Weekend Wrap Up OR Can we please have some game 7s on Wednesday

Seriously, all the games friday were mostly disappointing. I'm glad series got extended, but there was nothing really of the high-light reel variety going on.

Saturday, though had some greatness:

First, there was the ridiculousness of the Hawks/Preds game:



Watch the whole replay. Why does Martin Erat make a blind pass to the slot. Why is there is only one Predator d-man in front for 2 hawks when the Preds have an extra man? That was gross

Later that night the Penguins had a "I don't care if Fleury is playing badly, we're gonna win" comeback.



and then to win the game Staal did his best Crosby impression and fed the puck to Dupuis who really quick-released a great shot:



Even later that night the Avalanche lost the game and series. I hope everyone now forgets the Dan Boyle own goal. Just look at this:



Coyotes/Wings are going to 7, unfortunately, the Kings are not.

What'd I miss?


-bress

Crib Notes - Pittsburgh Penguins

I'm going to cover 30 teams in 30 days. Aggressive? Not really. No information in these crib notes is new or useful.

First up - the Pittsburgh Penguins



Last season
2nd in the Atlantic, won the Cup

Offseason
Lost Rob Scuderi - who was a dman's dman (including a few butterfly saves in the Finals) to LA via free agency
Lost Hall Gill who was a dman's potato salad to Montreal via free agency
Signed backup G Brent Johnson, defensive rock, Jay McKee, and tough guy Mike Rupp
Re-upped Billy Guerin for another season - Maybe the best move of the summer.

Questions going into 2009-2010:
Can they repeat?
Is Serg Gonchar healthy again?
Can Sid and Malkin top last year's totals?
Has anyone ever seen a baby pigeon in NYC?
Having lost Ryan Whitney (at the deadline), Scuderi and Gill (in the offseason)is this the D corp of a repeat winner?

Poised for a breakout season:
Alex Goligoski playing full seasons with the club.

Guy on roster who most closely resembles Manny Pacquiao:
Casey Pierro-Zabotel


Guy on roster whose nose most closely resembles Patrick Ewing's:
Tyler Kennedy


If you had to buy one Pens sweater:
Black Billy Guerin or Billy Guerin Black/Billy Black Guerin. Powder blue and Billy Guerin don't go together.

Player whose game you sneaky like:
Jordan Staal. Your friends say that if his last name was Brown he'd be making the league minimum. Overpaid or not he gets shit done.

Old guys:
Bill Guerin had so much white in his beard last post season.
If I told you that Sergei Gonchar is 35 years old would it sneaky surprise you?

Young guys:
Almost everyone else.
BTW Sid and Malkin are 22 and 23 years old, respectively. Jesus

Tough guys:
Paul Bissionnette lights up the AHL and Eric Godard is a top 3 tough guy in the NHL.
Kennedy, Kunitz and Cooke aren't big but are consistently physical.

Interesting:
Much-travelled Craig Adams. Born in Brunei Darussalam (somewhere in SE Asia) but reared in Calgary. 4-year player at Harvard, last ever draft pick of the Whale.

Nostalgia:
This is the Igloo's (Mellon Arena) last season. The new Consol Energy Center is scheduled to open for the 2010-11 season.

NHL 94 names
Starting D of Ulf Sauelsson and Larry Murphy

Youtube video:
Bill Guerin with the kids.


- Nemmy

Crossed over Friday

A snapshot from the ending of Mega Man 3

Well now that the front door of my apartment building is fixed after last Thursday nights debacle, we can look to the weekend. We can look toward improving that performance tomorrow night during game 7. People...we need game 7 friday night drinking games. That in your face burning, choking disgusting stomach pump type stuff. Well maybe not all that. How about 4 big macs tomorrow night...its ok! Don't feel bad about it. Do it and hit the track the next day after you recover. Get creative with this stuff.

What about a different shot for each player. Shot of Jack for every goal Hal Gil scores. Shot of BlackHaus for a Holmstrom goal. Shot of water for a Satan goal. Really explore the space.

For every time Pierre says "Edzo!" It starts a running tabulation. So by the fourth time you are chugging a beer for 4 seconds. I realize that the tab at the tavern might get up there but the bottom is in sight people so stay focused.

Every face-off that Staal loses is a beer swig. Not a sip a nice gulp.

Every shot on goal is a sip...not a sip but a SIP! Not a gulp a SIP!

Every dirty hit or chip or shank that Kunitz throws is a gulp.

And if...this is a big if but if any of the commentators say the word Black in the same sentence as Guerin...you black out. Or come as close as you can.

This video is just good.

By the way, I beat Mega Man 3 last night and half of Mega Man 4. Why the hell did I ever STOP playing these amazing games. Met game going in my underwear and playing games just like my pops! Thanks Chutley. Thanks 16 runners left on base by the Mets. Thanks Tsioma!

The bosses from MegaMan 3

What games can we play at the bar people?

What you missed last night because you were drinking since 11

Penguins beat the Red Wings, 4-2 (series tied 2-2): What a game. I'll just run through the goals:
1-0 PIT - lots of shots from the slot and Osgood made a good first save. How exactly did Malkin slide that puck far side under Osgood? Great celebration.
1-1 - Great active stick (copyright: edzo) by Darren Helm. He first took away the boards, but then jumped the breakout pass and sniped a quick release shot, short side and high.
2-1 DET - What is Bill Guerin doing screening Marc-Andre Fleury on that play? MAF had no chance on a professional shot from Brad Stuart. Speaking of MAF, is Andre his middle name or does he have another middle name, could he be Marc-Andre Pierre-Luc Fleury?
2-2 - Just a sick goal from Jordan Staal. It was Eric-esqe. It was short-handed. It was huge. Tiny Rafalski had no chance once Staal decided to power move it. And Osgood had no chance either with that long reach and perfect low, stick side shot.
3-2 PIT - How does Malkin regain that puck and make a perfect pass on the second try? And Kris Letang absolutely crushed Crosby in the celebration.
4-2 PIT - SICK pass from Crosby. Anyone (not anyone in the league, actually anyone) could score that goal that Tyler Kennedy did. But that pass from Crosby - wow. As a fan, you see it develop, but to one touch it cross ice perfectly. Well, thats just special.

I really, really liked, that when they showed the Penguins getting off the ice at the end of the game no one looked happy. That shows me that they know they haven't accomplished anything yet. I like that anger and determination

Now its a best of 3, and unfortunately for the Penguins 2 of those games are at the Joe. This series has been great. Maybe some OT - that'd be nice.