Another bit of feedback from the recent survey was a request for me to get back to doing more "link" posts beyond the weekly Best of the Web. As I often say, ask and you shall receive:
Showing posts with label Washington Capitals. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Washington Capitals. Show all posts
2/22/2011
1/13/2011
Sidney Crosby's Winter Classic-Worn Jersey Up for Auction
Commence drooling, memorabilia fans. The jersey King Crosby wore in the first period of the 2011 Winter Classic is up for auction over at NHL.com, where bidding has already pushed the price north of $10,000.
The teams each wore four sets of jerseys during the 2011 NHL Winter Classic, one in the team photo and warmup, and one in each of the three periods. And it looks like the league is doing their best to squeeze every last dime out of anything remotely used in the classic, from socks to practice pucks to sticks.
As you could probably guess, the Alex Ovechkin game jersey is second to Crosby, which is usually the case in any rankings involving the two players. Ovie's jersey currently sits at $7,000, far, far ahead of the next-highest item, a Geno Malkin gamer at a shade over $2K.
The auctions still have a week to go, closing next Thursday the 20th. And if you think the prices are high now, your eyeballs may pop out of their sockets when you see what some of these pieces realize once the virtual hammer finally falls.
Mondesi's House: The Director's Cut (more links, commentary, etc): twitter.com/mondesishouse
Email: mondesishouse@gmail.com
Email: mondesishouse@gmail.com
12/24/2010
10 Thoughts on Pens-Caps and Steelers-Panthers
Two games, lots of excitement, lots of thoughts, one belated post. Call it "an attempt at holiday multitasking":
12/20/2010
Video: Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin on The Price is Right
Crosby. Ovechkin. Roenick? Roenick.
Today was the unveiling of the Winter Classic-themed showcase showdown on The Price is Right, and boy, was it ever riveting. Nothing like using awkward, taped promos to hype a daytime game show to the sports blogosphere genre. Thankfully, yours truly fell hook, line, and sinker.
What was I thinking in being even moderately interested in this? Did I think Sid was going to fly to California and play Plinko in-between games? What next, you're going to tell me he's going to tape a WWE wrestling event in the middle of the season? No, that would be too far fetched to believe. No athlete would ever do that.
Mondesi's House: The Director's Cut (more links, commentary, etc): twitter.com/mondesishouse
Email: mondesishouse@gmail.com
Email: mondesishouse@gmail.com
12/16/2010
Winter Classic Alumni Game Rosters Announced
At long last, the full rosters of Team Lemieux and Team Bondra have been released. Choose your sides wisely:
12/14/2010
Crosby, Ovechkin (and Roenick) to Appear on The Price is Right
The NHL, diligently continuing to milk Crosby-Ovechkin for all it's worth, will have the duo make a totally random appearance on The Price is Right, to air Monday, December 20 at 11 a.m. Eastern. Former Chicago Blackhawk Jeremy Roenick will also be on hand to make an appearance as a third wheel.
The hockey players will be there to (what else?) promote the Winter Classic, unveiling showcases that include tickets to the game, a 2011 Honda CR-Z Sport Hybrid car, and lots of other corporately-placed goodies.
Seriously, does Crosby's back ever get tired from carrying this league for stuff like this?
Mondesi's House: The Director's Cut (more links, commentary, etc): twitter.com/mondesishouse
Email: mondesishouse@gmail.com
Email: mondesishouse@gmail.com
12/10/2010
Mario Lemieux Returns to the Ice...For One Day, At Least
Pittsburgh went wild with the news this afternoon that Mario Lemieux was making a return to the ice for the first time since the 2005-06 season. Unfortunately, it will be a one-shot deal. But if you can get Mario Lemieux on the ice in any competitive situation, you take it.
#66 will be flanked by Bryan Trottier, Ron Francis, Paul Coffey, Bill Guerin, and others in the Winter Classic alumni game, pitting Penguin greats from the past against Washington Capitals of yesteryear on December 31 at Heinz Field.
9/23/2010
Penguins, Capitals to be Featured on HBO 24/7 Reality Series
See the drama captured in the photo above? That's what HBO will be trying to replicate in their upcoming mini-series documenting the 2011 Winter Classic, to be held at Heinz Field on January 1.
5/28/2010
WINTER CLASSIC COMING TO THE BURGH
Many people thought this would happen, and today, it will become a reality: the 2011 Winter Classic is officially coming to Pittsburgh, with the opponent being the Washington Capitals. The matchup will be formally announced by Gary Bettman at a press conference today in Chicago.
Critics will point to the Penguins' presence in the game in 2008 as overexposure; but network suits and league officials surely realize that a contest featuring their top three stars in chilly conditions on New Year's Day could be a ratings bonanza and an overwhelming financial success. It's simply too good a proposition to pass up, critics or not.
