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Posts Tagged Pittsburgh Penguins

Is Red Wings Coach Mike Babcock on the Hot Seat?

Feb 7

Posted by Matt in Soap Box | 2 Comments

Can Mike Babcock turn things around in Detroit before it's too late?

Can Mike Babcock turn things around in Detroit before it's too late?

Blown leads. Sloppy play. Lazy effort. All could be used to describe the Detroit Red Wings play thus far in 2010. While the Wings have had several injuries to battle through, this play comes at a time when the team has been nearly the healthiest it has been all year. Players like Filppula, Cleary, Zetterberg, Williams and Ericsson have all returned to the line-up and resumed playing lots of minutes in each game. But somehow, the Red Wings are struggling more now than they have all season. It’s become hard to watch. But who is to blame?

The high-energy puck possession game the Red Wings used to win the Stanley Cup in 2008 and reach the Stanley Cup Finals again in 2009 has all but disappeared. No one on the team blamed injuries, but fans were quick to use it as an excuse. However, it has become clear that the squad clearly lacks motivation at this point. This team has struggled gaining motivation not since losing the game 7 last spring, but since the Stanley Cup Finals began against Pittsburgh. While skill alone was enough to bring them within one game of back-to-back Championships, lack of energy, desperation and motivation is what broke the Wings.

Mike Babcock is arguably the best coach in the NHL. He has been to the Stanley Cup finals three times in only six seasons as an NHL head coach. In a week, he will lead the Canadian Olympic squad to Vancouver in an attempt to win a gold medal. But while he has been successful in the past, he has not been able to light a fire under the Wings since last season. The Wings need that fire in order to compete the rest of the season and make the playoffs.

After blowing a three goal lead to Los Angeles yesterday, Babcock was quite calm when interviewed after the game. “We made some mistakes, gave them two freebies, but other than that I didn’t mind our game,’’ Babcock said. “We had two power plays in the third period. The game’s on the line, we’d like to get one and win the game.’’ How can a coach be so calm after a game like that? Where is the energy? The passion and desperation to win? With only 24 games left, the Wings currently sit 9th in the west, with Dallas, Minnesota, Anaheim and St. Louis right on their tail. Now is a better time than ever for Babcock to light into his players and get them to play like they’re capable of, with or without injuries.

Is Mike Babcock on the hot seat in Detroit? If things don’t turn around soon, I would certainly think so. Perhaps a coaching change is just what the Wings need to change their tempo. The Penguins replaced Michel Therrien last season as the team slumped to a 27-25-5 start. The replacement, Dan Bylsma, recorded an 18-3-4 record after taking over, and eventually lead the Penguins to a Stanley Cup.

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League’s Suspension Consistency

Jan 12

Posted by EB in News, Soap Box | 3 Comments

In last nights contest between the Minnesota Wild and the visiting team Pittsburgh Penguins, Pen’s Sergei Gonchar laid a questionably dirty and hgih hit on Wild winger Cal Clutterbuck.

The league this season is cutting down on head shots and recently displayed this by handing a suspension to Phoenix Coyote defenseman Ed Jovanovski for his elbow to New York Islanders John Tavares. The question becomes though, will the league suspend Gonchar?

The league has been under scrutiny for wanting to make the game a cleaner, safer game for the players, by removing dangerous plays. This year specifically by the means of removing head shots. Yet earlier in the season, when time to muscle up and stick to their guns, the league did not suspend Philadelphia Flyer’s Captain Mike Richards for a hit on Florida Panther’s star David Booth, leaving Booth on the IR to this day. So the question becomes, is the league playing favorites?

Recently stated, the league suspended defenseman Ed Jovanovski for an elbow to John Tavares’ head. Was this done because it was dangerous and shouldn’t be in the game? Was it done because it was blatantly obvious?  Or was it done because the person being hit was The John Tavares, the next greatest thing to hockey according to Canadian news for the past few years?

One would hope that that the league intends on removing dangerous plays, for the betterment of the players, but sometimes you do wonder if favorites are being played. Are you more likely to get a suspension if you hit a prominent figure in the NHL, or is the justice blind?

