Masterful Montreal has melted the Mellon. Wednesday’s decisive Game 7 Eastern Conference Semifinal between the Pittsburgh Penguins and Montreal Canadiens was the final contest at Mellon Arena. That’s because the visiting eighth seeded Canadiens improbably iced Pittsburgh 5-2 at the Igloo. Montreal disposed the defending Stanley Cup champions, despite entering the post-season with the worst record of the playoff teams. The Canadiens completed their ousting of the favored home team in front of a packed house in Pittsburgh, and face the winner of the Boston-Philadelphia series in the Eastern finals. The Canadiens are the first eighth seed to win two playoff series and are in the finals for the first time in 17 years. The Penguins exit the Igloo short of their third straight Stanley Cup appearance.
Pittsburgh lacked production and punch offensively in this series. Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, the Penguins’ top two scorers, combined for one goal and five assists. Goalie Marc Andre-Fleury allowed four goals on 13 shots last night before being lifted by Brent Johnson. It was too little, too late for the Penguins, however. Montreal, who ripped the hearts out of the top-seeded Capitals in round one, skated to an early 4-0 advantage Wednesday. The Canadiens scored 22 seconds after Crosby was whistled for a penalty in the first period. Brian Gionta slapped a power play goal into the net to help the Canadiens build a lead on the road. Montreal was 2-for-4 on the power play, while the Pens were a dismal 0-for-6 in one-man up situations. Dominic Moore made it a 2-0 contest with a wrister near the end of the first period. The gummy bear Pittsburgh offense was on full display last night. Pittsburgh struggled to test Montreal netminder, Jaroslav Halak. Halak was outstanding between the posts, with 37 saves. The Pens committed too many defensive turnovers can couldn’t contain the spectacular play on the opposite end of the ice.
The Canadiens kept putting together good chances against Fleury and added a pair of goals to increase their lead to 4-0 within the first five minutes of the second period. Mike Cammalleri took a feed in the slot and rifled it past Fleury for his league-leading 12th goal this post-season. Travis Moen grabbed a Penguins’ turnover on a Montreal power play and blasted the puck into the net to end Fleury’s night. Coach Dan Blysma pulled Fleury for Johnson, and the Penguins succeeded in scoring two second period goals to make a game of it. Chris Kunitz finally put Pittsburgh on the board at 8:36 with a crease shot on a Kris Letang rebound. The Penguins cut the deficit to two goals late in the second period when Jordan Staal tipped in a Alexi Ponikarovsky miss to stir the sellout crowd. Halak made a couple of incredible saves as Crosby and Malkin failed to help Pittsburgh climb closer. The Montreal defense continued to stuff and suffocate the big stars from Pittsburgh by forcing turnovers. Gionta picked up his second Game 7 goal in the third period, and seventh of the playoffs, to kill the hosts’ momentum. Gionta shoved Cammalleri’s rebound into an open net, catching Johnson out of position. The Canadiens prematurely ended Pittsburgh’s season behind 18 third period sensational Halak stops to seal the victory.
Parting Points: Happy Birthday to Barry Zito. I never realized his uncle was Patrick Duffy.
Music birthdays of note- Mary Wells and Stevie Wonder
Showing posts with label Pittsburgh Penguins. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Pittsburgh Penguins. Show all posts
Thursday, May 13, 2010
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
Flirting with Fleury
Marc-Andre Fleury’s flawless goaltending and a Pittsburgh power play were all the Penguins needed to defeat the Canadiens 2-0 at Bell Centre Tuesday night. The Penguins lead the Eastern Conference playoff semifinal series 2-1 after shutting out and shutting down Montreal at home. The accomplishment was the first time since 1983 the Canadiens have been blanked in a playoff home contest. Fleury turned away 18 shots on goal and Evgeni Malkin provided his fourth power play goal, and fifth of the post-season, to lift the visiting defending Stanley Cup Champions to a Game 3 victory. Game 4 is Thursday night at Bell Centre with Game 5 slated for Saturday in Pittsburgh’s Mellon Arena.
The game remained scoreless through two periods until Malkin broke through with a goal at 1:16 in the third. The Canadiens controlled play during the opening period, ringing up seven shots to the Pens’ three on goal. The Pens buckled down on defense and committed to blocking shots in the next two periods. Pittsburgh’s offense also dominated the final two periods, outshooting Montreal 22-11, despite skating without Jordan Staal and Bill Guerin. The offense cleared rebounds and relied on their energetic goaltender. Mark Letestu replaced Staal. He won ten faceoffs while logging over twelve minutes. The Penguins went on the power play when Canadien defenseman, Hal Gill, was whistled for holding Sidney Crosby. The Penguins immediately put the one-man advantage to use. Sergei Gonchar found Malkin from the left point and the 23 year old Russian rifled the puck past Jarsoslav Halak to put the Pens in front 1-0. Alex Goligoski assisted on the goal and Malkin used Crosby as a screen in front of the net. Malkin has 10 points in nine playoff games this year. Last night ended a four game scoreless drought for the Penguins’ center.
The Montreal netminder made some brilliant saves and had to be at his best when the Candiens trailed late in the third period. Halak stopped 23 shots for Montreal but the Canadiens were 0-for-2 on the power play and couldn’t squeeze anything by Quebec native, Fleury. Former NJ Devil, Brian Gionta, took seven stabs at the goal, with little success. Fleury made eight saves after Malkin gave the Penguins a one-goal edge, including a right pad stop on a Gionta slap shot from the right point. Pascal Dupuis dropped an empty netter in the final 15 seconds to seal the 2-0 win for Pittsburgh. Fleury flirted with a shutout and succeeded. The shutout was Fleury’s fourth NHL playoff shutout. The Penguins snatched back home advantage with the Tuesday’s triumph in Canada.
Parting Points: Sad news about the passing of legendary broadcaster, Ernie Harwell.
In other Detroit area sports stories--It looks like the Sharks are on the verge of eliminating the Red Wings.
Song of the day- Beck’s “E-Pro”
The game remained scoreless through two periods until Malkin broke through with a goal at 1:16 in the third. The Canadiens controlled play during the opening period, ringing up seven shots to the Pens’ three on goal. The Pens buckled down on defense and committed to blocking shots in the next two periods. Pittsburgh’s offense also dominated the final two periods, outshooting Montreal 22-11, despite skating without Jordan Staal and Bill Guerin. The offense cleared rebounds and relied on their energetic goaltender. Mark Letestu replaced Staal. He won ten faceoffs while logging over twelve minutes. The Penguins went on the power play when Canadien defenseman, Hal Gill, was whistled for holding Sidney Crosby. The Penguins immediately put the one-man advantage to use. Sergei Gonchar found Malkin from the left point and the 23 year old Russian rifled the puck past Jarsoslav Halak to put the Pens in front 1-0. Alex Goligoski assisted on the goal and Malkin used Crosby as a screen in front of the net. Malkin has 10 points in nine playoff games this year. Last night ended a four game scoreless drought for the Penguins’ center.
The Montreal netminder made some brilliant saves and had to be at his best when the Candiens trailed late in the third period. Halak stopped 23 shots for Montreal but the Canadiens were 0-for-2 on the power play and couldn’t squeeze anything by Quebec native, Fleury. Former NJ Devil, Brian Gionta, took seven stabs at the goal, with little success. Fleury made eight saves after Malkin gave the Penguins a one-goal edge, including a right pad stop on a Gionta slap shot from the right point. Pascal Dupuis dropped an empty netter in the final 15 seconds to seal the 2-0 win for Pittsburgh. Fleury flirted with a shutout and succeeded. The shutout was Fleury’s fourth NHL playoff shutout. The Penguins snatched back home advantage with the Tuesday’s triumph in Canada.
Parting Points: Sad news about the passing of legendary broadcaster, Ernie Harwell.
In other Detroit area sports stories--It looks like the Sharks are on the verge of eliminating the Red Wings.
Song of the day- Beck’s “E-Pro”
Thursday, March 18, 2010
Sixth Strike Sweeps Season
The Devils didn’t need the luck of the Irish to skate past the Penguins on St. Patty’s Day at the Prudential Center last night. New Jersey swept the season series against Pittsburgh with a hard-nosed 5-2 victory in Newark. Goalie Martin Brodeur’s barrage of 24 saves and a bout of Pittsburgh turnovers gave the Devils their sixth win over the Pens this season. Pittsburgh played Wednesday without star, Evgeni Malkin. The Malkin-less Pens seemed to take the night off too, after dominating the first half of the opening period. Starting goalie, Marc-Andres Fleury, was yanked from the Pittsburgh net and sent to the bench after allowing four goals on 13 shots. The victory in Newark vaulted the Devils into a first place tie with their Atlantic Division rival Penguins. The Devils also saw the return of their top defenseman, Paul Martin.
Fans in New Jersey were treated to a retro, throwback jersey night. The Devils wore their classic red, white and green uniforms in honor of St. Patrick’s Day. The Penguins were the first team to find the pot of gold, however. Chris Kunitz gave the visiting Pens a 1-0 lead at 4:01 into the contest. The eight year left wing for Pittsburgh buried a rebound behind Brodeur as the Devils got off to a slow start. The Pens outshot the Devils 26-19 but it didn’t matter. New Jersey seized control of the game by roaring back. Patrik Elias fueled the offense, picking up an assist on Dainius Zubrus’ tying goal in the first period. Elias backhanded a pass off the Pittsburgh turnover and Zurbus deked Fleury onto his back to notch the game at one. The Devils’ sparkplug wasn’t done. After Paul Martin made it a 2-1 New Jersey lead in the first, Elias scored a shorthanded goal at 3:09 in the second period. Elias picked off a cross-ice pass by Jordan Leopold for his 13th goal of the season and 3-1 Devils’ advantage.