From another angle, this is a huge boom for the city of Pittsburgh, which again gets a three-hour commercial in front of a national audience, as well as the numerous benefits to area hotels, bars, and restaurants that will be significantly busier than usual.
The Winter Classic, which has been played in Edmonton (2003, as The Heritage Classic), Buffalo (2008), Chicago (2009) and Boston (2010) will add a second game this year, with Montreal traveling to Calgary sometime in February for a meeting at McMahon Stadium. So the complaints of Pittsburgh getting a second invitation to the Classic will likely be dulled a bit with the inclusion of a separate game for Canada.
The announcement is a bit of great news for the city, the team, and Penguin fans in the wake of a disappointing end to their 2009-10 season. On top of everything else, I'm guessing it will become one of the hottest tickets in the history of Pittsburgh sports, so even the "freelance ticket brokers" will be celebrating even more than usual on New Year's Day.
4/29/2010
SIDNEY CROSBY A FINALIST FOR HART TROPHY
The NHL announced the finalists for the 2009-10 Hart Trophy (league regular season MVP), and they are...
Sidney Crosby (51 goals/58 assists/109 points)
Alex Ovechkin (50/59/109)
Henrik Sedin (29/83/112)
For the record, Crosby's won once (2006-07), Ovechkin's taken home the last two, and Sedin's just happy to be there. Actually, this is the first time Sedin has topped the century mark in points, with his previous high being 82 points in 2008-09.
The winner is announced June 23 at the year-end awards ceremony in Las Vegas, but I don't feel like waiting that long for the results and figured we could vote on it right now.
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4/28/2010
CAPS LOSE, PENS GET CANADIENS
With the Washington Capitals choking their way to golf season, the Pittsburgh Penguins will now face the hockey version of David, the Montreal Canadiens, in a best-of-seven series, with the first game being held at the Igloo on Friday night.
When considering the combination of favorite son Sidney Crosby returning to Canada, a red-hot goalie in Montreal's Jaroslav Halak, and the matchup of an eight-seed against the defending champs, and I think the country of Canada may self-combust in anticipation. Something tells me the city of Pittsburgh will be pretty fired up, too.
The full slate of games in the series:
The full slate of games in the series:
*Sid/Ovie photoshop: Sports Pickle Twitter
Email your feedback, questions, and tips Mondesishouse@gmail.com
4/07/2010
TODAY'S HEADLINES
The Pittsburgh Penguins dropped to 0-4 on the season against the Washington Capitals with a 6-3 loss last night in the team's final regular season game at Mellon Arena. Jordan Leopold scored twice for the Pens and Sidney Crosby added his 48th goal of the year, but that's pretty much where the good news ended.
The bad news was plentiful, starting with the absence of Evgeni Malkin, who left the ice after a few minutes of warmups with an undisclosed illness. It was all downhill from there, as Alex Ovechkin scored twice, tying Crosby for the league lead in goals on an empty-netter with a second remaining in regulation. The Penguin defense and Marc-Andre Fleury both struggled mightily as the team lost their fifth in eight games and slipped into fourth place in the conference. [ESPN]
The Pittsburgh Steelers will be bringing five college players in for visits today, some which raise an eyebrow or two.
Oregon running back LaGarrette Blount, who punched a Boise State player and was suspended for most of the 2009 season, and Oklahama State WR Dez Bryant, who was suspended for lying to the NCAA, were among them. Yep, it looks like this team is valuing character more than ever. [PG]
Oregon running back LaGarrette Blount, who punched a Boise State player and was suspended for most of the 2009 season, and Oklahama State WR Dez Bryant, who was suspended for lying to the NCAA, were among them. Yep, it looks like this team is valuing character more than ever. [PG]
Ziggy Hood will be appearing at an Altoona Curve game on Thursday to sign autographs for two hours. Hood will also throw out the night’s ceremonial first pitch and participate in a pre-game show interview simulcast on the video board.
It should tell you how popular the Steelers are when they're being used as promotions for minor league baseball games. [AltoonaCurve.com]
Hines Ward spoke out in support of Ben Roethlisberger and Santonio Holmes, telling KDKA, "I'm just there to support my teammates. I know they're probably going through some hard times and as being one of the leaders on the team, just trying to go out and have their back and show my support." [KDKA.com]
The Pittsburgh Pirates aim for a 2-0 start at 7:05 tonight against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Ross Ohlendorf takes the hill against Clayton Kershaw at PNC Park. Garrett Jones will try to continue his 324 home run pace for the Bucs. [PittsburghPirates.com]
Hines Ward spoke out in support of Ben Roethlisberger and Santonio Holmes, telling KDKA, "I'm just there to support my teammates. I know they're probably going through some hard times and as being one of the leaders on the team, just trying to go out and have their back and show my support." [KDKA.com]
The Pittsburgh Pirates aim for a 2-0 start at 7:05 tonight against the Los Angeles Dodgers. Ross Ohlendorf takes the hill against Clayton Kershaw at PNC Park. Garrett Jones will try to continue his 324 home run pace for the Bucs. [PittsburghPirates.com]
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3/28/2010
BURGH WINTER CLASSIC PUSH CONTINUES
A sight like this at Heinz Field could be a reality in 2011, thanks to a continued push from the Penguins to host the NHL's annual New Year's Day showcase.
