Pens 2, Stars 5

Sorry for the hiatus, but I needed to get caught up on school work. The Pens just played sloppy overall in this game, and who would have thought that all of that nastiness would have gone on? And who would have thought that none of the fights involved Godard or Engelland? This game was just full of surprises I tell ya, including that surprise that the Pens lost by such a large margin. Key points:

1. Brent Johnson looked a tad shaky. He made some great saves, don't get me wrong, and the defense didn't do a great job of helping him out either.
2. If I was playing, I'm too A.D.D., and those glowing boards would throw me off...
3. How unlucky is Jordan Staal? You'd think that the Pens were the Devils with luck like that.
4. Michalek and Martin really need to step their games up. Michalek can be forgiven a little given that he's just coming back from an injury, but Martin's play has really declined.
5. Congrats Pascal Dupuis on the birth of your daughter!
6. Once again, the defense has failed us.
7. The offense wasn't that great either for the most part. Given that Dallas' defense typically blows, the Pens should have been able to generate more offense. You need to be in the offensive zone to score goals, you aren't playing against Vesa Toskala.
8. Even with the Stars' shitty penalty kill, the Pens STILL couldn't score on the power play...including a 5 on 3. I think that makes them 0/1,000,000 now, but I lost track.
9. Do the guys listen to the broadcast on the bench? I just think it's creepy how not long after Errey suggests that the Pens need to get more physical, all hell breaks loose.
10. Tyler Kennedy can be a good enforcer when he wants to be. And apparently, so can Sid. Great leadership, sticking up for Letang like that.
11. Steiggy actually made me LOL when he referred to the power play as "the power shortage".
12. Let's give credit where credit is due: Loui Eriksson is damn good.
13. Another nominee for the Douche of the Year award: congratulations Brenden Morrow...you're a dick. Now take your place alongside Wayne Simmonds, Chris Neil, and Luke Schenn, we'll announce the winner at the end of the season. The prize is Engelland's fist in your eye.
14. Not everyone sucked, Adams, Goligoski, Kennedy, and Talbot all did a good job in my opinion.
15. If Asham is going to take so many penalties at the end of the game, one of them should be for fighting.

Wow, I'm a little angry today. Hopefully the Avs can make me feel better by kicking some Canuck ass tonight. Big game guys, GO AVS!

Mike Modano is a traitor

So the rumor is now official: Mike Modano has signed with the Wings for one year for the price of 1.25 million. Is anyone else as pissed about this as I am? I mean, here you have a true veteran, one who has played for the same team that drafted him for his entire career (which is sadly becoming more and more of a rarity), who says he is going to retire, and then decides on one more year...with another team. If I was a Stars fan, I would feel pretty betrayed. I know that some of you may think I'm a hypocrite because of what happened with Ray Bourque, but that was a different scenario. Modano has already been able to lift the Cup. Bourque didn't lead everyone on by saying he was going to retire, and then change his mind at the last second. I'll say it before and I'll say it again: if he would have went to Minnesota, I wouldn't be that pissed. Think about it (if you're a Pens fan): What if Mario had a longer career in Pittsburgh, only to do the same thing that Modano has done? While I would be happy that he was still playing, I would still be pissed that he moved to a different team.

Speak of pissed off fans, this is a good read, especially the comments that follow the article. Caps fans and their sense of entitlement, I tell ya.

On a happy note, Marty Turco has signed with the Hawks. I'm glad to see him given a chance, and with the departure of Niemi, I think he might have a chance to redeem himself. Stars fans gave him a hard time, not thinking that maybe, just maybe, their shit defense might be part of the problem. I think that a change of scenery is what Turco needs, and getting rid of that pointless and horrible thing known as "The trapezoid" wouldn't hurt things either, but that's a rant for another day.

By the way, has anyone heard anything about Billy G's fate? Last I knew, he has talking with the Isles and the Pens, but that was a few weeks ago.

Have a good one kids, and stay cool, that global warming has been a killer this summer.