Zach Parise pushed the New Jersey lead to 4-1 seven minutes after Elias punched in a goal. Parise’s driving rebound past Fleury was enough to ship the paltry Pens’ goalie off the ice. Fleury made just nine saves on the night. Michigan native, Brent Johnson, replaced Fleury in goal. Ruslan Fedotenko tried to help the Penguins scratch back with a Pittsburgh goal early in the third period. Fedotenko’s 10th of the season cut the deficit to 4-2, but New Jersey’s Rob Niedermeyer’s empty-netter essentially sealed the Pittsburgh loss. New Jersey has now won four of their last five games. Brodeur earned his 596th career NHL victory. New Jersey has cooked the Penguins all season and should be confident with a potential playoff meeting with Pittsburgh. The Devils have revived themselves after a slight slump. The black and red clad team are flowing offensively and shutting down speedy skaters on defense. They are primed for the playoffs if they continue to play up to the level they exhibited last night.
Parting Points: Yankee notes- Marte gets drilled by a Ryan Howard bullet and leaves the game; Joba’s improved performance keeps him in the hunt for the fifth rotation job.
Thursday tune- “Beautiful Disaster”- 311
Let the games begin—March Madness has officially kicked off!
Fans in New Jersey were treated to a retro, throwback jersey night. The Devils wore their classic red, white and green uniforms in honor of St. Patrick’s Day. The Penguins were the first team to find the pot of gold, however. Chris Kunitz gave the visiting Pens a 1-0 lead at 4:01 into the contest. The eight year left wing for Pittsburgh buried a rebound behind Brodeur as the Devils got off to a slow start. The Pens outshot the Devils 26-19 but it didn’t matter. New Jersey seized control of the game by roaring back. Patrik Elias fueled the offense, picking up an assist on Dainius Zubrus’ tying goal in the first period. Elias backhanded a pass off the Pittsburgh turnover and Zurbus deked Fleury onto his back to notch the game at one. The Devils’ sparkplug wasn’t done. After Paul Martin made it a 2-1 New Jersey lead in the first, Elias scored a shorthanded goal at 3:09 in the second period. Elias picked off a cross-ice pass by Jordan Leopold for his 13th goal of the season and 3-1 Devils’ advantage.
Zach Parise pushed the New Jersey lead to 4-1 seven minutes after Elias punched in a goal. Parise’s driving rebound past Fleury was enough to ship the paltry Pens’ goalie off the ice. Fleury made just nine saves on the night. Michigan native, Brent Johnson, replaced Fleury in goal. Ruslan Fedotenko tried to help the Penguins scratch back with a Pittsburgh goal early in the third period. Fedotenko’s 10th of the season cut the deficit to 4-2, but New Jersey’s Rob Niedermeyer’s empty-netter essentially sealed the Pittsburgh loss. New Jersey has now won four of their last five games. Brodeur earned his 596th career NHL victory. New Jersey has cooked the Penguins all season and should be confident with a potential playoff meeting with Pittsburgh. The Devils have revived themselves after a slight slump. The black and red clad team are flowing offensively and shutting down speedy skaters on defense. They are primed for the playoffs if they continue to play up to the level they exhibited last night.
Parting Points: Yankee notes- Marte gets drilled by a Ryan Howard bullet and leaves the game; Joba’s improved performance keeps him in the hunt for the fifth rotation job.
Thursday tune- “Beautiful Disaster”- 311
Let the games begin—March Madness has officially kicked off!
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Power Plays, Penalties Propel Pens
The Pittsburgh Penguins extinguished the New York Islanders 6-4 at Mellon Arena Tuesday night. Evgeni Malkin fueled the Pens with a hat trick and Sidney Crosby clipped the Islanders with a pair of goals in the winning effort. The victory raised the Penguins’ record to 31-19-1 and matched a career high in points for Crosby. The Islanders entered the arena riding a hot four game winning streak. After beginning the season on a low note, New York has been playing with consistency. They’ve rebounded to create a skillful offense and even managed to hold the Detroit Red Wings scoreless last week. Matt Moulson, Rob Schremp and Mark Streit helped the Isles throttle the Wings 6-0 in Uniondale only a week ago. It was the fewest shots Detroit recorded this season. New York hoped to keep their tough-minded team tear running the track Tuesday. Crosby and Malkin would think otherwise.
Sid the Kid, the 22 year old phenom Penguin put Pittsburgh on top by one goal in the first period and knocked in his 32nd of the season during the second. Malkin secured the puck between the posts at 3:40 in the second period. The slap shot past New York goalie, Dwanye Roloson provided a 2-0 home lead. Malkin followed it up in the third period by collecting two goals. The 24 year old picked up his 16th and 17th goals to put the Pens back in the lead. The first was a crack from the right circle too tough for the Isles’ netminder to stop. The second, an empty-netter, was misled in with 30 seconds left to play. His final goal was the fourth power play goal for the Penguins on the night.
Brent Johnson was super at the goalie position for Pittsburgh. Johnson made 31 saves and made things utterly ugly for the Islanders early in the session. Johnson rejected breakaway shots and bested Kyle Okposo the entire game. Okposo was outmaneuvered in seven attempts on goal. New York was crippled by a barrage of careless penalties but managed to get onboard four times against the defending Stanley Cup Champions. Andy Sutton finally solved Sutton with a slap from inside the left circle to hammer home the first Islander goal in the second period. The score game after Bill Guerin increased the Pens’ lead during a power play. Guerin rifled a Crosby feed into the net for his 16th on the season and a 3-0 Pittsburgh advantage. Crosby countered the defensivemen Sutton by skipping his second goal through the posts at 13:03 in the second. Sutton later drew a superfluous misconduct penalty after ramming forward, Pascal Dupuis into the boards. Dupuis left the ice following the head-first slam in the third period. Before the bleeding and glass action, however, New York came back to tie the game. Freddy Meyer cut the Penguin’s lead in half by scoring from the left dot before the break in the second period.
Trent Hunter and Richard Park carried the Islanders momentum through the intermission. Hunter beat Johnson less than a minute into the final period; ex-Penguin Park evened the contest at 7:11. Okposo was charged with a tripping penalty midway through the third that led to Malkin’s power play goal and the eventual game-winner. Okposo also failed on a penalty shot as the Islanders missed on scoring opportunities to gain on the Penguins lead again. Malkin sealed the deal with an untoward empty net goal to lift the Penguins to within two points of first place New Jersey. Crosby finished with four assists and Jack Hillen pocketed two for the 22-win Islanders. Roloson blanked the Penguins with 23 saves. Pens’ veteran, Max Talbot, left the game with an undisclosed injury during the second period. His return is not yet known.
Parting Points: Seven time Grand Slam champion, Justine Henin, dismissed Elena Dementieva at the Australian Open. Juan Martin del Porto restricts James Blake to advance in a five set marathon.
Read of the week- "Far From the Maddening Crowd" by Thomas Hardy
Sid the Kid, the 22 year old phenom Penguin put Pittsburgh on top by one goal in the first period and knocked in his 32nd of the season during the second. Malkin secured the puck between the posts at 3:40 in the second period. The slap shot past New York goalie, Dwanye Roloson provided a 2-0 home lead. Malkin followed it up in the third period by collecting two goals. The 24 year old picked up his 16th and 17th goals to put the Pens back in the lead. The first was a crack from the right circle too tough for the Isles’ netminder to stop. The second, an empty-netter, was misled in with 30 seconds left to play. His final goal was the fourth power play goal for the Penguins on the night.
Brent Johnson was super at the goalie position for Pittsburgh. Johnson made 31 saves and made things utterly ugly for the Islanders early in the session. Johnson rejected breakaway shots and bested Kyle Okposo the entire game. Okposo was outmaneuvered in seven attempts on goal. New York was crippled by a barrage of careless penalties but managed to get onboard four times against the defending Stanley Cup Champions. Andy Sutton finally solved Sutton with a slap from inside the left circle to hammer home the first Islander goal in the second period. The score game after Bill Guerin increased the Pens’ lead during a power play. Guerin rifled a Crosby feed into the net for his 16th on the season and a 3-0 Pittsburgh advantage. Crosby countered the defensivemen Sutton by skipping his second goal through the posts at 13:03 in the second. Sutton later drew a superfluous misconduct penalty after ramming forward, Pascal Dupuis into the boards. Dupuis left the ice following the head-first slam in the third period. Before the bleeding and glass action, however, New York came back to tie the game. Freddy Meyer cut the Penguin’s lead in half by scoring from the left dot before the break in the second period.
Trent Hunter and Richard Park carried the Islanders momentum through the intermission. Hunter beat Johnson less than a minute into the final period; ex-Penguin Park evened the contest at 7:11. Okposo was charged with a tripping penalty midway through the third that led to Malkin’s power play goal and the eventual game-winner. Okposo also failed on a penalty shot as the Islanders missed on scoring opportunities to gain on the Penguins lead again. Malkin sealed the deal with an untoward empty net goal to lift the Penguins to within two points of first place New Jersey. Crosby finished with four assists and Jack Hillen pocketed two for the 22-win Islanders. Roloson blanked the Penguins with 23 saves. Pens’ veteran, Max Talbot, left the game with an undisclosed injury during the second period. His return is not yet known.