A report on Sunday said that Pittsburgh city officials are pushing hard for the city to be chosen as the host, and that the Steelers are amenable to playing the game at Heinz Field, even though it would require some tweaking to their end-of-the-season schedule. The Steelers could not play home games on the final two Sundays of the regular season so that the ice surface could be constructed, meaning they would likely play a Thursday night home game on December 23.
PNC Park sounds like it has been ruled out as a destination for the game, due to its capacity of 38,496, which is far below Heinz Field's 65,050 and would therefore limit the amount of revenue that could be generated. Of course, I'm not sure officials have taken into consideration how many of PNC Park's $8 beers would be sold on that day to cover the difference, but that's their loss.
The Pens' opponent for the '11 Classic would likely be the Washington Capitals, giving Sidney Crosby another prominent stage in which to top Alex Ovechkin, with the Stanley Cup Playoffs and Olympics having already been crossed off that list. Caps coach Bruce Boudreau would rather see the game be played in the D.C. area, and to show Boudreau's stroke with the league, the game will still likely be played in Pittsburgh.
Yes, I'm a little weary of the Ovechkin/Crosby/Malkin storyline being beaten solidly into the ground by the league, but I must admit, I'd be a total hypocrite and be the first in line for tickets if this game became a reality.
Report: Pens want Caps at Heinz Field [ESPN]
A report on Sunday said that Pittsburgh city officials are pushing hard for the city to be chosen as the host, and that the Steelers are amenable to playing the game at Heinz Field, even though it would require some tweaking to their end-of-the-season schedule. The Steelers could not play home games on the final two Sundays of the regular season so that the ice surface could be constructed, meaning they would likely play a Thursday night home game on December 23.
PNC Park sounds like it has been ruled out as a destination for the game, due to its capacity of 38,496, which is far below Heinz Field's 65,050 and would therefore limit the amount of revenue that could be generated. Of course, I'm not sure officials have taken into consideration how many of PNC Park's $8 beers would be sold on that day to cover the difference, but that's their loss.
The Pens' opponent for the '11 Classic would likely be the Washington Capitals, giving Sidney Crosby another prominent stage in which to top Alex Ovechkin, with the Stanley Cup Playoffs and Olympics having already been crossed off that list. Caps coach Bruce Boudreau would rather see the game be played in the D.C. area, and to show Boudreau's stroke with the league, the game will still likely be played in Pittsburgh.
Yes, I'm a little weary of the Ovechkin/Crosby/Malkin storyline being beaten solidly into the ground by the league, but I must admit, I'd be a total hypocrite and be the first in line for tickets if this game became a reality.
Report: Pens want Caps at Heinz Field [ESPN]
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3/24/2010
MALKIN NOT EXPECTED TO PLAY VS. CAPS
Evgeni Malkin, shown above in his second job as waterboy to the stars, will likely sit out tonight's game at Washington with a pesky foot injury that's kept him out of three of the past four contests.
Tonight is not a must-win for the Penguins, but I think it's important to see at the very least a good effort from the team, which has been questionable of late. Sure, it would be nice to have Malkin on hand, but if he's not up to snuff I certainly don't mind seeing him miss this one. Washington has a well-deserved rep for headhunting and an even more dinged-up Malkin would not help the Penguins' odds in the postseason.
On the Washington side, center Brooks Laich, who received undisclosed facial injuries after being struck by a puck during practice Tuesday, will not suit up tonight against the Pens.
Marc-Andre Fleury and Jose Theodore will be your goalies for this 7 PM start, which can be found on FSN and the NHL Network tonight.
Malkin not expected to play tonight for Penguins [PG]
Tonight is not a must-win for the Penguins, but I think it's important to see at the very least a good effort from the team, which has been questionable of late. Sure, it would be nice to have Malkin on hand, but if he's not up to snuff I certainly don't mind seeing him miss this one. Washington has a well-deserved rep for headhunting and an even more dinged-up Malkin would not help the Penguins' odds in the postseason.
On the Washington side, center Brooks Laich, who received undisclosed facial injuries after being struck by a puck during practice Tuesday, will not suit up tonight against the Pens.
Marc-Andre Fleury and Jose Theodore will be your goalies for this 7 PM start, which can be found on FSN and the NHL Network tonight.
