Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
Players that caught my eye in playoffs
In each of the four playoff series, there seemed to be one player on the opposing team that really caught my eye - one player I thought would look good in Penguins Black and Vegas Gold.
Here there are:
Series one - Philadelphia Flyers - Claude Giroux
Of all the Flyers to play round one, it was Claude Giroux that stepped his game up. The Flyers may have lost to the Penguins, but Giroux was the best player for the Flyers in the series and, in more than a few games, was the best player on the ice, Malkin and Crosby included.
The kid was all over the ice - he skates fast, fights, and dangles. Look out for Giroux in the future.
Series two - Washington Capitals - David Steckel
David Steckel is the Jordan Staal of the Washington Capitals. Steckel has the ability to change games. It may not be with big goals or big numbers, but the third-liner's gritty, versatile play at times puts him in a position to be the x-factor.
Steckel was the Caps top faceoff guy, winning the majority of important faceoffs - especially early in the series. He also scored the OT winner in game 6 to force a game 7 in Washington.
Series three - Carolina Hurricanes - Chad LaRose
Though LaRose checks in at 5-foot-10 and 181 pounds, he plays a much bigger game. LaRose is the kind of sparkplug that brings grit to every shift. LaRose's other attributes more than make up for a lack of size.
He's a smart player. He knows the game and studies the game. He's a good skater with good foot speed and he'll play in traffic. He'll do the necessary things to be successful.
Round four - Detroit Red Wings - Darren Helm
This guy is one speedy mofo. He was always seeming to beat Penguins to loose pucks, or was blowing by defensemen consistently. He was also very effective along the boards.
Helm is a hard worker with some skill, but is undersized. Good skater with good hands. Plays big.
Pens names that will be on the Cup
From Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
In the moments after the 87th game of the 2009 NHL postseason, Penguins star Sidney Crosby, who wears No. 87, lifted the Stanley Cup in a joyous championship celebration. As team captain, Crosby's name is expected to come first in the new list of players etched onto the bottom ring of the massive trophy in September. Here's a look at each player who is eligible to have his name on the Cup:
Sidney Crosby
• Center Captain
Pegged as the next hockey megastar from the time he was a teenager, Crosby needed just four pro seasons to win a Cup at age 21, becoming the youngest captain to raise the trophy. He finished second in the regular season with 103 points and led the postseason with 15 goals, tying a league record with six game-openers. "It's everything I expected, and probably more," he said of the experience.
Sergei Gonchar
• Defenseman Alt. Captain
Out until February after preseason shoulder surgery, Gonchar returned for the tremendous stretch drive. He missed two games in the second round, then played despite a torn knee ligament and finished second among defensemen in the playoffs with 14 points. "You've seen it so many times on TV, and now it's in front of you. It's yours," Gonchar, 35, said of winning his first Cup.
Evgeni Malkin
• Center Alt. Captain
Winning the Cup in just his third NHL season, "Geno" captured the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP, at 22 years, 10 months the third-youngest to do so. His 36 playoff points were the most since Wayne Gretzky's 40 in 1993. He became the fifth player since expansion to win the Art Ross Trophy, with 113 points, and lead the playoffs in points. "Lots of emotion," said Malkin. "We won. It's my dream."
Craig Adams
• Right winger
Acquired off waivers from Chicago in March, Adams, 32, stepped in as a fourth-line player and penalty-killer. He had not been in the playoffs since winning his first Cup with Carolina in 2006 but had three goals in the postseason for the Penguins, two in series-clinching games against Washington and Carolina.
Philippe Boucher
• Defenseman
Acquired from Dallas in November, Boucher, 36, brought experience -- including the postseason games when Gonchar was out or limited by a knee injury and the Penguins dressed seven defensemen. He had one goal in the playoffs, the winner in the series opener against Carolina. He won his first Cup.
Matt Cooke
• Left winger
In his first season with the Penguins, Cooke, 30, became a part of the Penguins' solid third line. He had seven points in the playoffs en route to his first Cup. He got under opponents' skin and finished third in the playoffs with 85 hits.
Pascal Dupuis
• Left winger/Right winger
A speedster who was deployed on different lines and was a reliable penalty-killer, Dupuis, 30, won his first Cup. "It's an old cliche, but it feels so good," said Dupuis, who was the odd man out for eight playoff games when the Penguins dressed seven defensemen, but was back for the final series.
Mark Eaton
• Defenseman
After injuries gutted his previous two seasons and forced him to miss the 2008 run to the final, Eaton, 32, a defensive defenseman, blocked 46 shots and surprised some with four goals in the 2009 postseason, including one in the comeback series clincher against Philadelphia. "Besides family stuff, it's the coolest thing that's ever happened to me," he said of his first Cup.
Ruslan Fedotenko
• Left winger
Playing with Malkin and Max Talbot in the playoffs, Fedotenko, 30, had seven goals, 14 points, tied for fourth on the team. This first-year Penguins player won the Cup for the second time after being a hero for Tampa Bay in its clinching game in 2004. "The second one is more emotional than the first one," he said.
Marc-Andre Fleury
• Goalie
Huge saves against Philadelphia's Jeff Carter in the first round, Washington's Alex Ovechkin in the second and Detroit's Nicklas Lidstrom in the final seconds of the Cup clincher helped Fleury, 24, quiet some critics as he won his first Cup. He came back from giving up five goals and getting pulled in Game 5 of the final to win the next two games, allowing one goal in each. "Winning with this team is special," Fleury said.