Parting Points: Seven time Grand Slam champion, Justine Henin, dismissed Elena Dementieva at the Australian Open. Juan Martin del Porto restricts James Blake to advance in a five set marathon.
Read of the week- "Far From the Maddening Crowd" by Thomas Hardy
Friday, November 6, 2009
Kopitar’s Kings Crisp Comeback Crushes Champs
The Los Angeles Kings handed the Pittsburgh Penguins their first road loss. The defending Stanley Cup champions’ seven game road streak came to a screeching halt with four third period Kings goals at LA’s Staples Center. Terry Murray’s first place Kings rallied to stun the Penguins 5-2 in a thriller on the ice. Los Angeles improved to 6-0-2 in this young NHL season. Anze Kopitar netted the tying goal in the third period after winning the faceoff. Koptiar backhanded a slap from behind the net past Penguin goalie, Marc-Andre Fleury, to even the score. It was Kopitar’s second score of the game. His first was a glove-side gem shot past Fleury. Anze is the first Slovenian player in the NHL. He’s an enchanting and agile athlete rapidly rising in the league. Kopitar’s wraparound second goal was snazzy and he helps fortify the Kings’ offense. Jarret Stoll gave LA the lead for good with under three minutes left. Stoll fired a deep scooting shot for the 3-2 Kings lead. From there, LA controlled the puck. The game was an exhibit of the Kings’ adversity on the ice.
LA’s trio of Kopitar, Ryan Smyth and Justin Williams outdueled Pittsburgh’s big three Sydney Crosby, Chris Kunitz and Bill Guerin. The two number one lines tried to out-battle each other all night. Kopitar is the hockey’s scoring leader, and his line matched captain Crobsy’s in a confident Kings effort. LA kept Crosby off the score sheet. Kings netminder, Jonathan Quick, turned in a standout performance with 21 saves. The dramatic late surge occurred after the Penguins squirted out in front by one goal in the second period. Kunitz scored the go-ahead Penguins goal after redirecting a pass from veteran defensemen, Brooks Orpick. Jordan Staal provided the first Pittburgh goal in the first period. Chris Connor skated up the left wing and delivered a pass to a skating Staal behind him. Staal slapped a 55 foot shot swiftly pass Quick to notch the game at one all. Michael Handzus made it 4-2 Kings when he crusaded past Orpick to jab the puck home. The sellout crowd cheered Dustin Brown’s goal 17:30 into the third to finish off the Penguins 5-2. The Pittsburgh’s credit, they are playing without several of their starters. The Penguins weren’t at full strength without Sergei Gonchar, Max Talbot and Evgeni Malkin. All three stars helped propel the Penguins to the Stanley Cup finals a year ago. Tyler Kennedy was also a late game scratch for the Pens. Still, the Kings accomplished something great by clashing with a tough team and battling back to win. Anytime you score four unanswered goals against a first place team is something to relish. Pittsburgh hadn’t lost a game in regulation under coach Dan Blysma when leading after two periods. Last night, that came to an end when they squandered a 2-1 lead. The Kings forced Pittsburgh to play in their defensive zone for extended periods of time. That proved to be the key to getting ahead late in the contest. It isn’t everyday Fleury allows five goals through his quick stick. LA continued to penetrate the zone and the Pens were unable to control the damage in the third period. The Pens lead the Eastern Conference but Malkin’s absence could slow their pace. The Kings weren’t mentioned as a preseason favorite to win anything. Now, with decent goaltending and tons of offense, LA is on the verge of becoming an overlooked team to reach the top.
Parting Points: Song of the day- “Ice, ice baby” by Vanilla Ice
Ohio State vs. Penn State tomorrow. Today, Knicks and Cavs.
LA’s trio of Kopitar, Ryan Smyth and Justin Williams outdueled Pittsburgh’s big three Sydney Crosby, Chris Kunitz and Bill Guerin. The two number one lines tried to out-battle each other all night. Kopitar is the hockey’s scoring leader, and his line matched captain Crobsy’s in a confident Kings effort. LA kept Crosby off the score sheet. Kings netminder, Jonathan Quick, turned in a standout performance with 21 saves. The dramatic late surge occurred after the Penguins squirted out in front by one goal in the second period. Kunitz scored the go-ahead Penguins goal after redirecting a pass from veteran defensemen, Brooks Orpick. Jordan Staal provided the first Pittburgh goal in the first period. Chris Connor skated up the left wing and delivered a pass to a skating Staal behind him. Staal slapped a 55 foot shot swiftly pass Quick to notch the game at one all. Michael Handzus made it 4-2 Kings when he crusaded past Orpick to jab the puck home. The sellout crowd cheered Dustin Brown’s goal 17:30 into the third to finish off the Penguins 5-2. The Pittsburgh’s credit, they are playing without several of their starters. The Penguins weren’t at full strength without Sergei Gonchar, Max Talbot and Evgeni Malkin. All three stars helped propel the Penguins to the Stanley Cup finals a year ago. Tyler Kennedy was also a late game scratch for the Pens. Still, the Kings accomplished something great by clashing with a tough team and battling back to win. Anytime you score four unanswered goals against a first place team is something to relish. Pittsburgh hadn’t lost a game in regulation under coach Dan Blysma when leading after two periods. Last night, that came to an end when they squandered a 2-1 lead. The Kings forced Pittsburgh to play in their defensive zone for extended periods of time. That proved to be the key to getting ahead late in the contest. It isn’t everyday Fleury allows five goals through his quick stick. LA continued to penetrate the zone and the Pens were unable to control the damage in the third period. The Pens lead the Eastern Conference but Malkin’s absence could slow their pace. The Kings weren’t mentioned as a preseason favorite to win anything. Now, with decent goaltending and tons of offense, LA is on the verge of becoming an overlooked team to reach the top.
Parting Points: Song of the day- “Ice, ice baby” by Vanilla Ice
Ohio State vs. Penn State tomorrow. Today, Knicks and Cavs.
Wednesday, June 10, 2009
Headed Home
The Detroit Red Wings have outscored the Pittsburgh Penguins 11-2 at home during the Stanley Cup Finals. The puck drops for the deciding Game 7 on Friday when Detroit squares off at the Joe against the Pens. Pittsburgh evened the series to force another game with a 2-1 win at the Igloo last night in a 60 minute toe-to-toe slugfest. The Penguins played with quaint physicality compared to Detroit‘s distasteful, distraught, fretful fashion. The Red Wings can’t be happy they missed a chance to close out Pittsburgh, but surely will find comfort when they return to home ice for all the marbles.
Goaltender, Marc Andre-Fleury was stout, Rob Scuderi and the defense were stern in holding a small lead and the Pens’ offense played well to summarize a tense Game 6. Last night’s game was a perfect example of Pittsburgh’s persistent and durable resistance. Scuderi was the cool clutch in support of a strapping Fleury and scrapy systemized scoring stream. Detroit’s Dan Cleary had 6 shots on goal but did not score in his 17 minutes of ice time. He had a late chance in the third period with his team trailing by one goal. Cleary jammed the puck into the pads of Fleury on a breakaway instead of tying the game, however and Pittsburgh prevailed to preserve the win. I don’t know how Game 7 will turn out, but I do know I’ve enjoyed this series.
The Pens were coming off a 5-0 Game 5 shellacking in Detroit. The team did not make excused but came out firing in the next game. A little home cooking was all they needed in sending the Stanley Cup Finals to a seventh game. Pittsburgh applied extreme intensity in the first period and were recipients of two power plays. They were unable to score as Detroit escaped unscathed by killing off all attempts. Jordan Staal scored in the second period and Tyler Kennedy added a goal in the third for the Pens. Kris Draper chipped in, poking one home for the only Detroit goal during the final period. The Wings too often gave up the puck in the neutral zone and found themselves defending their side of the ice more than they would have liked. Scuderi was stellar on defense and playing net minder during the frantic third period. He made a couple kick saves in front of Fleury with 13 seconds remaining in the contest. The game could easily have gone into overtime had Scuderi not stepped up beautifully at that moment. The two third line teammates Staal and Kennedy were both brilliant. An skater with excellent ability and size, Staal broke the scoreless game with his first minute goal of the second period. Staal clocked a little under 20 minutes, playing the shut-down defender late in the game. Kennedy somehow found the net while mooching around in the offensive zone in the third period. Tyler took advantage of a rare Nicklas Lidstrom miscue to sneak a shot by Osgood. The game winner came after his assist on Staal’s earlier shot. It was Kennedy’s fifth goal of the post-season and his second in the Pens’ last two home games. Staal carried Pittsburgh with the key short-handed goal in Game 4 and initiated the attack on Tuesday.
Fleury was yanked during the blowout Game 5 after allow four Red Wings goals in one period alone. He regrouped Tuesday with a 25 save effort, including the all-important Cleary flick in the third period. Fleury was outshined by Detroit goalie, Chris Osgood. He kept his team in the game but the Detroit offense showed up too late. Osgood stopped 23 of 24 shots in the opening 40 minutes. Staal’s deflected shot off Osgood’s chest was gathered for the rebounding goal and Kennedy pushed the puck through the net too. But Osgood was otherwise, fantastic. The Red Wings were not, despite out-shooting Pittsburgh 14-7 in the final period.
