The Pittsburgh Penguins will have to do without star player, Evgeni Malkin, for about 2-3 weeks after he suffered a shoulder strain.  Coach Dan Bylsma wrote on the team’s website: “Geno is going to be out of the lineup for a couple of weeks.  He strained his shoulder about 10 days or so ago. I don’t know the exact day. It is precautionary for the player. We are worried about the safety of the shoulder. A couple weeks of rest and rehab will get that thing healthy so he can get back onto the ice.”

Bylsma continued:  “Obviously he has played …read more

Pittsburgh Penguins star Evgeni Malkin was presented with the 2009 Art Ross Trophy as the regular-season scoring leader.  The young Russian player was clearly nervous as he shared a stage with Alexander Ovechkin (who was accepting the Rocket Richard award) but his English is improving. 
I seriously cannot imagine getting up in a room full of people on a televised event and having to give an acceptance speech in a language that I barely know.  Just think of the Oscars – most of the winners only speak English and they struggle.
To make light of the situation, Ovechkin joked Malkin …read more

Last night, the Pittsburgh Penguins defeated the odds and took home Lord Stanley after thriller of a game at the Joe Louis Arena and no one can say that this team relied solely on the skills and talents of star players like Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin.  They pulled together and became the 2009 Stanley Cup Champions.

It’s been almost a full day and I still can’t believe it.  I will write more about some things like Marian Hossa’s decision to join up with the Detroit Red Wings to have a better chance at winning and the fact that Evgeni Malkin …read more

I needed a full night’s rest to write about the events that took place during Game 5 of the 2009 Stanley Cup Finals.  I thought the Detroit Red Wings might play an excellent home game, especially with Pavel Datsyuk back in the lineup, but I was not prepared for the bloodbath that I witnessed.

Critics had been questioning Detroit’s play recently with some even referring to them as “shaky” but they showed everyone that they are solid and they sent the Pittsburgh Penguins a clear message – they intend to keep Lord Stanley.
The Penguins were held scoreless in three periods while …read more

The Pittsburgh Penguins suffered a crushing blow as they were easily beaten by the Detroit Red Wings in Game 2 of the 2009 Stanley Cup Finals.  The defending champions now have a 2-0 series lead.

First of all, I know a lot of people are not pleased by the back-to-back games in Detroit at the start of this series and I’ve got to say that I really didn’t like it much either.  I’m not crying about it or blaming the scheduling for the loss but I do think it’s less than desirable at this all-important stage of the playoffs.
Of course, there …read more

The Pittsburgh Penguins skated away with a massive 6-2 win over the Carolina Hurricanes in Game 3 last night and has placed them just one win from clinching the 2009 Eastern Conference Final.  However, if the past two series are any indication, the Carolina Hurricanes shouldn’t be considered defeated just yet.

Pens captain, Sidney Crosby, and Evgeni Malkin were again HUGE for their team.  Thinking back to last year, I believe that a major factor in their loss was the fact that Malkin just didn’t seem able to deliver.  This is, of course, a new season and it’s amazing to see …read more

Last night’s game between the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Carolina Hurricanes began and ended with a lot of intensity. It was a bit of a busy day for me so I thought I’d put the game on while I got dinner ready and I could barely believe that, in the first 20 minutes, five goals were scored. In the end, that first period was the one that made the most sense since things got downright crazy after the break.
Throughout the second and third periods, 16 penalties were called including a 10 minute match penalty for Carolina’s Ryan Bayda, …read more