Mathieu Garon
• Goalie
A little-used backup to Fleury, Garon, 31, won his first Cup. He appeared in just four games after being acquired from Edmonton in January but played a little more than half of Game 5 of the final when the Penguins came out flat and Fleury was pulled. Garon stopped all eight shots he faced.
Hal Gill
• Defenseman
This 6-foot-7 veteran had two playoff assists and earned his first Cup by pairing with Rob Scuderi to form an effective shutdown duo used against opponents' top lines. "It was a tough year all around, so it makes it that much more worth it," said Gill, 34.
Eric Godard
• Right winger
This enforcer in his first season with the Penguins didn't crack the lineup in the playoffs but won his first Cup. In 71 regular-season games, Godard, 29, had two goals and led the team with 171 penalty minutes.
Alex Goligoski
• Defenseman
This offensively gifted rookie played 45 games in the regular season but spent much of the second half of the season in the AHL. Goligoski, 23, returned for the postseason and appeared in two games in the second round while Gonchar was injured. This is his first Cup.
Bill Guerin
• Right winger
The Penguins obtained Guerin, 38, from the New York Islanders in March and milked every bit of experience and leadership from him. He played on the top line with Crosby, and the two became close. In the playoffs, Guerin had seven goals and was third on the team with 15 points. His reward was rejuvenation and his second Cup, after a 14-year wait.
Tyler Kennedy
• Right winger
A whirlwind of speed and grit, Kennedy, 22, was part of the Penguins' effective third line. Three of his five playoff goals were winners, including two in the opening round and one in Game 6 of the final. He won his first Cup.
Chris Kunitz
• Left winger
Acquired from Anaheim in February, Kunitz, 29, played on Crosby's line. He had nearly a point a game in the regular season after the deal and had one goal and 13 assists in the playoffs. He won his second Cup, the first coming in 2007 with Anaheim.
Kris Letang
• Defenseman
A year after he was in and out of the lineup in the playoffs, Letang, 22, was strong at both ends and on the point on the top power-play unit this time. He had four goals, two on the power play, and 13 points in the playoffs as he won his first Cup. One of his goals was an overtime winner in Game 3 against Washington.
Brooks Orpik
• Defenseman
Orpik, 28, is the longest-tenured Penguins player. He was a first-round draft pick in 2000 and waded through some tough non-playoff seasons before winning his first Cup. He was second in the 2009 playoffs, first among defensemen, with 112 hits, and second overall in blocked shots with 51.
Miroslav Satan
• Right winger
In his first season with the Penguins, Satan, 34, was exiled to the minor leagues at the trade deadline because of salary-cap issues. He returned to play in 17 postseason games, getting one goal and six assists on the way to his first Cup. "I signed with Pittsburgh to have a chance to win a Cup, and we did," he said. "It was a strange road to it, especially for me, but we still accomplished the goal.
Rob Scuderi
• Defenseman
Scuderi, 30, along with partner Gill, drew assignments against top opposing players such as Ovechkin, Henrik Zetterberg, Pavel Datsyuk and Eric Staal. Near the end of Game 6 of the final, Scuderi helped preserve the Penguins' Cup hopes by making a couple of key blocks at the goal line. The skilled penalty-killer led the playoffs with 53 blocked shots in winning his first Cup.
Jordan Staal
• Center
The youngest player in the final, Staal, 20, had two huge goals against Detroit, a tying short-handed goal in Game 4 and the opener in Game 6. He was part of a key third line, killed penalties and was on the second power-play unit. He had four goals, nine points in the playoffs and got to grab the Cup for the first time. "I couldn't get my emotions in check when I was lifting it," he said.
Petr Sykora
• Right winger
A late-season slump led to Sykora, 32, being benched for much of the playoffs. He returned for Game 6 of the final, only to have his foot broken making a big block. He won the Cup with New Jersey in 2000 but missed the on-ice celebration because of a head injury. "When I won it before, I was in the hospital and I never had a chance to grab the Cup and skate around," Sykora said. "I just can't describe the feeling this time."
Max Talbot
• Center/Right winger
Talbot, 25, played with Malkin in the playoffs. He followed a regular season of 12 goals in 75 games with a postseason of eight goals in 24 games, including the winner in the clincher against Carolina and both Penguins goals in Game 7 of the final. His loss in a fight with Philadelphia's Daniel Carcillo sparked the team's comeback, clinching win in the first round. "It was all worth it," Talbot said of his first Cup.
Sidney Crosby
• Center Captain
Pegged as the next hockey megastar from the time he was a teenager, Crosby needed just four pro seasons to win a Cup at age 21, becoming the youngest captain to raise the trophy. He finished second in the regular season with 103 points and led the postseason with 15 goals, tying a league record with six game-openers. "It's everything I expected, and probably more," he said of the experience.
Sergei Gonchar
• Defenseman Alt. Captain
Out until February after preseason shoulder surgery, Gonchar returned for the tremendous stretch drive. He missed two games in the second round, then played despite a torn knee ligament and finished second among defensemen in the playoffs with 14 points. "You've seen it so many times on TV, and now it's in front of you. It's yours," Gonchar, 35, said of winning his first Cup.
Evgeni Malkin
• Center Alt. Captain
Winning the Cup in just his third NHL season, "Geno" captured the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP, at 22 years, 10 months the third-youngest to do so. His 36 playoff points were the most since Wayne Gretzky's 40 in 1993. He became the fifth player since expansion to win the Art Ross Trophy, with 113 points, and lead the playoffs in points. "Lots of emotion," said Malkin. "We won. It's my dream."