Malkin not expected to play tonight for Penguins [PG]
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3/03/2010
TRADER RAY CALLS IT A DAY
Well, that's it for another Deadline Day for the Penguins, and early returns are mostly positive on Ray Shero's new class of imports, aside from Poni's visa problems which might cause him to miss tomorrow's game against the Rangers.
The final deal Shero pulled the trigger on was a very minor one, sending D Chris Peluso to Toronto for a sixth-round pick in the upcoming draft. Peluso was a seventh-round pick by the Pens in 2004 and is currently playing for Bemjidi State in Minnesota.
Former Penguin D Ryan Whitney was also dealt late today, going from Anaheim (along with a sixth-round pick in 2010) to Edmonton in exchange for D Lubomir Visnovsky, a pricier and older model who has 10 goals, 22 assists, and a minus-four in 57 games so far this season.
Washington was active on Deadline Day, acquiring Milan Jurcina, Joe Corvo, Eric Belanger and Scott Walker, but surprisingly did not make a move for a goaltender. Among other teams ahead of the Pens in the conference standings, Ottawa made no moves, while New Jersey picked up only Martin Skoula. Buffalo ended up with Raffi Torres, who was a hot candidate to get traded to Pittsburgh, and Philadelphia stood pat, apparently content that their team is capable of winning a Cup as-is.
The full rundown of deals, as per TSN:
- Boston traded Derek Morris to Phoenix a fourth round pick in 2011.
- Toronto traded Martin Skoula to New Jersey for a fifth round pick in 2010.
- Florida traded Dennis Seidenberg and Matthew Bartkowski to Boston for Craig Weller, Byron Bitz and a second-round pick in 2010.
- Carolina traded Aaron Ward to Anaheim for goaltender Justin Pogge and a fourth-round draft pick.
- Carolina traded Scott Walker to Washington for seventh-round pick.
- Vancouver traded Pierre-Cedric Labrie to the St. Louis Blues for Yan Stastny.
- Colorado traded Wojtek Wolski to Phoenix for Peter Mueller and Kevin Porter.
- Detroit traded Kris Newbury to the New York Rangers for Jordan Owens (minor league trade).
- Vancouver traded Mathieu Schneider (from the Manitoba Moose) to Phoenix for Sean Zimmerman and a conditional sixth-round draft pick.
- Tampa Bay traded Jeff Halpern to Los Angeles for Ted Purcell and a third-round draft pick.
- Minnesota trades Eric Belanger to Washington for second round pick.
- Calgary trades Curtis McElhinney to Anaheim for Vesa Toskala.
- Buffalo trades Nathan Paetsch and a second round draft pick to Columbus for Raffi Torres.
- Buffalo trades Clarke MacArthur to Atlanta for third round pick and fourth round pick.
- Washington acquires Milan Jurcina from Columbus for a sixth round pick.
- Maple Leafs trade Lee Stempniak to Phoenix for a fourth round pick and a seventh round pick.
- Washington trades Brian Pothier, Oskar Osala and a second round draft pick to Carolina for Joe Corvo.
- Toronto trades Joey MacDonald to Anaheim for a seventh-round pick in 2011.
- Carolina trades Andrew Alberts to Vancouver for a third round pick.
- Columbus trades Mathieu Roy to Florida for Matt Rust.
- Columbus trades Fredrik Modin to Los Angeles for a conditional draft pick.
- Edmonton trades Lubomir Visnovsky to Anaheim for Ryan Whitney.
- Calgary trades Dustin Boyd to Nashville for fourth round pick.
- Pittsburgh trades Chris Peluso to Toronto for sixth round draft pick.
- Edmonton trades Steve Staios to Calgary for Aaron Johnson and a third round pick.
- Hurricanes trade Stephane Yelle and Harrison Reed to Colorado for Cedric Lalonde-McNicoll and a sixth-round pick.
- Phoenix sends Chad Kolarik to Columbus for Alex Picard
- The New York Rangers traded goalie Miika Wiikman and a seventh rounder in 2011 to Phoenix for veteran defenceman Anders Eriksson.
- Anaheim trades Petteri Nokelainen to Phoenix for a draft pick.
The final deal Shero pulled the trigger on was a very minor one, sending D Chris Peluso to Toronto for a sixth-round pick in the upcoming draft. Peluso was a seventh-round pick by the Pens in 2004 and is currently playing for Bemjidi State in Minnesota.
Former Penguin D Ryan Whitney was also dealt late today, going from Anaheim (along with a sixth-round pick in 2010) to Edmonton in exchange for D Lubomir Visnovsky, a pricier and older model who has 10 goals, 22 assists, and a minus-four in 57 games so far this season.
Washington was active on Deadline Day, acquiring Milan Jurcina, Joe Corvo, Eric Belanger and Scott Walker, but surprisingly did not make a move for a goaltender. Among other teams ahead of the Pens in the conference standings, Ottawa made no moves, while New Jersey picked up only Martin Skoula. Buffalo ended up with Raffi Torres, who was a hot candidate to get traded to Pittsburgh, and Philadelphia stood pat, apparently content that their team is capable of winning a Cup as-is.