Yesterday marked the 25th anniversary of Pittsburgh drafting Hall-of-Famer, Mario Lemieux. Perhaps the team was inspired enough by the moment to deny the Red Wings another silver trophy. Or, at least delay it. Detroit is still in the driver’s seat as they have home ice advantage for Game 7. Teams down 3-2 while hosting Game 6 have won 10 times out of 24. Only two teams have gone no to win it all. Although it was nice to see the Penguins win a game without a point from stars, Sydney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, it will take more than two goals from third-line players to beat the defending champions in Detroit. Fleury was exceptional in bouncing back from a poor performance. Known as “Flower” he has been a very good goaltender for Pittsburgh during the post-season, and will have to bloom Friday. He did not allow the Wings a second goal last night even though they had their chances to score. Fleury’s given up 35 goals in 12 games on the road in the postseason and 27 goals in 11 games at home. Pittsburgh played with determination and discipline with a two goal lead. The defense neutralized Fleury’s deficiencies. They kept the Red Wings to the outside. Ruslan Fedotenko and Max Talbot pressured to keep the puck in the Detroit zone. They were credited with assists on Kennedy’s goal.
The Red Wings were out hustled and squeezed on offense. An undefended Draper grabbed Jonathan Ericsson’s rebound in the left circle for Detroit’s only pass of Fleury. Henrik Zetterberg was called for goaltender interference in the first period, for one of two Red Wings penalties. Pittsburgh also had a pair during the overall clean and crisp hockey affair. Zetterberg had a chance similar to his accidental goal in last year’s final during the second period. This time, Fleury covered up the puck instead after it bounced off the left post. Detroit’s best chances were on power plays but Scuderi whacked whatever puck landed near the crease out of the way during the waning seconds. Marion Hossa was a non-factor for Detroit and seems to be pressing. He took just one shot last night. Hossa has no goals and three assists through the first six games. He has spent most of his time on the perimeter and has not been the dangerous or lethal player he is known as. Marion dumped the Penguins for the hotter team a year ago. If he intends on proving his decision correct, Hossa better start becoming a bothersome scorer for his new team.
It’s vital the pure Penguins draw first blood in Detroit. The Pens have done so in nearly all of the games during this series. They cannot allow the Red Wings to gain the momentum by scoring too many goals too soon. Pittsburgh needs to come out flying, leave breathing room for their goalie and give the defense a chance to show they can hold leads on the road. The Red Wings effectively blocked passes and shots in the first period to keep the Pens at bay. Pittsburgh was not overpowering offensively because Osgood was outstanding. The Detroit goalie’s efforts held the Pens to just two goals and they will probably need more if they are to win the last game of the NHL season.
Pavel Datsyuk returned for the Wings in Game 5 and his presence was immediately felt. Last night he was a hard-charging skater, but his team seemed overwhelmed by the swarming Penguins. The fore checking paid dividends. Datsyuk, the gifted puck handler, sprung the pass to Cleary that could have changed the game’s outcome. Fleury was chief of Pittsburgh as he made the biggest save of the series with the stopper. He endured a rash and flurry of firing Red Wings, kicking aside shots to blank the opponents through two periods. You have to also credit the Pens’ defense for holding on by their fingertips to a one-goal lead. The defense bailed out the Penguins with board-rattling checks. Veteran right-winder, Petr Sykora interceded a slap midway through the second period by Brett Lebda. The block helped Pittsburgh fend off yet another Red Wings standing surge. It was the first time Sykora was in the Pittsburgh lineup since May 4th. He replaced Miroslav Satan. Brooks Orpik had six blocks and four hits, and Mark Eaton made big advances on competitive plays. The penalty killers Talbot and Hall Gill aided the Pens in surviving the power plays. The Pens reinforced the idea they are a legitimate threat despite their underdog status.
When the Red Wings are roaring, they play their best hockey. Detroit quickly re-established themselves in the third period with more passion. Much remained the same on the scoreboard despite the increased intensity. Mike Babcock’s Wings kept it a close contest but did not seem in control of the game at any time. Pittsburgh played with nothing to lose, knowing if they did, there would not be a tomorrow. They gave it all they had in Game 6 and it did not even require Lemieux-like efforts. Special teams, great goaltending and abrasive defense was most responsible. The Penguins enter enemy territory and a hostile environment where they have yet to win a game in the 2009 playoffs. Detroit and Pittsburgh both play well in front of their fans. I can’t see the Wings falling asleep in Game 7 the way they did last night. If they play smartly, they will fittingly win the Stanley Cup again. Pittsburgh will require a mega effort all around from their precious Penguin players.
Parting points:
Random thought: I love the smell of new tennis balls.
Random tune: Nsync’s “God Must Have Spent (A Little More Time On You)”
In local hockey news, Brent Sutter resigned after two years of coaching the NJ Devils. It’s too bad. The Devils won a franchise record 51 games with Sutter.
And, an update on the USC recruiting scandal: Tim Floyd has apparently resigned his duties as head coach.
Goaltender, Marc Andre-Fleury was stout, Rob Scuderi and the defense were stern in holding a small lead and the Pens’ offense played well to summarize a tense Game 6. Last night’s game was a perfect example of Pittsburgh’s persistent and durable resistance. Scuderi was the cool clutch in support of a strapping Fleury and scrapy systemized scoring stream. Detroit’s Dan Cleary had 6 shots on goal but did not score in his 17 minutes of ice time. He had a late chance in the third period with his team trailing by one goal. Cleary jammed the puck into the pads of Fleury on a breakaway instead of tying the game, however and Pittsburgh prevailed to preserve the win. I don’t know how Game 7 will turn out, but I do know I’ve enjoyed this series.
The Pens were coming off a 5-0 Game 5 shellacking in Detroit. The team did not make excused but came out firing in the next game. A little home cooking was all they needed in sending the Stanley Cup Finals to a seventh game. Pittsburgh applied extreme intensity in the first period and were recipients of two power plays. They were unable to score as Detroit escaped unscathed by killing off all attempts. Jordan Staal scored in the second period and Tyler Kennedy added a goal in the third for the Pens. Kris Draper chipped in, poking one home for the only Detroit goal during the final period. The Wings too often gave up the puck in the neutral zone and found themselves defending their side of the ice more than they would have liked. Scuderi was stellar on defense and playing net minder during the frantic third period. He made a couple kick saves in front of Fleury with 13 seconds remaining in the contest. The game could easily have gone into overtime had Scuderi not stepped up beautifully at that moment. The two third line teammates Staal and Kennedy were both brilliant. An skater with excellent ability and size, Staal broke the scoreless game with his first minute goal of the second period. Staal clocked a little under 20 minutes, playing the shut-down defender late in the game. Kennedy somehow found the net while mooching around in the offensive zone in the third period. Tyler took advantage of a rare Nicklas Lidstrom miscue to sneak a shot by Osgood. The game winner came after his assist on Staal’s earlier shot. It was Kennedy’s fifth goal of the post-season and his second in the Pens’ last two home games. Staal carried Pittsburgh with the key short-handed goal in Game 4 and initiated the attack on Tuesday.
Fleury was yanked during the blowout Game 5 after allow four Red Wings goals in one period alone. He regrouped Tuesday with a 25 save effort, including the all-important Cleary flick in the third period. Fleury was outshined by Detroit goalie, Chris Osgood. He kept his team in the game but the Detroit offense showed up too late. Osgood stopped 23 of 24 shots in the opening 40 minutes. Staal’s deflected shot off Osgood’s chest was gathered for the rebounding goal and Kennedy pushed the puck through the net too. But Osgood was otherwise, fantastic. The Red Wings were not, despite out-shooting Pittsburgh 14-7 in the final period.
Yesterday marked the 25th anniversary of Pittsburgh drafting Hall-of-Famer, Mario Lemieux. Perhaps the team was inspired enough by the moment to deny the Red Wings another silver trophy. Or, at least delay it. Detroit is still in the driver’s seat as they have home ice advantage for Game 7. Teams down 3-2 while hosting Game 6 have won 10 times out of 24. Only two teams have gone no to win it all. Although it was nice to see the Penguins win a game without a point from stars, Sydney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, it will take more than two goals from third-line players to beat the defending champions in Detroit. Fleury was exceptional in bouncing back from a poor performance. Known as “Flower” he has been a very good goaltender for Pittsburgh during the post-season, and will have to bloom Friday. He did not allow the Wings a second goal last night even though they had their chances to score. Fleury’s given up 35 goals in 12 games on the road in the postseason and 27 goals in 11 games at home. Pittsburgh played with determination and discipline with a two goal lead. The defense neutralized Fleury’s deficiencies. They kept the Red Wings to the outside. Ruslan Fedotenko and Max Talbot pressured to keep the puck in the Detroit zone. They were credited with assists on Kennedy’s goal.
The Red Wings were out hustled and squeezed on offense. An undefended Draper grabbed Jonathan Ericsson’s rebound in the left circle for Detroit’s only pass of Fleury. Henrik Zetterberg was called for goaltender interference in the first period, for one of two Red Wings penalties. Pittsburgh also had a pair during the overall clean and crisp hockey affair. Zetterberg had a chance similar to his accidental goal in last year’s final during the second period. This time, Fleury covered up the puck instead after it bounced off the left post. Detroit’s best chances were on power plays but Scuderi whacked whatever puck landed near the crease out of the way during the waning seconds. Marion Hossa was a non-factor for Detroit and seems to be pressing. He took just one shot last night. Hossa has no goals and three assists through the first six games. He has spent most of his time on the perimeter and has not been the dangerous or lethal player he is known as. Marion dumped the Penguins for the hotter team a year ago. If he intends on proving his decision correct, Hossa better start becoming a bothersome scorer for his new team.