Craig Adams
• Right winger
Acquired off waivers from Chicago in March, Adams, 32, stepped in as a fourth-line player and penalty-killer. He had not been in the playoffs since winning his first Cup with Carolina in 2006 but had three goals in the postseason for the Penguins, two in series-clinching games against Washington and Carolina.
Philippe Boucher
• Defenseman
Acquired from Dallas in November, Boucher, 36, brought experience -- including the postseason games when Gonchar was out or limited by a knee injury and the Penguins dressed seven defensemen. He had one goal in the playoffs, the winner in the series opener against Carolina. He won his first Cup.
Matt Cooke
• Left winger
In his first season with the Penguins, Cooke, 30, became a part of the Penguins' solid third line. He had seven points in the playoffs en route to his first Cup. He got under opponents' skin and finished third in the playoffs with 85 hits.
Pascal Dupuis
• Left winger/Right winger
A speedster who was deployed on different lines and was a reliable penalty-killer, Dupuis, 30, won his first Cup. "It's an old cliche, but it feels so good," said Dupuis, who was the odd man out for eight playoff games when the Penguins dressed seven defensemen, but was back for the final series.
Mark Eaton
• Defenseman
After injuries gutted his previous two seasons and forced him to miss the 2008 run to the final, Eaton, 32, a defensive defenseman, blocked 46 shots and surprised some with four goals in the 2009 postseason, including one in the comeback series clincher against Philadelphia. "Besides family stuff, it's the coolest thing that's ever happened to me," he said of his first Cup.
Ruslan Fedotenko
• Left winger
Playing with Malkin and Max Talbot in the playoffs, Fedotenko, 30, had seven goals, 14 points, tied for fourth on the team. This first-year Penguins player won the Cup for the second time after being a hero for Tampa Bay in its clinching game in 2004. "The second one is more emotional than the first one," he said.
Marc-Andre Fleury
• Goalie
Huge saves against Philadelphia's Jeff Carter in the first round, Washington's Alex Ovechkin in the second and Detroit's Nicklas Lidstrom in the final seconds of the Cup clincher helped Fleury, 24, quiet some critics as he won his first Cup. He came back from giving up five goals and getting pulled in Game 5 of the final to win the next two games, allowing one goal in each. "Winning with this team is special," Fleury said.
Mathieu Garon
• Goalie
A little-used backup to Fleury, Garon, 31, won his first Cup. He appeared in just four games after being acquired from Edmonton in January but played a little more than half of Game 5 of the final when the Penguins came out flat and Fleury was pulled. Garon stopped all eight shots he faced.
Hal Gill
• Defenseman
This 6-foot-7 veteran had two playoff assists and earned his first Cup by pairing with Rob Scuderi to form an effective shutdown duo used against opponents' top lines. "It was a tough year all around, so it makes it that much more worth it," said Gill, 34.
Eric Godard
• Right winger
This enforcer in his first season with the Penguins didn't crack the lineup in the playoffs but won his first Cup. In 71 regular-season games, Godard, 29, had two goals and led the team with 171 penalty minutes.
Alex Goligoski
• Defenseman
This offensively gifted rookie played 45 games in the regular season but spent much of the second half of the season in the AHL. Goligoski, 23, returned for the postseason and appeared in two games in the second round while Gonchar was injured. This is his first Cup.
Bill Guerin
• Right winger
The Penguins obtained Guerin, 38, from the New York Islanders in March and milked every bit of experience and leadership from him. He played on the top line with Crosby, and the two became close. In the playoffs, Guerin had seven goals and was third on the team with 15 points. His reward was rejuvenation and his second Cup, after a 14-year wait.
Tyler Kennedy
• Right winger
A whirlwind of speed and grit, Kennedy, 22, was part of the Penguins' effective third line. Three of his five playoff goals were winners, including two in the opening round and one in Game 6 of the final. He won his first Cup.
Chris Kunitz
• Left winger
Acquired from Anaheim in February, Kunitz, 29, played on Crosby's line. He had nearly a point a game in the regular season after the deal and had one goal and 13 assists in the playoffs. He won his second Cup, the first coming in 2007 with Anaheim.
Kris Letang
• Defenseman
A year after he was in and out of the lineup in the playoffs, Letang, 22, was strong at both ends and on the point on the top power-play unit this time. He had four goals, two on the power play, and 13 points in the playoffs as he won his first Cup. One of his goals was an overtime winner in Game 3 against Washington.
Brooks Orpik
• Defenseman
Orpik, 28, is the longest-tenured Penguins player. He was a first-round draft pick in 2000 and waded through some tough non-playoff seasons before winning his first Cup. He was second in the 2009 playoffs, first among defensemen, with 112 hits, and second overall in blocked shots with 51.
Miroslav Satan
• Right winger
In his first season with the Penguins, Satan, 34, was exiled to the minor leagues at the trade deadline because of salary-cap issues. He returned to play in 17 postseason games, getting one goal and six assists on the way to his first Cup. "I signed with Pittsburgh to have a chance to win a Cup, and we did," he said. "It was a strange road to it, especially for me, but we still accomplished the goal.
Rob Scuderi
• Defenseman
Scuderi, 30, along with partner Gill, drew assignments against top opposing players such as Ovechkin, Henrik Zetterberg, Pavel Datsyuk and Eric Staal. Near the end of Game 6 of the final, Scuderi helped preserve the Penguins' Cup hopes by making a couple of key blocks at the goal line. The skilled penalty-killer led the playoffs with 53 blocked shots in winning his first Cup.