Underneath is the play where Gonchar took a run at Clutterbuck. You be the judge on a suspension or not.

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Oh no Geno!

Oct 29

Posted by EB in News | 6 Comments

Evgeni Malkin will miss 2-3 weeks from the Pittsburgh Penguins lineup due to a shoulder strain.

Evgeni Malkin will miss 2-3 weeks from the Pittsburgh Penguins lineup due to a shoulder strain.

All Star Evgeni “Geno” Malkin will be out of the lineup for 2-3 weeks with a shoulder strain.

The Pittsburgh Penguins, who currently are in first place within the Atlantic division posting a league leading 10-2-0 record, will have to find scoring from a few other players in his absence. Malkin currently leads the team with 14 points, 4 goals and 10 assists.

Malkin’s greatest contribution thus far is on the power play, as out of his 14 points, 3 of his goals and 5 of his assists come from being one man up.

With solid play from Sidney Crosby, Alex Goligoski and the rest of the team, the absence will be missed, but not a severe detriment to the team. Goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury is on fire currently with a 9-1 record, posting a mere 2.07 goals against average and a .920 save percentage.

Look for the Penguins to take advantage of this loss by switching up the lines and creating even more deadly combinations from their offensive powerhouse that will benefit them later in the season.

Keep your money on the Penguins for the time being, they are not going anywhere but staying on top of the pack.

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From Phoenix with Love

Oct 7

Posted by EB in News, Soap Box | 8 Comments

Miss Cleo has phoned in, Sidney Crosby and the Penguins have more losses in their near future.

Miss Cleo has phoned in, Sidney Crosby and the Penguins have more losses in their near future.

Despite the impression given form the announcers that Sid the Kid is as good as 2 guys combined, the defending Stanley Cup Champions suffered their first loss.

I am well aware that the season is long, that the Phoenix Coyote’s will not make the playoffs, but nonetheless, a 0-3 loss is still being shut down.

Ed Jovanovski started the scoring for Coyote’s in the 1st period as he netted a power play goal assisted by Captain Shane Doan and Adrian Aucoin. Mid way through the 2nd, another power play goal was scored as Petr Prucha put the puck pass goaltender Brent Johnson’s glove. Prucha, might I add, was on his side when he scored. Radim Vrbata and Robert Lang with the assists. The last goal came in the ending minute of the 3rd as Radim Vrbata picked up his second point, putting home an empty netter that was assisted by Martin Hanzel.

The Phoenix Coyote’s are off to a good start as they are now 2-0. Tomorrow they face the Buffalo Sabres and have the ability to continue their win streak. Returning forward Radim Vrbata now has 3 goals and 1 assist in these two games, as he currently leads the Coyote’s in goals and points. (It is early, but someone did write about his return being a positive to the Coyote’s roster)

Nothing to fear for the Pittsburgh Penguin fans as it is still early, and only one loss. However, the next four games will not be easy for the Pens. They begin their road trip against the undefeated Philadelphia Flyers (Someone wrote about them too), then to Toronto against the Maple Leafs, followed by a trip to Ottawa against the Senators, and finally ending their travels with the Carolina Hurricanes.

This may be going out on a limb, but I say the Penguins lose 3 of the next 4 games. Losing to Philly and the Maple Leafs, leaving a toss up against the Senators and Hurricanes.

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Minnesota Wild

Sep 23

Posted by EB in Season Previews | No Comments

Minnsota's third jersey is but one of many changes to the upcoming Wild season.

Minnsota's third jersey is but one of many changes to the upcoming Wild season.

The Minnesota Wild, who finished only one spot out of the playoffs last season, looks to take the ice with a drasticly different team this year.

Head coach Jacques Lemaire announced he will not return to coach the Wild on April, 13 2009 and will be replaced by Todd Richards. Richards was once a professional hockey player, and since retiring from playing, has been the assistant coach of the Milwaukee Admirals and the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins of the AHL, as well as an assistant coach of the San Jose Sharks last NHL season. Richards looks to invigorate the team by transitioning from Lemaire’s defensive minded play style to a more aggressive, up-tempo style of play.