It’s vital the pure Penguins draw first blood in Detroit. The Pens have done so in nearly all of the games during this series. They cannot allow the Red Wings to gain the momentum by scoring too many goals too soon. Pittsburgh needs to come out flying, leave breathing room for their goalie and give the defense a chance to show they can hold leads on the road. The Red Wings effectively blocked passes and shots in the first period to keep the Pens at bay. Pittsburgh was not overpowering offensively because Osgood was outstanding. The Detroit goalie’s efforts held the Pens to just two goals and they will probably need more if they are to win the last game of the NHL season.
Pavel Datsyuk returned for the Wings in Game 5 and his presence was immediately felt. Last night he was a hard-charging skater, but his team seemed overwhelmed by the swarming Penguins. The fore checking paid dividends. Datsyuk, the gifted puck handler, sprung the pass to Cleary that could have changed the game’s outcome. Fleury was chief of Pittsburgh as he made the biggest save of the series with the stopper. He endured a rash and flurry of firing Red Wings, kicking aside shots to blank the opponents through two periods. You have to also credit the Pens’ defense for holding on by their fingertips to a one-goal lead. The defense bailed out the Penguins with board-rattling checks. Veteran right-winder, Petr Sykora interceded a slap midway through the second period by Brett Lebda. The block helped Pittsburgh fend off yet another Red Wings standing surge. It was the first time Sykora was in the Pittsburgh lineup since May 4th. He replaced Miroslav Satan. Brooks Orpik had six blocks and four hits, and Mark Eaton made big advances on competitive plays. The penalty killers Talbot and Hall Gill aided the Pens in surviving the power plays. The Pens reinforced the idea they are a legitimate threat despite their underdog status.
When the Red Wings are roaring, they play their best hockey. Detroit quickly re-established themselves in the third period with more passion. Much remained the same on the scoreboard despite the increased intensity. Mike Babcock’s Wings kept it a close contest but did not seem in control of the game at any time. Pittsburgh played with nothing to lose, knowing if they did, there would not be a tomorrow. They gave it all they had in Game 6 and it did not even require Lemieux-like efforts. Special teams, great goaltending and abrasive defense was most responsible. The Penguins enter enemy territory and a hostile environment where they have yet to win a game in the 2009 playoffs. Detroit and Pittsburgh both play well in front of their fans. I can’t see the Wings falling asleep in Game 7 the way they did last night. If they play smartly, they will fittingly win the Stanley Cup again. Pittsburgh will require a mega effort all around from their precious Penguin players.
Parting points:
Random thought: I love the smell of new tennis balls.
Random tune: Nsync’s “God Must Have Spent (A Little More Time On You)”
In local hockey news, Brent Sutter resigned after two years of coaching the NJ Devils. It’s too bad. The Devils won a franchise record 51 games with Sutter.
And, an update on the USC recruiting scandal: Tim Floyd has apparently resigned his duties as head coach.
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
Two Talbot Tallies Take Third
Ice Insurance Injected and Implemented at Igloo
The calendar flipped to June but hockey is still being played in Pittsburgh and Detroit. The pivotal third game of the Stanley Cup finals went to the Penguins in a conscientious 4-2 home ice decision over the reputable Red Wings Tuesday. The Pens’ Maxime Talbot opened the game with an assertive goal and closed the contest with his second one, an empty-netter. In a make-or-break, pivotal game, Pittsburgh weaseled out a win to slice Detroit’s series lead to 2-1. The adrenaline was finally shown in Game 3, and the Penguins lit a fuse for the purposeful punch. The malaise and melancholy was moderated with the Penguins pardon.
Pittsburgh scored twice in three power-play chances. Sergei Gonchar supplied the season saving go-ahead third period score on a Penguins power-play. The decisive goal was created by an interference call on Jonathan Ericsson. Gonchar had a chance to snap the 2-2 tie with a slap from center off Evgeni Malkin’s pass. The puck was peppered, sailing past Red Wings goalie, Chris Osgood. Marc-Andre Fleury was instrumental in net for the Pens down the stretch as his team toughed out the final period. Fleury made 27 saves after shaking off two unsteady games in Detroit. The Penguins kept Detroit in check to revive what had been a one-sided affair thus far in this Stanley Cup Finals.
Talbot scored the first goal when the Penguins pressure on defense finally paid off. Dan Cleary was stripped of the puck in the first period and Talbot converted with an attack on Osgood.
Chris Kunitz and Talbot were vital role players during the early part of the game and Malkin assisted on the first three Penguin goals. Malkin finished with 33 points in 20 games of this post-season. Kris Letang put the Pens in position to tie the game at two with a successful shot in the prologue period. Letang played so poorly in Game 2 his head coach considered benching him last night. He collected the biscuit from a diving Johan Franzen with four minutes left in the period. The puck was driven through a Niklas Kronwall screen to tie the score. The Penguins battled for control on face-offs. Sidney Crosby won 12 of 19 face-offs, including a crucial three on a first-period power play. Detroit was beaten inside the blue lines and the pick never left the zone during the 71-second span. The 21 year old captain Crosby didn’t have a breakout performance in Game 3. He had scarce scoring scenarios, but the Penguins did not need him to be perfect because secondary scorers stepped up. The refined Crosby should be a major influence in the remainder of the Stanley Cup Finals.
Henrik Zetterberg and Franzen accounted for all the Detroit scoring. Both produced Red Wing goals in the first period to give Detroit a 2-1 lead. It looked like the Red Wings were efficient and well on their way to a third win after Franzen’s elegant cross-pass from Zetterberg was wristed into net. A charging and unchecked Zetterberg played another strong game, and expertly limited Crosby’s chances. Last night, he was triple teamed by Detroit. Crosby was humbled in Game 1 against Zetterberg. He went 5 of 16 in faceoffs against the sly moving Red Wing in Detroit but adapted with calculating ability last night. Crosby, Bill Guerin and Malkin were also effective in slowing the game down and giving great screens. Osgood had trouble seeing the Pittsburgh attempts because of the Pens’ terrific and timely takes. The Red Wings’ lack of offense hurt them in Game 3. Detroit breezed along in Games 1 and 2 at home. They did not win the first two games by brute force, but silently imposed themselves on the Penguins in come-away victories. Pittsburgh shifted the momentum their way. They also avoided clashing with the elite Red Wings Thursday trying to crawl out of an 0-3 hole.
After a frantic first period, Detroit failed to find the net. There were no goals during the entire second period despite plenty of chances for both teams. The second period was the first without a goal in the series. The Red Wings covered five scoring chances to the Pens’ none. Pittsburgh started the third period with a flurry after being outshot 26-11 in the first two. Gonchar’s tie-breaker came on the Penguin’s ninth consecutive shot on goal. The fourth-line center, Talbot, added flipped the final blow on an empty-net fling from Ruslan Fedotenko. Fleury kept the Penguins swimming by fending off Detroit dribblings around the crease. The Red Wings were given quality chances and put heavy pressure on the goalie. The persistent players had control of the neutral zone during the first period and the Penguins sometimes mismanaged the puck. Detroit forced the Pens to use their secondary shooters and Zetterberg (last year’s playoff MVP), was their pacesetter early on. But Fleury was too quick as he scrambled to save shots and deflections, even by his own teammates after intermission. Justin Abdelkader, the rookie breakout player for Detroit, was limited. Fleury stopped and held another surprising presence, Ville Leino. Leino was called up to skate in the pressure-cooker finals by Detroit too. Brian Rafalski, who came into the game with 13 post-season points against Pittsburgh, skimmed a shot off the top of the crossbar. Fleury did not allow Rafalski‘s fire to flare. The Penguins ganged up to bail out their goalie though. The offense got the support to crack Detroit’s defense and apply pressure on Osgood. Detroit is averaging a stubborn two goals per game this post-season but Osgood saw four pass his way last night.
Gonchar suffered a knee-on-knee wound in the Washington series. It was great to have the team’s emotional leader back on the ice as Pittsburgh averted a deep hole. His screened power-play goal midway through the third period proved why Gonchar’s veteran stick is a necessary Penguin symbol. The 35 year old believed the team took a step in the right direction after Game 2’s 3-1 loss on the road. He took advantage of a tentative team and put the Red Wings on their heels in the third period. The team came out more relaxed in the final period, knowing a poor performance would all but end their season. The sense of urgency paid off against hockey’s cherished dynasty. Pittsburgh’s defense blocked shots by sacrificing their bodies. The smothering Pens did everything right, and Talbot’s late goal made Detroit unable to recover in front of a brownout energized home crowd. The Red Wings penalty killers were futile and did not challenge Talbot or Gonchar. The team killed just 45 of 63 power plays in the playoffs, good for a detrimental and disastrous 71.4%. The Penguins were especially able to cycle the puck with the one-man advantage on Tuesday. Even though they were denied chances due to the Red Wings’ commitment to their own zone, Pittsburgh beat Osgood and played well with the lead. They took possession of the puck to negate any Detroit opportunities. The Pens have a chance to even the series Thursday in Game 4 at Mellon Arena’s Igloo. If they win another game, they will return to hostile Joe Louis Arena as a squad surely back in this dynamic series. Fatigue may be a factor. Tuesday night was the third game in four nights. It will be a test of stamina and will in the remaining contests. I thought the Penguins would win the series because Detroit would take them too lightly. After the first two games, I was convinced the Red Wings would take the series. With Tuesday night’s Game 3 win, there was evidence of Detroit taking the Penguins for an easy competitor. I think the Penguins are capable of winning the next game in Pittsburgh, but I no longer feel they can overcome to beat Detroit at home for the Cup chase.