Jordan Staal
• Center
The youngest player in the final, Staal, 20, had two huge goals against Detroit, a tying short-handed goal in Game 4 and the opener in Game 6. He was part of a key third line, killed penalties and was on the second power-play unit. He had four goals, nine points in the playoffs and got to grab the Cup for the first time. "I couldn't get my emotions in check when I was lifting it," he said.
Petr Sykora
• Right winger
A late-season slump led to Sykora, 32, being benched for much of the playoffs. He returned for Game 6 of the final, only to have his foot broken making a big block. He won the Cup with New Jersey in 2000 but missed the on-ice celebration because of a head injury. "When I won it before, I was in the hospital and I never had a chance to grab the Cup and skate around," Sykora said. "I just can't describe the feeling this time."
Max Talbot
• Center/Right winger
Talbot, 25, played with Malkin in the playoffs. He followed a regular season of 12 goals in 75 games with a postseason of eight goals in 24 games, including the winner in the clincher against Carolina and both Penguins goals in Game 7 of the final. His loss in a fight with Philadelphia's Daniel Carcillo sparked the team's comeback, clinching win in the first round. "It was all worth it," Talbot said of his first Cup.
Monday, June 22, 2009
I Won The Cup (Feat. Ray Shero)
I saw this, and just had to share it - warning for language, brutal truthfulness and Hossa jobbing.
Sunday, June 21, 2009
The REAL reason the Pens won the Cup
Now that the fact that we (Pens) have won the Stanley Cup has truly hit home, I started looking back at certain pivotal games throughout all four rounds, and there seemed to be one constant.
Yes, Sid the Kid dominated rounds one and two, Geno took over round three, and scored a lot in the finals, but there was one player that showed up for all four rounds of the playoffs, and is specifically the biggest reason we won it all.
This dude right here.
You can pretty much point to one specific time in each series where Marc-Andre Fleury made a save gave momentum to the Penguins.Here are a few of the reasons why we won the Cup:
Round 1 Philadelphia - Game 2 - 3rd period
Pittsburgh won game one, and the second game was a tight one. Philly was up 2-1 with under 10 minutes to play. If the Flyers scored again they would be heading home with momentum with the series tied at one a piece.
Jeff Carter looked to score on what looked to be a wide open net, but Fleury shows his amazing lateral speed to make an incredible toe save. This save gives the Pens momentum, and Geno ties the game with 3 minutes left. Of course, Billy Guerin scores in OT to give the Pens a 2-0 series lead going back to Philly.
OT would not have been possible without this save:
Round 2 Washington - Game 7 - 1st period
This series was epic. Pittsburgh clawed back to take a 3-2 series lead, after losing the first two games. It seemed the Pens had a really good chance to close the series out at home in game 6, but the Caps played a strong game and prevailed, setting up game 7 in Washington.
The Caps have a team that can dominate offensively, and will shoot from anywhere on the ice - especially when they play at home. This overwhelms goalies quite often, so I was worried about this game.
The Caps came out strong, and Fleury made a big stop very early on. I think this put him in top form - thankfully for the Pens, because Ovechkin was sent in alone three minutes into the game, which resulted in a save that will be talked about for many years. This seemed to take the wind out of the sails of the Capitals, and allowed the Pens to dominate.
If Ovechkin scores on that shot - Caps win.
Here's the save:
This series was epic. Pittsburgh clawed back to take a 3-2 series lead, after losing the first two games. It seemed the Pens had a really good chance to close the series out at home in game 6, but the Caps played a strong game and prevailed, setting up game 7 in Washington.
The Caps have a team that can dominate offensively, and will shoot from anywhere on the ice - especially when they play at home. This overwhelms goalies quite often, so I was worried about this game.
The Caps came out strong, and Fleury made a big stop very early on. I think this put him in top form - thankfully for the Pens, because Ovechkin was sent in alone three minutes into the game, which resulted in a save that will be talked about for many years. This seemed to take the wind out of the sails of the Capitals, and allowed the Pens to dominate.
If Ovechkin scores on that shot - Caps win.
Here's the save:
Round 4 Detroit - Game 6 - 3rd period
In a very close game, and the Pens facing elimination, Fleury made a massive save on Dan Cleary with under two minutes remaining. The save helped the Pens keep the one goal lead, which held up, as the Pens won 2-1, forcing a game 7.
In a very close game, and the Pens facing elimination, Fleury made a massive save on Dan Cleary with under two minutes remaining. The save helped the Pens keep the one goal lead, which held up, as the Pens won 2-1, forcing a game 7.
Round 4 Detroit - Game 7 - 3rd period
Every fans and players dream - the two best teams in the league facing off in a one game winner takes all affair.
By now everyone knows Mad Max ha a game to remember, scoring both goals in a thrilling 2-1 victory.
But the thing I will remember most about this game, is the save made on Lidstrom with under two seconds remaining..
Unbelievable.
Every fans and players dream - the two best teams in the league facing off in a one game winner takes all affair.
By now everyone knows Mad Max ha a game to remember, scoring both goals in a thrilling 2-1 victory.
But the thing I will remember most about this game, is the save made on Lidstrom with under two seconds remaining..
Unbelievable.
You may have noticed that I never added any big saves from round 3 vs Carolina. In that series, Fleury and Cam Ward dualled in what was looking to be a very tight low scoring series. Fleury matched Ward big save after big save, until the Pens offense (specifically Geno) dominated the series, and made Ward actually look pretty average.