The full rundown of deals, as per TSN:
- Boston traded Derek Morris to Phoenix a fourth round pick in 2011.
- Toronto traded Martin Skoula to New Jersey for a fifth round pick in 2010.
- Florida traded Dennis Seidenberg and Matthew Bartkowski to Boston for Craig Weller, Byron Bitz and a second-round pick in 2010.
- Carolina traded Aaron Ward to Anaheim for goaltender Justin Pogge and a fourth-round draft pick.
- Carolina traded Scott Walker to Washington for seventh-round pick.
- Vancouver traded Pierre-Cedric Labrie to the St. Louis Blues for Yan Stastny.
- Colorado traded Wojtek Wolski to Phoenix for Peter Mueller and Kevin Porter.
- Detroit traded Kris Newbury to the New York Rangers for Jordan Owens (minor league trade).
- Vancouver traded Mathieu Schneider (from the Manitoba Moose) to Phoenix for Sean Zimmerman and a conditional sixth-round draft pick.
- Tampa Bay traded Jeff Halpern to Los Angeles for Ted Purcell and a third-round draft pick.
- Minnesota trades Eric Belanger to Washington for second round pick.
- Calgary trades Curtis McElhinney to Anaheim for Vesa Toskala.
- Buffalo trades Nathan Paetsch and a second round draft pick to Columbus for Raffi Torres.
- Buffalo trades Clarke MacArthur to Atlanta for third round pick and fourth round pick.
- Washington acquires Milan Jurcina from Columbus for a sixth round pick.
- Maple Leafs trade Lee Stempniak to Phoenix for a fourth round pick and a seventh round pick.
- Washington trades Brian Pothier, Oskar Osala and a second round draft pick to Carolina for Joe Corvo.
- Toronto trades Joey MacDonald to Anaheim for a seventh-round pick in 2011.
- Carolina trades Andrew Alberts to Vancouver for a third round pick.
- Columbus trades Mathieu Roy to Florida for Matt Rust.
- Columbus trades Fredrik Modin to Los Angeles for a conditional draft pick.
- Edmonton trades Lubomir Visnovsky to Anaheim for Ryan Whitney.
- Calgary trades Dustin Boyd to Nashville for fourth round pick.
- Pittsburgh trades Chris Peluso to Toronto for sixth round draft pick.
- Edmonton trades Steve Staios to Calgary for Aaron Johnson and a third round pick.
- Hurricanes trade Stephane Yelle and Harrison Reed to Colorado for Cedric Lalonde-McNicoll and a sixth-round pick.
- Phoenix sends Chad Kolarik to Columbus for Alex Picard
- The New York Rangers traded goalie Miika Wiikman and a seventh rounder in 2011 to Phoenix for veteran defenceman Anders Eriksson.
- Anaheim trades Petteri Nokelainen to Phoenix for a draft pick.
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3/02/2010
WILBON: "CROSBY MILES AHEAD OF OVECHKIN"
Great work from Michael Wilbon, who hits all the right points in an argument that should be over. An excerpt:
"Capitals fans might as well stop with the argument that Ovechkin is a better player; sure he is a bigger scorer and more entertaining player. But he can't get his team past Crosby's teams and they're undeniable rivals and will be for the length of their careers. Right now, Ovechkin would need a telescope to see Crosby, who's that far ahead in this race."To recap the Olympic hockey experience one last time, here are the respective lasting images of Crosby and of Ovechkin. If Wilbon didn't already make your mind up, let these serve as the tiebreakers.
Crosby miles ahead of Ovechkin [Washington Post]
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1/22/2010
OVIE, CAPS GET BEST OF PENS
Last night was a big evening for the "playoff atmosphere" in pro sports. In Cleveland, Shaq, Lebron and the Cavaliers hosted Kobe Bryant and the defending champion Lakers. The atmosphere was electric, the crowd sensed the importance of the game beyond the regular season, and the home team won, meaning the vast majority of those in attendance went home happy.
Meanwhile, the city of Pittsburgh was hosting a big game for the second time in 48 hours, and just like the Pitt Panthers a night before, the home fans left their game disappointed. Alex Ovechkin and the Caps won this battle with the Pens, who famously won the war in the playoffs last season. But losing to Ovechkin stinks no matter what the stakes.
The final was 6-3, with Ovechkin netting the final goal on an empty netter at the 19:34 mark of the third, his second of the night. But this one went back and forth well into the second period, at which point the Capitals would score the game's final four goals and seal their 32nd victory of the season. Ovie was his usual ornery self, but the Pens managed to put him into his place several times with a few bone-jarring hits that delighted the Mellon Arena crowd to no end.