Parting points: Derek Jeter scored his 1,500th career run in last night’s crushing of the Texas Rangers.
Daily dose of music- “Funny the way it is” by Dave Matthews Band
The calendar flipped to June but hockey is still being played in Pittsburgh and Detroit. The pivotal third game of the Stanley Cup finals went to the Penguins in a conscientious 4-2 home ice decision over the reputable Red Wings Tuesday. The Pens’ Maxime Talbot opened the game with an assertive goal and closed the contest with his second one, an empty-netter. In a make-or-break, pivotal game, Pittsburgh weaseled out a win to slice Detroit’s series lead to 2-1. The adrenaline was finally shown in Game 3, and the Penguins lit a fuse for the purposeful punch. The malaise and melancholy was moderated with the Penguins pardon.
Pittsburgh scored twice in three power-play chances. Sergei Gonchar supplied the season saving go-ahead third period score on a Penguins power-play. The decisive goal was created by an interference call on Jonathan Ericsson. Gonchar had a chance to snap the 2-2 tie with a slap from center off Evgeni Malkin’s pass. The puck was peppered, sailing past Red Wings goalie, Chris Osgood. Marc-Andre Fleury was instrumental in net for the Pens down the stretch as his team toughed out the final period. Fleury made 27 saves after shaking off two unsteady games in Detroit. The Penguins kept Detroit in check to revive what had been a one-sided affair thus far in this Stanley Cup Finals.
Talbot scored the first goal when the Penguins pressure on defense finally paid off. Dan Cleary was stripped of the puck in the first period and Talbot converted with an attack on Osgood.
Chris Kunitz and Talbot were vital role players during the early part of the game and Malkin assisted on the first three Penguin goals. Malkin finished with 33 points in 20 games of this post-season. Kris Letang put the Pens in position to tie the game at two with a successful shot in the prologue period. Letang played so poorly in Game 2 his head coach considered benching him last night. He collected the biscuit from a diving Johan Franzen with four minutes left in the period. The puck was driven through a Niklas Kronwall screen to tie the score. The Penguins battled for control on face-offs. Sidney Crosby won 12 of 19 face-offs, including a crucial three on a first-period power play. Detroit was beaten inside the blue lines and the pick never left the zone during the 71-second span. The 21 year old captain Crosby didn’t have a breakout performance in Game 3. He had scarce scoring scenarios, but the Penguins did not need him to be perfect because secondary scorers stepped up. The refined Crosby should be a major influence in the remainder of the Stanley Cup Finals.
Henrik Zetterberg and Franzen accounted for all the Detroit scoring. Both produced Red Wing goals in the first period to give Detroit a 2-1 lead. It looked like the Red Wings were efficient and well on their way to a third win after Franzen’s elegant cross-pass from Zetterberg was wristed into net. A charging and unchecked Zetterberg played another strong game, and expertly limited Crosby’s chances. Last night, he was triple teamed by Detroit. Crosby was humbled in Game 1 against Zetterberg. He went 5 of 16 in faceoffs against the sly moving Red Wing in Detroit but adapted with calculating ability last night. Crosby, Bill Guerin and Malkin were also effective in slowing the game down and giving great screens. Osgood had trouble seeing the Pittsburgh attempts because of the Pens’ terrific and timely takes. The Red Wings’ lack of offense hurt them in Game 3. Detroit breezed along in Games 1 and 2 at home. They did not win the first two games by brute force, but silently imposed themselves on the Penguins in come-away victories. Pittsburgh shifted the momentum their way. They also avoided clashing with the elite Red Wings Thursday trying to crawl out of an 0-3 hole.
After a frantic first period, Detroit failed to find the net. There were no goals during the entire second period despite plenty of chances for both teams. The second period was the first without a goal in the series. The Red Wings covered five scoring chances to the Pens’ none. Pittsburgh started the third period with a flurry after being outshot 26-11 in the first two. Gonchar’s tie-breaker came on the Penguin’s ninth consecutive shot on goal. The fourth-line center, Talbot, added flipped the final blow on an empty-net fling from Ruslan Fedotenko. Fleury kept the Penguins swimming by fending off Detroit dribblings around the crease. The Red Wings were given quality chances and put heavy pressure on the goalie. The persistent players had control of the neutral zone during the first period and the Penguins sometimes mismanaged the puck. Detroit forced the Pens to use their secondary shooters and Zetterberg (last year’s playoff MVP), was their pacesetter early on. But Fleury was too quick as he scrambled to save shots and deflections, even by his own teammates after intermission. Justin Abdelkader, the rookie breakout player for Detroit, was limited. Fleury stopped and held another surprising presence, Ville Leino. Leino was called up to skate in the pressure-cooker finals by Detroit too. Brian Rafalski, who came into the game with 13 post-season points against Pittsburgh, skimmed a shot off the top of the crossbar. Fleury did not allow Rafalski‘s fire to flare. The Penguins ganged up to bail out their goalie though. The offense got the support to crack Detroit’s defense and apply pressure on Osgood. Detroit is averaging a stubborn two goals per game this post-season but Osgood saw four pass his way last night.
Gonchar suffered a knee-on-knee wound in the Washington series. It was great to have the team’s emotional leader back on the ice as Pittsburgh averted a deep hole. His screened power-play goal midway through the third period proved why Gonchar’s veteran stick is a necessary Penguin symbol. The 35 year old believed the team took a step in the right direction after Game 2’s 3-1 loss on the road. He took advantage of a tentative team and put the Red Wings on their heels in the third period. The team came out more relaxed in the final period, knowing a poor performance would all but end their season. The sense of urgency paid off against hockey’s cherished dynasty. Pittsburgh’s defense blocked shots by sacrificing their bodies. The smothering Pens did everything right, and Talbot’s late goal made Detroit unable to recover in front of a brownout energized home crowd. The Red Wings penalty killers were futile and did not challenge Talbot or Gonchar. The team killed just 45 of 63 power plays in the playoffs, good for a detrimental and disastrous 71.4%. The Penguins were especially able to cycle the puck with the one-man advantage on Tuesday. Even though they were denied chances due to the Red Wings’ commitment to their own zone, Pittsburgh beat Osgood and played well with the lead. They took possession of the puck to negate any Detroit opportunities. The Pens have a chance to even the series Thursday in Game 4 at Mellon Arena’s Igloo. If they win another game, they will return to hostile Joe Louis Arena as a squad surely back in this dynamic series. Fatigue may be a factor. Tuesday night was the third game in four nights. It will be a test of stamina and will in the remaining contests. I thought the Penguins would win the series because Detroit would take them too lightly. After the first two games, I was convinced the Red Wings would take the series. With Tuesday night’s Game 3 win, there was evidence of Detroit taking the Penguins for an easy competitor. I think the Penguins are capable of winning the next game in Pittsburgh, but I no longer feel they can overcome to beat Detroit at home for the Cup chase.
Parting points: Derek Jeter scored his 1,500th career run in last night’s crushing of the Texas Rangers.
Daily dose of music- “Funny the way it is” by Dave Matthews Band
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Short Series Sets Second Straight Stanley Showdown
It’s a great time to be a hockey fan, especially if your team is the Pittsburgh Penguins. The Pens undressed and ousted the Carolina Hurricanes with a Game 4 road victory good for a spectacular series sweep. Pittsburgh is headed back to the Stanley Cup Finals for the second consecutive year. Tuesday night’s 4-1 rout in Raleigh concluded the Eastern Conference four game Penguin romp.
Carolina’s Eric Staal got the first goal of the game, and the only one of the series for the franchise player. The Hurricanes bolted to a 1-0 lead on Staal’s wrap-around chance and Carolina was hoping for similar results in games when he scored (7-0 in those post-season situations) Pittsburgh’s offense would take over from there. Ruslan Fedotenko scored for the Pens 8.21 into the first period and Max Talbot slapped a wrister in the goal ten minutes later. Bill Guerin, the 16 year veteran, skimmed a netter in the second on a Sidney Crosby assist. Crosby burst out of the penalty box, worked the puck up the ice and dished the puck right to Guerin’s stick. Bill made contact and slapped the puck past Hurricane goalie, Cam Ward. Craig Adams fired an empty netter for the fourth and final goal, on assists from the exceptional Crosby and Talbot. Pittsburgh’s Marc-Andre Fleury stopped 30 shots on goal, and Ward had 21 saves for Carolina. The Hurricanes struck five penalties to the Pens’ four. The series loss was the first playoff one of Ward’s successful NHL career. He was previously 5-0 in elimination games, but the Penguins bucked the odds and put to rest an overextended Hurricane team.
The Penguins played another classic Pittsburgh-style hockey game last night. With the score tied at 1-1 in the first period, Talbot tricked Carolina defenseman, Anton Babchuk. Talbot swing hard and Babchuk got his stick and skate on the puck. The black oval undulated airborne, floated and flipped over a waving Ward in net. What looked like an easy save became a freakish fluke. The stroke of luck shot was good for a goal and the first Penguin lead of the night. Any Carolina home ice edge was subdued with Talbot’s tormenting tally.
In the series, Pittsburgh outscored the spent Canes 20-9, netting at least three goals in each game. Not one Carolina player scored more than two points as they entered Game 4, and they were unable to overcome the talented Penguin team. Pittsburgh sabotaged Carolina’s chances of capitalizing on their early momentum again. Even when the defense controlled the play down low, Pittsburgh’s depth players stepped up with four unanswered goals. Fleury slammed the door on any quality attempts to his territory by stopped captain, Rod Brind’Amour, Matt Cullen, Ray Whitney and Sergei Samsonov from scoring. Carolina lost because their passing was hurried, goaltending was shoddy and the offense was flat in the end.
