Big Lead Sports Bar

5/22/2009

BEATDOWN

PENGUINS 7
HURRICANES 4
I'm pretty sure that everyone's either seen or heard about the Penguins' 7-4 thrashing of Carolina in Game Two by now, so this belated recap is simply here to serve as a little bit of afterglow to a contest that had a little bit of everything. 11 goals in the game, including 5 in the first period; a fake Hanson brother and a real Hanson brother in the stands; a Miroslav Satan fight; Chris Kunitz's first goal of the postseason; KENNEDY! and last but not least, an Evgeni Malkin hat trick, highlighted by this amazing goal:


The Pens looked every bit like a team capable of hoisting the Cup in the near future, with an overwhelming offensive display that would have qualified fans for a free cup of Wendy's chili in years past. Pittsburgh outshot Carolina 42-28, beating the heralded Cam Ward six times on the evening - the most goals Ward has allowed in a playoff game. Ever.

Malkin quietly slipped into first place in the playoff scoring race, leapfrogging his distinguished teammate in the process. And he even hit some Hurricanes on the top of the head like a Whack-a-mole game in a skirmish, which served as gasoline on the fire that lights the fiesty 22-year-old. As Carolina learned, you don't make The Incredible Malk angry. You won't like him when he's angry.

Luckily, Pittsburgh not only likes an angry Malkin, they love him. They littered the Mellon Arena ice with hats after Malkin's third goal and enveloped his parents in jubilation. He had such a great game that it's taken this many words to get to Sidney Crosby's two-point night, including his 13th goal of the postseason. Crosby had six in last year's playoffs.

The Penguins are trying to become the first team since the 1984 Edmonton Oilers to lose in the Stanley Cup finals one season and win the Cup the next, and if last night was any indication, they might just pull it off.

Carolina will host Game Three tomorrow night at 7:30 PM. The Hurricanes need to get their act together - quickly. Following last night's contest, Carolina defenseman Tim Gleason said, "This isn't going to be a four-game series, I'll tell you that."

Well Tim, it's quickly becoming put up or shut up time.

---
A couple Pens-related emails to share:

Can anyone help out emailer D.D., who had a minor personal dilemma on his hands for the Carolina games?

1. Can I (should I) wear my Hines Ward jersey to game 4 in Raleigh?
2. How do you defeat the spell bound Ric Flair "whoooo" during the game. Every time I hear it I want to naturally respond with an echo? It's in my DNA.
3. How can I disrespect Cowher without really disrepecting him?

And from Nipsy:

"I caught this last night during the Pens game. You know the NHL “Portal” commercial that airs on Versus probably 200 times per game? There’s a clip where the Canucks score a goal at a home game. There’s a familiar looking #7 jersey in the stands beating on the glass in celebration. It’s a little grainy in the screenshot I swiped from the youtube clip, but it’s pretty obvious in HD. Just look for it during one of the 500 times it’s shown during Saturday’s game."



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16 comments:

Dave said...

Unless Hines Ward suits up for the Pens, it is never acceptable to wear his jersey to a Pens game. Buy a Pens T-shirt or hat. Terrible Towel, though, I think should be welcome at any Pittsburgh sporting event.

As far as "disrespecting" Cowher, get some fake teeth and mustache. Go to a costume shop or something.

BurressWithButterflywings said...

1.) Get a Pens jersey

2.) Ric Flair is amazing, I don't think you do anything but show some restraint from joining in except maybe deliver a knife-edge chop to any 'Canes fan within your reach.

3.) Just inform 'Canes fans they are lucky Cowher isn't coaching seeing as this is a conference title game at home.

BurressWithButterflywings said...

and I just saw that i ripped off Nipsy with my Cowher Home Conference title game comment.

I apologize.

Special Agent Johnny Utah said...

Satan looks like he's smiling in that photo. I haven't seen someone smile sadistically like that since 'Fight Club'.

DD,

1. Like others have said, get a Pens jersey. It's never ever acceptable to wear another sport's jersey to a game, period.

2. Two words for Flair: Buddy Landel.

Go Pens!!

Anonymous said...

No worries. I practically ripped it off myself.

No Steeler jersies at Pens games. That steeler shadow needs to go away at some point. This team has to fight for attention too much.

