As another page turns on the hockey calendar, still short of the All-Star break, 2010-2011 already looks drastically different than it did just a year ago in the Atlantic Division. Though the Pens are on their always steady pace, hovering towards the top of both the Divisional and Conference standings, the landscape surrounding them has changed quickly and decisively Now that this season’s sample size is large enough to draw some conclusions what have been the biggest surprises thus far?1. The Devils’ Demise The logic doesn’t follow that an already potent team could bring in Ilya Kovalchuk, the biggest goal scoring free agent acquisition on the market, and still struggle to put the puck in the net. Then again, no one ever promised hockey would make sense. A season ago, the Devils not only won the Atlantic Division but took a 2 seed into the playoffs. Since then it’s been all downhill without warning for New Jersey. At this point, the Pens are so far out in front of the Devils, unless they splurge for Center Ice on Direct TV Pittsburgh may be completely out of sight.2. Philadelphia Flying Philadelphia was a playoff team in 2009-2010, but not by a safe margin, finishing just one point ahead of the Rangers who spent the post-season on the outside looking in. They have spent a significant chunk of this season pacing the Atlantic, the primary foe for the Pens in a hotly contested divisional race. (more…)
Whether you are having a Penguins watching party or kicking back and viewing the game at home, the food that you eat makes the game experience. Here is a sample menu for delicious party foods.
Pierogies, the potato and cheese dough-filled crescents, are a must-have for your game day menu. Stick with the traditional filling or mix things up with meat or spinach and feta cheese stuffing. Garnish the dumplings with butter, onions or sour cream on the side.
Next, cook up kielbasa and sauerkraut for a hearty addition (more…)
Pen’s fans now have a new place to flock together to discuss team info, roster moves, schedules and much, much more! Anything can be discussed – from our frustration over the length of Sid’s absence to the repetitive nature of Matt Cooke’s suspensions. Speaking of Sid, why has he been out for so long? I know having been concussed is the public answer – but I feel like there is more to it. Could Lemieux be behind it? – trying to make a statement to the NHL (more…)
To know Mario Lemieux is to know the Pittsburgh Penguins. For years, Lemieux impressed hockey fans as one of the sport’s best players and most prolific scorers ever to grace the ice. Now, as co-owner of the Penguins, the man continues to dazzle followers with his off-ice activities.After recovering from cancer and returning to the sport he loves in the early ’90s, Lemieux started the Mario Lemieux Foundation with the goal of eradicating cancer through the development of a cure. Lemieux has not betrayed his adopted hometown of Pittsburgh, donating millions to causes within the city’s boundaries including a 2M gift to the Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh.Lemieux has not betrayed the integrity of the Penguins or his sport, either. After a particularly brutal game against the New York Islanders in February, Lemieux questioned the type of sport hockey had become since his playing days. Clearly not positively impressed with the near record-breaking number of penalty minutes accumulated by both teams during the match, Lemieux lamented the loss of hockey in favor of vengeful fighting.As a team, the Penguins reaffirm their commitment to their community regularly by sponsoring charitable events throughout the season. Leading the NHL in penalty minutes, the Penguins, like their owner played and lives, play hockey with a passion. With the injuries suffered by key Penguins this year, Lemieux’s team is simply violently passionate at times.
