Pens 2, Sens 1

Wow, it's been about a week and a half since my last post already? Sorry guys, I've been pretty busy lately. I've had time to watch the games, just not enough time to write recaps though. I hope you all have had a good Thanksgiving with lots of turkey, merriment, and I hope you all took part in the tradition of listening to Alice's Restaurant. Time for key points:

1. What else can be said about Sid and his determination? After the Pens' slump, he has been playing like he's possessed.
2. Where are all the Fleury haters now?
3. This game was definitely more exciting than the last one against Buffalo. As much as I love hockey, I had trouble keeping eyes open for that one. That may have just been lack of sleep though.
4. I still don't see why Bylsma split up Malkin and Asham again. Those two had some amazing chemistry going on.
5. Why do normally shitty goalies have good games against the Pens? Like Leclaire...
6. I still love the Test Tube-Kennedy-Conner line, and I love the fact that they're seeing time on the power play. Kennedy lead the game with 6 shots. I think that we'll start really seeing some production from this line soon.
7. Speaking of the power play, all of a sudden it's good again. I hope it stays that way.
8. I still hate Chris Neil. How great was it that Fleury stuck up for himself the way he did in the 3rd period? I loved it!

And that's it. Another matinee game today, but I have to work, so I'll see it when I get home. Things are getting a little less hectic, so I'll start to have more time to do my recaps again...this last week had been sheer hell. Catch ya kids later!

Pens 4, Bruins 7

Typing that just makes me want to puke. The Pens completely blew the 3rd period, and I was forced to relive the same type of shit that the Avs failed at last year. Actually, now that I think about it, there are a lot of parallels between the Avs and the Pens this year. Lack of defense, shitty power plays, and lots of offense coming from the defensemen (that last one isn't bad though). Anyway, key points...

1. Good to see Lovejoy back in the lineup...sad to not see Engelland though.
2. The Pens totally had this game. The first two periods, they had good puck possession, kept the puck in the offensive zone, and actually shot the puck for once. Amazing what happens when you put shots on net.
3. Speak of shots, Dupuis and Kennedy both did a fantastic job shooting the puck.
4. The ridiculous amount of turnovers needs to stop. Make sure that when you pass the puck, there isn't a guy directly in the lane.
5. Recchi doesn't look like a 42 year old man, that's for sure.
6. Chara's slapshot scares me. I would love to go to a Pens/Bruins game and sit right behind the net, just to see how fast he shoots the puck firsthand.
7. Congrats Arron Asham on your first fight and goal as a Penguin! Asham is one tough dude. Plus, how awesome was this?



8. Engelland, I mean, the Pens, now lead the league in fighting majors. I'm kind of surprised by that, honestly.
9. Malkin keeps looking better and better, as long as Steiggy doesn't mention a meteor hitting him or something. I think we should wrap Geno in bubble wrap.
10. I blame the loss on Steiggy...Aubrey, you're right, the man truly is cursed. I'm going to sew his lips together.
11. Funny how people are just starting to realize that the Pens' problems run deeper than just Fleury.
12. On the plus side, the Pens registered the most shots in a game so far this season.
13. Rupp has been playing like a beast. He just seems more involved this year.
14. Goligoski looked like he was half-asleep.
15. Steiggy and Errey miss Staal...so do I.

And, in other shitty news, Galiardi and Van der Gulik were both injured in Tuesday's game against the Flames. I'm wrapping the rest of the healthy Avs in some bubble wrap. Good news though, the Avs have extended their affiliation contact with Lake Erie. I plan on going to my first Monsters game at some point this season with one of my co-workers and her sister...more on that once we have everything planned out. We'll be an interesting group though, one Pens/Avs fan, a Bruins fan, and a Habs fan. Could be entertaining, and kind of sounds like the beginning of a bad joke.

Well, now we have to focus...how do we stop Stamkos Friday? Interesting fact I was able to dig up on Stamkos...he only makes $875,000 a year. It'll be interesting to see how much he makes after his contact expires. Well, that's enough for this extremely disorganized post. Go Pens! Go Avs! Just remember, things could always be worse...

Avs 3, Canucks 4

This was a pretty entertaining one, as I figured it would be.

1. Bad news: Anderson injured his knee during warm-ups. Only someone from the Avs would get injured warming up. Hopefully he won't be out for too long.

2. Congrats John-Michael Liles! He now has the NHL record for consecutive games from the start of the season with an assist!

3. The Canucks were sporting some nice throwback jerseys last night:


No nameplates, keeping with tradition.

4. Mike and Peter (the Avs broadcasters) are normally pretty good, but they get all starry-eyed around the twins for some reason. Yeah, they're good, we get it.

5 Both goalies were very strong for the most part. Budaj did make one bad play, playing the puck instead of letting it be icing, which resulted in a Canucks goal.

6. Winnik continues to be an amazing addition to this team. He does it all, I swear. The Avs need all the defensive help they can get, and he's a very defensive forward, but has still managed to score 3 goals so far.

7. The Avs totally dominated the second and third periods of this game. They outshot the Canucks 16-8 in the second, and 15-5 in the third. They deserved the win, but sometimes that's just how the puck bounces.

8. Liles and Stastny both about gave me a heart attack in this game. Liles got smashed into the boards, and looked like he was favoring his shoulder. Thankfully he was O.K. and finished the game. Stastny took one hell of an elbow to the face, but he's fine too. The toughness of hockey players will never cease to amaze me, regardless of how long I've been watching the sport.

9. Nice bit of robbery by Budaj late in the third:




And that's all I've got. Pens face Tampa Bay tonight. Fleury is expected to start. Hopefully he can redeem himself with a nice save on Stamkos or something. I cringe every time Stamkos takes the ice against the Pens. He's a dangerous player, and they need to make sure he's covered. Asham will be back in the lineup tonight. No more Tangradi. :-( Oh well, Arron, show us what you can do! Go Pens!