The return trip to the Stanley Cup Finals marks the Pens’ fourth in history and sets up a potential re-match of last year’s contest with the Red Wings. This Penguins team can handle the pressure inflicted from any team on the ice. Pittsburgh outworks and out hustles opponents with the flashy skating of Crosby and Evgeni Malkin. The above-average Malkin did not factor into Tuesday night’s clinching contest, but came of age during this playoff series. He broke out in the opening games as the hottest player on the frozen ice. Malkin and Crosby both played out of their minds and are going to be a disruptive force in the Stanley Cup Finals. Crosby wouldn’t cooperate with Carolina’s cut-throat defense and Cam couldn’t control Malkin’s corruptive carousing. The indiscreet Fedotenko is a bright spot, always seeming to have it at the right time. He chips in with brilliant passing and execution on offense. Thorough fourth-line players, like Adams and Miro Satan, allow Crosby and Malkin to remain fresh on the bench. Satan and Philippe Boucher added an assist a piece in Game 4. Pittsburgh is moving on because they got secondary scoring when they needed it. Adams had two goals and three points this series. Guerin and Chris Kunitz add a spine to this Penguins team. They combined for ten points against the Hurricanes. The mindset in Pittsburgh is different this year, and was on full display during their latest sweep of Carolina. Sergei Gonchar and Jordan Staal provide even more fight and fuel on the ice for Pittsburgh. Staal, the 6’4” center, was skating against his brother Eric. The 2006 draft pick Jordan will be the brother moving on to the final round of the playoffs. Ward is a former playoff MVP for Carolina, but Fleury showed him up this series. Marc now has 26 playoff wins in the past two seasons. Fleury was reliable in protecting the net and the defense provided a consistent effort against a wobbly and withered Hurricane offense.
The Penguins didn’t allow Carolina a game and proved they are the best team in the NHL with their smothering style. Their five-man defensive system knows how to adjust and clog the neutral zone. They create opportunities for the offense by forcing turnovers and chasing down the puck. Hal Gill and Rob Scuderi are unsung defensive heroes, but it’s the Penguin offense that makes this team flow and glow. The Penguins have outscored their opposition by a lopsided margin of 26-11 this post-season. New head coach, Dan Bylsma, has a solid core poised to capture the NHL title. Since he took over the team, the Penguins have gone 30-8-4 and he played a role in their return trip. Bylsma’s outlook has helped establish a stable, well-blended and balanced team. They got a deserving series win after being dominant on all dimensions. Objective observers may disagree, but the Penguins have the goods to take down the Red Wings. Detroit is particularly good up front because they have more depth and their back end sports the best blueline in hockey. But the Penguins are strong in goal and have experienced stars with ability to dissipate any minor advantages. They have asserted themselves as another premier Pittsburgh professional organization. I’m crossing my fingers for a Penguin championship because I truly enjoy Crosby more than any other player in the game. Pittsburgh works wonderfully well as a team with the unconscious young talent and aggregate veteran presence. Although I considered them a legitimate contender, never did I expect the Penguins to reach back-to-back Stanley Cup Finals. I now believe this is the team to beat in 2009. Most Penguins waddle but these NHL stars sure don’t. Go Pens!
Parting points: Hump Day humming: “We Didn’t Start The Fire” by Billy Joel
“Losing feels worse than winning feels good”- Vin Scully
Carolina’s Eric Staal got the first goal of the game, and the only one of the series for the franchise player. The Hurricanes bolted to a 1-0 lead on Staal’s wrap-around chance and Carolina was hoping for similar results in games when he scored (7-0 in those post-season situations) Pittsburgh’s offense would take over from there. Ruslan Fedotenko scored for the Pens 8.21 into the first period and Max Talbot slapped a wrister in the goal ten minutes later. Bill Guerin, the 16 year veteran, skimmed a netter in the second on a Sidney Crosby assist. Crosby burst out of the penalty box, worked the puck up the ice and dished the puck right to Guerin’s stick. Bill made contact and slapped the puck past Hurricane goalie, Cam Ward. Craig Adams fired an empty netter for the fourth and final goal, on assists from the exceptional Crosby and Talbot. Pittsburgh’s Marc-Andre Fleury stopped 30 shots on goal, and Ward had 21 saves for Carolina. The Hurricanes struck five penalties to the Pens’ four. The series loss was the first playoff one of Ward’s successful NHL career. He was previously 5-0 in elimination games, but the Penguins bucked the odds and put to rest an overextended Hurricane team.
The Penguins played another classic Pittsburgh-style hockey game last night. With the score tied at 1-1 in the first period, Talbot tricked Carolina defenseman, Anton Babchuk. Talbot swing hard and Babchuk got his stick and skate on the puck. The black oval undulated airborne, floated and flipped over a waving Ward in net. What looked like an easy save became a freakish fluke. The stroke of luck shot was good for a goal and the first Penguin lead of the night. Any Carolina home ice edge was subdued with Talbot’s tormenting tally.
In the series, Pittsburgh outscored the spent Canes 20-9, netting at least three goals in each game. Not one Carolina player scored more than two points as they entered Game 4, and they were unable to overcome the talented Penguin team. Pittsburgh sabotaged Carolina’s chances of capitalizing on their early momentum again. Even when the defense controlled the play down low, Pittsburgh’s depth players stepped up with four unanswered goals. Fleury slammed the door on any quality attempts to his territory by stopped captain, Rod Brind’Amour, Matt Cullen, Ray Whitney and Sergei Samsonov from scoring. Carolina lost because their passing was hurried, goaltending was shoddy and the offense was flat in the end.
The return trip to the Stanley Cup Finals marks the Pens’ fourth in history and sets up a potential re-match of last year’s contest with the Red Wings. This Penguins team can handle the pressure inflicted from any team on the ice. Pittsburgh outworks and out hustles opponents with the flashy skating of Crosby and Evgeni Malkin. The above-average Malkin did not factor into Tuesday night’s clinching contest, but came of age during this playoff series. He broke out in the opening games as the hottest player on the frozen ice. Malkin and Crosby both played out of their minds and are going to be a disruptive force in the Stanley Cup Finals. Crosby wouldn’t cooperate with Carolina’s cut-throat defense and Cam couldn’t control Malkin’s corruptive carousing. The indiscreet Fedotenko is a bright spot, always seeming to have it at the right time. He chips in with brilliant passing and execution on offense. Thorough fourth-line players, like Adams and Miro Satan, allow Crosby and Malkin to remain fresh on the bench. Satan and Philippe Boucher added an assist a piece in Game 4. Pittsburgh is moving on because they got secondary scoring when they needed it. Adams had two goals and three points this series. Guerin and Chris Kunitz add a spine to this Penguins team. They combined for ten points against the Hurricanes. The mindset in Pittsburgh is different this year, and was on full display during their latest sweep of Carolina. Sergei Gonchar and Jordan Staal provide even more fight and fuel on the ice for Pittsburgh. Staal, the 6’4” center, was skating against his brother Eric. The 2006 draft pick Jordan will be the brother moving on to the final round of the playoffs. Ward is a former playoff MVP for Carolina, but Fleury showed him up this series. Marc now has 26 playoff wins in the past two seasons. Fleury was reliable in protecting the net and the defense provided a consistent effort against a wobbly and withered Hurricane offense.
The Penguins didn’t allow Carolina a game and proved they are the best team in the NHL with their smothering style. Their five-man defensive system knows how to adjust and clog the neutral zone. They create opportunities for the offense by forcing turnovers and chasing down the puck. Hal Gill and Rob Scuderi are unsung defensive heroes, but it’s the Penguin offense that makes this team flow and glow. The Penguins have outscored their opposition by a lopsided margin of 26-11 this post-season. New head coach, Dan Bylsma, has a solid core poised to capture the NHL title. Since he took over the team, the Penguins have gone 30-8-4 and he played a role in their return trip. Bylsma’s outlook has helped establish a stable, well-blended and balanced team. They got a deserving series win after being dominant on all dimensions. Objective observers may disagree, but the Penguins have the goods to take down the Red Wings. Detroit is particularly good up front because they have more depth and their back end sports the best blueline in hockey. But the Penguins are strong in goal and have experienced stars with ability to dissipate any minor advantages. They have asserted themselves as another premier Pittsburgh professional organization. I’m crossing my fingers for a Penguin championship because I truly enjoy Crosby more than any other player in the game. Pittsburgh works wonderfully well as a team with the unconscious young talent and aggregate veteran presence. Although I considered them a legitimate contender, never did I expect the Penguins to reach back-to-back Stanley Cup Finals. I now believe this is the team to beat in 2009. Most Penguins waddle but these NHL stars sure don’t. Go Pens!
Parting points: Hump Day humming: “We Didn’t Start The Fire” by Billy Joel
“Losing feels worse than winning feels good”- Vin Scully
Thursday, May 14, 2009
Thursday Take-Twos
Say goodbye to the Dallas Mavericks, Washington Capitals and Ryan Zimmerman’s 30 game hitting streak in this week’s installment of Thursday Take-Twos.