The difference in this game, however, might be boiled down to the absence of one man: Marc-Andre Fleury. Backup Brent Johnson has allowed nine goals in the last two games, and the Pens were lucky to win one of them. But Jose Theodore was just too much on the other end for the Caps, as he shut out the Pens for the last half of the game.
Beyond goaltending, the difference was power plays, where the Caps executed their two chances to perfection and the Penguins went 0-for-4 (although they did score a second after John Carlson's penalty ended in the second period). It was actually a surprisingly clean game, considering the history that these two franchises have with each other.
Evgeni Malkin continued to work his way out of a slump with three assists, Sidney Crosby scored the game's first goal, and Ruslan Fedotenko set up three for the Pens. They also got goals from Kris Letang and Nick Johnson, the first of his career.
As Ovechkin himself said, it's only one of 82 games. So no one should be getting too up or too down on either side, especially considering the absence of Fleury, Max Talbot, and Pascal Dupuis. The Penguins will have another shot at a rival coming up soon, when they travel to Philadelphia on Sunday. Maybe it will do one of these Pittsburgh teams some good to get on the road, because home turf hasn't been too friendly to them this week.
Meanwhile, the city of Pittsburgh was hosting a big game for the second time in 48 hours, and just like the Pitt Panthers a night before, the home fans left their game disappointed. Alex Ovechkin and the Caps won this battle with the Pens, who famously won the war in the playoffs last season. But losing to Ovechkin stinks no matter what the stakes.
The final was 6-3, with Ovechkin netting the final goal on an empty netter at the 19:34 mark of the third, his second of the night. But this one went back and forth well into the second period, at which point the Capitals would score the game's final four goals and seal their 32nd victory of the season. Ovie was his usual ornery self, but the Pens managed to put him into his place several times with a few bone-jarring hits that delighted the Mellon Arena crowd to no end.
The difference in this game, however, might be boiled down to the absence of one man: Marc-Andre Fleury. Backup Brent Johnson has allowed nine goals in the last two games, and the Pens were lucky to win one of them. But Jose Theodore was just too much on the other end for the Caps, as he shut out the Pens for the last half of the game.
Beyond goaltending, the difference was power plays, where the Caps executed their two chances to perfection and the Penguins went 0-for-4 (although they did score a second after John Carlson's penalty ended in the second period). It was actually a surprisingly clean game, considering the history that these two franchises have with each other.
Evgeni Malkin continued to work his way out of a slump with three assists, Sidney Crosby scored the game's first goal, and Ruslan Fedotenko set up three for the Pens. They also got goals from Kris Letang and Nick Johnson, the first of his career.
As Ovechkin himself said, it's only one of 82 games. So no one should be getting too up or too down on either side, especially considering the absence of Fleury, Max Talbot, and Pascal Dupuis. The Penguins will have another shot at a rival coming up soon, when they travel to Philadelphia on Sunday. Maybe it will do one of these Pittsburgh teams some good to get on the road, because home turf hasn't been too friendly to them this week.
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12/02/2009
TODAY'S HEADLINES
The last college basketball game at Mellon Arena happens tonight. Pitt and Duquesne, both sporting 5-1 records, meet tonight at 7 PM. It's the 355th game at the arena for the Dukes and the 113th for the Panthers. Pitt has won the last eight meetings between the schools, who will be meeting at the arena for the 35th time. [PG]
Ovie gets a time-out: Matt Cooke isn't the only player to be disciplined by the NHL this week. Washington Capital supervillain Alex Ovechkin will sit for two games as a result of his knee-to-knee hit on Carolina's Tim Gleason on Monday. The dirty play will cost Ovechkin nearly $99K in salary. [Trib]
Millions of dollars on the line on Saturday: If Pitt beats Cincinnati, they earn a trip to a lucrative BCS bowl. If not, they could be looking at a trip to either Birmingham or Toronto. Let's just say Panther fans don't exactly show up to road games like Steeler fans do. [Pitt Redshirt Diaries]
Ovie gets a time-out: Matt Cooke isn't the only player to be disciplined by the NHL this week. Washington Capital supervillain Alex Ovechkin will sit for two games as a result of his knee-to-knee hit on Carolina's Tim Gleason on Monday. The dirty play will cost Ovechkin nearly $99K in salary. [Trib]
Millions of dollars on the line on Saturday: If Pitt beats Cincinnati, they earn a trip to a lucrative BCS bowl. If not, they could be looking at a trip to either Birmingham or Toronto. Let's just say Panther fans don't exactly show up to road games like Steeler fans do. [Pitt Redshirt Diaries]
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5/11/2009
NOT THE RESULT WE HOPED FOR
CAPITALS 5
PENGUINS 4
OT
PENGUINS 4
OT
They were playing without Sergei Gonchar. They blew two leads. They had plenty of excuses available in the event of a loss. But the fact of the matter was that with two minutes remaining in regulation, the Pittsburgh Penguins and Washington Capitals were tied at four. The Penguins were then awarded a somewhat controversial power play as the result of a Brooks Laich slash, and the stars looked like they were going to align. The team had every opportunity to close the door on Washington and end the series in front of their adoring home fans.