A look at the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins logo reveals what appears to be the old standby “skating penguin,” sometime after cycling down from an intense steroid regimen. With such a beefed up minor league mascot, one might expect for Pittsburgh’s American Hockey League affiliate to outmuscle the success of their suddenly slim NHL counterparts. As usual, however, logo based analysis proves fruitless in the realm of professional sports, as no sort of animated inspiration could possibly propel the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins to the impressive performances enjoyed by Pittsburgh crowds over the past two seasons. (more…)
The Pittsburgh Penguins have been very closely tied to their home arena, dating back to their expansion season of 1967. When the franchise architects sat down to christen their incoming band of professional hockey players, they derived what proved to be an enduring team name from the very roof under which the squad would soon suit up. Mellon Arena, recently reverting back to its original name of Pittsburgh Civic Arena, has been referred to by a more affectionate, informal moniker over the course of the past several decades. The sharply domed stadium has been known citywide as “The Igloo” since its opening in 1961, a key inspiration when Pittsburgh’s beloved hockey franchise was first dubbed the “Penguins.” Now, for the first time in their 40 years of NHL play, the Pens will lace up their skates and take to a new home ice with the onset of the 2010-2011 season. (more…)
Though the ghosts of Penguins past may forever remain at hallowed halls of The Igloo (at least until Pittsburgh-Allegheny County Sports and Exhibition Authority render a decision on the building’s fate) , the brand new Consol Energy Center offers a clean slate for current Pittsburgh Penguins to make their own memories and write their own legacy. The inaugural season at the area should feature a talent laden team, but this is just one of several amenities modern day Penguins fans will enjoy that have been previously unavailable to home crowds.First and foremost will be a technological upgrade that will make for a much more interactive home ice, taking Pittsburgh hockey from its 1960′s roots into present day possibilities. Younger fans will enjoy testing their virtual hockey skills on Nintendo Wii stations, taking slap shots on a replica of the famous dryer (as in washer and dryer) that helped Sidney Crosby hone his skills or perusing a wide array of other recreational and educational hockey-related activities that comprise the Highmark Kid’s Zone. The Highmark Wall of Champions is situated adjacent to the Kid’s Zone, celebrating the Penguin’s commitment to developing the game of hockey in the Pittsburgh area by recognizing the achievement of Pennsylvania Interscholastic Hockey League teams, prominently displaying each victorious school’s championship-winning jersey. (more…)
Longtime NHL veteran Bill Guerin will have to find a new home if he hopes to continue his professional hockey career at the highest level of competition, as the Pittsburgh Penguins have opted to go in a different direction. While Guerin provided savvy leadership and timely goal scoring after coming over in a 2009 deadline deal from the New York Islanders, the Penguins brass decided that developing some of the team’s younger assets would serve franchise better in the long term.Guerin was a key contributor to the Stanley Cup Champion squad in his first year with Pittsburgh, and remained a valuable role player throughout the 2009-2010 season, despite his advanced age. In fact, Guerin has been successful at virtually every NHL pit stop over the course of his 17-year career, becoming the first player to score 20 goals in a season for 7 different NHL franchises when he netted 21 goals just a season ago.He made his professional debut with the New Jersey Devils in 1991, only a short year and a half after being selected with the 5th overall pick in the 1989 Draft. In 1995, Guerin would win his first Stanley Cup with the Devils, the only Cup on his resume prior to his arrival in Pittsburgh. Guerin also spent time with the Edmonton Oilers, Boston Bruins, Dallas Stars and split a season between the St. Louis Blues and San Jose Sharks (8 different teams in total).The two Stanley Cup victories are not the only achievements worthy of Bill Guerin’s personal trophy case. The sturdy right winger is a 4 time All-Star, taking home All-Star Game MVP honors in the 2001 event. One of the most accomplished American born players of his generation, Guerin has also served as a fixture on the USA National Team, winning a World Cup of Hockey in 1996 and a silver medal in the 2002 Winter Olympic Games. If this is indeed the last stop in his storied professional hockey career, Pittsburgh fans should look upon Billy Guerin with nothing less than the utmost respect and admiration.
The Penguins have enjoyed significant success over the past several years, just one season removed from the franchise’s 3rd Stanley Cup victory. Though 2009-2010 did not see a major addition to the team’s trophy case, the Pens remained a competitive squad, advancing to the second round of the playoffs after finishing in the upper echelon of qualifying teams during the regular season. Of course, the recent string of success surrounding Pittsburgh hockey was built the old fashioned way, through the NHL Entry Draft, when the Penguins selected Evgeni Malkin and Sidney Crosby with their top 2004 and 2005 picks, respectively. Here is a look at the first few selections from this year’s draft that will join the flock this season, hoping to likewise make invaluable contributions to the team in time. (more…)