The Denver Nuggets put the finishing touches on the Dallas Mavericks in Game 5 to reach the NBA Western Conference Finals for the first time since 1985. The Nuggets won the series 4-1. The 124-110 victory occurred in front of the Nuggets’ home crowd at the Pepsi Center. Denver shot 64 percent in the first half to build a 69-55 halftime lead. Carmelo Anthony netted 30, Chauncey Billups bucketed 28 and J.R. Smith scored 18 points for Denver. Billups also led with 12 assists and 7 rebounds while Nene Hilario rebounded 7 and tipped in 17 points. Denver forward, Kenyon Martin, stole four balls and fired 15 shots with success. Anthony hit a 25 foot jumper with 7 minutes left and the Mavericks on his heels to lift the Nuggets. Billups’ drew a technical foul from Dallas’ Antoine Wright to make it a 10 point game. Denver displayed excellent execution and had an answer for everything Dallas drew up. Dirk Nowitzki flicked 32 through the hoop and Jason Kidd added 19 for the Mavericks. The trade for Billups from Detroit appeared to make a difference for Denver this season. Chauncey and Melo are sparks and proven winners for the dark horse Denver team. Both players are forces in generating offense from downtown. The Nuggets are 8-2 in the playoffs and won a franchise tying 54 regular season games. They face the winner of the L.A.-Houston series in the finals. Denver is a championship quality team and will give fits to either of their next foe. An opponent has not beaten Denver at home since March 9th.
Sydney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins closed out their Eastern Conference semi-final series in Washington. Crosby propelled the offense and scored twice as the Pens scorched Washington 6-2 Wednesday night in the marquee match up between the teams. Captain Crosby stole the show with his post-season league-leading 11th and 12th goals. The Penguins skate to their second conference final in as many years. Wednesday, Crosby scored two power-play goals and assisted on the Pens‘ third goal. Sid the Kid wasn’t the only star of the game. Craig Adams slipped in his first goal in 42 post-season appearances. Youngster, Jordan Staal, 38 year old, Bill Guerin and defensive dasher, Kris Letang, both contributed with goals for Pittsburgh. Sergei Gonchar returned for the first time since being sidelined with a knee injury to provide an assist for Pittsburgh. Marc-Andre Fleury was nifty behind net with 19 saves and the defense kept the Caps’ Alex Ovechkin in check throughout the deciding game. Fleury fended off a breakaway attempt by Ovechkin when the game as still scoreless that could have provided momentum for Washington had Alex’s puck gone in the net. Ovechkin did score a late goal for Washington to improve his playoff series points to a commanding 14. The total has not been reached by any NHL player since the 1995 season. The Capitals switched goalies after the Penguins pounded in four goals. It was Crosby who struck first about seven minutes into the game. He added his second in the third period after stealing the puck from rival, Ovechkin, and parlayed the puck past replacement goalie, Jose Theodore for a 6-1 Penguins advantage.
It was a great story to follow. Ryan Zimmerman of the Washington Nationals was silenced at the plate for the first time in 30 consecutive games Wednesday. The Nats’ gnat, Zimmerman ,was collecting hits with currency in one of baseball’s hard-to-accomplish acts. It’s difficult enough to get a week’s worth of hits but thirty in a row is quite the accolade. It’s rare in today’s game too because when hitters start getting hot, pitchers intentionally walk them more often. Joe DiMaggio holds the record with his famed 56 game tear in 1941. Only 44 players in MLB history have a hit in 30 games. Moises Alou was the last to secure 30 in his 2007 stint with the Mets. Six players can claim a hitting streak of 40 or more games. Ryan drew two walks and went 0-3 against the San Francisco Giants in the National’s 6-3 win. Zimmerman faced another “z” last name major leaguer. Birthday boy, Barry Zito, was on the hill. I love Zito and am happy he is quietly turning his season around. Hopefully this indicates a return of the old curveball master from his Oakland days. Zimmerman did score a run in the 6th but fell short of the franchise record 31 games streak held by Vladimir Guerrero. Zimmerman grounded into a force with runners on first and second base in the ninth inning during his final at-bat. His streak began April 8th with a 6th inning double against the Florida Marlins. April 13th, he clobbered a 9th inning homerun in Philadelphia to keep the streak alive. An 8th inning shot on May 9th kept it going for 27 straight in a one-run Washington win over Arizona. The 24 year old third baseman batted .382 during the streak. He had 8 frozen ropes and 26 RBIs.
Parting points: I hear the music of Cracker; listening to “Low”.
The salacious story out of USC is making headlines. Did basketball coach, Tim Floyd, pay Rodney Guillory? According to former sportswriter for the Long Beach Press-Telegram, Louis Johnson, he did. Johnson is penning a book about O.J. Mayo and he accused Floyd of paying Guillory to help deliver Mayo to the Trojans program. Who should we believe? I am fascinated by stories involving college compliance. I will follow the ongoing drama from Hollywood and if the accusations turn out true, we could also be saying goodbye to Floyd.
The Denver Nuggets put the finishing touches on the Dallas Mavericks in Game 5 to reach the NBA Western Conference Finals for the first time since 1985. The Nuggets won the series 4-1. The 124-110 victory occurred in front of the Nuggets’ home crowd at the Pepsi Center. Denver shot 64 percent in the first half to build a 69-55 halftime lead. Carmelo Anthony netted 30, Chauncey Billups bucketed 28 and J.R. Smith scored 18 points for Denver. Billups also led with 12 assists and 7 rebounds while Nene Hilario rebounded 7 and tipped in 17 points. Denver forward, Kenyon Martin, stole four balls and fired 15 shots with success. Anthony hit a 25 foot jumper with 7 minutes left and the Mavericks on his heels to lift the Nuggets. Billups’ drew a technical foul from Dallas’ Antoine Wright to make it a 10 point game. Denver displayed excellent execution and had an answer for everything Dallas drew up. Dirk Nowitzki flicked 32 through the hoop and Jason Kidd added 19 for the Mavericks. The trade for Billups from Detroit appeared to make a difference for Denver this season. Chauncey and Melo are sparks and proven winners for the dark horse Denver team. Both players are forces in generating offense from downtown. The Nuggets are 8-2 in the playoffs and won a franchise tying 54 regular season games. They face the winner of the L.A.-Houston series in the finals. Denver is a championship quality team and will give fits to either of their next foe. An opponent has not beaten Denver at home since March 9th.
Sydney Crosby and the Pittsburgh Penguins closed out their Eastern Conference semi-final series in Washington. Crosby propelled the offense and scored twice as the Pens scorched Washington 6-2 Wednesday night in the marquee match up between the teams. Captain Crosby stole the show with his post-season league-leading 11th and 12th goals. The Penguins skate to their second conference final in as many years. Wednesday, Crosby scored two power-play goals and assisted on the Pens‘ third goal. Sid the Kid wasn’t the only star of the game. Craig Adams slipped in his first goal in 42 post-season appearances. Youngster, Jordan Staal, 38 year old, Bill Guerin and defensive dasher, Kris Letang, both contributed with goals for Pittsburgh. Sergei Gonchar returned for the first time since being sidelined with a knee injury to provide an assist for Pittsburgh. Marc-Andre Fleury was nifty behind net with 19 saves and the defense kept the Caps’ Alex Ovechkin in check throughout the deciding game. Fleury fended off a breakaway attempt by Ovechkin when the game as still scoreless that could have provided momentum for Washington had Alex’s puck gone in the net. Ovechkin did score a late goal for Washington to improve his playoff series points to a commanding 14. The total has not been reached by any NHL player since the 1995 season. The Capitals switched goalies after the Penguins pounded in four goals. It was Crosby who struck first about seven minutes into the game. He added his second in the third period after stealing the puck from rival, Ovechkin, and parlayed the puck past replacement goalie, Jose Theodore for a 6-1 Penguins advantage.
It was a great story to follow. Ryan Zimmerman of the Washington Nationals was silenced at the plate for the first time in 30 consecutive games Wednesday. The Nats’ gnat, Zimmerman ,was collecting hits with currency in one of baseball’s hard-to-accomplish acts. It’s difficult enough to get a week’s worth of hits but thirty in a row is quite the accolade. It’s rare in today’s game too because when hitters start getting hot, pitchers intentionally walk them more often. Joe DiMaggio holds the record with his famed 56 game tear in 1941. Only 44 players in MLB history have a hit in 30 games. Moises Alou was the last to secure 30 in his 2007 stint with the Mets. Six players can claim a hitting streak of 40 or more games. Ryan drew two walks and went 0-3 against the San Francisco Giants in the National’s 6-3 win. Zimmerman faced another “z” last name major leaguer. Birthday boy, Barry Zito, was on the hill. I love Zito and am happy he is quietly turning his season around. Hopefully this indicates a return of the old curveball master from his Oakland days. Zimmerman did score a run in the 6th but fell short of the franchise record 31 games streak held by Vladimir Guerrero. Zimmerman grounded into a force with runners on first and second base in the ninth inning during his final at-bat. His streak began April 8th with a 6th inning double against the Florida Marlins. April 13th, he clobbered a 9th inning homerun in Philadelphia to keep the streak alive. An 8th inning shot on May 9th kept it going for 27 straight in a one-run Washington win over Arizona. The 24 year old third baseman batted .382 during the streak. He had 8 frozen ropes and 26 RBIs.
Parting points: I hear the music of Cracker; listening to “Low”.
The salacious story out of USC is making headlines. Did basketball coach, Tim Floyd, pay Rodney Guillory? According to former sportswriter for the Long Beach Press-Telegram, Louis Johnson, he did. Johnson is penning a book about O.J. Mayo and he accused Floyd of paying Guillory to help deliver Mayo to the Trojans program. Who should we believe? I am fascinated by stories involving college compliance. I will follow the ongoing drama from Hollywood and if the accusations turn out true, we could also be saying goodbye to Floyd.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