Now, I understand that it takes a total team effort to win the Cup, and you can totally justify Geno winning the Conn Smyth (playoff MVP)...but I would bet if the decision for the Conn Smyth was to be given out the day after the Cup is awarded, the man known as the Flower would have won easily.
I'm going to quote a very wise man (ahem - myself) from this blog before game 6 of the Finals:
Stanley Cup winning goalies are a special rare breed - some pretty much win it outright for their teams (Ward, Giguere) - and some are bit players that are a product of the machine in front of them (lookin' at you Osgood) - but none of that matters once they hoist the Cup.
Marc Andre Fleury is a really good young goalie. He has unfortunately shown a penchant for giving up weird goals at the worst times - too many to mention.
He has otherworldly reflexes and talent, but it looks to me like he hasn't mastered the mental toughness goalies need to take it to the next level consistently. There are flashes, but that's it.
If the Pens are going to win tonight or in game 7, Fleury is going to have to prove that he deserves to be mentioned in the same breath as Crosby and Malkin.
Now, I understand that it takes a total team effort to win the Cup, and you can totally justify Geno winning the Conn Smyth (playoff MVP)...but I would bet if the decision for the Conn Smyth was to be given out the day after the Cup is awarded, the man known as the Flower would have won easily.
I'm going to quote a very wise man (ahem - myself) from this blog before game 6 of the Finals:
Stanley Cup winning goalies are a special rare breed - some pretty much win it outright for their teams (Ward, Giguere) - and some are bit players that are a product of the machine in front of them (lookin' at you Osgood) - but none of that matters once they hoist the Cup.
Marc Andre Fleury is a really good young goalie. He has unfortunately shown a penchant for giving up weird goals at the worst times - too many to mention.
He has otherworldly reflexes and talent, but it looks to me like he hasn't mastered the mental toughness goalies need to take it to the next level consistently. There are flashes, but that's it.
If the Pens are going to win tonight or in game 7, Fleury is going to have to prove that he deserves to be mentioned in the same breath as Crosby and Malkin.
I think Marc-Andre Fleury has proven - without any doubt - that he deserves to be mentioned in the same breath as Sid and Geno. His performances in game 6 and 7 will forever wipe away all those softies and weird goals he let in.
He will no longer be known as the goalie that let in the strange goal that cost Canada the World Juniors - he will be known as a Stanly Cup champion.
He will no longer be known as the goalie that let in the strange goal that cost Canada the World Juniors - he will be known as a Stanly Cup champion.
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Lemieux to be knighted
It's about freaking time!
From TSN
QUEBEC - Hockey legend Mario Lemieux and Rene Angelil, the husband and manager of pop icon Celine Dion, were inducted Wednesday into the Order of Quebec.
The honour added to an unforgettable week for Lemieux, the principal owner of the Pittsburgh Penguins, who won the Stanley Cup last Friday.
"It's important to be recognized," said the NHL Hall of Famer, who also led Pittsburgh to a pair of Stanley Cups wearing the Penguins uniform in the early 1990s.
"I've been in Pittsburgh for 25 years. A bit more than one-half of my life has been spent (away), so to be recognized in Quebec is something very special."
Dion accompanied Angelil to the ceremony inside the provincial legislature along with the couple's young son, Rene-Charles.
"It's a great honour," said Angelil, who was also joined by his daughter, Anne-Marie, and son-in-law Marc Dupre.
"I'm touched, I'm very proud to be a Quebecer."
To ensure the spotlight stayed on her husband, Dion tried to stay away from the cameras and did not speak to journalists.
Outside, police kept a group of onlookers, who hoped to catch a glimpse of Dion and Lemieux, a safe distance from the building.
Former Supreme Court of Canada justice Louise Arbour was also among those inducted into the Order.
The ex-United Nations Commissioner for Human Rights, who presided over international tribunals that investigated the Rwandan genocide and the carnage in the former Yugoslavia, was named a grand officer of the Order, the highest rank. Angelil was named an officer and Lemieux a knight.
"It's very important for me," Arbour said. "I was absent from Quebec, I didn't work a lot in Quebec, so to have this kind of resonance here is an honour.
"I think it's very inspiring."
In all, Premier Jean Charest admitted more than 30 people to the Order.
"Quebecers are paying homage to some of their most illustrious fellow citizens," Charest said at the ceremony.
The Order of Quebec is the province's highest honour and is given for meritorious service.
It was instituted in 1984 by Quebec's lieutenant-governor on the advice of the government of then-premier Rene Levesque.
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Pens sign Goligoski
In this case it's nice when we can sign a player we developed, rather than overspend on a free agent.....
As per pittsburghpenguins.com:
The Pittsburgh Penguins continue to lock in their core of young players. The team already has Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Marc-Andre Fleury, Jordan Staal, Tyler Kennedy and Maxime Talbot locked into mulit-year deals.
Now the Penguins locked up defenseman Alex Goligoski with a new three-year contract after the 23-year-old inked a deal with the team on Wednesday.
“I wanted to stay a Penguin for a long time,” Goligoski said. “The way they treat you here and with this group of guys here, I think we can be a contender every year. I want to be a winner so it was an easy decision. I’m glad we were able to get (the contract) done early. It’s just really exciting right now.”
It’s been a crazy couple of weeks for Goligoski, who signed his contract just five days after the Penguins won their third Stanley Cup championship.
“This last two weeks has been unbelievable,” Goligoski said. “It feels awesome. It’s a really cool experience (winning the Cup). It’s something I was able to go through and it’s a surreal thing. You dream about it growing up and for it to happen is a really cool thing.”