The Penguins subsequently threw the kitchen sink at Simeon Varlamov over the course of the next two minutes, but he was not to be denied at this stage of the game. As a result, the teams would enter overtime for the third time in the sixth game of this epic series. But unlike the previous two, this was not the result Penguin fans had become accustomed to, especially with the unflappable Marc-Andre Fleury in goal.
Fleury was 5-0 lifetime in playoff overtime games, but as the saying goes, all good things must come to an end. Monday night was the end to Fleury's perfect postseason overtime record, as he gave up the game winner to the pesky Dave Steckel at the 6:22 mark of the extra frame. Capitals 5, Penguins 4. Game Seven awaits. Steckel gets some level of redemption for not hitting the open net in the Game Five overtime, and continues his roller coaster 2009 postseason where he seemingly alternates between hero and goat on a regular basis.
After one period, the Penguins dominated play and had an 18-5 edge in shots but only one goal to show for it, the fourth of the playoffs for Bill Guerin. You could probably make the case that Varlamov had won the game with his first period, keeping the Caps afloat when they had no such business doing so.
The back-and-forth second period was won by Washington on the scoreboard, but Mark Eaton's fourth goal of the playoffs in the final minute was enough to pull the Penguins even at two entering the third period. The surprising Eaton has now matched his 68-game 2008-09 regular season total of four goals in the postseason.
The final stanza would live up to the excitement level that one would anticipate for a game of this magnatude. Kris Letang ripped a goal just nine seconds into a Penguins power play (caused by Steckel), Letang's second huge goal of the postseason. But the Capitals would counter, beating Fleury twice in the span of 1:27 on goals by Alexander Semin and Kozlov.
With a stunned Mellon Arena crowd watching, Sidney Crosby continued his huge postseason with a tying goal at the 15:42 mark of the third, set up by Brooks Orpik and Evgeni Malkin, yet another example of spectacular hand-eye coordination by the young superstar.
Following the previously mentioned unsuccessful power play in the game's final minutes, the teams took to the ice to decide whether or not Gary Bettman would get his dream of a Game Seven. It looked like that dream might not happen, but Rob Scuderi's shot hit the crossbar behind Varlamov, sparing the Capitals. Steckel then continued in his role as Fleury's foil with his third goal of the series, forcing one more game to decide who will move on to the NHL's Final Four.
It was a crushing loss for the Penguins, who now have to travel to Washington and play before an extremely hostile environment. But a fan of either team would have to agree that this series has lived up to and probably exceeded the lofty expectations placed upon it, as the multiple OT games and small margins of victory would confirm. I'm by no means an NHL historian, but I'd have to imagine this to be one of the most competitive series in league history.
Game Seven takes place at Washington's Verizon Center on Wednesday at 7 PM. Expect history to be made once again. And hopefully, this time it will be an outcome that we can live with.
The Penguins subsequently threw the kitchen sink at Simeon Varlamov over the course of the next two minutes, but he was not to be denied at this stage of the game. As a result, the teams would enter overtime for the third time in the sixth game of this epic series. But unlike the previous two, this was not the result Penguin fans had become accustomed to, especially with the unflappable Marc-Andre Fleury in goal.
Fleury was 5-0 lifetime in playoff overtime games, but as the saying goes, all good things must come to an end. Monday night was the end to Fleury's perfect postseason overtime record, as he gave up the game winner to the pesky Dave Steckel at the 6:22 mark of the extra frame. Capitals 5, Penguins 4. Game Seven awaits. Steckel gets some level of redemption for not hitting the open net in the Game Five overtime, and continues his roller coaster 2009 postseason where he seemingly alternates between hero and goat on a regular basis.
After one period, the Penguins dominated play and had an 18-5 edge in shots but only one goal to show for it, the fourth of the playoffs for Bill Guerin. You could probably make the case that Varlamov had won the game with his first period, keeping the Caps afloat when they had no such business doing so.
The back-and-forth second period was won by Washington on the scoreboard, but Mark Eaton's fourth goal of the playoffs in the final minute was enough to pull the Penguins even at two entering the third period. The surprising Eaton has now matched his 68-game 2008-09 regular season total of four goals in the postseason.
The final stanza would live up to the excitement level that one would anticipate for a game of this magnatude. Kris Letang ripped a goal just nine seconds into a Penguins power play (caused by Steckel), Letang's second huge goal of the postseason. But the Capitals would counter, beating Fleury twice in the span of 1:27 on goals by Alexander Semin and Kozlov.
