he got up and [got in a fight] in the third, so I'm not worried about it at all. He was fine. He was laughing. He did that job perfectly. He drew a five-minute power play. That was his job, and it worked."

He then added something we totally believe:

"If I want to hit somebody from behind, he's not going to get up."

Certainly if BGL intended to lay a check on Downie, who've we established as putting himself in a bad situation, he could have driven him damn near through the boards and Downie wouldn't have gotten up. Laraque did, it seemed, pull up a little. Almost all of the force Downie had going into the boards was generated not by contact but his own footspeed.

Regardless Laraque did board him and deserved the 5 minute penalty and probably the game misconduct. But he did not intend to injure, it was just a common play in hockey gone wrong, but not horribly wrong; as Downie wasn't injured. So, to us, no suspension seems warranted.


(Quotes reported by the PG)

Unsung heroes

After watching the 3rd string goalie go 10-1-1 in consecutive games, perhaps there was no better time to go back to Dany Sabourin. Especially with the game in Montreal. A move that won't be recognized by many fans, but surely Michel Therrien knew what was up.

As we expected, Geno tried to put the whole team on his back. And he iced the game with a sharp angle empty netter. If the NHL fills in anyone else for Crosby other than Malkin, we're gonna be pissed.

The 4th line played hard and it paid off with the first (and game winning goal). Georges Laraque put on his Sidney Crosby hat and had a great pass to Jeff Taffe for the goal.

Dany Sabs and the defense did the rest, shutting out the Habs and securing the victory. Colby Armstrong got hurt his first shift and it's unknown at this moment how bad he'll be.

Jokes and jokes and jokes

This article on Jarrko Ruutu yesterday got me thinking about all the pranks the Penguins have pulled in the past 12 months….Many have made it to the media so we can only wonder what hasn’t been reported and isn’t common knowledge. My guess: a lot of good stuff.

But here’s what we know:

--Someone (believed to be Ruutu) put baby powder all over Sidney Crosby’s towel so when he used it he was covered in it.
--Someone (again thought to be Ruutu) sewed the pants legs of rookie Kris Letang’s suit together.
--Max Talbot wore Crosby’s jersey and helmet out to a game-day skate duping thousands in Toronto.
--Marc-Andre Fleury stuffed himself inside of Colby Armstrong’s hockey bag while the team was in practice, waited patiently and then jumped out of it when Army was about to put his gear in.
--Armstrong and Georges Laraque staged a locker room confrontation last season just weeks after Laraque was acquired. The rouse was that Laraque found a racist drawing in/near his locker and accused Armstrong of it. Army denied but then admitted to it at which point he was “attacked” by BGL, much to the horror of the team.

As mentioned, we’re sure guys like Armstrong and Talbot have pulled a lot more pranks that have never (and probably never will) reach the light of day.

Why so much goofing around and light-hearted fun? Well, for one it's very a young team, the average age in the lineup last night was 26.15. When Talbot and Fleury return, that age will be lower still. And if you take into account some of the more veteran players (namely Laraque and Ruutu) that do not act their age; well that ought to bring the average down further. Sure there are some pretty vanilla guys like Rob Scuderi and Adam Hall that come to the rink every day to do their job and not much else, but the out-going nature of a whole host of individuals on the team keeps everyone on their toes, on the lookout for no shortage of mischievous activity.
Plus, when you have a winning atmosphere, things are naturally a little looser and a little more jovial than if you're not.

We also like that whether you're the face of the NHL's marketing push or a fresh-faced rookie, you have the same chance of getting a prank pulled on you. It's hard to imagine someone pulling this even on Mario Lemieux back in the mid-80s. Just goes to show, when it comes to the locker room Sid really is "just another one of the boys".

Bill Clement Says: Laraque is #1

In an effort to keep showing how 'Big' Georges Laraque is clearly the top heavyweight in the game, here's Bill Clement "Clement, Hands of Cement"'s top 5 fighters:

1. BGL
2. Raitis Ivanans (Phoenix Coyotes)
3. 'The' Donald Brashear
4. George Parros (Pittsburgh native, Anaheim Ducks)
5. Derek 'The Boogeyman" Boogaard (Minnesota Wild)

A veteran who has played since the late 1990s, Laraque sits in the king’s thrown among the NHL’s tough guys. It’s like opposing enforcers bow at his feet before they drop the gloves with him. He fights less nowadays as is to be expected since he has developed so great a reputation that often his mere presence on the ice is enough of an impact.

This passage on Laraque is right on. Several of the self-proclaimed 'tough guys' (Colton Orr, Ben Eaves, Brian McGratton) have backed away when Laraque's been in their face....Orr and McGratton have answered the bell at times, and they've both paid the price.


Further, ask any close observer of the Penguins to compare the post-whistle abuse guys like Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin have had to endure since Laraque's joined the organ-eye-zation. The difference is very, very noticable.


Personally we here would probably rate Boogaard a little higher on the list but the list isn't that far from the truth.


Ivanans may be an unknown on the East Coast, but fight fans know that he's a monster. As a beer-league level hockey player (and former collegiate athlete) Ivanans pure guns may be the best in the league.