To carry out the transition, the team has decided not to resign wingers Stephane Veilleux and injury prone Marian Gaborik, but to replace them with veteran Petr Sykora and Martin Havlat. Sykora won the Stanley Cup last season with the Pittsburgh Penguins, contributing 46 points in 76 games played in the regular season, as well as 1 assist in the 7 games he played in the playoffs. The high flying Havlat is coming off of a career high 78 points with the Chicago Blackhawks. He scored 29 goals in 81 games played during the regular season, with 48 assists and a very good +29 rating. In the playoffs he averaged just under a point per game with 5 goals, 10 assists for a total of 15 points in 16 games played.

The team has a solid core of players, with veterans Owen Nolan and Marek Zidlicky, young talented Brent Burns, and hard hitting Cal Clutterbuck.  Just in case any rough stuff happens, the Wild also have heavyweight enforcer Derek “The Boogeyman” Boogard. The Wild were lead last season by center Mikko Koivu with 67 points; 20 goals and 47 assists in 79 games played.

Lastly, the team has goaltender Niklas Backstrom. Backstrom, who surprisingly only became the Wild’s starter in the ‘07-’08 season after Manny Fernandez was traded to Boston. Backstrom has won the William M. Jennings (lowest goals against) and Roger Crozier Saving Grace (best save percentage) awards. Last season he went 37 wins and 24 losses in 71 games played. He was in the top 3 amongst goaltenders in all three categories of save percentage (.923%), goals against average (2.33) and shut outs (8).

The Minnesota Wild are a competitive team, who have seen the playoffs in 3 of their 8 seasons in the NHL. With a new coach, a new strategy as well as a few new stars among the team, this year they look to make it year 4. Look for the Wild to be fighting hard for the first place within the Northwest Division against the Vancouver Canucks and Calgary Flames.

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Pittsburgh Penguins

Sep 3

Posted by Chris in Season Previews | 2 Comments

After coming out on top in a game seven nail-biter against the Detroit Red Wings this past June, the question on the minds of many hockey gurus is whether or not the Pittsburgh Penguins can repeat this season as Stanley Cup Champions. Despite very few free agency losses, the Penguins will need to tighten up defensively as a team and play with more consistency if they are to repeat as champs again this year.sidney-crosby-stanley-cup-kiss

On the plus side, the Penguins have a strong core of last year’s championship team returning this season, including two of the most potent offensive threats in the NHL. Last season, 22-year-old captain Sidney Crosby posted 33 goals and 70 assists for a grand total of 103 points. This was second on the team to 23-year-old Evgeni Malkin, who tallied 35 goals for a whopping 113 points. Neither of these two slowed down much in the playoffs where they notched 31 points and 36 points respectively. These two lead an all-star cast of young talent that also includes forward Jordan Staal and goaltender Marc-Andre Fleury.

However, a budding offense might have to overcome a lackluster defense this year if the Pens hope to repeat. Veteran defenseman Sergei Gonchar is back to man the blue line, but the Penguins lost key defensemen Hal Gill and Rob Scuderi to free agency in the offseason, which means that many new and young faces will be called upon to pick up the defensive slack. How well these new faces come along could greatly influence how Pittsburgh performs this year.

Marc-Andre Fleury will also need to step up his consistency and have a good regular-season run in addition to a great post-season performance. Fleury has a tendency to be inconsistent during the regular season but has bounced back the past two years with stellar playoff performances.

Keep an eye on Alex Goligoski this season as he is primed to step into the shoes left by departed free agent defenseman and help this team in a big way. In 45 games with the Penguins last season, Goligoski tallied 20 points and was plus-5. Look for him to build upon that success this season. Chris Kunitz was a great addition at the trade deadline last year and should continue his success into this year. The big-bodied forward doesn’t mind playing hard and produced 18 points in 20 regular season games with the Penguins and another 14 points in 24 playoff games. Kunitz should excel on the wing for either Crosby or Malkin. And don’t count out veteran right wing Bill Guerin. Even at age 38, Guerin has something still left in the tank and will benefit from playing the wing for Crosby.