Goligoski, who was the third-leading scorer among NHL rookie defensemen in 2008-09 with 20 points on six goals and 14 assists in just 45 games, is a smooth skating, offensively gifted blueliner, and the Penguins brass is thrilled that he’ll be in a Pittsburgh uniform for the next couple of seasons.
“Alex is a skilled young defenseman and a tremendous skater, and we are pleased to sign him to a multi-year deal as we continue to build our young core,” general manager Ray Shero said. “He gained some valuable experience this season and made contributions to our Stanley Cup run. He is another example of a great future here in Pittsburgh.”
Goligoski, who appeared in two games in the Stanley Cup playoffs, recording one assist, earned a roster spot at the start of the season and his play impressed his teammates, coaches and the front office. However, a logjam at the defensive position forced the Penguins to send the promising defenseman to the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins of the American Hockey League to continue his development.
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
The real reason Sid "snubbed" the Red wings.
This is what Crosby faced when the Wings started shaking hands. This actually happened on-ice.
Most guys get one interviewer who asks a few questions - this is what Sid had to deal with.
So let it go snively Wings fans (wow, are you guys ever whiny - true colors showing through), Draper and Zetterberg...GOD
'Nuff said
Most guys get one interviewer who asks a few questions - this is what Sid had to deal with.
So let it go snively Wings fans (wow, are you guys ever whiny - true colors showing through), Draper and Zetterberg...GOD
'Nuff said
Cup party at Mario's pad
Here's some pics of the party at Mario's ...um house.......that have been leaked.....
You don't don't like the Cup in Mario's pool....?
YOU tell Godard....!
yea, have fun with that one....
These pics remind me of a book I actually own from the 90's:
You don't don't like the Cup in Mario's pool....?
YOU tell Godard....!
yea, have fun with that one....
These pics remind me of a book I actually own from the 90's:
Talbot and Geno's folks
yup - thats Mario jumping in....looks like a fun partyFleury post game interview - O Shit
A few people have asked me to post this - It's right after the Pens win the Cup (I'll never get sick of hearing that) and CBC announces Scott Oak asks Flower what was going through his mind when Detroit was coming at him hard with a few seconds left to play.
He apologized in his speech at the parade - near the end of this video
He apologized in his speech at the parade - near the end of this video
http://watch.tsn.ca/nhl/clip183071#clip183071
Here's a video of the parade
Monday, June 15, 2009
Eulogy: Remembering the '09 Detroit Red Wings
From Puck Daddy over at Yahoo.
Couldn't say it better myself - read it in it's entirety:
http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/blog/puck_daddy/post/Eulogy-Remembering-the-2008-09-Detroit-Red-Wing;_ylt=Ag_otrS6ngSeSSkhyLWVmbR7vLYF?urn=nhl,170305
Couldn't say it better myself - read it in it's entirety:
http://sports.yahoo.com/nhl/blog/puck_daddy/post/Eulogy-Remembering-the-2008-09-Detroit-Red-Wing;_ylt=Ag_otrS6ngSeSSkhyLWVmbR7vLYF?urn=nhl,170305
(Ed. Note: You've been waiting for this one. As the Stanley Cup Playoffs continue, we're bound to lose some friends along the journey. Gone but not forgotten, we've asked for these losers to be eulogized by the people who knew the teams best: The fans who hated them the most. Here is the Committed Indian, of the Chicago Blackhawks blog Second City Hockey, fondly recalling the Detroit Red Wings.)
By The Committed Indian
Ladies and Gentlemen, we are gathered here today to gleefully dance upon mourn the demise of the 2008-2009 Red Wings (or as they are called around our parts, Scum).
They've provided so much fodder over the past eight months, it's hard to know what to do with all that bile and emotion we've built up.
Where to begin? Much like my neighbor in the freshman dorm, who once passed out face-first on the floor with one hand on his bed, the Wings fell at the last possible moment, oh so close to home, and yet so far away. Much like it was when my friend came up just short, it's hilarious for everyone else ... though painful for the passed out.
Funny how Detroit couldn't wait to tell us how tired they weren't when they were winning, and just as quick to tell us how tired they were when they lost.
Firstly, we must say the Wings' fall did not begin where we all thought it would, and that would be in net. For an entire season expert and derelict alike called on Chris Osgood(notes) to fail on the biggest stage, and those 8-spots he let up late in the season did nothing to quell our confidence that he would. But it must be said that Ozzy was more than solid throughout the playoff run, though Letang's goal in Game 3 and Staal's shorty in Game 4 were saves screaming to be made.
But seriously, has there been a goalie, or any player, more aware of his own stats than Osgood? If he campaigns for the Hall-of-Fame any more than he already has we might have to start calling him Chris OsSanto around here. Enjoy a nice summer of memorizing your updated numbers, Ozzie, so that you might share them in bed with Pierre McGuire.
And then there's Marian Hossa(notes), and his sad panda-face.
Marian went chasing a Cup last summer like a drunken cougar at a wedding, only to watch his beloved run off with the best friend who he'd knocked out of the way for the bouquet. Hossa's playoff performance reminded me of myself and my method for meeting women. Basically stand around and hopefully someone else will do the work for you, and you can just pick up the prize.
Do you think he'll put that in his next contract? That Zetterberg will have to do all the work for him?