The previous sentence written may be the gay-est thing on Sweater Ted, but look at this picture for Christ's sake

Personally, watching a lot of Brashear's recent fights (scroll halfway down to see a drubbing of McGratton), I'd say The Don has learned from Laraque (the hard way) about adjusting his style to use his size, force and intimidation to just rely on jackhammer lefts to over-power the opponent.

Beat up Pens face Old Friends

Currently casualty list:
#1 goalie, #1 defenseman, 3rd line center, important PKing dman, shootout specialist, 4th line pest, pseudo-top-6 winger.

Although most of the latter names (Scuderi, Christensen, Ruutu and Malone) seem to be just minorly dinged up, the long list of casualties seems to be moving in the wrong direction.

Best guess at how the lines could look are as follows:
Malone*-Crosby-Kennedy
Laraque-Malkin-Sykora
Roberts-Staal-Armstrong
James-Hall-Ruutu**

*Malone had to see a doctor for a gash on his leg....Being as he's something of a tough customer and has been on the topline of late, I expect he'll be geared up to play in this game. It is a contract year for Taters, after all.
**Ruutu or Christensen, who knows.

For a ragtime lineup, that's not terrible...By the way, your eyes didn't deceive you, that's Georges Laraque in a top 6 role. It won't last long, I wouldn't be surprised if Therrien juggles that up before the end of the first....But that's how it will start.

To make matters worse, tonight's game starts off a pretty frantic 4 game in 6 night (at Boston, at NYI and then home for Boston) rush before the Christmas breather. During this stretch we're likely to see Ty Conklin, gulp, man a NHL crease once again.

Ben Eager is a Coward

Hat-tip to one of my favorites, Jonathan Bombulie's blog (link at right) for this gem:

The Ben Eager-Gary Roberts fight the other night got me thinking, so I checked on something. Here's the list of Penguins players Eager has fought in his pro career [includes AHL action].
Drew Fata (twice)
Ross Lupaschuk
Matt Murley
Max Talbot
Daniel Carcillo
Gary Roberts

Here is a list of Penguins players Eager hasn't fought.
Georges Laraque
Andre Roy
Eric Cairns
Dennis Bonvie
David Koci
Mike Sgroi
Ryan VandenBussche

Eager is 6-2, 227. His spot picking is disgraceful.

Yeah, I think that sums it up pretty well. Ben Eager is not willing to run with the big dogs because he knows he'd get run over. Hell, half the times the middleweights he fights (even if they're 41 years old) hand him his lunch.


Now if you'll excuse me I must start saying Hail Mary's for calling Gary Roberts a middleweight.

You dead dawg.

Flyers Game Preview and a NEW Feature

The Penguins are back in action tonight, in one of America's 3 dirtiest, nastiest cities (as voted by me....the others, of course, being Baltimore and Cleveland). The Penguins and Flyers have very similiar season records; the Penguins have two games in hand but have unfortunately lost them both in regulation. So tonight's game is about holding serve and keeping up with the (Randy) Jones'.

Another thing of note; when you mention the Philly Flyers, you mention questionable injuries that they dish out....5 and counting. Tonight I don't think much cheap stuff will happen since:
``Riley Cote is out on suspension
``Given uber-pest Steve Downie recently got sent back down to the AHL, the Flyboys don't have too many dirty players in the lineup.
``Ben Eager is rough and tumble but not nearly as reckless as a guy like Downie....Eager is, well eager* to drop the gloves, getting in 5 fights in just 20 games...However, the folks at hockeyfights.com (predicatably, with a huge following of Flyers fans) have scored Eager at 2-3 this year, and his lone wins were not against heavyweights (Montreal's ex-Baby Pen Tom "the original TK" Kostopolous and Washington castoff Brian Sutherby). I suspect Eager may just be about to get in the way of about 10 of Georges Laraque's patented left hands to the head.

*I know, I know, I couldn't resist....Rest assured I feel shame

Now that we've covered the obligatory cheap Flyers play and a heavyweight matchup, I suppose they're playing a hockey game too. Max Talbot and Marc-Andre Fleury didn't even travel with the team to Philly, so using my expert hockey analysis I'd say neither figures to be in uniform tonight, save for Talbot maybe going back up to Toronto to put on another Crosby jersey and kick up a real show!

Anyways, look for the Penguins to try to continue to outshoot and outwork the opponents with their cycling, take advantage of what should be a top 5 powerplay when penalties are drawn and stay out of the box themselves. Hopefully Dany Sabourin can be as solid as he's been so far in Fleury's abscence....Every day I really feel like this could be the night where Jordan Staal breaks out so I'm probably going to keep harping on this until it inevitably happens so I can take credit for it. I call this my Sean Salisbury analysis cap.


And now for our award!

For some reason this trophy cracked me up

This blog really doesn't have any features, but thanks to a little bit of looking at google searches from lost souls who type questions into google, we have our first....

So without further review, your inaugural google search of the day:
"
is marc-andre fleury going to be the best goalie in the nhl?
"

GO PENS!!