The Penguins have the offensive prowess, but it remains to be seen if the departed free agents on the blue line will hurt their cause. Regardless, this is a young team and they are hungry to continue to prove themselves. Playoff-bound at the very least, but anything beyond that is anybody’s guess.

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DirecTV Could Shutout Versus

Aug 23

Posted by Eddie in Media, News | No Comments

DirecTV refuses to give an increase to a network that has poor ratings

DirecTV refuses to give an increase to a network that has poor ratings.

If cable network Versus and satellite subscriber DirecTV don’t resolve their dispute in the next week, hockey fans who have DirecTV won’t be able to watch nationally televised games unless they have NHL Center Ice.

The current contract that DirecTV has with Versus expires August 31. The main issue is the difference each side has in carriage fees. From it’s cable operators in 2009, Versus has been about 18 cents per subscriber per month. Versus wants an increase in it’s carriage fees, with it’s reasoning being that they have become “the fastest-growing sports network in the country” in a statement released Friday.

Additional facts on Versus’ side is that they are averaging 3,000 more viewers at any given time (according to Nielsen ratings numbers) since changing it’s name from the Outdoor Life Network in 2006-07 when they acquired the NHL cable rights. This isn’t just a NHL issue as Versus also broadcast sports such as college football, IAAF Track and Field, IRL auto racing, WEC cage fighting, and the Tour de France. Versus is now seen in 75 Million homes across the country.

Versus could be gone from DirecTV if both sides don't come to an agreement before September 1.

Versus could be gone from DirecTV if both sides don't come to an agreement before September 1.

DirecTV’s case is that the ratings Versus gets doesn’t equate the rate increase they desire. In a story about the dispute that appeared in the L.A. Times, DirecTV said that “Versus’ overall ratings are poor and have not increased nearly enough to justify what we’re paying them, let alone the significant increase they’re asking for”. What also helps DirecTV in stating their case is that Versus is ranked 61st among the 74 English-advertising supported networks.

This could be a problem for fans of Detroit, Pittsburgh, Washington and Philadelphia as a lot of their nationally-televised games appear on Versus.

Another factor that has DirecTV’s hands tied, is that Versus is owned by Comcast. Comcast is a major competitor of DirecTV in the cable-satellite wars.

A graph comparing the ratings between NBC and Versus during the first three rounds of the 2009 Playoffs.

A graph comparing the ratings between NBC and Versus during the first three rounds of the 2009 Playoffs.

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Reebok Crowns Red Wings 2009 Stanley Cup Champs

Jul 26

Posted by Matt in News | 6 Comments

Many hockey fans will continue to remember the excitement of the 2009 Stanley Cup Finals for years to come. The Detroit Red Wings battled their way through a tough Stanley Cup Playoffs only to fall one game short of becoming the first back-to-back champions since they had done it 11 years prior. In a pivotal game 7, the Red Wings ran out of gas and eventually conceded to the NHL’s favorite marketing tool, the Pittsburgh Penguins. All hockey fans remember the moment as Sid the Kid raised the Stanley Cup for the first time. How could we forget? It happened less than two months ago.

Back to Back Stanley Cup Champions 2009?

Back to Back Stanley Cup Champions 2009?

Some have forgotten, however, and they are currently designing apparel for Reebok Hockey. While browsing through the fan gear on the Reebok Hockey site, you will eventually come across this stunning t-shirt. The front of the shirt shows a Red Wings logo along with the words “2009 Stanley Cup Champions.” Uh-Oh!

Here is a link to the product itself. The caption on the page reads “Congratulations Detroit Red Wings on back-to-back Stanley Cup victories! Get your historic tee and commemorate another incredible season.” Historic indeed.

Any Red Wings fan still having a hard time with that loss, still not willing to admit their team fell short on home ice, its okay. Reebok has you covered. Wear this shirt and wear it proudly. Show off that winged wheel and continue to live the dream as though Sidney never laid a hand on the Cup. We support you and your quest to keep the dream alive.

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