But there's oh-so much more. We'll have to spend a summer without watching Tomas Holmstrom(notes) and Mikael Samuelsson(notes), two of the toughest guys in the league when they can see your name and number. Maybe the whole team hangs out in the same pool in Stockholm, all the better to practice diving together (there were times when Wings games looked like a SCUBA training class).
By The Committed Indian
Ladies and Gentlemen, we are gathered here today to gleefully dance upon mourn the demise of the 2008-2009 Red Wings (or as they are called around our parts, Scum).
They've provided so much fodder over the past eight months, it's hard to know what to do with all that bile and emotion we've built up.
Where to begin? Much like my neighbor in the freshman dorm, who once passed out face-first on the floor with one hand on his bed, the Wings fell at the last possible moment, oh so close to home, and yet so far away. Much like it was when my friend came up just short, it's hilarious for everyone else ... though painful for the passed out.
Funny how Detroit couldn't wait to tell us how tired they weren't when they were winning, and just as quick to tell us how tired they were when they lost.
Firstly, we must say the Wings' fall did not begin where we all thought it would, and that would be in net. For an entire season expert and derelict alike called on Chris Osgood(notes) to fail on the biggest stage, and those 8-spots he let up late in the season did nothing to quell our confidence that he would. But it must be said that Ozzy was more than solid throughout the playoff run, though Letang's goal in Game 3 and Staal's shorty in Game 4 were saves screaming to be made.
But seriously, has there been a goalie, or any player, more aware of his own stats than Osgood? If he campaigns for the Hall-of-Fame any more than he already has we might have to start calling him Chris OsSanto around here. Enjoy a nice summer of memorizing your updated numbers, Ozzie, so that you might share them in bed with Pierre McGuire.
And then there's Marian Hossa(notes), and his sad panda-face.
Marian went chasing a Cup last summer like a drunken cougar at a wedding, only to watch his beloved run off with the best friend who he'd knocked out of the way for the bouquet. Hossa's playoff performance reminded me of myself and my method for meeting women. Basically stand around and hopefully someone else will do the work for you, and you can just pick up the prize.
Do you think he'll put that in his next contract? That Zetterberg will have to do all the work for him?
But there's oh-so much more. We'll have to spend a summer without watching Tomas Holmstrom(notes) and Mikael Samuelsson(notes), two of the toughest guys in the league when they can see your name and number. Maybe the whole team hangs out in the same pool in Stockholm, all the better to practice diving together (there were times when Wings games looked like a SCUBA training class).
Mad Max Womanizer
We've all heard of Max's womanizing tendencies....I'm sure he gets that "superstar treatment"
Pens commecials
Here is the best one - I can't embed it, so here's the link to you tube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KOrvdvczpEA
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KOrvdvczpEA
09 Cup Champs Penguins Player Profiles
This is from CBC - I will do an actual post when I can find some time.....until then, I will just post some interesting stuff as I find it...
Saturday, June 13, 2009
Friday, June 12, 2009
PENS WIN CUP
I've been preying to Mario since 1993 for this....
more to come tomorrow
Fuck I love this team
Thursday, June 11, 2009
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Keys to a Pens victory in game 7
The Pens have put themselves in a position to win the Stanley Cup with a win on Friday night.
Standing in their way: the evil robotic Detroit Red Wings.
So far, this series had been a homer delight - the home teams has won every game - and the visitor has looked pretty crappy on the road.
This doesn't bode well for our beloved Pens, but like I said before - in February, a LOT of Pens "fans" had already written this team off, and were discussing high draft picks.
To be in this position is an unbelievable feat.
I listened to Head Coach Dan Bylsma's presser today, and the dude just continues to impresess me more and more.
Here are a couple of notable things he said:
-He wants the Pens to go to Detroit to try to win the game as opposed to try not to lose the game.
-He wants to be aggresive, and dictate the play.
-He wants the Pens to shoot a LOT - put pucks on net - don't make the extra pass, shoot - the more pucks on Osgood the better.
Here are a few of my observations and stuff:
-Crosby better show up - this is his chance to shut up all the narrow minded fans of the Flyers, Caps, Wings and the rest of the "experts" that go out of their way to job this kid ALL THE TIME.
-Our D seems to give the Wings offense way more room to maneuver in Detroit than they do in Pittsburgh - which I think is the reason Fleury seems to play much better at home - and so poorly at Detroit. Our D needs to play like they do in Pittsburgh.
-Now that Sykora is out, I hope we go with 7 D - this will give Sid and Geno valuable extra ice time on the 4th line, and looks with different linemates.
-I hope to God we score first - thats all I have to say.
I honestly think the Pens will come out hard in game 7.
If the Pens score first, we have a 60/40 chance.
If the Wings score first we have a 30/70 chance.
So this is it....we'll see exactly what Sid, Geno, Fleury et all are REALLY made of. This is where legacies are made - I hope our guys are up to the task.
Balls to the walls boys
Tuesday, June 9, 2009
Pens force game 7
Breathe.....Breathe.....
Oh My Freaking GOD.
What we witnessed tonight was one of the most insane games I've seen in recent memory. The Pens take game 6...barely.
But we'll take it.
This was the easy game. Now comes the hard one for all the marbles. Please please please let the Fleury that showed up tonight play on Friday. This is the ONLY way the Pens will win.
If you would have told me that the Pens were to win this game without Sid and Geno registering any points, I would have laughed at you.
By the way - did Sid even play tonight....?
And why the hell did he play only 18 minutes...?
Maxime Talbot played almost 2 minutes more that Sidney Crosby in game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final.
What up wit dat?