I think Cowher is fair game at this point. We have a Steelers coach who is respectable enough to root for the Pens and he's not even from Pittsburgh. Not to mention, his Super Bowls Against average is much better. I think it's a matter of selling out, really. He has to be campaigning for something. Maybe he knows something John Fox doesn't.

Anonymous said...

"1. Like others have said, get a Pens jersey. It's never ever acceptable to wear another sport's jersey to a game, period."

Unless, you're a transplanted Pittsburgher living in Vancouver during a Steeler playoff run.

diggler said...

DD,

1. don't drop over $100 on a pens jersey, it's not like you can get them for cheap down here in Charlotte anyways. if you have a pens hat, wear it. wear the hines ward jersey; who decreed "it's not acceptable", a guy eating a primanti's sandwich? it's black and gold. and besides, you're shelling out the cashish to go to a road team's playoff game, show all the Pittsburgh pride you have!

2. Woooooooooo!!! right back at them, obviously don't do it if Carolina is lighting the lamp tho.

3. Maybe i'm still seeing things with my black and gold sunglasses, but me thinks Cowher may, just may, come out with a Canes Jersey and a Steelers' hat on.

Jeff_King_Fan said...

1.) If a jersey is too expensive, be one of those nuts, and go shirtless. paint your body black & gold.

2.)find your inner luke & butch of the bushwackers, and you will defeat the nature boy's call.

3.) Hold up a sign that says "FOX PREGAME RULES"

i gotta feeling the pens win what will be a "classic" game 3, the hurricanes win game 4, pens finish it up game 5 @ home.

Anonymous said...

I agree with all who said wearing a Steelers jersey is unacceptable at a Pens game. I would also feel that way if someone asked if they could wear a Pens jersey to a Steelers game - jersey foul, indeed.

However, I'm not condoning dropping $100+ on a jersey at the drop of a hat - but please, at least buy a $20 t-shirt or hat.

Just my $.02...

jmarinara said...

"As Carolina learned, you don't make The Incredible Malk angry. You won't like him when he's angry."

I laughed very hard at this. We MUST keep that nickname. It should be the law.

Real McCoy said...

This was the first time I heard the "Incredible Malk" nickname, and of course the opposing team would not like him when he's angry.

I strongly second that this name be required when referring to Evgeni from now on.

AJ said...

Steelers jerseys at Pens games are indeed a jersey foul. I also consider wearing them to weddings a jersey foul, but that still doesn't stop some people.

Seriously... if you can afford a ticket to a game, then you should be able to afford a Pens t-shirt.

FYI - right now I am feeling like less of a chump for buying a Satan jersey. Thanks Miro! You were almost the Limas Sweed of the Penguins.

diggler said...

okay, i understand what everyone is saying about not wearing a Steelers' jersey to a Pens game; i laugh at people on tv that do that, too.

however, DD and i both live in charlotte; pens jerseys are pretty expensive and i haven't seen any pens t-shirts in any local sporting goods stores.

you wanna know what i find around here? t-shirts for dale earnhardt, cole trickle, ricky bobby, etc. see where i'm headed. we're not exactly in the NHL capital of the world here. i'm not scouring the Carolinas looking for a Pens t-shirt, and i doubt DD is either. just cut him some slack if you see him Raleigh wearing Ward-86.

good day.

Special Agent Johnny Utah said...

Diggler,

I lived in the South for a few years myself, but ya know what, I see that you can use the internet just fine, so hop on the Pens website (or a multitude of others) and get a damn Pens shirt that way.

I wouldn't expect that you can walk into Dillard's and get one.

I don't exactly see that as 'thinking outside the box'.

gpclay said...

LOL - I actually wore a Pens sweater (third jersey P-I-T-T-S-B-U-R-G-H) to a Steelers/Browns game in Cleveland in 1994. When the loser Brownies fans taunted me for wearing the wrong sport's jersey, I pointed out that it was at least Black and Gold, unlike the colors of their NHL team,. Oh wait, that's right, they didn't HAVE an NHL team...

nuthinhere said...

Maybe its just me but everytime I see that NHL portal commercial, I have an overwhelming urge to punch that guy in the face. I have an expensive TV so I don't, but still that NHL Portal guy is annoying the hell out of me.