With a stunned Mellon Arena crowd watching, Sidney Crosby continued his huge postseason with a tying goal at the 15:42 mark of the third, set up by Brooks Orpik and Evgeni Malkin, yet another example of spectacular hand-eye coordination by the young superstar.
Following the previously mentioned unsuccessful power play in the game's final minutes, the teams took to the ice to decide whether or not Gary Bettman would get his dream of a Game Seven. It looked like that dream might not happen, but Rob Scuderi's shot hit the crossbar behind Varlamov, sparing the Capitals. Steckel then continued in his role as Fleury's foil with his third goal of the series, forcing one more game to decide who will move on to the NHL's Final Four.
It was a crushing loss for the Penguins, who now have to travel to Washington and play before an extremely hostile environment. But a fan of either team would have to agree that this series has lived up to and probably exceeded the lofty expectations placed upon it, as the multiple OT games and small margins of victory would confirm. I'm by no means an NHL historian, but I'd have to imagine this to be one of the most competitive series in league history.
Game Seven takes place at Washington's Verizon Center on Wednesday at 7 PM. Expect history to be made once again. And hopefully, this time it will be an outcome that we can live with.
Email: Mondesishouse@gmail.com Twitter: twitter.com/mondesishouse Facebook: Facebook Group
5/10/2009
AN EARLY MOTHER'S DAY GIFT
CAPITALS 3
OT
The Penguins gave a premature present to all the Pittsburgh moms out there who've found themselves rooting for this collection of charismatic youngsters and seasoned veterans, with a dramatic, 4-3 overtime victory over the Washington Capitals last night.
The win puts the Penguins one win away from facing either Bill Cowher's Carolina Hurricanes or the Boston Bruins in the Eastern Conference Finals. A potential classic Game Six will take place Monday night in Pittsburgh.
The series' most recent nail-biter was ended 3:28 into the extra period, when Evgeni Malkin's pass to Sidney Crosby was broken up by Washington's Tom Poti, sliding past Caps goalie Simeon Varlamov and sending most of the 18,277 in attendance home very disappointed. Except for Natalia Malkin, who is surely celebrating somewhere with Evgeni and Vladimir on this holiday.
The win puts the Penguins one win away from facing either Bill Cowher's Carolina Hurricanes or the Boston Bruins in the Eastern Conference Finals. A potential classic Game Six will take place Monday night in Pittsburgh.
The series' most recent nail-biter was ended 3:28 into the extra period, when Evgeni Malkin's pass to Sidney Crosby was broken up by Washington's Tom Poti, sliding past Caps goalie Simeon Varlamov and sending most of the 18,277 in attendance home very disappointed. Except for Natalia Malkin, who is surely celebrating somewhere with Evgeni and Vladimir on this holiday.
Much like the other successful teams this town has sent deep into their respective postseasons, the Penguins have locked down the Capitals on defense, getting excellent two-way play from their forwards. Scoring is starting to balance out, as Jordan Staal and Matt Cooke found their way into the goal-scorers category for the first time this postseason. Players like Ruslan Fedotenko have raised their game exponentially, as the 30-year-old from the Ukraine scored once and peppered Varlamov for 10 of the Penguins' 42 shots on Saturday. The effort has been much more balanced than in games one and two of the series.
With the win, Marc-Andre Fleury improved to 5-0 in playoff overtime games, stopping 28 shots in the process. In a series where names like Ovechkin, Crosby, and Malkin continue dominate the headlines, Fleury has quietly won three games, including two in overtime.
The problematic Pens power play was a mere 1-for-2 in a game that featured only four power plays in all. The referees clearly made a point to swallow their whistles well in advance of the contest.
The Penguins' three-game winning streak is all too familiar for Capital fans, who've watched their team lose five series in which they've had a lead against Pittsburgh. Washington has blown 2-0 leads in two of those series (1992 and 1996), and potentially three if Monday night goes as the Penguins plan. And that would not only be a gift to moms, but dads, sons, grandfathers, and grandmothers all over the city and beyond.
With the win, Marc-Andre Fleury improved to 5-0 in playoff overtime games, stopping 28 shots in the process. In a series where names like Ovechkin, Crosby, and Malkin continue dominate the headlines, Fleury has quietly won three games, including two in overtime.
The problematic Pens power play was a mere 1-for-2 in a game that featured only four power plays in all. The referees clearly made a point to swallow their whistles well in advance of the contest.
The Penguins' three-game winning streak is all too familiar for Capital fans, who've watched their team lose five series in which they've had a lead against Pittsburgh. Washington has blown 2-0 leads in two of those series (1992 and 1996), and potentially three if Monday night goes as the Penguins plan. And that would not only be a gift to moms, but dads, sons, grandfathers, and grandmothers all over the city and beyond.
Email: Mondesishouse@gmail.com Twitter: twitter.com/mondesishouse Facebook: Facebook Group
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