Sid better show up in Detroit - he doesn't have any points in Detroit so far this series - that trend can not continue.
Staal was a freaking beast out there tonight....WOW. It's games like this that really show why he was a #2 overall pick...
Fleury was spectacular - good to see after a rough game Saturday.
Scuderi = big reason we didn't loose 4-2
Gonchar - I'm thinking he's still injured, because he's quite simply sucked hard for most of this series.
Orpik - I know what was on your mind at the time of this picture - you were thinking of taking 2 minutes for a cross check to Babcocks big coconut.
The best thing about tonights game - other than the Pens winning tonight - is the fact that the Wings and Marian Hossa didn't hoist the Cup on Pittsburgh ice.
Now the Pens have a chance to hoist the Cup on Detroit ice.
I still want to get drunk and piss on an inflatable octopus.
More to come tomorrow
15 down - 1 to go!
GO PENS
Backs against the wall - again
Well - here we are - at home down 3 games to 2.
We have to win tonight to go back to Detroit which is in my opinion the hardest barn to play in. I really hope the Pens aren't thinking about game 7 quite yet. There is a game to win before that, and it isn't a gimme....unfortunately, nothing is easy with this Detroit team.
There is a lot of people that think this thing is over already - it's not.
I've often said that that Sid and Geno are really good players, but they will never be considered great until they win a Cup. They are two games away from that right now.
Thats not to say that if they don't win this series, they will never win a Cup - thats narrow minded. The core of this team is very young - some can't even legally drink in the States...
We have two of the best players in the world on this team. A lot of Pens fans still seem to think we need a Kovalchuk or Gaborik to win the Cup (or at least beat Detroit). This is false - our players just have to learn to take advantage of the situation they are in - thats it.
That comes with experience.
Win or lose, this team will be a Stanley Cup threat for as long as Sid, Geno and Fleury are on this team.
But...
...to win the Cup, we also need these players to have the games of their lives for the next two games.
Stanley Cup winning goalies are a special rare breed - some pretty much win it outright for their teams (Ward, Giguere) - and some are bit players that are a product of the machine in front of them (ahem - lookin' at you Osgood) - but none of that matters once they hoist the Cup.
Marc Andre Fleury is a really good young goalie. He has unfortunately shown a penchant for giving up weird goals at the worst times - too many to mention.
He has otherworldly reflexes and talent, but it looks to me like he hasn't mastered the mental toughness goalies need to take it to the next level consistently. There are flashes, but thats it.
If the Pens are going to win tonight or in game 7, Fleury is going to have to prove that he deserves to be mentioned in the same breath as Crosby and Malkin.
And speaking of Sid and Geno - they have to prove they have what it takes to beat a team that looks totally unbeatable at times.
This is what defines great legacies in the NHL.
This team is good enough - hopefully they can prove it to themselves, and the hockey world.
GO PENS
Sunday, June 7, 2009
Pens get spanked - hard
OUCH
This hurts.
The Pens got whomped on last night 5-0 in Detroit. So much for any momentum Pittsburgh created with the previous two games.
Pittsburgh actually started the game strong, and had a few very good chances to score in the first 5 minutes. If Fedotenko would have scored on this play, it would have been a very different game.
I'm not going to recap this game for 2 reasons:
- a little piece of me died last night due to the ugly loss, and realizing the the Red Wings could win the Cup on Pittsburgh ice for a second consecutive year.
- Pretty much anytime I think of last nights game, I want to fucking puke.
A couple casual observations:
I don't know why, but for some reason, when we play in Detroit, the puck always seems to trickle away from our sticks, so we can't make a decent pass - which leads to a turnover - or we can't get it out of our zone, or a shot doesn't go in against stupid Osgood. On the other hand, the Wings can't seem to do any wrong - the passes are crisp, the shots are hard and accurate, and they seem to get ALL the freaking bounces.
This makes Detroit extremely difficult to play against at the Joe - they create their own good fortune on home ice and all the power to them, and this just the product of a good system.
Kudos, jerks.
BUT
For some reason, the refs allow the Wings to play their "subtle interference" game to perfection. They allow the game to be played like it was 1999, and there is clutching, grabbing, and total interference. What the Wings call shadowing.
It's like the referees tell the Wings before the game "OK - we're going to let you guys get away with shadowing - but we're not going to let the other team know - It's our little secret".
I'm not saying that's what actually happens - it sure seems like it though...
Because of this the Pens players are watching Wings players skate by them, while Pens players are being held and clutched. This frustrates teams, and games like last night happen.
What they are letting Zetterberg get away with is unbelievable.
When you add the two things up, the Wings become totally unbeatable at home....
Can we still win this series?
Don't be silly - of course we can.
This is what is will take.....
A victory at home in game 6. Duh, that's a no-brainier.
Before game seven in Detroit, coach Bylsma should say something in his presser to the extent that he really hopes the refs call the rules circa 2009, and not 1999 like they have been so far in Detroit in this series. He will get fined for this, but because he has bit his lip about this crap so far, his words will have some bearing.
The Pens will have to come out hard - like they did in game 5 in Detroit - and their best players will have to get on the board (we're lookin at you Sid & Geno) to gain momentum. If the Wings score first at home, they taste blood, and due to the reasons I listed above, they are extremely difficult to beat.
Oh yea - Fleury has to have the game of his life - no better time to have it - game 7 of the Stanly Cup. Hopefully our defense actually gives him a chance this time.
Does anyone else feel like getting drunk and pissing on a giant inflatable octopus?
GO PENS
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